The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1895-08-23
FRIENDLY FACES.
Beam Down Upon the Visitors at
the National Museum.
Plaster Casts of Noted Persons a nd Queer
Manikins of the Various Races
An Interesting Col
lection.

Some queer hkenesses of human be-
lngs of many nationalities and coun-
tries have been collected in plaster bv
the scientists at the National museum.
In sizes these range from the heroic To
miniature. the last class including a
large number of dolls which illustrate
the different races of mankind. The
dolls of savages in this group are per
haps the most instructive of all. These,
To savage people, are something more
than toys, for with them the savage
mothers instruct their offspring in the
domestic arts. Several curious stories
are told of the work done by sculptors
at the museum in the construction of
manilIins.
The collection, says the National
Tribune. includes a number of heads
which have an interesting history.
From one of the shelves there looks
down plaster mask of the late Joseph
Francis. 1t is in one of the less-fre-
quented corners and attracts no atten-
ton from the thousands of visitors who
pass through the building weekly. He
was the inventor of lifebOatS. and the
museum has several valuable specimens
of his invention. He was friend of
the museum, and the mask was taken
only short while before he died. The
eyes are closed, and, just as in a death
mask, there is a lack of expression.
a companion mask near that of Mr..
Francis is one from Gen. Greely, the
present head of the signal corps, dis
tinguished for his travels in the far
north. The reproduction of the features
is well-nigh perfect, except for a slight
distortion of the muscles. caused by
the pulling down of the plaster. The
mask is of the entire head, except the
lower part, which is omitted, that the
mask may be taken off entire. These
masks We're made by Theodore A. Mills,
the sculptor, who has done considera-
BILE creditable work of this kind at the
museum. He makes them very quick
ly, each occupying only about fifteen
minutes.
One advantage in leaving off the
lower part ofthe face is that 1t allows the
person to breathe freely, and this part
can be added afterward without diff
Guilty. Most scul ptOrs, however, spread
the plaster down over the lower part OF
the face. and insert straws in the nos
trilS to allow the subject to breathe.
These masks, taken while the subject
is in excellent health, are the best
means known for preserving the fea-
lures. Death masks are usually unsatis-
factory. because the face Is then
usually emaciated and the eyes sunllen.
The expression then is far from salts
factory Life would also be of great
assistance to sculptors i'll molding
busts and statues.
People visiting the museum some
times marvel at the life-like proper
tions of the many lay figures which
adorn the different collections. The
scientists have acquired great prof.
.icncv in this kind of work, and ii is not
FAR from the truth to- say that close
inspection of the delicately y-forncd
hands and feet. as well as arms and
lower limbs, would show intimate
friends that prominent people in Wash
ington have been utilized to grace the
collections of Indian peoples wild
tribes of BorneO, and other races That
has come to be one of the penalties of
being a sculptOr's friend, for he will
insist upon casts with which to frame
his maniIlins. The different parts OF
the body of man or a woman can be
tai,en separately, and then joined to
gether with putty. a very lifcllkc ef-
feet is produced in this way. The only
part of the body which cannot be taken
in a east is the abdomen, and this IL be
cause the breathing would interfere
with the forming of the plaster
The sculptor has to exercise much
care in preparing his casts from living
subjects Take the hand as an exam
pie. 1t has first to be carefully oiled.
that all the hairs may be smoothed
down. If this were not done, they
would become fastened in the plaster,
and the process of taking off the mold
would be little short of torture. The
molds are cut open and sometimes
broken in being taken off, but they can
then be glued together, when plaster
is poured in and an exact likeness of
the hand obtained. The oil on the in
side of the mold prevents the new
plaster from adhering to 1T. There are
several preparations for making casts,
some of which are flexible. This tleXi-
BILE material was used for making casts
of snakes. of which the museum has a
large and extensive collection. For
the dark or rcd-skinned races the casts
are easily tinted or painted to repre-
sent the desired color.
The collection of dolls at the museum
is the largest in the world. Some of
the Esqui~"au dolls are probably the
most valuable. and they certainly are
instructive. Among these Is trick
doll with a string attachment to move
It's head from one side to the other.
,Ine of these dolls is from Point Bar
row. Alaska. and it is fashioned from
driftwood which the natives of that
region picked up on the beach The
dress of the doll is made of seal gut.
Some of the dolls are made out of
ivory, whole Esquimau families inter
esting themselves during the long
northern nights in doll manufacturing.
The collection also includes many dolls
of the Zuni Indians, who utilize them
to teach their children religion.