Creations
She created over 230 original toys, many of which were produced in many color variants. Very few of her designs remained in the prototype stage. Her work was so brilliant that some of her toys were copied in more than 25 countries around the world, not only accordions but also rubber squeaky toys and inflatable toys as well.
1954-1964
Rubber squeaky toys
Gumotex Břeclav
Libuše Niklová designed 62 rubber toys, most of them squeaky, with the exception of a few dolls that do not have a squeaker. Many of these toys were also produced in several color variants. Hand dyed with latex paints. She also designed a few toys as souvenirs, for example for the Spartakiad or Brno fairs and exhibitions.
Material
Rubber, PVC, PE - Polyethylene
Functions
Making sounds when squeezed
size
from 10 cm to 27 cm
A sample of her work
1963-1967
Accordion toys
Fatra Napajedla
Libuše Niklová designed 12 accordion toys, 10 animals, a baby and a train called Toot-Toot. These toys were ingenious and revolutionary, so much that, according to our research, they were copied in at least 25 countries around the world, and tens of millions of children played with them. Libuše Niklová thus influenced not only the production of plastic toys all over the world, but affected the childhood of millions of people. Today, they are highly sought-after design gems.
Material
PE - Polyethylene
Functions
Flexible, imitate movement, whistle and consist of 2-35 parts
Size
from 18 cm to 44 cm
A sample of her work
1966
Vernian toys
Fatra Napajedla
Libuše Niklová designed 3 toys based on Jules Verne’s novels. Nautilus, Albatros and Epouvante. These toys were designed for Expo 1967 in Montreal, where they did not appear due to the previous regime for political reasons, they were said to be too Western. But eventually they got into production, although the Epouvante remained only as a prototype and was never mass-produced.
material
PE - Polyethylene
Functions
They float, the submarine sinks after filling with water
Size
from 34 cm to 42 cm
A sample of her work
1963-1980
Inflatable toys
Fatra Napajedla
Libuše Niklová designed 140 inflatable toys. These inflatables were once again ingeniously designed, they were used both for playing in water and on land, some could also be used as children’s furniture or used for hopping. She also designed boats, sunbeds, water circles or pools. Some toys had sound.
Material
Novoplast
Functions
They float, some whistle, some serve as furniture or for hopping
size
from 22 cm to 180 cm
A sample of her work
