New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-01
RENAISSANCE TOYS
Clung Museum Rich in Objects Re
couered from the Seine.
Paris, July 90

Paris. July 90
On almost any day IN the week you may see
near the Island City. which Ia the hsart OF
Paris, the "scsphandriers" or divers az WORK
They operate from an old boat which is moored
near the quays. and they make many descehtS
TO the bed OF the Seine. rarely returning with
empty hands. The green tureld river was
safe depository for an immense variety OF oo-
Jsets until the diving equipment was invented
Now it's Shiny bed is made TO yieid up It's
treasures. and Cluny Museum has just acquired
and verified collection of tiny pieces OF ofoH@9'
pewter. lead and tin which form very repre-
sentative set OF children's toys OF the tour-
teenth fifteenth and sixteenth centuries
There is some charming work on some OF
these well preserved articles which were once
the Joy OF Franksh children. They snow ths
daintiest designs the most graceful DECORATION
and give a very good idea Of the tastes OF th7
period covered They also show IN miniatures
what were the objects in common use among
which these children grew up. For instances
here is pair OF fascinating fire dogs, evidently
intended for a housekeeping delFs use ana lney
are of the style that may be seen IN the raashlh-
cent Renaissance fireplace now preserved IN thls
charming Observation-Disclosures in dimensions.
massive in form. yet elegant and gfaesIui IN
workmanship. These tiny dogs have the bar
bent legs. and a bold upright ornament IN
wrought iron OF bronze showing a small dog
seated at the top Here. too, is set or Whistles
the largest of which is not more than an men
and half in length, but which are IN variety
Of whimsical devices beautifully executed one
has a grotesaue old wonans head al It's UP
others are like miniature arns-pikes, haloeros'
and the like. or hunting horns, quivers or sings
Pencils were evidently much favored, and they
take quite as many forms as does the nedefn
article warlike utensils being apparently the
favorites- OF toy soldiers made in lead some
are in excellent condition and give US a very
good idea Of the appearance of the "fantassin"
of the DAY. The work on the faces Is rudl-
nnentary, resembling that on modern Dutch
doll but the details OF uniform are carefully
worked out 4 miniature cannon OF the sixteenth
century in bronze is very finely decorated
mass Of bass reliefs covering the whole OF the
piece exactly in the style Of the period. They
must have had a high value in the eyes OF their
possessors and the Seine has dealt kindly by
them, changing their colors, bringing out the
green tones of the bronze and blurring slightly
the edges Of the lead pieces
Not the least interesting section Of the toy
case is a series of spoons offering as many pat
terms as the modern silversrnith The spoon
often seen to-day for salt, in the shape Of
small spade, is here found and proved TO be
considerably older than one might have sus
pected, but shape that has long since fallen
out of favor with makers is that which has a
perfectly round bowl This has the handle in
z perfectly straight line with the spoon and
must have been extremely difficult TO use with
soup so slightly was the bowl followed Such
SPOONS are sometimes found in old Breton houses.
both in wood and in base metal
French silver work in all periods has great
deal of character, and these dolls spoons re-
feet. no doubt the ideals Of the craftsmen of
the early Renaissance. In all the decoration IS
very sinaply-an engraved line or motif at the
end Of the handle and in no case carved
figure
Most elaborate are the toy medals, limitations
of those used TO commemorate real pilgrinages.
Some of these take the form Of a tiny rehquary.
in open wrought metal with the figure OF
saint within. More simple is the scallop shell,
smaller than life. but carefully srooved and
modelled and tiny Virgin and Child engraved
on a fat piece OF silver. There are civic en-
blerns toe. that have been preserved in the
Seine-the feur- de-hs in ring of silver, and a
crown. clunnsIy worked and little distorted by
the fight of ages. placed above an open rose
Sainte- Csenevieve. of course in her picturesque
ship. appears among these ernblenns. and num-
Der of other saints, patrons or patronesses OF re-
ugious communities in pious age They show
that the convent bred little girls gave their dolls
careful religious education
CHANGING at the tiny utensils in pewter or lead.
the Jugs bottles. drinking vessels plates and
dishes, one is struck with the obvious fact that
in these matters taste and custom have changed
very little The French seem TO have struck out
In early times pattern or type combining the
elegant with the practical, and 70 have adhered
TO it Wine jugs in pewter IN this miniature
collection show the same graceful lines that are
in use to-day. the tiny lid on it's nicely made
hinge works in the same way. and the engraved
plates and dishes show much the same handling
as those for the use OF grown-ups now. We
know they were supplanted later by cheap
earthenware. with Haunting printed figures:
these. with their fine engraved lines and sober
designs have a great deal OF distinction and
give us a good idea in miniature OF what must
have been the appearance of the dinner table OF
the French .segneur' in rnedisval times How
these tiny objects got into the Seine is a nlys-
terry. bur perhaps the handsome salleys that
were the favorite means OF loconotion OF the
earlier Parisians may have had something 20 do
with IL. They are, az any rate, very well pre-
served and are worth visiting c p
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