Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1883-03-14
GLASS Ely Els.
How These Delicate optical Decisions
Arc Made.

AAo" DciEcu'S o.iiNti
Arc Made.
Artificial eyes are not of recent in
vcntion, for the early Egyptians used
many crude specimens, the crblephari
and the hypoblepharia The former
was formed Of a circle Of iron which
passing round the head had at one of
its eXtremities thin sheet Of metal
covered with very fine skin, on which
was painted an eye with eye-lid and
!a3hcs, thus forming a kind Of painted
5andage which concealed the cavity of
he lost eye, The latter exhibited
somewhat of Il likeness to the method
now adopted, but was made Of "a
metallic shell something like a walnut
she'll on which was painted the iris,
he pupil and the white of the cye,and
was placedin the orbital cavity and kept
IN place by the eyelids as is now done.
The great objection to this was the
weight Of the metal and the constant
.lXity Of the look.
The data of the Introduction Of
lass eyes is not recorded, but they
nave been found in the heads Of
mummics staring with unearthly
light. In olden days solid glass eyes
were used, but the artificial eye of
to-day is Of shell-like formation, and
in its construction remarkable nicely
and skill is required.
With the exception of few small
notifications in detail and finish, the
manufacture of artificial eyes has not
made any particular steps forward in
the last half century. Each manu-
facturer has Il secret Of his own as to
The combination of the material used
md the mode Of applying them.
This secret, which in most cases is
landed down from father to son, is
] ,alou.ly guarded, and strangers are
rarely permitted to witness any of the
Processes Of manufacture The arti-
cial eye being only light shell of
anamel without any precise form, since
il has to be suited to the different sizes
and shapes Of eyeballs. is placed under
the eyelid, and is composed of two
parts; the one exterior, which gives
the colors of the iris, Of the sclerotic,!or
white on the eye, as well as the blood
vessels of the healthy eye; the other,
the interior, which fitting into and
Gaping the stump, receives movement
from it. The manufacture of artili-
cial eyes consists in three distinct
operations, as follows
The artist seats himself at his table
with 4 lamp or gas jet before him
which is blown by bellows and blow
pipe, worked by the foot, and gives a
pointed jet of flame of the strength he
desires. Within reach of his hand are
placed rods of enamel of different
colors. He begins by taking hollow
tube Of colorless crystal, one of the
extremities Of which being soon melted
in the fire Of the jet forms a ball
when blown. AS the color given by
the crystal has no resemblance to that
Of the sclerotic, usually called the
white of the eye, his first labor is to
color the bah in such manner that it
may be of the same hue as the natural
eye. TO attain this result, he applies
- the ball, enam.l Of different colors
which alnalgamating with the crystal
in pasty state, gradually gives it the
desired tint, which differs in each
individual. This tint obtained, he
makes a circular opening in the center
of the ball, destined to receive the
globe Of the eye. When the hole is
made the ball is put on one side.
The globe is made by first forming the
IRIS, which is done by the use of sew
cral ama!gamations Of enamelv accord
ing to requirements of the case.
Theirs finished. a spot of black ename
is placed in the center to form the
pupil, which is then encircled with its
aureola. The infinitely small tibers
found in the iris are then drawn.
The globe when finished is soldered
to the sclerotic by means of the lamp,
after which the artist rectifies any
small imperfections which he may
observe, and it only remains to pare
the ball in order to obtain a shell,
which, rounded at the edges. may
perfectly resemble the living eye with
which it is to be placed, not only in
form but also in color. The enameled
surface of a well.made eye is really
lovely. and when even closely exam
ined it has every appearance of the
natural, eye both in brilliancy, depth,
and light.
Prices vary from $l5 to $50, accord
ing to circumstances, although all are
equally well finished.
The indictment by the grand jury of
Saloon-keeper Schiller for applying the