Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1888-05-16
THE DOLL AND ITS HISTORY.
All the Girls Since Moses Time Have
Played with Dolls.

and seem TO have been well known in
the days Of the IhdraOhs; for, in the
tOmbs of the ancient Egypt, figures of
painted wood, of terra Gotta, of ivory,
and Of rags have been found whose
limbs We're made movable for the de-
light Of children. 1t Is quite probable
that PharaOh's S daughter threw aside a
mimic child for the real baby wuich
she discovered in the famous bull-rush
basket. In the tombs of EtruTia by
the way, where was EtrurIa:-similar
TOYS have been discOyered; they were
spread in the East, and in China, as
well rs IN India, movable figures were
made 20 act from time lIumemOTial by
hand and on strings, or aS shadows he
hind a curtain. The ancient Greeks
were experts IN the manufacture of
puppets, including WAX dolls, and sew
erdl of their poets allude 10 offerings Of
dolls to ArtemIs and AphUOdite made
by maideus before their marriage.
Pictures of two or three OF these
crude efforts at dolI-makiug are given.
They show that little girls have always
had the same girl-uature they now
have, and that older people have always
tried to please ami satisfy it in the same
way.
The puppets, originally intended TO
crafty children. ended in being diver
sion for adults, and puppet shows at
traCted a due amount OF attention IN
the middle ages, arriving at such Il per
fectIOu IN the sixteenth century that
their performances TIvalcd in attTac-
tiOu those of living actors. Puppet
shows became exceedingly popular IN
England In the early part of the last
century, but none more 50 than those
conducted 10y Robert Powell, whose per
fOrmIucrs were not restricted to Lon
don, but were given in the season ut
Bath, Oxford AMI other places. In
London Puwel's puppet show was set
up under the piazza at tuycut GurJlru.
Tie latter Is q very ancient market,
but Is tar more famous from the OPERA
house that IS o,er the market, where
the finest OF operas are given during the
fashionable season.
PoWel's stage was furnished with a
set scene. wings aud sky-horiers, and
the performances took place 10y lamp
hight. When tie curtain rose Powell,
wand iu hand, took his place, like the
chorus Of % ttreek p ay. % Illustrate the
performance. Steele humurUusly an
uouuced one OF these performances 10y
saying that Powell would crafty the
town with the performance Of his drama
on the story of the -'thaSte >uS.tuu.th. -
(which would bee grJCvd 10y the AL
dltiou of two new elders, ~ and Thomas
Buruet, SON of the famous Bishop, M
his dedication Of a severe satire on the
ministry uf Robert Harley, Earl OF OK
ford, alludes to the great popularity Of
Powel's show. Whether OF not any
dolls were brought over by the Puri-
taus, who landed at Plymouth Rock,
we DO not know. There are said TO
have been some brought over IN the
MIytluwer, and possibly the claim Is
true, for YOU know the guod ship sailed I
from a Dutch port, and Dutch children |
have for centuries had the best dolls the /
world affords. ~tIll there Is 10 be tax |
en- into account the prIm notions of the |
Puritaus: They had no time for play /
Of any sort. and they were such prtctI- |
c ] and work-a-day people that it is !
doubtful II they ever allowed their chill |
dren 20 play with dolls.
However this may be, IL Is certain |
that generations succeeding the Puri- [
tIus in this country have not followed /
.u their footsteps. Millions Of dolls I
ire brought across the country every ]
scar TO American children, not to mem
ton the millions that ar. manufactured
here.
There was n time when there were no /
fashion journals, just as there was
time when there were no newspapers or
magazines Of any sort. The French /
people then, rs now, originated most of /
the ladies' fashions for all the world, F,
and, as they had no way of making |
pictures of their new styles, or papers |
TO describe them in, they made up dolls !
. . l.. n.
them all over the world. There pou-
pees, as the French called them, were
thought of SO much Importance in Eng
land that they were allowed TO be I'M
ported without hIudrauCe, even IN time
of war. These dolls not only showed
the cut of the costumes, but also repro
duced faithfully the materials and
trimmings. Some of them were
brought into Pennsylvania and Virginia
IN early times, and set the fashions for
our great-grandmothers styles In dress.
Now fashions are not only pictured in
the newspapers and magazines without
number, but descriptions Of them are
deemed of sufficient Importance to send
by telegraph through the cable that lies
under the ocean.
The French poupee still maintains its
superiority in the doll world Not even
the most fashionable American en-
pOrium can display dolls of home man
ufactuTe equalIug in pIukneSs of COM
pleNIon, in wealth OF lace, tlOunceS and
frilleries, the dolls exhibited in Paris.
In the manufacture of small porcelain
dolls, arrayed rs brides, babies, shep-
herdesSes, beadles and gendarmes, the
French are also wonderfully skillful.
The more expensive dolls, arrayed IN
the latest fashions, come, III many III
stances from Paris, but there are pro-
feSsiOnal and amateur doll dreSSers Ell
Ough in England who can successfully
compete with the French. Most of the
best dolls in this country, however, do
not come from England, for we hardly
look 10 the English for our styles, but
from France and Germany.
The latter country is famous for the
manufacture of toys and dolls, and the
small town Of Sonneberg, in the Thur
IugI1n forests, alone produces articles
for the amusement of children to the
value Of Sljo, 900 yearly, and enough TO
I'LL the toy shops of every quarter Of the
globe. The different process in the
manufacture of wax dolls eau there be
seen from beginning 10 end. German
ladies are also expert doll dreSsers, and
AACAt II - NtstlAl Y All4SAlAlsAN tNlllDlLlOi
of dolls ut Berlin. y great deal is
made of this Berlin doll exhibition. and
society turns out in large numbers to
p1trOnlZe It.
There are whole towns in Germany
that do little else but make dolls for
American children. They are mostly
simple country folks. They get small
pay for making even an excellent doll,
hfrF In saffff. Iar
wants are few. German people do not
stir about rs much as Americans, and
Il Is the travelling and the dresses to
travel IN and appear IN style before
the world that costs. English children
buy almost Sl,uOO,OOO worth of dolls
from French and German doIl-makers,
while the American children, not quite
all in dolls, however, buy double that
many dollars worth every year
American money paid out for dolls
makes many happy homes among the