The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-05-10
A WAX FIGURE MILL.
THE PLACE WHERE INVITATIONS OF
THE HUMAN FORM ARE MADE.

THE PLACE WHERE MUTATIONS OF
THE HUMAN FORM ARE MADE.
1Ashioned In Clay From Living Models
Figures Used For Displaying Articles ot
Wearing Apparel-The Beautiful Fence.
Needed % 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
Of the clerks removing q 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, d" 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
opposite the door sat a figure clothed
only in a suit Of woven underwear and
D pair Of high heeled slippers. In a 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 quivere0 over the
bright eyes, nor did the smiling lips re-
lax, nor the pink flush ON the cheeks
deepen at the coming Of q stranger in
their midst
The proprietor gave an interesting nc
count Of how a wax figure is born into
the world, be it an Indian warrior or q
society belle wearing a riding habit and
seated on q horses back. He has made
over 800 wa models in eight years He
says that a beautiful arm is about the
most difficult thing to find in q model.
There was a dimpled wax one, with O
tiny, flowerlike hand, fastened to one of
the ladies in tights. 1t was not nodded
from the cast Of q professional models
~ ~ pAV " AAAV VI - XIII WIZ WOxh Cu
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 in wax has six models Of the per-
feet arm, SO it isn't likely hat his
wake women will ever be ''Venus de
Milos."
In making a wax figure the pose Of
the living model is first arranged Then
a 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 a certain thick
ness. Then the superfiuous 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 a 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 y sockets and from
between the lips, tinting the lips and
cheeks and fastening in the eyes and
teeth is left for the artist. The eyes used
are much like those in a wax doll, but
the teeth are as natural as the dentist 8
skill can make them.
When a figure is ordered to advertise
o corset, the model must lace herself in
one Of the corsets to be advertised as
tightly as women pictured in a fashion
paper. 1t is therefore necessary that the
model shall be built ON different lines
from those who usually pose for paint
ers. The price Of a life size figure is from
500 to $500. For a bust the price is
$40. Repairs cost Sc or 81 a 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 q box to be fresh
ened up.
One Of these great boxes stood in. the
corner Of the workroom the other day.
Inside was a beautiful figure in fencing
costume. Her head was thrown back,
her arched foot was thrown forward
and her lovely arms held in proper posi-.
ton for a bout with the foils. The art
list 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 a bill
for Sc.
II 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 dimpled work is his own
child-New York World
WOrth's Predecessor.
Worth was not Europe's first distin.
guished man milliner, as has been sup
posed In the reign Of Louis XIV q Ba-