Studio: international art (81.1921)

SOME FRENCH TOYS OF TO-DAY

TOY FRENCH VILLAGE AND
MEDIAEVAL MONASTERY
CASTLE, ETC. MADE BY
"LE JODET DE FRANCE"

At a time when industrial reconstruction
constitutes a vital question, it is indeed
satisfactory to see how greatly Great
Britain and France have progressed in the
industries catering for the needs of the
child. The French toys to which this
article is devoted are a case in point. 0

France has always been in the front rank
as a toy producer. For a long time her
mechanical tin toys, inartistic but intensely
amusing, have provided a remunerative use
for old tin and incomes for thousands of
small manufacturers and hawkers, whilst
in far away regions of the provinces, and
especially in the mountainous districts, the
peasants produce a variety of simple,
quaint wooden toys. 000

The chief factors of the recent progress
were the organisation of the toy industries
on a co-operative basis, the creation of
schools, exhibitions, and competitions for
the encouragement of producers, and the
entrance in the field of artists whose gifts
of invention and execution have led to far-
reaching results. 0000

Among these artists may be selected, as
thoroughly representative, Le Bourgeois,
Rapin, and Francis Jourdain. The former
two design the toys made by " Le Jouet

104

de France " ; the third has recently added
toy-making to his wide and versatile range
of artistic labours. 000a
The key to quality in toy-production is
the same as in all applied arts ; good raw
material, treated in accordance with its
properties—which in turn means good
design and good workmanship, the highest
ideal of both producer and consumer. Let
us consider for instance, among the toys
designed by Le Bourgeois and Rapin,
their wooden animals. Here we have sub-
stantial timber, cut on broad lines, with
just the necessary amount of finish to give
the toy individuality, to make it live. The
design is superb and humorous ; and for
grip of form and treatment of material,

TOY CARRIAGES. MADE BY
"LE JOUET DE FRANCE".