The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1881-11-11
All AbOui Dolls.

!
United States are manufactured here,
Germany, England and France supply
the world with dolls, and the manufac.
ture or control of the same is in such q
small number of hands that they can
manipulate the market to a great de-
gree, and can create great famines OF
run corners to suit their convenience OF
profit.
Go into one of the great toy estah-
lishments, and while rows of patterns
will be found of the most exquisite cast
and feature that one can conceive faces
that seem unparalleled for beauty; yet,
these models are the exact counterparts
of little children. which the maker has
found in some country or cline. it is
his duty to examine the successive gen.
erations of the human race, and select
the most beautiful for reproduction in
wax and plaster. The models origina Q
all new fashions in dolls. Fashions in
dolls ono exclaims. Yes, dolls are as
changeable in style as the modern
woman. The modelers are scientifically
exact in reproducing and molding the
facial expression.
The artizan som etimes gets into
trouble. II is related that one Of the
profession saw child of surprising
beauty in the street. 1t had amOre ex-
quisite cast of countenance than he had
ever before seen. When no one was
looking he coaxed the child q short
distance, and rapidly repaired with it
to his quarters. 1t was not long before
the country was aroused over the mys-
terious disappearance. Rewards were
freely offered for the recovery of the
child, and threats against the abductor
Meantime he fashioned model of more
than rare beauty, and, fearing the con-
sequences of abduction, he dispatched
the child. The dolls we're manufactured
and sent to many countries, meeting
with remarkable sale. One day de-
tectiye discovered the face of the lost
child stamped on doll in toy store.
The whole matter at once dawned upon
him, and the guilty person was traced
out and punished.
The wax dolls are, of course, the fin
est. 1t requires great skill to make
them. The material is sold to work
men who have models at home. A
figure is first made out of limo and
plaster Of Paris. The eyes, nose and
mouth are cut out with knife. The
figure is then dipped in red-hotwax and
dried. The doll is next painted, after
which it is sent to the hairdresser to
finish, and finally given to girls to dress.
A good quality Of doll will have thick
coating of wax. Cheaply made wax
dolls invariably crack in cold weather.
The wax which is used comes from bees
and "perfn." There are whole villages
in Germany which do nothing else but
make dolls, of which Stoneburg is the
most famous,
China dolls are made in factories.
They are first modelled, and burned in
ovens. After this process they are re-
moved, painted and glazed. This ope-
ration involves a great risk. Suppose
5000 to be in the oven at one time. No
matter how much time there is given at
baking, they are liable to come out in
all sorts of shapes, from which perhaps,
but 1000 firstclass specimens will be
secured. If the tender sleep wink or
be inattentive the whole lot may come
out bungled. What becomes Of the
spoiled ones? They are sold to cheap
stores, which retail them as first class
at IN enormous profit to yictimized
public. They may be found flooding
fairs and similar resorts, People who
want good dolls can only find them at
frst-class establishments. The moor
goods generally have black spots, or a
flaw in the shape. Dolls are found in
eighteen different sizes. Number
eighteen is very large and requires a
strong child to carry it. One factory in
Germany owns six ovens, into which
$50, 900 dolls can be baked OF once.
1t requires one week to bake them
properly and the fires must be kept 60
ing day and night, They require con-
stant care. If draft OF air be admitted,
or if certain temperature is not kept
up, the result will be disastrous. The
doll manufactures in Germany alone
employ 100000 people. The finest
dolls, however, emenate from Paris.
One firm in Germany has been in ope-
ration 125 years, and is the Oldest in
the world. There are now said to be
one thousand different models for dolls.
There was such enormous demand in
1879 that an actual doll famine occurred
and the American foreign supply was
cut of.