The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-12-07
EYES MADE UF GLASS.
THEY ARE GOOD, BUT BETTER
ONES ARE MADE OF STONE.

In Germany and France Artificial Eyes
Are rs Cheap as ButtOns-A Good Deal
of skin Required in Finishing Eyes
Price of Eyes In This Country.
There is a gentleman in New York,
married and the father of family, who
has worn an artificial eye for many
years without the knowledge of any
member of mis- family. There are many
men and women in public life who wear
artificial ewes undiscovered. To do this
of course requires not only wonderful
perfection IN the manufacture Of the eye
itself, but also great circumspection on
the part of the wearer, whose vision Is
necessarily limited. and who IS liable to
exposure from the occurrences Of every
day life. There was. until recently, in
New York city, a lady, the wife OF a
very well known man, who was in the
habit Of meeting constantly very many
persons. and who went out much in So
ciety. who wore an artificial eye without
detection.
Many artificial eyes are imported from
Germany and France. where they are
made almost rs cheaply As buttons. In
the district of Thuringia, in Germany,
entire villages of men. women aud chill
dren assist in the manufacture. The
process is analogous 20 glass blowing.
Indeed. it is sort Of glass blowing.
The workman sits at table with gas
let fame from blowpipe in front Of
him, which gives an intense heat. capable
of melting the CLASSY substance which
forms the eve. He molds the substance
as easily rs the potter would mold clay.
Then the pupil is put ON by the SAND
process and the colors traced with small
needles of colored substance, SO as to
initiate the delicate tracery Of the eye
hall and pupil.
THE BEST EYES ARE MADE HERE.
When eyes are made &C Wholesale the
workman makes haphazard vast guam
tity of sizes. shapes and colors. and 1t u
presumed that dealer can, by keeping
large assortment of these artificial eyes,
/ manage TO match the eyes OF any GUS
toner. But in practice this proves 20 be
an exceedingly difficult matter. The
/ colors and shapes Of eyes vary in num-
/ berless variety, and where customers
are fastidious and with keen vision fer
/ shades Of color il is seldom possible TO
/ suit them with these ready made eyes,
/ and they are little used IN first class es-
adjustments, where perfect work is
sought regardless Of price.
The expression "A bully boy with
glass eye denotes popular error that
false eyes are made Of glass. The fact
is that the substance is more like china.
About forty years ago en- Englishman
named T. J. Davis began 20 make artif-
cial eyes in New York by a new pro-
! cess. He found a spar in Connecticut
which which was peculiarly adapted FOR
the making of artificial eyes, and he
maintained that, after great research in
other parts of the world, no stone could
be found capable Of yielding the same
results. This spar, TO become ductile,
has 10 be subjected TO an intense heat
for from thirty-six 20 foTty-eight hours.
When thus treated it is ready for
shaping and coloring, and requires
no metallic oxides % work II, and
is. therefore, not liable 10 injury
from the saline secretions and more
durable and artistic thar eyes made In
the old way, which was 20 mix common
glass with the metallic oxides, prOduc-
ing material easily fusible by heat and
very brittle. The eyes produced by tho
Connecticut spar are tougher. Mr.. Ds-
Wis kept his secret for many years, and
before his death bequeathed il 10 his
sons. and they have made many eyes
successfully for wealthy people who have
tired in vain the best eye makers Of Eu-
rope.
CHEAP EYE. USEFUL.
Tho cL.ov ~. - ,-afa r,yoa ava vorv