Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-03-12
WAX MODELS.
Figures Made for Use in the Show
Windows Of Stores.
Copied from Living Subjects with All the
Care of Sculptor-Some Inter-
esting Features of the
.... Business.

models for show windows. Until two
years ago only the inferior grades were
made here, the better figures all COM
ing from abroad. Though the home
manufactured article has not entirely
displaced the foreign, the wax figures
now made here are equal to any inn
ported, even those coming from Vienna,
which has long held the palm for max
ing wax models. .E
| All the figures are made from living
models, most of whom are found on
the East side among the Italians. a
| firm which manufactures wax figures
is always OH the lookout for a pretty
face, and the models are well paid.
The chief modeler makes periodical
excursions among the people of the eX-
IRENE East and West sides of New York
and keeps his eyes open for pretty,
well-cut features. Whenever he spots"
face to his liking he opens negotia-
tions with the owner, or if it is a child,
with it's parents, and pays literally for
q sitting of two or three hours. by
long experience the manufacturers find
that the best figures can be modelled
from the heads found in the lower
quarters of the town. They say that
perfect regularity of features is en-
tremely difficult to find except among
that class of people, whose complexion
also, when soap and water have been
plentifully applied, is far more natural.
Intellectual expression is not required
in wax figure, and is even draw
back.
The first step in the process of MAX
ing high-grade wax show figure is to
cast in wax head and bust in the
rough, 1t is, of course, hollow and looks
| like huge wax potato. The artist
then takes a knife and models like 4
sculptor the block of wax into some re-
semblance to a human head. Knife in
hand, and with the model before him,
he then carefully cuts away the wax
until an exact reproduction has been
made of the face of the sitter. He puts
the tints on the wax to copy the models
complexion and completes every detail
with the utmost care. Then the hair,
eyebrows and eyelashes are put in.
Only natural hair is used, and it can be
brushed and done up in any style the
purchaser pleases.
The modelling of the eyes and put
ting in of the eyelashes are the most
delicate parts of the whole process
Each hair is put in separately, both on
' the head and for the eyebrows and eye
J lashcs. The operation Ia performed
with hot needle, and takes long time.
When implanted in this manner the
hair can be treated just as though it
was growing on a living head. 1t can
he washed and brushed and taken down
and put up in any style just as in ma,
ture. This sort of thing is possible
only with frst-class heads, which often
cost $3.50 apiece. The average price OF
those seen in the dry goods stores is
about $500.
The price depends not only upon tho
" orkmanship, but upon the quality o
the wax. A good wax head will ncvei
become greasy and shiny from heat
and will stand without injury com
paratively high temperature. The sur
face is protected by coating of tin'
powder, which is blown on while thu
wax is slightly softened by heat. Thu
composition of high grade wax is care
fully guarded by the manufacturers
each having a secret process OF hi
, own.
When the mouth of a wax figure i
: shown slightly open real teeth are in
serted. AS the faces will be seen from
a distance, the eyelashes and eyebrow
are slightly exaggerated, or they woul
: not show at all.
4 Expert wax modelers are scarce, an
$ command a high salary. The trad
, generally runs along from father t
son, because the wax modelers, on
> and all, refuse to teach their craft t
y any but members of their own fan
lilies. Wax figures are frequently use
by medical colleges and institutions
and one or two modelers devote thei
time almost exclusively to getting u
special models for the purposes of met
ical instruction. A great many order
r have been executed for "Trilby" fee
) and fad has lately sprung up for sma
t groups in wax of an allegorical natur,
o In a big dry goods house in Bosto
IL there is a complete group in wax rel
Iesenting Lieut.. Peary and his exped
- ton at the north pole.
" The wax modelers are often require
+ to get up figures to be used in practict
Jokes. Not long ago a party Of ST.
n dents from western college brougl
it on photographs and measurements {
<. one of their professors. They had
/ life-size figure made, which cost the
5000, and they returned in high gle
with an exact reproduction of the pr
fessor in wax How it was toNbe use
they refused to say, except that it WI
d to figure in practical joke of mo-
le or less grewsome nature. Many of I'll
Z. dry goods houses require the heads
p, their show figures to be remodelt
after well-known actresses.
Show figures are also made out
A. papier mache, which is much cheap
K and more lasting, but does not gi
to nearly as good an effect as wax.-N.
n Tribune.