Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-01-06
Vogue Of Dolls
by Frederic .. Haski n


come To realize with shock how incredibly
young the race is 1t seems only few years
ago that men were gossuplng about the
new revolutionary invention of frc-buld-
ing, aud you feel as II you can almost
remember Ramcses II.
But il you aren't reading Wells, con-
slider tina case Of dolls. II viii prove the
same thing.
Dolls arc Tremendously popular this
season. They are enjoying tremendous
vogue on the stage, and the sales managers
Of toy departments are delightc with the
huge number Of CbristInas dolls that were
sold. Yet, take a look into history, or
even city museum. and you find the
same thing occurring Thousands Of years
ago. Do dro quite rs much in demand IN
9 eopatras time, and the do Of that day
were just rs deserving Of admiration, too.
That is, they were just as beautiful and
accomplished.
Who played with the first doll and
when, remains battling mystery, but
il is definitely suspected that the species
began to appear soon after the cave man
settled down 10 permanent domestic life
Dolls of n crude sort are found among
the belongings Of the most primitive
tribes, where they usually possess some
religious Significance having to do with
the sun or snakes, or whatever il is that
the tribe worships.
Although there is no trace Of them the
first civilized dolls are supposed 20 have
occurred in the Orient at the time when
the Orient was almost all Of the Known
world, for the early mythology Of the cOun-
try abouuds with stories concerning them.
They we're made. II is believed, in the
images Of gods, but in every other way
they were quite modern. They walked
and moved their hands and closed their
eyes and talked, even as they do today,
only the talking was accomplished by the
insertion Of q talking starting into their
hollow anatomies.
DOLLS or LONG AGO.
With the rise of the early Egyptian
empire, we find the doll fully establish
ed as an important accessory 20 child
life. Il was probably more varied and
amusing in 2 900 b. c.. than 10 has ever
been since. in spite Of fDe many genera
tions Of doll specialists that have followed
In some cases il had paddle shaped body,
painted with black and white squares--a a
pattern which often led the adults Of the
household 20 borrow II for a game of
checkers or chess. In others, IFS wooden
Dody was brightly painted like a mummy
case and often bore lucky sign, such ~
the picture OF a pig Sometimes II also he'd
flowing locks consisting OF mud beads
made from the mud Of the sacred river
Nile. Like the cat. the doll was greatly
esteemed as q household pet IN these days
and was frequently murnified along with
It's mistress.
In China and Japan the doll long ago
reached hig.l state Of development u
was there that the puppet and shadow
dolls originated, and there also the roly-
poly doll, which cannot be made 20 Vie
down, was first produced. The first dolls
Of the Mongolian Empire were made 20
represents gods and later 70 represent
prominent priests or members of the
Emperor family. Doll gods are still used
in the Chinese Ioss~houses, while N japan
they are still patterned after prominent
citizens, such as the minister of war and
the honorable superintendent of educa-
tion.
In China. one Of the most popular
dol versions is,thatmade Of donkey skin,
with the head OF human being ard the
body of a fish bird ar some other animal
This doll is fat, and, with the aid Of a
sheet. and dark lantern. lends itself ad
mirably 70 shadow pictures. II - believed
that the first puppet play, which = being
revived TO such a large extent today
originated in China.
yAPANEsE DoL.Ls.
Dolls have always been highly regarded
in Japan. where many curious customs
have grown up around them. According
TO one OF these, every japanese baby glrl
whose family could afford it, was present
ed with what IS known as a hina "a
set OF dolls, representing the Mikado and
his wife and their favOrlte musicians and
courtIers. The "hlna" was not played with
daily, Ike other common dolls, but was
kept IN . large vault, known as the g
down and brought forth only on holidays.
Upon the marriage of the japanese maiden,
the ''hina" became the property OF her
husband who guarded 1t securely untIi
the marriage OF his eldest son when IL
would be turned over to him. In this way
dol collections grew IN Japan with every
passing generation. 50 that when 4 PROM
inent citizen died his property included Al
enormous and valuable doll collection.
Japan still celebrates Doll Day when
every shop is filed with dolls. More dolls
are sold on this day III Japan than ore
sold n this country during Christmas
It / : a dsy of great festiv:ty. But not
so Doll Day 10 India. which Is a time of
great lamentation and sadness. For then,
the little girls OF India bring their dolls
TO the banks OF the River GaDges and,
weeping. throw them into its current,
custom having decreed that the river
must receive this sacrifice. Furthermore,
for three months after this dramatic
ceremonial. play with dolls is prohibited,
and even doll-maklng IS regarded with
stern disfavor.
The materials of which dolls are made
have varied but little in all the thousands
OF wears Of their history, according TO the
owner Of a remarkable doll collection IN a
New York art gallery. The Greek dolls
were of wax and the Egyptian dolls Of
wood. and there is still a little stuffed doll
In existence, which scientists aver is hoo
wears old. During all this time, moreover,
doll-makers have shown the same charac-
teristies. That is, the ancient Greeks as
well as modern Americans have tired--at
intervals-of producing ideally beautiful
dolls, and have deliberately striven to
produce sensational results in the comic
or ugly mannikin. Thus, we have the
kewpie and the golliwog and homely real
istic doll babies.
DOLLS FOR GRoWN-UPs.
in the 14th century, says this author
itv, "dollshada a tremendous vogue among
adults. They were made in replica Of the
human form, upon which could be dis
played the latest fashions from Paris.
ROYALTIES used to send these elaboratelv
dressed mannikinS 10 each other aud