Class XXIX.]
AWARDS AND NOTICES.
6S1
Clans XXITf.\ for a Paper-weight of gold, the basebeing ornamented with scenery painted in enamel. Fromthis a stem ascends, and is surmounted with a smallcasket which opens and closes by means of clock-work.When the cover is turned back a most beautiful andperfect little bird is discovered, which is apparentlysinging, and at the same time fluttering its minute wingsand twirling about in different directions. As soon as thesong is finished the box closes. The bird is scarcelythree-quarters of an inch long, yet is most life-like in thedetails of its construction and its movements ; and itswarble is perfectly suited in compass to its size. Themanufacture of such minute pieces of mechanism is mostvaluable training for the watch-maker, and they aretherefore deserving of encouragement.
Bontems, —, Paris (France , No. 430, p. 1199\ PrizeMedal. The articles exhibited are of the same class asthat just noticed, but considerably larger, the objectsbeing of the size of nature. They consist of twogroups of Humming-birds, with clock-work movements,by which the birds are made to hop from one twig toanother, at the same time opening their wings; afterwhich they twirl suddenly round, and hop back again,exactly in the manner of real birds confined in a cage.There is also a continual chirping, apparently kept up bythe birds, their beaks being made to move. The leverswhich carry them backwards and forwards are ingeniouslyconcealed in slits formed in the artificial branches. Otherbirds are represented continually pecking at beetles. Theprice of one of these groups of automata is 12/., and ofthe other with the clock, 18/. Doth groups are underglass shades, and form singularly pleasing drawing-roomornaments.
Bouchet, A., Baker Street (Class XXIX.. No. 124,p. 797\ Honourable Mention. The Toys exhibited con-sist of children’s Armour, French boxes of Gaines, arepresentation of the Great Exhibition , with movingfigures, Shops, and various Dolls .
Eichxer, G., Nuremberg (Bavaria, No. 80, p. 1102"),Prize Medal for Twenty Mechanical toys. These articles,which are made of tinned iron-plate and painted, arequite remarkable for the neatness with which they arefinished. They consist chiefly of Carriages with horses,the latter being moved by cranks and levers connectedwith the wheels. The following specimens are deservingof especial notice:—A Carriage with a pair of horses,24 a. ; a Carriage with four horses, the carriage containingfigures representing Her Majesty and Prince Albert , 40s.;a State-carriage, 4Ss.; a Sportsman’s-carriage, 6s. 6 d .;and another similar specimen, 4s.
Haller’s, J., Widow, and Sox-ix-Law, Vienna (Aus-tria , No. 652. p. 1041), Prize Medal for a collection ofupwards of Three hundred Children’s Toys , comprisingDolls, dressed and undressed, miniature Furniture, Shops,Drums, Flags, Swords, Guns, Lances, Shakos, Helmets ,and other military accoutrements for children, the com-moner descriptions of Mechanical-toys, many of whichdisplay much ingenuity. There are also numerous othersorts of toys in this collection, which are arranged in themanner of a trophy, and form the largest group in theExhibition.
Jumeau, P., Paris (France^, Prize Medal for Dolls ’-dresses. The dolls on which these dresses are displayedpresent no point worthy of commendation, but the dressesthemselves are very beautiful productions. Not only arethe outer robes accurate representations of the prevailingfashions in ladies’ dresses, but the under garments arealso in many cases complete fac-siniiles of those articlesof wearing-apparel. They might serve as excellent pat-terns for children to imitate, and thus to acquire the useof the needle, with a knowledge of the arrangement ofcolours and material; in the latter respects they mightindeed afford valuable instruction to adults.
Kietaibl, F., Vienna (Austria, No. 653, p. 1041), PrizeMedal for a collection of Thirty-nine Automaton-toys.These toys, which are all moved by good metallic clock-work, are most ingenious productions, but they appear tobe more expensive than similar manufactures producedin France , with which, unfortunately, the Exhibitionafforded no opportunity of comparison. The following
are among those deserving of especial notice:—Male andfemale figures waltzing, 12s., the contrivance for efiectii.gthe occasional rapid rotation of the German waltz beingvery ingenious; a Pianiste, (51s.) who plays, or ratherappeal's to play, “ God save the Queen,” and “ llule Bri-tannia:” an Elephant carrying a Ilowdah; and fourwalking Indians carrying a Palanquin . This collectionis the only one of detached locomotive-figures.
Moxtaxari, Augusta, Upper Charlotte Street, FitzroySquare (Class XXIX., No. 122, p. 797:, Prize Medal.The display of this Exhibitor is the most remarkable andbeautiful collection of Toys in the Great Exhibition . Itconsists of a series of Dolls , representing all) ages, frominfancy to womanhood, arranged in several family groups,with suitable and elegant model-furniture. These dollshave the hair, eye-lashes, and eye-lids separately insertedin the wax, and are, in other respects, modelled with life-like truthfulness. Much skill is also evinced in the varietyof expression which is given to these figures in regard ofthe ages and stations which they are intended to repre-sent. From the prices of these dolls, however, they areadapted rather for the children of the wealthy tlnn forgeneral sale; since the prices of the undressed-dolls arefrom 10s. to 105s. each; the dressed-dolls, which areattired with much taste, are much more expensive, andvary in price according to the richness of the material ofwhich the robes are made. In a small case adjoining thatwhich contains the toys just enumerated, are displayedseveral Bag-dolls, which are very remarkable productions,considering the materials of which they are made. Theyconsist entirely of textile-fabrics, and the dolls which areintended, and are well adapted for the nursery, are rea-sonable in price, varying from Gs. 6c/. to 30s. per doll,including the dresses.
Muller, C. A., and Co., Oberleutensdorf, Bohemia (Austria, No. 654, p. 1041', Honourable Mention fornearly Two hundred Boxes of Toys. These boxes arefilled with excellent figures representing men and animals,which are modelled in a sort of papier-mache', with treesand rocks, the former being made of wood and the latterof paper. The different series represent Hunting-scenes,Zoological-gardens, Herds of cattle, and numerous othergroups illustrative of rural domestic life. The truthfuldelineation of the various animals is a feature deservingof great commendation, as it renders the toys well adaptedto afford instruction as well as amusement. The whole-sale prices quoted were, 11c/., Is. (’^c/., 7s. 10c/., and 10 a'. Qd.per box, according to the number and size of the objectscontained in it. For instance, the box for 10s. 6c/. con-tained the following objects representing stag-sliooting:—3 rocks, 12 large trees, 25 small trees, 17 stags in variouspositions, 3 huntsmen, and 3 dogs.
Rook and Graner, Biberach (Wurtemburg, No. 98.p. 1119), Prize Medal, for a large collection of mechanicaland other toys, some made of tiuned iron-plate, and othersin papier-mache'. It comprises: Carriages with horses,which are moved by the revolving-parts by means ofcranks and links ; a Water-mill, to be acted upon by realwater; a Cascade and fountain, in which, also, real wateris to be used; a working-model of a pump ; collections ofKitchen-utensils, a complete set containing many piecesbeing charged 6 a. 8c/. ; and numerous other articles.
Sohlke, G., Berlin (Prussia, No. 265, p. 1063', PrizeMedal, for a collection of Pewter-toys; the principalexample being a representation of the review at Windsor,on the occasion of the visit to England of the Emperorof Russia , who is portrayed among the numerous figureswhich this well-executed model contains. Besides thisspecimen, there are several miniature Dinner and Teasendees, also cast in pewter.
Spurin*, E. C., New Bond Street (Class XXIX., No.126, p. 797), Prize Medal, for two Models, one represent-ing an English farm-yard, and the other Gulliver inLilliput. The Farm-yard is an ingenious model, repre-senting with fidelity the various buildings and the every-day business of such a place; as the feeding of poultry,pumping of water for cattle, thrashing of corn by horse-power, winnowing of grain, &c.; the various figuresbeing moved by clock-work.
The second model was executed by A. Fleischmaxx,