Ron Fuller

b. 28/08/1936, Liskeard
d. 02/07/2017, Suffolk

Brief biography

Ron Fuller was born in 1937 in Liskeard, Cornwall. He attended art school in both Plymouth and Falmouth before studying Art and Theatre Design at the Royal College of Art. He began making toys in the 1960s, a practice he supported with his teaching work. In 1972 he moved to Laxfield, Suffolk, and began making wooden toys professionally full time. His early career was influenced by makers such as Sam Smith, Jack Gould and Yootha Rose. Although Fuller takes inspiration from traditional toys, especially German tinplate toys and those from a folk tradition, he describes what he produces as novelties rather than toys, given the often complex nature of the works. His work ranged from in scale from small to life sized automata - an example of which can be seen on the Chandos public house just off Trafalgar Square where a cooper rolls a barrel on the hour. His work is held in the collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, Sudbury Museum of Childhood, Oxfordshire Museum and Cabaret Mechanical Theatre.

Education & training

Art and Theatre Design, Royal College of Art, 1958-1961
Falmouth School of Art, 1954 - 1956