Hana Zelinová
A typically decorated famous folk toy is undoubtedly linked with the life of Czech artist Bohuslav Šippich whose contribution to creating such toys can be described as very significant. The potential of wood processing for making furniture and toys in Kyjatice in the district of Rimavská Sobota, was noticed, and acted on, in 1926, by the State Institution for Growing and Improving Small Businesses in the town of Martin. Here, Bohuslav Šippich launched a course to revitalise the production while keeping typical decor. He even employed a professional artist as the course’s facilitator. Having been engaged in several organisations concerned with growing, improving and marketing craft production, it was Bohuslav Šippich’s ambition to take inspiration from traditional technologies and patterns but, at the same time, take them further so that they would respect current needs of the market. For him, an ideal situation occurred when technologies and patterns used in traditional production could have been adapted to new functions of products, namely in the area of making promotional products and souvenirs that he considered economically viable, sustainable and successful. He put emphasis on availing of local resources and materials, local production traditions as well as possibilities of a feasible improvement in the economy of this locality, even region.