ITALIAN INDUSTRY

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXVII, Issue 4402, 8 June 1933, Page 8

ITALIAN INDUSTRY

BID FOR TRADE. Besides factories turning out playthings as a subsidiary line of production, there are a large number of toy factories in Italy, while much of the output comes from the shops of artisans (states the Chamber of Commerce Journal, London). Rough estimates put the number of large and medium-sized concerns at around 70, giving daily employment to 3000 work people. According to the Instituto Nazionale per l’Esportazione, Rome, the toy industry falls into several branches, of which the more important specialise in dolls, metal and mechanical toys, wooden, papiermache, cardboard, paper,. china, terracotta, and rubber toys, playthings made of rags, etc., children’s vehicles of all descriptions, educational a'nd scientific games and toys, sports requisites, etc.

Taken as a whole, exports of Italian toys show a marked increase since the war. While in 1913 barely 13,000 kilos, of toys were sold abroad, in the three-year period 1929-31 average exports, notwithstanding the world crisis, were about 80,000 kilos, per annum, of which little less than 30,000 kilos, consists of dolls. At the present time the volume of exports has increased very markedly, and the markets include England, Germany, France, Switzerland, Spain, Austria, Jugoslavia, the United States, Argentina, etc.

Italian exports of wooden toys in 1931 amounted to 19,127 kilos., and Great Britain took 2388 kilos., while other common toys exported totalled 6581 kilos. Great Britain’s share in Italy’s exports of common dolls in 1931 amounted to 1099 kilos, out of a total of 3624 kilos., while of highclass dolls totalling 11,631 kilos., that country took 4121 kilos. In the purchase of dolls Britain was by far Italy’s most important customer.