The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-12-17
SANTA CLAUS WORKSHOP.
His Manufactures Found All Over
the World.

the World.
Old Santa Claus is one of the largest
employers of labor in the whole world.
His workshops are to be found in nearly
every country, and thousands of men,
women and children are busy all the year
making millions of toys of all kinds and
sizes to fill the capacious bag which their
genial master carries about with him on
Christmas eve.
No sooner has he delivered the last toy
on Christmas eve. removed all traces OF
SCOT from his smiling face and turned
his bag inside out to make quite certain
that nothing has been left in the corners,
than he begins to busy himself with the
manufacture of toys for the next year
The most popular toy IS. of course, the
doll; and when you consider the number
of girls who possess at least one, and
some times a whole family of dolls, you
will be able to understand that many
thousands of work people are employed
making this one kind of toy There are
wax dolls and rag dolls made in Eng
land; ehina-faced dolls made in France,
and Dutch dolls which are not Dutch at
all but only called so because they are
principally shipped from Dutch ports.
Then. Of course. there is the old favor
ite the wax doll. Let us take a peep
into some of the rooms of a toy factory
or workshop and see for ourselves how
they are made.
On the tables and counters are hun
ereds Of wax heads. more or less finished.
IN another part of the room is a pile of
bodies. legs and arms all heaped togeth-
CT, and # you take a glance into that bag
in the corner you viii be somewhat sur
prised. for 1t is full OF dolls eyes, looking
up at you with CLASSY stare.
A number Of men and women are busy.
large pan of wax is placed in a still
larger pan containing water, heated by
means of gas. As the water gets hot the
wax. of course. melts. Into the molten
wax a workman now drops the colOring
matter generally rouge. to give the dolls
that healthful complexion which we all
delight to see.
The plaster molds for the heads made
IN three pieces. are then firmly tied to-
gether. and the mold thus formed is care
fully filed with the liquid wax. After a
certain time the greater part of the wax
IS poured back, but a portion coming into
contact with the cold plaster mold has
already set.
The mold is now united and removed
and there we have wax head nicely
formed and looking almost as natural
and sometimes large, as life. Wax
bodies. arms and legs are made in a sim
1lar manner.
Two holes are cut in the wax head
for the eyes. which in the case of the
more expensive dolls have to be placed
into their sockets very carefully. In tho
cheaper kinds the eyes are first warmed
and then forced into their places. being
finally cemented with little wax.
Although our doll is now possessed o.
pair OF eyes. much still remains to b.
done Eyebrows are required, and thes,
are generally painted on. but sometime.
real hair is stuck into the wax CAREFUL,
and slowly, a few hairs at time unit
the whole is completed.
Then Dolly's face is ironedi With ;
specially constructed iron tool the work
man rubs at the wax until the face Il
quite smooth and polished.
The lips and nostrils are painted tn
and finally the head is carried to anothe
part of the factory to have the hair pu
on by women, who if they do not us
real hair for this purpose use a special,
prepared material which looks as goo,
as real. and that after all is the mail
thing. Bodies and limbs are now adde,
by other work people. until the doll j
completed and ready for Santa Claus
bag.
In the old-world town of Nuremberg
great number of workmen are employe
all the year making lead soldiers and al
kinds of lead toys. and mighty army @
lead soldiers is turned out every day b
these industrious people.
The workers of Nuremberg also max
toy telescopes, microscopes. magic Ian
terms and all manner of mechanical an
scientific toys. There also is made til
well-knOwn and ever popular clockwor
mouse. which runs about the table {
floor in such life-like manner.
Not a great distance from Nurember
IS the town of Furth. where the Noah
arks are made. containing the curiol
animals and the still more curious tree
with which we are familiar. At Some
berg no fewer than 900 children are en-
ployed making toys for other children
play with and destroy. AS the Christina
season approaches. these little worker
are kept so busy that they often sit u
the greater part of the night helpin
their parents to earn money.
Wooden animals and carved toys
all kinds come from Saxony where IL
soft wood from which they made
procurable in large quantities at sma
cost length of wood is cut away
means Of the turning lathe until its GU