National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-03-12
HAIR BY THE TON
Gathered From Many Lands-sonie OF II
Worth les Weight in Gold.

Boston Globe.
"TIuman hair goods are worn more now
than they ever were" said q Boston dealer
who does o largo business in such articles.
"All classes Of ladies wear it-young, middle
aged, and old-some for use, but moro for or
nament. Men wear wigs only when they
cannot help it. Women wear false hair to
add to their charms. Short hair is in demand
now, in the form of, Lisbon and sea-foam waves
and frizzes and the favorite color is chestnut
brown. The golden shade, so much in fashion
fow years ago, has fallen so per cent. in
pri CO. There is a great deal of competition,
and all kinds of hair goods are cheaper than
they used to be. Switches especially, can be
had at low price. Ladies formerly paid $15
to $50 for a good one, but they can get an
extra nice style at from So to $40 to-day"
"Where does the supply of artificial hair
come from?"
Nearly all from France and Germany,
with u little from other parts of tho continent
and England. The largest quantity and best
quality is from France. 1t is not the hair of
dead persons, as many imagine, but comes
| from the heads of living peasant women and
girls. 1t is gathered by peddlers, who buy it
| for trihe-a silk kerchief or some other
trife which pleases tho fancy. 1t is taken
|
it in lengths and shades for export to Amer.
lea and other countries. Here are some
boxes with hair which has not yet seen light
in this country. 1 will open one. There,
you see tho form in which it comes.
Little rolls, which l pull out so, and
wave. That is the best quality of hair.
There is also an inferior kind, not much
used, which is gathered from ash-barrels and
dust-heaps Of Paris and Italy, and assorted
into lengths and shades. 1t is the cheapest
kind of hair. Dealers pay from SO to $40
dozen for tho switches, and sell them Mt 81
and So each. We got some raw hair in this
| country, but very little. 1t comes nearly all
| from the nunneries. l do not think there
would be fifty pounds Of lin the half a ton Of
hair which L buy in year. There are some
| inferior grades made by New York jobbers,
but all the good hair comes from abroad,
There are in France regular hair raiserS'-
that is, girls who have their hair cut for sale
every four years"
| what is the most expensive kind Of hair?'
| Natural silver white, like this, is worth
$lS or 500 an ounce so, you see, it is worth
moro than its weight in gold. Beached
white hair is worth only So an ounce.
Natural hair of ordinary shades is worth
from SO to $50 pound, except the hair col
lected by rag pickers, which brings only from
| 81 to So. Tho value of different colors of
hair depends on the fashion. Yellow hair,
| not golden, is almost useless to u.s."
~ suppose there have been great improve
ments in your art of late years."
Eyes, indeed. You could tell the old fash.
toned wig milo of, but now l can make a
wig which will defy detection. A great
many top pieces are worn by men-like this"
Here the hair dealer, greatly to the surprise
of the reporter, lifted up what was to all
appearance tho natural hair on top of his oW :,
head, and disclosed Uranium as bare as
billiard ball.
Now" said he, "here is what we call the
Lisbon wave for ladies. 1t is in the fashion
able shade, but it is worn over natural hair
of any color and wholly conceal5 it. A great
deal of care is required to make a good wig.
The hairs have to be drawn through meshes
one by one where the parting IL, and ut that
part the meshes are made of white hair woven
in pieces of different lengths and widths.
Here are some Of them"
A few thin packages lay in small desk
drawer They looked like coarse muslin.
There are $500 worth there" said the
dealer "You can shut your hand ON 800
worth. A good wave costs from IS to S5O, aG-
cOrding to quality and color. Ornaments for
the hair in latest style have Rhine 81, =, In
them to sparkle at night. These cost from
% cents TO SO each DO l make false eye.
br0ws? Sometimes, but 1t is hard to do good
work with them so that they cannot be d..
tccled. l do not make false nustachos Tor
| dudes"
~ suppose you soil good many light
colored waves to dark haired ladies'"
An, you may see many a pretty blonde on
the street with black eyes which she cannot
hi de and black hair which she can. Fashion
rules all. Just now the color is medium
| brown, but there are constant changes in
style, enough to keep one ON the go all the
| time"