Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1895-06-29
A WAX FIGURE MILL.
THE PLACE WHERE INVITATIONS OF
THE HUMAN FORM ARE MADE.

Fashioned In Clay From Living Models.
Figures Used For Displaying Articles OF
Wearing Apparcl-Thc Beautiful Fencer
Needed SG Worth of Repairs.
"Come down here, sweet Marie, and
let me unlace you. A customer i'll one
of the Sixth avenue shops was startled
by the above remark and turning saw
one of the clerks removing u dainty
black corset from the wax bust that
stands all day in the shop window look
ing out at the passengers on the elevat-
ed road
The clerk explained that she and the
other girls in that department. had given
names to each of these waxen figures.
"They seem almost alive to us" said
she
Most of the wax figures used for this
purpose are no longer imported, but are
made in this city The manufacturer
has his workrooms in Canal street.
A reporter who visited the place at
first fancied he had entered the dressing
room of some living pictures. Directly
IL
only in q suit of woven underwear and
pair of high hecled slippers. In far
corner sat another figure clad in black
tights. There were several other figures
i'll wax standing about the room, but the
long lashes never quivered over the
bright eyes, nor did tho smiling lips re-
lax, nor the pink flush on the cheeks
of fl,o Of iy,
their midst.
The proprietor gave an interesting ac-
count of how a wax figure is born into
the world, be it an Indian warrior or a
society belle wearing Il riding habit and
seated Oh a horses back Ee has made
over 800 wax models i'll eight years. He
says that beautiful arm is about the
most difficult thing to find in model
There was dimpled wax one, with
tiny, 1owerlike hand, fastened to one of
the ladies in tights 1t was not nodded
from the cast of a professional models
arm, but from that of a girl who worked
up stairs. When she found she had an
arm that could earn more money from
being beautiful than it could by its skill
professional model as to arms. But this
artist in wax has six models of the per-
feet arm, so it isn't likely that his
waxen women will ever be Venus de
Miles.
In making Il wax figure the pose of
the living model is first arranged. Then
clay model is made from the living
one. Over the clay model is formed the
plaster cast. When this is hard, the
melted wax, which has previously been
colored the desired flesh tint, is poured
in and left to harden to certain thick
ness. Then the superfluous wax, which
has not yet cooled, is poured out, and
the proper thickness is given to the plas-
ter cast shaped like the living model.
The hair is put on one hair at time,
and with due regard to the way it should
grow. This work is done by five young
women. The delicate work of melting
the wax out of the eye sockets and from
between the lips, tinting the lips and
cheeks and fastening III the eyes and
teeth is left for the art st. The eyes used
are much Ike those i'll wax doll, but
the teeth are as natural as the dentist s
skill can make them.
When figure is ordered to advertise
q corset, the model must lace herself in
one of the corsets to be advertised as
tightly as women pictured i'll fashion
paper. 1t is therefore necessary that the
model shall be built Oh different lines
from those who usually pose for paint
ers. The price of a life size figure is from
800 to 5000. For bust the price is
$40 Repairs cost Sc or 81 year, for,
unlike real flesh and blood beauties who
thrive on admiration, these big wax
dolls become Worn and faded from being
exhibited. At such times they are sent
back to the artist in box to be fresh
ened up.
One Of these great boxes stood in the
corner of the workroom the other day
Inside was beautiful figure i'll fencing
costume. Her head was thrown back,
her arched foot was thrown forward
and her lovely arms held in proper posi-
tion for bout with the foils. The art
ist will mend the broken finger, fix the
hair, touch up the flesh tints, arrange
the costume and give the figure a life
like poise. Then she will be put in the
box and sent to her owner. with bill
for Sc.
If you ask the artist where he found
the model for his cherubs, he will only
smile and say, II never give the names
of my models" but it would be a fair
guess to conclude that his favorite model
for that bit of dimplcd work is his own
hild-New York World.