Omaha daily bee., 1889-04-28
PHOTOGRAPHIC TOYS.
Wonderful and Amusing Playthings
Soon 10 be Put Out.

Wonucrful ana Amusing Plnythtnga
Soon 10 be Put Out.
New York Special: 1.-The phono-
graph promises to afford as much re-
creation to children as it does interest
to grown folks" so sald Nj. p. Handy,
the European manager of the great cor
poration which now controls the phono-
graph and graphophone industry.
You have heard of the photographic
doll if you have not as yet seen one, but
unless you have seen it you can form
no idea of how naturally and charming
ly it talks. laughs, cries and sings. This
is the first step in long line of phono-
graphic toys upon which our inventors
are now at work. When these are put
upon the market they will create a.
wonderful sensation. Among them
may be mentioned photographic
animals. These are toys made
out of paper mache, paste
board, composition and other
material, each and all of which are
strong and durable. Each animal con-
tains in his interior q phonograph
which when set in motion produces all
the natural cries of the original. There
is cat that purrs, meows, spits and
caterwauls in the most approved style;
horse that neighs and whinnies; dog
that barlls, snaps and howls, and a sheep
that bleats in a way that would deceive
the mother eve. BY using a mega
phonic attachment the amount of noise
may be increased to any desired extent.
Much more interesting are the phono-
graphic birds; we have secured the
melodies of the lark. the l:nnet, finch,
robin and canary bird, and can repro
duce them indefinitely. With canary
birds the success is notable. We have
nj ,f,,,
of a number of the finest bred and
and highest priced birds\in the market,
and by combining the song of two or
three into one whole we have an arti-
fetal canary that will outsing
any natural one whatever. The
photographic orchestra and the phono-
graphic miniature theater are also
novelties to be soon produced. In the
former a band of little images dressed
up in glaring military colors is seated
on the stage as in some great concert or
stood around drum-major as on par
ade. The moment the phonograph is
set going each little musician moves
his hands and instruments in the nat
ural style, while the cylinder inside re-
produces the music of a full orchestra
with startling fidelity. In the theater
we can reproduce all the spoken parts
of the play. Another novelty that is
| half toy and half a luxury will be a
| great boon to all mothers whose young
children insist on being sung to before
going to sleep. 1t is phonograph into
which lady has sung her best songs at
| her leisure and which is placed near the
| crib or cradle. A mere touch upon a
| spring starts the machinery and gives
the child as much music as he or she
may want. A singular feature of the
| phonograph is the fact that if the speed
| of the mechanism be increased the
| pitch of the voice it reproduces is
heightened, and, on the other hand, il
it be slow the pitch is lowered. AT the
same time the character of the voice is
not changed in the least. This odd pc
culiarity enables man TO hear how his
voice would sound if he had been born
high tenor like Campanini or the
young girl if she had been born basso'
profundo." FALEs CURTIS.