The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1877-05-04
TOy-Land.

Woodworking is the chief occupation
of many a mountain village both in the
Tvrol and in Switzerland; but in no place
has it been carried to greater perfection
or been entered into more thoroughly
by the inhabitants than at st. Ulrich.
One branch of it, indeed, the manufacture
of wooden toys, particularly dolls, may
be considered almost specially of the
district; for the little town of st. Ulrich
is the great storehouse from which the
chief toy traders of Europe, we might al
most say of the world, draw those rich
and inexhaustible supplies which brighten
so many nurseries and gladden. the hearts
of so many little ones. The art is said to
have been introduced into the valley about
the beginning of the last century, since
which time it has been the principal en-
ployment of the inhabitants, male and
female, young and old alike; for ancient
grandfathers and grandmothers may be
seen steadily pursuing the vocation that
has been theirs from their earliest years;
and as soon as the little boys or girls can
be safely trusted with knives, they begin
their rude endeavors to carve the form of
some animal or toy which is the particu-
lar line of their family. This is one of
the odd things in connection with the
trade, that, as general rule, each family
or group of families has its own special
department, from which they do not de-
viate. Some carve, some paint, some
gild; the painters often working only in
one particular color; while the carvers
constantly stick to the manufacture OF
one or two, or at the most of half dozen
animals, of certain toys or certain por-
tons of toys and dolls, and so on through
all the endless ramifcations of their Lii
lipution industry. 1t is most curious
sight to watch them at work. They use
no models, and work entirely by rule OF
thumb; long practice having made them
so perfect that they turn out the tiny ar
ticles without the slightest hesitation,
every one as precisely alike as if they had
been cast in mould. In this way are
manufactured the varied collection Of an
finals found in Noah's Ark. Some fami-
lies will cut out lions, tigers, camels, ele-
plants; others, sheep, oxen and deer;
others, chiefly birds; while another group
will produce the wonderfully dressed lit
tie men and women popularity supposed
to represent Noah and his seven human
companions. The coloring of these pro-
auctions is quite another branch Of the
trade; and while the carving goes on at
all times with undated regularity, the
painting of the various articles is only
added as they are required; that is, when
orders come from the toy dealers; and
this frequently varies according to cir
cumstances; so that the coloring and
gliding business is not on the whole so
steady and profitable as the carving.
There arOseveral shops and warehouses
where the articles thus manufactured are
sold; but there are two leading merchants
the carved work either from the people
themselves, or from minor agents, who
realize small profit by acting as middle.
men. Permission can readil Y be obtained
to visit those establishments; and it is
curious and amusing sight to walk
through the extraordinary collection of
dolls and toys gathered together under
one roof. The dolls are in themselves
very wonderful exhibition. There are
rooms upon rooms quite filled with them,
of every size and style, small and large,
painted and implanted; their size varying
from tiny atoms scarcely an inch long, to
huge figures of nearly a yard in length,
most of them jointed, and the greater
part uncolored, and just as they came
from the hands of the carver. They are
carefully sorted, according to their va
rious sizes; and great shelves and cases
in every direction are crammed with
them. Some sizes are more popular than
others, a very favorite length being about
two inches; of this size one of the great
doll merchants of st. Ulrich buys thirty
thousand every week during the whole
year. The makers of this kind can turn
out about twenty dozen day, each skill
full worker; the painting being quite an
after concern, with which the carvers
have nothing to do. Here also are bins
filled with wooden animals, also of differ
ent sizes and different degrees of excel
lence; for while some are merely roughly
shaped and the production often of very
young children, others are carved with
very great care and dexterity, and are
faithful representations of the creatures
they are intended to initiate. All the
numerous toys with which we are familiar
in the shops, or which we have played
with in childhood, here first spring into
being. Noah's Arks, empty and full ;
armies of wooden soldiers on horseback
and on foot; farmyards Of various dimen-
sions, stored with every article needful
for the juvenile agriculturist; dolls fur
niture of every size and pattern; sets of
tea-cups and saucers, and all kinds Of do
mestic utensils; little wooden horses, lit
tie wooden carts. In short, it is toys,
toys everywhere; and even with all our