The Savannah morning news., 1901-03-09
THE WORLDS TOYS.
characteristics of the Products Of
the Various Nations.

From the Pail Mall Gazette.
VI. Leo Claretie's report on the toys of
the world, as represented at the late
Paris Exhibition, is topical reading. VI.
Cleretie is naturally most concerned with
the toy products Of his own country. This
represents some 100000 of francs per an
mum. Germany's output is 25 per cent. bet
ter II Is claimed, however, for the
Freneh-that is to say, for the Paris
toy that it surpasses all others lin grace,
in light ana lively aspect and in a WORK
manship which at once proclaims its fam
lily and origin"
The Paris product is classed under no
less than a dozen eategories. At the head,
as one might expect, stands the toy mill
tary-the sword, the Lebel the miltrail-
leuse the pistol the trumpet and the
drum Included also in this category is
the military uniform. and the KEPT Of the
general officer, which is the only wear
OF youthful France.
Next in order, but probably superior to
all in Importance, comes the doll The
DOLL manufacture is entirely in the hands
of the Societe Ahonyne de Fabrication
Franchise des Bebes. with a capital of
100000 francs. or 10000 This company
has the monopoly of the article. 1t runs
several gigantic factories, employees a
small army of workmen, and turns out
about FIVE million dolls every year.
The toy animal is another branch of in
dustrv. He is of three sorts-of course.
from the makers, and not from the ZOO
ologist's point OF view. He is either paint
ed or skin-clad or "draped." To "drape
an animal you first anoint him all over
with glue, and then sprinkle him with
finely powdered cloth. This operation is
performed by women, and materially en-
hances the death rate among female
workers in Paris. The powdered cloth so
affects the respiratory organs that no
drapeuse can hope to retain them for
much longer than a twelve-month. When
an animal is TO be skinned ne is, of
course, if a horse, fitted into calf neat.
If an elephant. he gets chamois leather,
and, if a camel, must resign himself to
0,at skin.
Next in Importance to that of dolls is
the category Of toys in metal The tin
soldier, the railway, the tramway and
The watch of infancy employ some five
thousand of the Paris populations; while
the musical instrument. the bigophone,
| the photograph and other devices for the
production of cheap noise enable a fur
tner section of the working classes to
| support life in reasonable comfort.
The cardboard boxes. with the more or
| less elegant decorations, in which the
IRE inclosed for presentation, fall into
yet another category. The uses of card
| board, however are by no means ex-
! hausted. There remain the pleasing ac-
! cessories of the child's cotillon party.
/ These are manufactured, 1t appears, out
/ Of the waste packing paper swept off the
| packing room floors of the big shops. The
material Is first stepped in tubs full OF
! glue. and then rammed into steel moulds
| in
are gummed together, and passed on to
| the decorative artist, and from him to the
! drying room, and from there to the draw.
/ ing room.
Then there is the mechanical toy
something angular aud spasmodic, AND
/ strikingly CARRIED. He laughs, he reads
he blows soap bubbles; he is converse
tional or acrobatic, as may be desired
| Science has improved upon him of late
! Then there is the scientific toy. II an
enfant due steele, aged 10, does not know
more than the author of his being ever
knew about eectrostactlcs end the
Rhumkorff bobbin, and the Glissier tube
IL IS not the scientific tops fault. The
india rubber doll with the ventriloquia
squeak appears to be going out of favor
and no wonder The childish child that
was once pleased with this crude per.
| former has gone out before him.
The sporting toy, we learn. is entirely
the product Of this country ana OF Amer.
lea. 1t would seem to be just as much
q thing apart as the japanese doll. An.
other exclusive product IS the Russ az
toy. The alliance Notwithstanding Frencl
toys are barred admission to the empir,
OF the Gear. Germany. likewise, ha,
taken protective measures against the in
PRODUCTION Of the French article TIL,
French market on the contrary, is flood
! cd wit 10 n NnW
Sonneberg. In vain have French manu-
facturers registered a trademark. Will,
the Teutonic line pays best, there will
It seems always be retailers unpatroti,
enough to push It, Sun, that trademark
gives the toy an importance II did no
previously possess. and, In fact, elevate
IL TO the region of political economy.