The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-03
TOYS OF DIFFERENT NATIONS.
Character of the Products offered in
Various Countries.
(From the Pail Mall Gazette.

NJ. Leo Claretie's report on the toys OF
the world, as represented at the late Paris
Exposition, is topical reading. VI. Clar-
cite is naturally most concerned with the
toy products of his own country. This
represents some so coo 900 OF francs per
annum Germany's output is Is per cent
better. II is claimed, however. for the
French-that is TO say. for the Paris-toy
that ii surpasses all others in grace, in
light and lively aspect, and in work
manship which at once proclaims its fam
lily and origin
The Paris product is classed under no
less than dozen categories. At the head,
as one might expect. stands the toy mill
tary-the sword, the Lebel, the mitraii-
leuse, the pistol the trumpet and the
drum. included also in this category is
the military uniform, and the KEPT CT the
general officer. which is the only wear of
youthful France
Next in order but probably superior 20
all in Importance, comes the doll The
doll manufacture is entirely in the hands
of the Societe Anonyme de Fabrication
des Bebes. with a capital OF 1000 600
francs. or fl60, 600. This company has the
monopoly Of the article. It runs several
gigantic factories. employs small army
of workmen. and turns out about five mil
lion dolls every year.
The toy animal is another branch of
industry He is of three sorts-of course.
from the makers, and not the zoclf gist's
point of view. He Is either painted or
skin clad or "draped" To "drape' an
animal you first anoint him all over
with glue. and then sprinkle him with
finely powered cloth. This operation is
performed by women. and materially en-
bances the death rate among female
workers in Paris. The powdered ciolh SO
affects the respiratory organs that no
drapeuse can hope to retain. them for
much longer than twelvemonth. When
an animal is TO be skinned" he is, If
a horse. fitted into calf neat. If an Gle
plant. he gets chamois leather, and if
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 tramway, and
the watch of infancy employ some 5000
of the Paris population; while the must
cal instrument. the bigophone, the phon
ograph. and other devices for the pro-
duction of cheap noise enable a further
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 enclosed for presentation. fall into
vet another category. The uses of card
board. however, are by no means exhaust
ed. There remain the pleasing accesso-
ries of the child's cotillon party. These
are manufactured. IL appears, out of the
waste packing paper swept off the packing
room floors of the big shops. The ma
terlal is first STEPPED in tubs full of glue.
and then rammed into steel molds. II
comes out in sections. The sections 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-sOme-
thing angular and spasmodic, and strik-
ingly CARRIED He laughs, he reads. he
blows soap bubbles; he is conversational.
or aorobatc, as may be desired. Science
has improved upon him OF late Then
there is the scientific toy. II an enfant
du steele, aged ten. does not know more
than the author of his being ever knew
about electrostatics. and the Rhumkorff
bobbin. and the Glissier tube, it is not the
scientific toys fault. The india rubber
doll with the yentriloquial squeak appears
to be going out of favor. and no wonder.
The childish child that was once pleased
with this crude performer has gone out
before him.
The sporting toy, We learn. is entirely
the product OF this country and Of Ameri-
ca. II would seem to be Just as much d
thing apart az the Japanese doll Anoth-
err exclusive product is the Russian toy
The Alliance notwithstanding, French toys
are barred admission to the Empire of the
Gar Germany, likewise, has taken pro-
teetive measures against the introduction
OF the French article. The French mar
ket. on the contrary. Is flooded with the
work OF Nuremberg and Sonnenberg In
vain have French manufacturers register
Cd a trademark. While the "Teutonic"
line pays best. there will. 1t seems, al
Why's be retailers unpairiotic enough 10
push IT, Still. that trademark gives the
toy an Importance il did rot previously
posses, and. in fact elcvates IL to the re-
eiori 76f political economy