DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1311#0019
10 THE GREAT EXHIBITION"
toys, and the other a general collection of ordinary toys; military accoutrements, guns,
and swords, holding a very prominent position among them, sufficiently indicative of
their Haynau and Radetzsky propensities. From Bohemia were sent excellent and very
numerous examples of those very beautiful boxes of toys for which it is famous, and which
form a large item in the export trade of the country. From the mountains of Tyrol,
J. B. Purger contributed numerous specimens of carved white-wood toys, cheap, and
of excellent workmanship. The Widow Hallbr and her Son-in-law, of Vienna, obtained
a prize medal for a collection of upwards of three hundred children's toys, comprising
dolls, dressed and undressed, miniature furniture, shops, drums, flags, swords, guns,
lances, shakos, helmets, and other military accoutrements for children, besides the com-
moner descriptions of mechanical toys, many of which displayed much ingenuity. There
were also numerous other sorts of toys in this collection, which were arranged in the
manner of a trophy, and formed the largest group in the Exhibition.
Kietaibi, of Vienna, also received a prize medal for a collection of thirty-nine
automaton-toys. These toys, which were all moved by good metallic clock-work, were
most ingenious productions, but they appeared to be more expensive than similar manu-
factures produced in France, with which, unfortunately, the Exhibition afforded no
opportunity of comparison. The following were among those deserving of especial
notice:—Male and female figures waltzing, the contrivance for effecting the occasional
rapid rotation of the German waltz being very ingenious; a pianist, who played,
or rather appeared to play, " God save the Queen" and ce Rule Britannia;" an elephant
carrying a howdah, and four walking Indians carrying a palanquin. This was the only
one of detached locomotive figures.
C. A. Muller and Co., of Oberlentensdorf, Bohemia, obtained honourable mention
for nearly two hundred boxes of toys. These boxes were filled with excellent figures,
representing men and animals, which were modelled in a sort of papier-m&ehe, with
trees and rocks, the former being made of wood and the latter of paper. The different
series represented hunting-scenes, zoological gardens, herds of cattle, and numerous
other groups illustrative of rural domestic life. The truthful delineation of the various
animals is a feature deserving of great commendation, as it renders the toys well
adapted to afford instruction as well as amusement.
Bavaria was chiefly remarkable for mechanical and magnetic toys. Gr. Eichner,
of Nuremberg, received a prize medal for twenty mechanical toys. These articles, which
were made of tinned iron-plate, and painted, were quite remarkable for the neatness
with which they were finished. They consisted chiefly of carriages with horses, the latter
being moved by cranks and levers connected with the wheels. A carriage with four
horses, the carriage containing figures representing her Majesty and Prince Albert, was
worthy of especial notice.
British Colonies.—British Guiana sent only a single example. India, on the other
hand, exhibited a large collection of toys, chiefly from Bengal and Madras. The high
antiquity of this manufacture in India will appear from the beautiful Indian drama of
Sacontald, written by Calidas, in the first century B.C. " Go, I pray/' says an attendant,
in Act vii., " to my cottage, where thou wilt find a plaything made for the hermit's
child, Sancara; it is a peacock of earthenware, painted with rich colours." Brilliant but
rude representations of birds formed the greater part of the display; but there were
also some instances of toys which are familiar in England, as the humming-top, the
merry-go-round, balancing figures, &c. The collection comprised also several ingenious
Malay puzzles, two of which were enclosed in narrow-necked bottles. Figures made
in pith were likewise numerous, and were very clever productions. These toys were
all such as are in common use in India, on which account they formed a most valuable
toys, and the other a general collection of ordinary toys; military accoutrements, guns,
and swords, holding a very prominent position among them, sufficiently indicative of
their Haynau and Radetzsky propensities. From Bohemia were sent excellent and very
numerous examples of those very beautiful boxes of toys for which it is famous, and which
form a large item in the export trade of the country. From the mountains of Tyrol,
J. B. Purger contributed numerous specimens of carved white-wood toys, cheap, and
of excellent workmanship. The Widow Hallbr and her Son-in-law, of Vienna, obtained
a prize medal for a collection of upwards of three hundred children's toys, comprising
dolls, dressed and undressed, miniature furniture, shops, drums, flags, swords, guns,
lances, shakos, helmets, and other military accoutrements for children, besides the com-
moner descriptions of mechanical toys, many of which displayed much ingenuity. There
were also numerous other sorts of toys in this collection, which were arranged in the
manner of a trophy, and formed the largest group in the Exhibition.
Kietaibi, of Vienna, also received a prize medal for a collection of thirty-nine
automaton-toys. These toys, which were all moved by good metallic clock-work, were
most ingenious productions, but they appeared to be more expensive than similar manu-
factures produced in France, with which, unfortunately, the Exhibition afforded no
opportunity of comparison. The following were among those deserving of especial
notice:—Male and female figures waltzing, the contrivance for effecting the occasional
rapid rotation of the German waltz being very ingenious; a pianist, who played,
or rather appeared to play, " God save the Queen" and ce Rule Britannia;" an elephant
carrying a howdah, and four walking Indians carrying a palanquin. This was the only
one of detached locomotive figures.
C. A. Muller and Co., of Oberlentensdorf, Bohemia, obtained honourable mention
for nearly two hundred boxes of toys. These boxes were filled with excellent figures,
representing men and animals, which were modelled in a sort of papier-m&ehe, with
trees and rocks, the former being made of wood and the latter of paper. The different
series represented hunting-scenes, zoological gardens, herds of cattle, and numerous
other groups illustrative of rural domestic life. The truthful delineation of the various
animals is a feature deserving of great commendation, as it renders the toys well
adapted to afford instruction as well as amusement.
Bavaria was chiefly remarkable for mechanical and magnetic toys. Gr. Eichner,
of Nuremberg, received a prize medal for twenty mechanical toys. These articles, which
were made of tinned iron-plate, and painted, were quite remarkable for the neatness
with which they were finished. They consisted chiefly of carriages with horses, the latter
being moved by cranks and levers connected with the wheels. A carriage with four
horses, the carriage containing figures representing her Majesty and Prince Albert, was
worthy of especial notice.
British Colonies.—British Guiana sent only a single example. India, on the other
hand, exhibited a large collection of toys, chiefly from Bengal and Madras. The high
antiquity of this manufacture in India will appear from the beautiful Indian drama of
Sacontald, written by Calidas, in the first century B.C. " Go, I pray/' says an attendant,
in Act vii., " to my cottage, where thou wilt find a plaything made for the hermit's
child, Sancara; it is a peacock of earthenware, painted with rich colours." Brilliant but
rude representations of birds formed the greater part of the display; but there were
also some instances of toys which are familiar in England, as the humming-top, the
merry-go-round, balancing figures, &c. The collection comprised also several ingenious
Malay puzzles, two of which were enclosed in narrow-necked bottles. Figures made
in pith were likewise numerous, and were very clever productions. These toys were
all such as are in common use in India, on which account they formed a most valuable