The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, December 23, 1900, Page 8

L T WiN- SCRE N \STEAM BATTLE QELECTRIC AUTOMOS NE .u\wci“/ phonograph to the » The prima donna marvelous Mamma" de back number e newest thing in doll acces- sor s dresser. This is buflt joy for- was ever onnet to her peatent le e is a faithful re- > ble woman of the X obile coat is of res frock is as stri Her lingerie is a be- = plenti s a rule, is Inside the arrangement es the gym- like those adles’ day on his hands, s. Then a perpendiculab po- 4 One arm clear of the floor and t outward and then curls it*up- hen the cha is slowly replaced al position, the gymn to his imaginary admirer: ap and resumes his original All these movements are dome io s of popular music emanating from x under the chairs. As the figure moves cvery part freely, save one hard end arm, it is evident all these complex -m must come from mechanism con- cealed therein and running down under the platform on which M. Plon Plon does e right ch UP-To-DATE. TANDEM EQuirmraAcE. OoOF THE. ive. ¥ are very expen: e crouching li n dogs, elephants, cows that can be t tigers, P lly sheep ar volces.” As a mat- and the lion ng roar when a ring der led. Simultan v his m side to sid h of the fo ho aunts s or Teddy's e animals cost animal outfit that draws from all the youngsters enough to see it &5 4 big bulldog, “as large as life wud twise as natural,” in the words of the revered P. T. Barnum. The dog has the tail of a wee pig in his mouth. Wind up doggle's springs and he cavorts across the floor, dragging the wriggling, squealing porker behind him 2t a lively pace. Other dogs, pigs and big dolls blow soap bubbles automatically and dip up er and blow btibbles that .envelop of a clown or soldler, s 2 to3 as it were. All the scap bubble find their in- spiration, so to speak. in a pair of bellows midst ; line there are bi ships, more than a yard long, W SCTewWS, Oper: both steam a tricity, and guaranteed to run for fifty minutes. The deck can be lifted oft and the propelling machinery started with ease and dispatch. Som¢ of these “Olymplas” and “Brooklyns” cost $2. r half that sum miniature dispatch boats may be had, and torpedo destroyers and launches are even more reasonable. In the railway line, it is now possible to procure not only tracks. sidings, switches, signal towers and semaphores, but grade crossing signs and gates, bridges, tunnels, telegraph poles and freight and passen- ger stations—all more or less equipped with electrical devices. Locomotives, tenders and as many passenger, sleeping, dining, flat or freight cars as desired may be had of steel, making them practically indestructible. The propelling force is electricity, in dry batteries, or steam, for the most part, although heavy coiled springs are still used in the cheaper grade of goods. Second only in popularity to the cine- matograph are the toy automoblles, ‘Some are large enough to accommodate a good AoyMAKERS TOFMAKERS EXHIB) to w's head does THE SUNDAY CALL T AT THE. PARID ExrosiTiOoON <OMPLETE RAILRoAD SLUTFEIT kized doll. All have rubber tires. Some are electricaliy driven by a two-cell dry battery hidden in the box of the carriage; others are propeiled by means of a heavy iron roller, which gathers force when REMovING THE nMovLb s pushed hard for say ten feet and then sets a couple of cogged sprockets going. The cheapest automobile sells for $5; the better ones readily fetch $10. Electricity is adapted to the toy thea- ters, {90, nowadays. The footlights are tiny electric bulbs. The call bell in the prompter’s box is ar electric one, and variously the new adjunct is made ser- viceable for the little folk. A theater two feet high, with two curtains, three com- plete sets of scenes, including “‘wings etc., and characters for a popular five-act play sells for §26 50. Less elabo- rate thedters are sold a s $3 50. A tandem outfit t sists of a go-cart o n t leather cushions, two horses as big as Shetland pontes, mb platforms with wheel < nessed as the reguiations of the swell Metropolitan szdcn‘ Club set for 2 seat behind for a footman. AR power toy mac ways interests those of the femi e Do INTERIOR #1002 DPou MANSION it really will do practical To ail intents it is a.small sized regulation sewing machine, ahout a foot high. It can be clamped to the edge of a table, and Is very strongly made. It has the latest patent feed mo- tion, a perfect stitch regulator and a self- setting meedle, with a short blade and a Jong shank. It weighs sixteen ounces and selis for about $3. A.combination pool table and parlor re- turn pool set is another popular offering. This is a regular fifteen-ball, six-pocket affalr, with triangle for setting up, cues, ete. The ancient diversion of throw- ing balls at the dodging Ethiopian is now transposed to Toyland, and may be played in winter as well as in summer. A ball is thrown from a cup, like a pigeon trap against the wooden figures in a frame like a _tent. The manikins are numbered, and the game goes to the one who hits the higher numbered ones most fre- quently. Yet with all the toy novelties that deal- ers show each year one-half at least of the child population will tell you that a doll is dearer than any other toy in the world. Of all toys made in this country and in Europe. the doll easily leads. In Germany there are whole villages devoted to the doll industry. Every man, woman and child in them seems in some way to be occupied with the manufacture ofeginia- ture babies. Even at school, which the German child must attend between the years of 7 and 12, the sewing lessons are iaken with dol's’ clothes for models. The y the cottagers in their own homes, and every Saturday night the week's output is turned in at the factory which is little more than a receiving ana ne is inclined to envy such a vi and dmagine the inhabitants {0 be a jogs ous, frolicsome set veflp!e‘ but the fact is that toy making i#a most prosaic busi- pess. Besides. no one person is allowed to make a complete doll. In one household the papier mache foundation for the heads has been the family occupation for several enerations. Year In and year out that amily has done nothing from dawn until suasion, for plain sewin PoLisSHING glven the up the muslin and complete the bc fasten on the hair poem and the Chri existence somewhat The task of plexion is in theory bei itting on the to girls, as a rule. the have a hereditary n. One girl paints and another puts »n_the cheeks. Still Cupid's bow of a ioll wowld be no s some real artistic corative process tone ex st deviation remains to on the wig. n much the is be- 3 ally all the mem- s are turned over to the finishers. Bar- kets of dissected dolls, sug- thca massacres or surgical wards hospital, fill the finishers’ rooms. and women work with amaz- ing rapidity fastening the dolls together and laying them in baskets to be sent to a upon th Fi few Iron toys tin and h possible manner, being first eut “hen is b chinery. Firs run through a flat color. whatever the flat mach ext cut out d range i3 a 5 put in plac y machine painting of ar 1 etal This is hand work c ne by nd women. 18 and. cars are made In much the ¥, €x wheels have to be A < women and same W put on men do no mor) unt but fasten small wheel. and locomo- tives. Others spend their daylight hours in fastening littie tin candlesticks to their bases, the same candlesticks to be used in Christmas tree decorations. Ameri- cans are taking away that industry, how- ever from the German and Swiss work- men these last few years. Most of the cotton wool angels, stars of Bethlehem colored glass balls and bright tinsels wi Wwhich the trees are beautified are made in the busy wholesalo streets of New Y »me in boxes la- ht in the oy making is not calls for a gfeat amount c on the part of the we it ih this country, w: not manufaciire tion are the main thing: labor from seven or « morning until six at paid weekly w: Their_earnings average from fifty cents to §1 70 a day, according to the difficulties of their several he girl who paints the makes seventy- e man who does that sum. borers about fitty _and ally_difficult Small_as work, of e 3 the wage seems, far better than ths German and Swis K people are able to earn for a much higher class of labor. In the years to come, when our toy in- dustry develops, we may have a large immigration from the ymaking villages, Perheps we snall see certain small towns in New Jersey turned over to the toy makers. It certainly seems worth some st's expertment. No matter how gr > financial depression people always buy rtaln amount of toys at the Christmas season, and, indeed, at all other times of the year. Toys are real necessities of life as a matter of fact. Without them a child’s life is hard- 1y lived at all. It is pleasant to know that very few little ones are required to g0 without Christmas presents, even if they are deprived of them at other seasons.