St. Landry democrat., 1893-04-08
MAKING MASKS.

The industry of making masks is more
limited perhaps than is generally sup
posed, but has various interesting fca-
lures. About $50, 900 worth of cheap
masks are annually imported and SO, 600
worth made in New York City. The
various profits of the whole industry in
this country would represent a business
of about $500. 600
Paper masks are made chiefly in Ger
many, and the most elaborate ones near
Nuremberg, whose toys delight so many
children all over the civilized world.
Importers of masks, by the way, are also
largely importers of tops.
Masks can also be manufactured more
cheaply in New York than they can be
imported. The masks exported are made
by machinery. Masks are sold in this
market at from IS cents Il gross to SIS
apiece Or more. Special masks of the
high priced variety are made to order,
and usually from drawings or suggestions
furnished by customers. The ma jori,y
of the masks made are known as Com
ics"-grotesque faces, representing moth
ing in particular-and character laccs-
Indians, clowns, devils, etc. Thcsy are
especially popular with street ory@niza-
tons known as "fantasticals' about
Thanksgiving time.
A novelty is called the peri ,rated
mask, which commends itself to gentle
men who desire to remove any por lion of
their masks during the evening ard still
remain masked. Around the eyes, mouth,
nose, and across the forehead Of the
masks are peiforati1ns enabling the
wcarer to remove these portions at will,
preserving the remainder of the mask,
and so complying with the rulesr respecting
the wearing of Il mask until tho hour for
unmasking arrives. The lines Of separ-
alton are so drawn as not to interfere
with the original expression OF the mask,
and the device is handy whom nose be-
comes Objectionable, the eyes too small,
or any other part of the mask ancomfort-
able. Another novelty this gear is the
insect mask, mostly representing butter
flies perchcd on the nose, the eyes peer
ing in an odd way between The wings.
The very large Srotcsque masks i'll re-
cent years have been mostly employed in
advertising circuses. The largest masks
De Vcrna has made rccantly are big
dogs head and a big tigers head, the
wearers being enabled to see through the
foreheads of the masks. They cost $G5
and 800 respectively.
Costumers say it is very difficult to get
hold of new ideas for masks, the field has
been so thoroughly worked A novel
mask, however, that il popular this sea-
so has the appearance of Il dude on one
side and that of q soldier On the other,
and q mystifying effect is produced on
the spectator as to whether the wcarer is
walking or dancing backwards or for
wards.
THE best mask in the world,' said
Miss Lizzie Panicr, an expert in this line,
to News reporter, sis obtained by
painting your face. You can never get
the expression from mask that You can
from the human face. You can also dis
guise your face with wax nose and a
beard better than you can with Il mask.
Many gentlemen so to masked balls now
adays with wax nose. This looks very
natural The heat will cause it to cling
to your face, and it will not lose its COM
ical shape The wearing of a single eye
glass will also give different expression
to the face Black satin half masks, en-
broidcred with stage jewels are popular,
and sell for s. apiece, but cannot be used
for more than one entertainment. Some
ladies prefer to wear Spanish lace scarf.
This enlhles the1n sea vee9as.iN, 1r,rr The
rest the ears, the lace used in this war
passing for mask. "-LNew York News.