Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-23
NEWS FROM TOYLAND
" Dolls of All Nations.
By FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

| iii by 4'4<1OA4\A
tt
/ No more interesting line of, toys Is
made than the dolls, and their, outfits,
with which the little mothers Of the world
| entertain themselves !. 1t is said that
| the first toy was a wooden doll, made by
prehistoric man., and from that day to
| this the best efforts of the toy-making
world have been directed toward maxi
| ing happy the hearts of the little girls
| of all nations. All kinds and descrip-
| lions of dolls are to be found.
| One may find in Mexico perfect doll
less than an inch tall and in Belgium
| giant of more than twenty feet. Some
| dolls are made to be pretty. and some
are made to he as homely as possible.
The demand for all shapes and sizes,
| colors and conditions goes on unapateo
| throughout the years. Even the Ieddy
| Bear, the greatest hit of modern toy
| making history, may come and go, but
| the doll goes on forever.
| The smallest dolls in the world are
made in Mexico. In the peaceful and
picturesque little valley Of Cuernavaca,
whose arts and customs are almost 1den-
| teal with those of the days OF the
| Aztecs, .dwells an Indian girl, Isabelle
| Belaunsaran, who is known as the Queen
of the Needle. She works the whole year
round making dolls, and although per-
fectly made and appareied in every par
ticular they arc only about three-fourths
of an inch long. She first makes Il tiny
framework of wire binding it with many
turns of fine silk thread. After the
franc has assumed the proper lines and
proportions 1t is ready for dressing. The
clothes are cut according to the char
after the doll is to represent. and are
embroidered with the utmost care. The
needle with which this is done is so fine
and short that it scarcely can be held in
the fingers and its eye is almost i'm
visible. The embroidery is done with the
finest silk thread and powerful micro
scope shows it to be perfectly executed
down to the smallest detail. The next
process is to outfit the doll with Il suit
of hair. (which rs undoubtedly the tiniest
and most: marvellous bit of hair dressing
on earth. The hair Is combed, plated and
tied with ribbons with remarkable fidelity
to human cOunterparts.
There are many varieties of these three
quarter of an inch dolls. One is Span
ish bull fighter
Tiny Dolls Are sayly costulned
Popular in Mexico. nrs and supplied
with perfect lifting stockings and slippers.
He is equipped with his muleta and his
sword ready for his fray in the arena.
Another is a little flower girl provided
with small basket OF variegated flow
ers, an artistic little shawl and all the
other things that go to make up the cos
tune of a typical Mexican flower maid
These tiny dolls have been made for about
eight years and are very popular in Mex
leo.
Probably the largest dolls in the world
are those brought out upon occasions OF
general public merriment in Belg1um.
Some of them stand fully thirty feet high.
At Ath there is kept Goliath and u
Samson. Samson looks wonderfully
dressed up In cutaway coat ana
cooked hat. Upon recent occasion the
mayor of the city, in u historical tableau,
kissed the hand of a giant old maid doll
and made powerful hit with the assem-
bled multitude. These huge dolls have
come down from the earliest of modern
times and If tho American tourist be
fortunate he may persuade the keeper OF
a public building to show him these dolls.
One of the latest additions to the doll
family is one that is able to perform the
miracle Of walking
Doll That Walks on the water. 1t
:, is made of a nom
vi tAA0 "o'oA' inflammable prepa-
| ration embodying the good qualities OF
celluloid and is able to take hourly baths
without spelling its complexion. Its feet
are made heavy. but not large. and they
serve to keep dolly in an upright posi-
ton in the water. There are also dolls
that walk and talk. Such a one got its
vender into trouble with the law a few
weeks ago In New York. 1t was able TO
say mamma" and papa and was being
exhibited by a push-cart man on the
streets Of the East Side. There is an or
dinance in New York which prohibits the
exhibition of noise-making toys on the
street, especially those which have
whistle in them. The vender was taken
to the police court and the magistrate
sapiently decided that doll which said
mamma or papa" had been guilty OF
-whstling, and it's owner should be fined.
In the years of long ago the average
child was satisfied with doll that didn't
even have hat to its name. But the
present day little girl wants her dolly to
be deliberately equipped. To that end
dolly must have her hats made after the
very latest models, she must be supplied
with furs that are exact duplicates OF
those exhibited in the fashionable shops,
and perhaps an automobile is deemed es-
sential to the equipment. Santa Claus
very often spends more for dof1ys outnt
than he spends for dolly herself.
*
* X
| In some cases separate home is de-
lmanded for the exacting doll. The popu-
larity of the bunga-
Senarafe Homes low has claimed the
, attention of Miss
Are Demanded. Dolly, and there are
many of them on the market What Is
probably the most famous dolls house
in the world is now on view in London,
where a dolls bazaar is being held to
aid the Union of Waits and Strays. This
house was formally opened two years ago
| by Queen Alexandra with a golden key.
| 1t is owned by the daughter OF the Earl
of Pembroke and has fifteen rooms. The
banquet hall is equipped with all neces-
sary furniture, has marble pillars, artis-
| tic panels and a painted ceiling. Every
detail Of furnishing is complete, even