Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1895-01-30
THE DOLL INDUSTRY.
An Industry That was Once En-
tirely British.
ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY GERMAN NOW
Lots of Interesting Lore About the Mau-
facture of the Baby's Delight-Eng-
lands Fine Wax Dolls.

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dred million dollars are exported an
nually, the entire population of 10000
being engaged in the manufacture of
dolls and toys. This industry was
formerly almost entirely British, but
the cheap labor of women and children
in Germany and the close proximity
of the Thuringian woods have driven
Great Britain out of the doll trade,
except IN the two branches that sup
ply rag dolls and the finest wax dolls
Both in Germany and in the differ.
ent parts of the Tyrol, where toy max
ing is carried on, the services of chill
dren are largely employed, owing to
the work being very much subdivided.
Almost every branch of doll-making is
regarded as distinct labor. and the
work people who make the arms are
employed exclusively upon this work,
and are never intrusted with the put
ting on of the hair. or the insertion of
the eyes, which are again separate
branches. The work is carried on at
the homes Of the people for the most
part. though large factories where all
the workers are gathered under one
roof are getting more common, the sub
division of the labor being, however,
rigidly maintained. For the produc-
tion of the cheap composition doll no
less than twenty different people are
employed. exclusive of those who man
ufacture the raw material for the hair
and eyes. The process of making a
composition dolls head is carried out
in this way. A soft pulpy sheet of
pasteboard is placed over mold re-
presenting half head cut vertically
behind the ear, and then is forced by
means of a pestle into every crevice
Another mold for the other half of
the head is then similarly filed, and
when nearly dried, the two halves are
removed from the mold and pasted to-
gether. The head thus nodded, which
becomes quite hard, and cannot spoil
however long retained is then coated
with composition of size and whiting.
and after this washed over with oil and
turpentine. The next step is the in
sertion of the eyes, which is the ex-
elusive work of one skilled man. He
cuts out the socket, fixes the eyeball
ON the top of his right forefnger with
lump of paste, and then puts it into
place inside the head, manipulating
it and fixing it at its right angle wit.
paste. The wax is then cut off from
the eyes, and scraped from that part of
the head covered by the hair; and the
head is now ready for the finishing
touches. These last delicate details
are always done by expert workmen,
the adjustment of the eyebrows, eye
lashes, and so forth, especially in wax
dolls, requiring great dexterity and
nicely.
For cheap dolls. mohair is used, real
hair, which is very expensive, being
however, used for the best wax dolls.
The mohair coiffure of composition
dolls is prepared and curled and fixed
into place by women, who cut deep
groove right through the skull, and
then push the uncurled ends into the
groove and make it fast with little
paste. The last stage is the putting
together of the body and head with
glue and thread, and the securing OF
the legs and arms. Even in the very
cheap dolls, the arms are generally
made of two materials, the upper part
being calico, the lower leather. The
payment seems wretchedly inadequate,
considering that the workers provide
their own materials, the rate for large
arms of about six inches being SID a
dozen pairs, and 11ad for small ones,
though even in the cheapest sort there
is always an attempt made at fingers.
The eyes made for the best dolls are
manufactured in precisely the same way
as human eyes, and are largely manu-
factured in England, the cheaper
ones being made exclusively in Ger
many. The glassblowing trade is q
secret there, and is almost always
carried on at night. AS rule thest
glass eyes consist of two, and some
times three colors.
The dressing of dolls is distinc
branch of the industry, carried OF
chiefly in England, and there is {
world of doll millinery as subject t.
the rule of fashion as are the foremos
circles of society. The exquisite liner
underwear with which expensive doll
are provided is made up, stitched, ant
embroidered by gentlewomen who earl
very good wages.
/ Dolls boots and shoes form anothe
complete industry and are made in tn
homes of the workers and also in som
of the factories that turn out children
embroidered shoes from which tn
miniature ones are made. Larg
quantities of these little shoes are sol
and are made with the greatest neat
ness. Three and often five separat
pieces of leather are used and the boot
are finished off with little buttons an
other accessories; but the workers al
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