The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-03-27
THE WORLDS TOYS.
rFrom the Pail Mall Gazette ]


the world, as represented at the late
Paris exhibition, is topical reading. NJ.
Cfaretie is naturally most concerned
with the toy products of his own coun-
try. This represents some 3d. 600, 600 Of
francs per annum. Germany's output is
25 per cent. better It is claimed, how
ever, for the French-that is to say, for
the Paris-toy that it surpasses all 9TH
ers in grace, in light and lively aspect
and in workmanship which at once
prOclains its family and origin"
The Paris product is classed under no
less than a dozen categories- At the
head, as one might expect, stands the
toy military-the sword, the Lebel. the
miltrailleuse, 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 Anonyme de Fabrication
Franchise des Bebes, with a capital of
100000 francs, or 9160,000. This COM
pany has the monopoly of the article. 1t
runs several gigantic factories, employs
a small army of workmen, and turns out
about five million dolls every year.
The toy animal is another branch of
industry. He is of three SOrtS-of course,
from the makers not from the zoOlOg-
lists point of view He is either painted
or skin-clad or "draped." To drape"
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
enhances the death rate among female
workers in Paris. The powdered cloth
so affects the respiratory organs that no
drapeuSe can hope to retain them Tor
much longer than a tWelvemOnth. When
an animal is to be skinned he is, of
course, if a horse, fitted into calf neat.
If an elephant, he gets channels leather,
and, if a camel, must resign himself to
goat skin.
Next in Importance to that of dolls is
the category of toys in metal The tin
soldier, the railway, the tranway and
the watch of infancy employ some five
thousand Of the Paris populat ton; while
the musical instrument, the bigophone,
the photograph and other devices for the
production of cheap noise enable fur
Their section of the working classes to
support life in reasonable comfort
The cardboard boxes, with the more or
less elegant decorations, in which the
TOYS and the confectionery of childhood
are 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-
eessories of the child's cotillon party
These are manufactured, 1t appears, out
of the waste packing paper swept on
the packing room floors OF the big shops.
The material IS first STEPPED IN TUBS 1ull
of glue and then rammed into steel
moulds 1t comes out in sections The
sections are gummed together, and pass
ed on to the decorative dItlSls anu HUH
him to the drying room, and from there
to the drawing room
Then there is the mechanical toy
something angular and 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. If an |
enfant du steele. aged ten, does not |
know more than the author of his being /
ever knew about electrCStatics, and the I
Rhumkorff bobbin, and the Glfssier tube. !
it is not the scientific toys fault The |
india rubber doll with the VentriloquiaI /
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 and of |
America 1t would seem to be just as 4
much a thing apart as the japanese doll. |
Another exclusive product is the Russian /
toy The alliance Notwithstanding, |
French toys are barred admission to the /
empire of the car. Germany, likewise.
has taken protective measures against I
the INTRODUCTION of the French article. /
The FrencA market, on the contrary, is
flooded with the work of Nuremberg and |
In vain have French manu-
facturers registered a trademark. While
the ssTeutonic" line pays best, there will, !
it seems, always be retailers unpatriot1c |
enough to push it. Still. that trade
mark gives the toy an Importance 1t did L
not previously possess, and, in fact, ele-
Yates it to the region of political econ
0my.