The latest toys for 1904, illustrated in Copland & Lye's catalogue of Christmas presents. While the printing press is claimed to be "just what's wanted for our boys" there is no suggestion that the washing set is intended for girls.
The star attraction at Copland & Lye's Christmas exhibition for 1904 was a working model of Sir Hiram Maxim's flying machine, "brilliantly lit and worked by electricity." Best remembered for the machine gun which bears his name, Sir Hiram Maxim was an American inventor who moved to London and was knighted by Queen Victoria. The full-size captive flying machine was on show at the Earls Court Exhibition in London, where it drew large crowds. A larger outdoor version was later erected at Crystal Palace and the design was imitated in fairground attractions everywhere.
Reference: Glasgow City Archives, TD128/92
Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Libraries Information and Learning
Keywords:
Caledonian House, Christmas presents, clockwork toys, Copland & Lye, department stores, exhibitions, fairground attractions, fairground rides, fairgrounds, flying machines, inventors, model soldiers, models, printing presses, toy guns, trade catalogues, washing