The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1895-08-30
A WAX FIGURE MILL.
THE PLACE WHERE MUTATIONS OF
THE HUMAN FORM ARE MADE.

Fashioned In Clay From Living Models.
Figures Used For Displaying Articles Of
Wearing Apparei-The Beautiful Fencer
Needed 90 worth of Repairs.
Come down here, Sweet Marie, and
let me unlace you" A customer in one
of the Sixth avenue shops was startled
by the above remark, and turning saw
ono Of the clerks removing n 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 u.s." 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 N;orbrooms in Canal street
A reporter who visited the place at
first fancied he had entered the dressing
room of some living pictures. Directly
opposite the door sat figure clothed
only insa suit of woven underwear and
a pair of high heeled slippers. In far
corner sat another figure clad in black
| tights. There were several other figures
| in wax standing about the room, but the
| long lashes never quivered over the
bright eyes, nor did the smiling lips re-
lax, nor the pink flush on the cheeks
deepen at the coming Of a stranger in
their midst.
The proprietor gave an interesting &C.
count of how wax figure is born into
the world, be it an Indian warrior or a
society belle wearing Il riding habit and
seated ON horses back. He has made
over 300 wax models in eight years. He
says that a beautiful arm is about the
most difficult thing to find in model
There was u dimpled wax one, with a
tiny, flowerlike hand, fastened to one Of
the ladies in tights. 1t was not nodded
from the cast of n professional models
arm, but from that of 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
in work, she went away to become a
professional model as to arms But this
artist i'll wax has six models of the per-
feet arm, so it isn't likely that his
waxen women will ever be Venus de
Mics ~
In making q 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
| II.
colored the desired flesh tint, is poured
in and left to harden to certain thick
ness. Then the superfiuous wax, which
has not yet cooled, is poured ont, an6
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'shoult
grow. TIL work is done by five younI
women. The delicate work of melting
the wax out of the eye sockets and iron
i between the lips, tinting the lips AM
cheeks and fastening in the eyes AM
teeth is left for the artist. The eyes use'
are much like those in a wax doll, bu
the teeth are As natural as the dentist
skill can make them.
When figure is ordered to advertis
: a corset, the model must lace herself il
one of the corsets to be advertised a
( tightly as women pictured in fashion
( paper It is therefore necessary that tn
model shall be built on different line
from those who usually pose for paint
ers. The price of a life size figure is iron
: 800 to 5000. For a bust the price i
$40. Repairs cost SO or 81 year, for
unlike real flesh and blood beauties VIII
, thrive on admiration, these big wa,
dolls become worn and faded from bein,
exhibited. At such times they are sen
back to the artist in box to be fresh
\ ened up
9 One Of these great boxes stood in tn
b corner of the workroom the other day
( Inside was a beautiful figure in fencin
i costume. Her head was thrown back
4 her arGhed foot was thrown forwar
and her lovely arms held in proper posi-
: ton for bout with the foils, The art
p list will mend the broken finger, fix tn
;. hair, touch up the flesh tints, arrang
+ the costume and give the figure life
n like poise. Then she will be put in tn
) box and sent to her owner, with bil
for So.
! If you ask the artist where he foun
S the model for his cherubs, he will onl
smile and say, II never give the name
g of my models, but it would be fai
guess to conclude that his favorite mode
= for that bit of dimpled work is his ow
it child. New York World.