A newespaper revieuw from a visit at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1900
Our colleague Le Temps did his little research on the toy of the year.
He gives the following funny details: What new species will we find? As a toy, surprisingly, we didn’t really see anything new; Already known mechanisms and genres have simply been applied to reality. First of all, here’s “Le Vaillant Boer” (Martin number 174 ),
a little man dressed in gray and beard, cartridge holder on his shoulder, felt hat over his ears, rifle at the ready. You turn the mechanics and the brave farmer starts spinning from right to left, with a rifle on his shoulder that never fires. It is completely harmless and does not injure anyone. Here’s again “The Gentleman in Khaki”, (Martin number 175)
made in Paris, but which has just been specially sent to London, where it is in great demand. Dressed in khaki, the English gentleman points the bayonet at an imaginary Boer. Then it is the “L’ Homme Corvée” (Martin number 173),
a small French soldier or English sailor, depending on the country of destination, who operates a broom.
The “Le Chinois” (Martin number 177),
Son of Heaven wielding a large saber in one hand, a formidable spear in the other with an imposing braid on the back, a long mustache and a very angry look. It will be the terror of little children who have not been good.
Finally, the typical Parisian toy, the drunkard “Le Pochard” (Martin number 172)
with his “illuminated” nose, radiant face, the good drunken shakes his bottle with one hand, his cup with the other; he walks unsteadily, he carries the glass and bottle to his mouth, he shakes his head and he wobbles, making many movements. And that for 39 cents. It will be the hit of the year.
Now let’s take a random look at the toys from around the world from all over France, Austria and Germany, which have a current character.
Inspired by the exhibition: the monumental gate, the meadow of the Swiss village, the lotto and the exhibition lottery, the patience game of the 1900 exhibition, the shepherdess of the Swiss village the Swiss waltzers, the moving sidewalk, animals from the Ferris wheel, the exhibition cube game, the exhibition shadow game and much more!
The events in China and Transvaal gave birth to the Chinese massacre, the war game, the Chinese house, the Chinese cake, the international war, Allied China’s troops, China’s war, the Chinese puppet the ‘Pass-Boer’ balls , the English Anglo-Boer skittles game a Boer village attacks the punished Boxer, the Transvaal magnetic fishing game with English and Boers, the Boer cymbal player and countless fortresses with English, Chinese or Boer soldiers
Finally, a note here and there:
More discoveries! The Parisian agent, the new Nord-Espress locomotive, the car explorer, the Nautiles submarine torpedo boat, the dazzling parachute, the Nicolas billiard table, the rack railway and… a disaster, the Franco-Russian shooting, the Paris-Montmatre funicular, the car that reproduces exactly the type of cars that drive around in Paris, and the tricycle car with characters with boots, to extremely refined music, dolls that waltz and sing, mechanical horses that jump, kick and neigh.
…But all that, ladies and gentlemen, the Parisian peddler will tell you, it makes noise, it is expensive, but it gets confused, while my merry drunkard or my rebellious Chinese, are beautiful, and it only costs 39 cents !
Text translation from the French newspaper: Le Patriote de la Vendée 1900, Journal de Politique, Agricole et Commercial, Organe d’union Républicaine
Note: The text is a free translation, I added the Martin numbers between the (…) and the pictures to the text myself