German toys in antebellum America

Magazine Antiques, Dec, 2002 by Mary Audrey Apple

The arrival of goods in the port of New York was often an occasion of great appointment. In spite of the German wholesalers' good intentions, toys consistently arrived in poor condition. Poor workmanship, incorrect packing procedures in Germany and improper loading in Hamburg resulted in toys that could not be sold in the city. Page wrote:

It is almost the case when a vessel arrives here with goods aboard for me that they are the very last to get at is consequence of being put on Board too soon, the circumstance is attended with considerable difficulty, as well as loss to me. The being at the Bottom of the vessel every other package is tumbled over them thereby breaking a great many of the best articles there are in the cases....have them stowed as near the hatchway as possible so that I may get them out of the way as soon as possible for I can assure you they receive no tender usage from the hands employed on board the vessele." (39)

Page had especially poor luck with his dolls. In February 1831 he reported, "On receiving the large leather dolls it has uniformly fell out that the large size heads were more or less broken." (40) The next shipment was even worse:

The goods were in pretty good order with the exception of the 4/0 & 3/0 leather dolls which to be candid I must say are the poorest article I have ever had in my store. They are actually not worth the article...when I give a large order to have a poor article, sent me is not very pleasant....Sometimes in opening a doz. Dolls I find the seams are ripped open the heads on one side one leg longer than another the seams cove with pieces of paper to keep the bran in. (41)

In another letter he complained that on the wooden dolls "the heads have evidently been finished in such a green state as to cause the varnish and paint to peel off like a fish's scales." (42)

The appearance of the horses, horsemen, and drums were another ongoing cause for complaint. Something was wrong with every shipment of these toys, and Page became increasingly irritated. In frustration he wrote, "I am particularly desirous to have the drums made well to have good sound heads. The last lot of small drums were very Bad." (43) On another occasion he wrote:

I wish you to observe in putting up the horses and horsemen that the sale entirely depends upon the quality of the article. I have before this received such a poor, mouldy, and altogether worthless article, that I have sometimes thought I never would order horsemen again I hope in the future to receive a better usage....I hope you will have the kindness to see that the goods I have ordered are well packed in good dry paper so that I may receive them entirely free from mould. (44)

The growth of mold was inherent in the recipe still being used for papier-mache toys during this period. Although kaolin, a fine white clay used in the manufacture of porcelain, had first been added to the basic recipe of brown flour and glue water (animal bones boiled in water) as early as 1806 to increase the durability of the products, not all toymakers used the mixture successfully. The result was a product sensitive to damp during long periods of storage and susceptible to the appetites of mice and rats. Shipments were insured against fire, but not necessarily against water damage and definitely not against breakage. (45) Goods that arrived in New York in poor condition were a loss for Page, and he insisted that Lindner adjust his bills accordingly, although Page was willing to pay the customs duties and freight. (46)