The San Francisco call., 1901-12-29

USHATEVER the first tov may
"A have been, the second was un-
N/ doubtedly a doll AS play
Y things dolls have been in use
from the earliest times of
which we have any record. among all
peoples, savage or civilized.
Children in ancient times were generally
buried with their dolls Of burnt clay and
wood. IN every nation to-day they still
hold an important place. The dolls Of
Japan are handed down from one genera
tion to another, and in some families
there are hundreds Of them But they are
very different from anything in America
They are dressed TO represent AIikados
and Mikados wives, mobiles Of the court,
minstrels and other historical person
ages Every year a feast is held in their
honor on March 3.
In many houses in India dolls have q
room 10 themselves. They are made of
wood and painted in gay colors.
Eskimo dolls are made Of ivory or wood,
carefully carved as nearly like the human
figure as possible. The eyes are made Of
bits Of pearly shell and are inlaid. Some
Of them are twelve or eighteen inches
tall, but most Of them are six or eight
inches only.
Wooden dolls are still made by the ma
tive African tribes and SO. also, are rag
from earthenware, tree bark and rags are
found. The rag babies have hideous
painted faces, daubed with streaks of red.
Dolls Of the Europeans.
Among modern European nations dolls
are first mentioned in the records Of the
fifteen century. during the reign Of the
mad King. Charles VI, Of France. The
story goes that an Italian named Pusello
GravaIdi gave an exhibition at Paris OF
wax figures, among which were fac
SMILES Of several Roman Expresses.
These marionettes became the fashion Of
the day. Hardly q week passed IN which
the King did not purchase one Of the fig
Ures. The entire court followed his ex-
ample. When the King died e change
came. The numerous wax figures were
turned over TO the children.
Modern dolls were common here IN
America eighty years ago. The body and
the head were carved from one piece and
the limbs were made from kid. The fea-
tures Of the face were painted. The hair
was real Dolls with wax heads were then
the elite OF the doll world, but they were
not nearly so pretty as the ones we have
now. Their bodies were stiff and long
and without joints. Their shoes and
clothes were sewed on them and they had
no accomplishments, such as turning their
heads q spring and saying 'BfamuaL?'
and Papa" when a machine was wound
inside
However, nttie girls In those days played
mostly with homemade dolls, called rag
babies. Many were imported from Eng
land and sold here, especially in the
South. One OF the dolls which came from
England SO long ago is pictured above.
Her name IS Arsminta. She has a paint
I'd face Time has not dimmed the bright
ness Of her black eyes nor stolen the
roses from her cheeks.
The London doll special to-day IS the
rag baby. and q very ptetty thing 1t Is.
Here in New York, too, the rag doll has
developed into very fine affair, costing
from s. to $12 apiece.
There are some go varieties Of the mod
err doll, ranging in price from cents to
s1so. The cost depends principally upon
the expensive quality Of the dolls ward
robe.
Aristocratic German Puppets.
The finest dolls now come from Ger
many, which excels France in this indus
try. Nuremberg has been the home of
soil making for many centuries Now
5uly the cheaper grades are made there.
The finest grades come from Sonneberg,
where schools Of design have been estab-
ished since 1851.
In these schools models Of all the best
antique and modern sculpture are to be
,ound, and collections Of good prints. To
shese schools all the young children are
sent to model. and the most exquisite
work is the result, both in the expression
md complexion OF the dolls. Germany
tlso Possesses the secret Of making the
best doll powder, or enamel
No less than forty different persons are
Necessary TO the making Of one doll, and
sch one does one thing. First a model
f the head and neck is made from a
ump Of clay. Then the molder takes it
nd makes q mold in which to shape the
sper pulp from the kettle, if the doll is
o be wsxed, and from a dough of clay
bisque and china The latter heads are
aiked to make them hard.