January 1. 1915.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



193 



New Rubber Goods in the Market. 



T 



RUBBER TOYS AND NOVELTIES. 

 [IF. fact that many of the 

 toj fact iries which have 

 in the past supplied the 

 American market with toys 

 have been inactive for some 

 time owing to the war has had 

 no noticeabli effect upon the 

 offerings in this line during the 

 holiday season; and the toys of 

 rubber have never been mure varied or pleasing. The present 

 situation in this line is one of wonderful opportunities for the 

 toy manufacturer, buyers being not only willing but extremely 

 anxious to examine samples produced here to replace similar 

 lines that they are unlikely t" he able to secure from abroad 

 for some time to come. 



Red rubber animals, rattles and dolls in 

 all the accustomed styles have been sold 

 in quantities, some enterprising retailers 

 tilling baskets with these rubber toys and 

 selling them at prices up to $8 per basket. 

 The little rubber Kewpie has been ex- 

 trcineh popular. The up-to-the-minute 

 doll, however, is the doll that dances, and 

 the above illustration shows a pair of 

 dusky damsels who. beside being expert 

 in the execution of buck and wing dances, 

 can also be induced to give exhibitions of the fox trot and other 

 late bewildering combinations of movements. The dolls are 

 twins, attached by an elastic cord encased in ribbon, and when 

 dangled over the linger their gyrations and droll expressions are 

 extremely amusing; Another funny little new doll is "Billy 

 Bumper." And be can 

 be bumped around with 

 perfect safety, for he is 

 composed largely of rub- 

 ber, his body consisting 

 of a rubber ball, his head 

 and feet being made of 

 cotton. 



Many new forms of 

 toy balloons have been 

 shown this season. The charm of this form of amusement knows 

 no season, however, and has as strong a hold on grown-ups as 

 on the younger members of the family, for no New Year's Eve 

 celebration is complete without its toy balloon souvenirs. The 

 bagpipe balloon is a favorite for occasions where noise is con- 

 sidered desirable. It has 

 wood mouthpiece and trumpet 

 on which tunes can be played 

 in imitation of the Scotch 

 bagpipes. Another novelty 

 is the dying pig. This bal- 

 loon when inflated resembles 

 the accompanying illustration, 

 and as the air escapes the pig 

 squeals, until its final collapse. 

 Then there is the balloon 

 made in two colors, for either air or gas. and known as the 

 "Tango" balloon, the crying balloon, the balloon that whistles 

 and the balloon made to resemble a football, including the side 



lacing effect. Still another style is made torpedo shape, being 

 capable of inflation to a length of 14 inches. This style can be 

 had with stick and pom-pom attachments, or with a string 

 at one end and a pin wheel attached to a cord inserted in tHe 

 other end, so that when the balloon is drawn through the air the 

 pin wheel revolves. Most of these balloons 

 can be had either wjfh or without self-closing 

 valves. 



I orpedoes and airships suggest warfare, and 

 that attacks 1,\ the latter craft may be 

 rendered ineffective a new balloon can- 

 non has been devised. This is a model 

 it the Krupp gun designed to tight air- 

 ships. This military toy is, of course, 

 made of metal, but its am- 

 munition consists of rubber 

 plugs. Coast guns. Howitz- 

 ers and field artillery con- 

 sume large quantities of these rubber plugs, rubber projectiles 

 and rubber balls. 



The rubber stamp manufacturers have also contributed to the 

 amusement and education of the small members of the family by 

 supplying rubber stamps, sets of which, at 25 cents for 12 stamps, 

 will turn out endless numbers of soldiers and sailors, animals and 

 hunters, wild west and circus performers, Brownies and Teddy 

 bears, quaint and dainty little Kate Greenaways, etc., etc. 



The toy departments display so many toys in which rubber 

 cord is used — if to a small extent in individual instances — as to 



vt-BBKR Stamp Soldiers and Said k- 



make the supply of this article to the toy makers an interesting 

 possibility. For instance, it would be interesting to know the 

 quantity of cord necessary to adjust the arms and legs of a 

 holiday supply of dolls; to equip the aeroplanes and other flying 

 craft, which are propelled by rubber cord wound in strands; to 

 suspend the bugs, beetles and other springy-legged figures known 



Kate Greenaways. 



as Japanese troubling novelties ; to serve as joints for the wi 

 circus toys, animals and clowns, and to propel the 

 that destroy bath tub battleships, etc 



Miniature hot water bottles, nursing bottles, etc.. have ap- 

 peared, making an irresistible appeal to young mothers of baby 

 dolls. The rubber hot water bottle is 3 inches long and VA inches 

 wide, and is an exact imitation of the ordinary sized article. 

 These nbvelties and the miniature atomizer with rubber bulb 

 are made under the familiar brand "Alpha." [Parker. Stearns & 

 Co., Brooklyn.] 



