Arizona weekly citizen., 1885-02-14
WAX BEAUTIES.
ART IN WHICH MUSCLE SERVES IN
 PLACE OF GENIUS
Initiating the Faces of Popular Actresses Models Cast in Molds-BeautifuI Heads to Set On the Dress
 makers Art.
-NeN York Sun ]

show windows serve tO attract crowds of well dressed women all day long. After a look at the table each spectator is sure to glance at mirror at one side of the win dow and then put up her hand to give a touch tO her curis or bangs or back hair. On the revolving tables are four wax bustS with long hair done up tO show the latest style of the Paris dress maker.
 Those figures are all imported, said a gentleman who was formerly engaged in the business Paris once had the lead in manufacturing them. but of late Vienna takes the front both in quality of work and in low prices London has one fac tory, and a few are made in Berlin, but the work there Is not first class. The leaders strive always Co get up something new in form and feature; to present the face of afayOrite actress, for instance, and that is expensive
 It must require an artist to make the faces.
 An artist of muscle chiefly. They are cast in clay moldS Sometimes a popular actress will consent tO have a plaster cast of her head and shoulders taken More frequently the east is taken from some sweet face in the mOrgue, and sometimes a model is made by hand The important thing ia to get pretty face, an attractive form, and that particular indescribible pose which characteriZes the miliiuers model From the cast model is made. and then the mold is made from that When 1t Is ready it is three feet high and very heavy. The caster stands six Or eight molds. well oiled, in TOW on a table in a cool room or out of doors. NNanHts hxrs s1 hfsr fauE of h..ff1rvo~ within which is suspended Kettle of melted wax. The caster pours a dippcr- ful of the melted wax into the mold which he then revOlves. and turns SO that the wax as 1t coOls forms a sheet an eighth of an inch thick all over the outside. As 1t hardens he goes on 10 the next mold. By the time he gets through the row the first is ready for another coat. The inner coats are made of cheap wax. Japanese wax is used to advantage Paratfine and terra alba are put into the wax 10 harden it if the figure is for warm climate In side of all is placed muslin saturated with stiff wax, tO give tEe figure strength. After the cast is made the figure is washed with benzine or turpentine.
 Then the eve. sockets are cut and glass eyes are put in This is a very particular job The customer would not buy a bust of Mary Anderson. even. fl the wax Mary were crosseyed that the hair Is arranged. For this Q. eedlc is taken and the head ground of until the eye forms a fork. 4 handle as big as a lead pencil IS put over the point Big needles making forks biz enough 10 hold six or seven hairs are used in those parts not exposed to the eye The hair is combed out and laid with the ends in layers on the wax. and the operator punches the fork down on the ends of the hair, carrying 1t firmly into the wax. A sweep of the thumb nail smOoths the wax over and sets the hair, but around the edges small needles are used. and one hair Is set at a time
 Next the eyebrows are put in, This IS a still more delicate operation. and re- quires nice judgment in the selection of the right length and thickness of the hair as well as the proper shade Then the long, dropping eyelashes are arranged. and given the proper curve. The operator works in a room heated up to 90 degrees Finally the figure must be made up with carmine and bismuth powder. A stubbed camels hair brush rubs in the color. The coloring is a delicate job. because the color must be in accord with the style Ot beauty, whether blonde or brunette Last of all, delicate blue veins are marked on the forehead, and then the figure is sent to the hair-dresser, who makes up the style of the hair.
 What do the figures cost?'
 "A wholesale New York importer of millinery buys the ordinary figure in Paris for S4O. but if it has very light hair he pays S45 IL is packed for him by put ting tissue paper over the face. then lay- CTS of cotton batting. and then brown pa per This bundle is then placed in the middle of bundle of hay, which has a strong box around it. The freight to New York is about S1 for each figure. About one out of six is broken on the way. When the figure gets here the custom house man steps in and says: This wax figure is hair; if it !s not hair. at least hair Is the component material of chief value, ard the whole figure is dutiable at 35 per cent ad valorem.'
 After paying the duty and allowing | for the risk of breakage, the figures sell | here at retail for from S1j to SlOO. II they have arms for full-dress figures they | cost $125. Twenty years ago they cost double that amount They are an expen | sive articles for show window. Th' | temperature of the window must bt looked after so that they don't melt Ths | light of day fades the cOlCrs so that they must be touched up once a month or SO | If one cracks it can be repaired. 1hert | are two Italians in the city who repail | figures. but the crack can never be wholly concealed Some of the milliners repain their own figures.