The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-02
7IE HOME On THE DOLLS
A Visit to SOnneberg and Its Toy and
Doll Manufactures.
SANTA CLAUS STORE HOUSES.
Making the Doll Babies-All About the Beauti-
full Wax Doll and the Woman Who Fell in
Love with 1.-THE Papagenos of
the Thuringian FOrest-Mar-
BILE Making, &C., &c.

FRANKFORT Dec. 8, 1874.
How many thousands of chld-hearts are lust at
this good old season of Christmas made happy In
the possession OF the annual gifts from Santa
Claus Of dolls and Noah's arks OF lead soldiers
aud dancing figures and all the rest OF the world
Of toys wonder II all the children know where
Santa Claus procures the many beautiful things ne
brings them; If the girls know how and where the
wonderful speaking, crying and smiling dolls are
mades or course, they have all heard OF Nurem-
berg, and Nuremberg is generally styled the big toy
town; but 1t provides the old saint principally with
the cheaper kinds OF toys now. Just on the borders
Of the Thurngian forest lies the pretty little town
OF Sonneberg, and 1t is about this place intend
write to-day; for here 1t s that the most beautiful
dolls and children's toys are made at the present
time IN Germany. 1t Is a wonderfully interesting
little town. visited 1t in August last on the
casion OF q Luther festival held there, an account
OF which was published in the HERALD at the time.
VARIETIES OF CHrLDRENs TOYS.
The great display OF toys and Christmas books
already exhibited In the windows OF the Ger.
man stores reminds me that have not much
time to lose In sending myletter, II it shall be
read at the proper time. Even description OF
she toys thus exhibited would be interesting for
some are quite peculiar and instructive. One is
pleasantly surprised at the very peaceable char.
acter OF the toys which we find In South Germany
when we remember the whole German, French
and Russian armies that occupied the windows
OF the Berlin toy stores some years ago, and to q
great extent even now. 1t has been well said
that each nation has q distinctive character about
Its toys. Well, Prussian toys are essentially mill
tary; the children are early provided with big
boxes full OF cavalry and infantry and all the other
branches OF the army; they are permitted to
night mimic battles and TO beleaguer cities,
ana papa and mamma fOndly hope
that In time new Moltke may go forth from their
home. This year the Austrian children are pro-
vided, over and above the usual toys, with very
useful North Pole toy, which is set up with some
trouble and then represents the adventures
OF Messrs. Payer and Weyprecht on their last IN
teresting expedition to the mysterious North.
The Ship the bears, the icebergs, the sailors and
even the principal figures seem very Old friends to
me. Three or four years ago the same toy repre-
sented the German Koldewey expedition to the
Pole. Thus we see that even the events OF the
day have an influence in shaping the character OF
children's toys. month after the attempt on
Blsmarcks lie, made at Kissngen, an enterpris-
ing toy maker had manufactured in that soft
gutta percha mixture material OF which hideOus
faces and lizards and frogs are made, the heads OF
Bismarck and Kulmann, and they may be pur-
chased still for very good Prusslan children.
A DAUGHTER OF NUREMBERG.
Well must tell you some thing about Some.
berg and how the toys are made. The Germans
call the little town daughter OF the ancient city
OF Nuremberg, who many years ago was married
to the Thurlngian Forest; though she Is now al.
most matrOn herself, but is far more beautiful
than the old lady on the Pegni,z. Souneberg is o
pretty little city OF 900 inhabitants, situated at
the foot OF one of the most southern ranges OF the
Thurlngian hills, from which we can look across
broad, fruitful plain as far as COburg whose
fortress is plainly visible, some fifteen or twenty
miles distant. Sonneberg, besides being beautt.
ul Is prosperous little place; it carries on
q large trade both with England and the United
States The American Consul there Is Mr..
Winser, In former years member OF the New
York press, pleasant gentleman and worthy
representative, to whom am indebted for many
kindnesses received as your correspondent.
was the first American newspaper correspondent,
MI. Winser told me, who since his residence there
and in Coburg had ever invaded the bone OF
the dolls. Through him was fortunate in secur-
ing introduction to the principal TOY and doll
manufacturers Of SOnneberg, the Fleschmanns,
the Dresseis and the rest. was very fortunate,
too, in making the acquaintance OF retired toy
manufacturer, Adolf Fielschmann, who furnished
me with some very interesting chapters Of Some
berg toy history from q work i'll which he is at
present engaged.
THE ORIGIN OF THE soNNEBERG TOY INDUSTRY.
The Sonueberg toy industry, which arose In
the southwestern part Of the Thuringan
forest, belonging to the duchy of SAKE
Aeiningen, dates from the thirteenth CEN
fury. At first the articles manufactured were
OF the very rudest description, wooden shingles.
Staffs, jugs plates 10, which were carved by the
Inhabitants Of the mountain villages, wood cutters
and charcoal burners, who thus made use OF their
leisure time. Some OF these poor r.ountaineers
then gathered together these wares, and, heavily
loaded, wandered with them into Franconia,
where they disposed OF them and returned to the
mountains, with meal, wool, cloth or whatever
else they wanted for themselves or their neigh
bors. It was dangerous life for the poor fellows,
for highway robbers were very plentiful, and many
apoor toy dealer was robbed of all he possessed and
sometimes even murdered. In the following Gen.
fury, however, great improvement took place IN
the condition OF the dwellers of Thuringia. A
highway from Augsburg to Leipstc and Dresden
was made through the forest; thenceforward
caravans OF Augsburg and Nuremberg traders
passed along the route, and In returning pur-
chased the manufactured wares from the villages.
Then the merchants brought to the mountaineers
better models from the Berchtesgaden toy makers,
taught them how to paint their manufactures ana
to improve them 80 that they could be exported
rs the wares Of Berchtesgaden or Nuremberg. This
was the commencement OF the Thurngian toy
Industry. Then some OF the more enterprislng
toy makers commenced business as merchants ON
their own account. SOnneDerg, then little place
of but 700 inhabitants, became the recognized
centre of the trade and has remained so up to the
present time. From ITO to I740 Sonneberg mer-
chants established branches in st. Petersburg,
Stockholm Copenhagen, Christiana, Lubeck, Lon.
don, Moscow, Archangei ana Astrakan.
THE GOOD OLD TTMEs-MARBLE MAKING.
Sonnebergers from that OF the modern people,
Toys were not purchased in such quantities in
those days; people were neither cultivated nor
30 rich. and doubtless the children mad to
be satisfied with the simplest and rudest
shings. But the SOnnebergers had also
other business to attend to- They supplied
the armies Of Europe with nints; they