The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-11-26
MANUFACTURE OF DOLLS.
A Thriving Industry In England and
switzerland-Dolls' Eyes.

Switzeriand-DOlls' tycA
Dolls. like other toys, have gone
with the times, and even as the AM
mails in Noah's ark have become al
most artistic. and now tend 10 real
skins, glass eyes and other luxurlcs IN
place Of the yellow paint and blue
spots Of the antediluvian animals OF
our childhood, so the doll has risen IN
dignity and realism. Long ago dolls
were chiefly imported into Great
Britain from the Netherlands, and
hence not an unusual name for doll
was FLANDERS baby" These Dutch
and German dolls possessed perfectly
round heads, q little stuck out nose,
invariably parted their black painted
hair i'll the middle, poii.ted their toes,
stuck out one thumb, and were 50 Gu
riously jointed and articulated that
every attitude they were made 10 as
sumo at the will and pleasure Of their
owner was of a mildly mediTval sort.
They are disappearing before the
new race; still, though IN England
doll making has become a manufact-
ure, large importations arc yet i.ade
from the countries on the Rhine, from
France and from Switzerland, where
the industrious people make dolls all
the long winter when there are no
tourists to be guided up and down
mountains The villagers, as rule,
subdividc their labors; some carve
heads and bodies, others paint faces,
and others arc manufacturer of arms
and legs, while another group cut out,
sew and pat on the dresses, then the
dealers come round collect the scat
tered members and have them put to-
qether in wholesale way. All these
dolls can be made and imported at a
cost far below that at which they could
be executed by hand labor IN Eng
land.
When, however, we come 10 the real
high class doll, the aristocracy Of the
nursery, so to speak, with beautiful
pink waxcn neck and fat, curved arms,
with golden locks and real eyebrows
and oyelashes round their large lus-
trous orbs OF dazzling beauty, we find
the English trade can hold ITS own.
In London there are al sorts Of doll
makers, workers in ran-and there IS
o certain charm IN the old rag doll,
though she cannot well be counted
among the upper ten" of Lcr race
ia wax, gltta percha, India rubber
in which there IS a special trade in
black dolls made for export to America
to delight little negresses-and com
positions and PAPER machc of all
sorts.
Here, too, there exists an economic
division Of labor, for we have dolls
head makers, leg makers, wig makers,
eve makers, and so forth; and re-
Gently there has been established n
vcritable dolls hospital, whcreto can
be brought the poor thing with bat
tered head or a disfgured nose, pro
duced by the incautious placing OF
dolly near the fire TO warm herself.
Thither also repairs the dolly whose
eyes refuse TO close when told to go
to bv-by," or who suffers from inter
nal disorders Of her wires; and her
wants arc alphabetically attended TO
a very wise and proper feeling TO
fostef in children, who take long
timo TO learn to love new doll, and
cling passionGtely to their battered old
friend. Dolls eyes II may be men
toned, are a regular trade IN them
selves, and IN evidence given before
the house Of commons a Birmingham
manufacturer stated that lie had re-
ceivcd at one time on order for $500
worth Of glass eyes. OF course the
cheaper dolls eyes are simply small
hollow glass beads made Of white en-
amcl and colored with black or blue,
without any attempt at variety or OK
preston; but the grander dole have
iris end pupil and sclcrotic constructed
on the highest lines Of ophthaimclogy.
There arc some curious trade secrets
in connection with dolls eyes which
follow certain fashions For instance,
since her majesty came t. tho throne
there haG been q distinct run on blue
eyes, and blue eyed dolls are specially
made for the English market On the
continent, however, and particularly
in Spain, black eyes arc IA greater re-
quest Much might be sad concern
ING the dolls who walk and roisc their
glasses At intervals; the little naughty
duchessos in long trains, vLo say
papa and mamma Of their own
free viii and accord. and never condo
sccnd 10 an undignIiicd and, indeed,
illitcratc squeak; and tho musical
dolls and the gentleman doll who
smokes cigarettes The small public
have little love for this last parsonage,
and, indeed, Die best authorize rather
pronounce against the male doll alto
gether, for he finds small favor IN q
well regulated dolls house, where the
tiny menagc, as seen IL section, Is, as
n rule, exclusively feminine. London
Telegraph.
Generosity of Niilicnaires.