The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-03-18
FIGURES FROM WAX.
ARTISTIC WORK IN GETTING UP DRY
GOODS DUMMIES.

The Best Models Are Found Among the
Italians -Pntting on Hair Dinicuit and
Tedious Operation Modelers Keep the
Craft In Their own Families.
The dry goods men, with stores on prom
inent thorougbfares, employ in their estab-
ishments wax figures modelled from life,
! nd some of them, by the way, are remark
! bbly accurate facsimiles. q 30
These figures always picture very pretty
women Frequently well known actresses
md noted beauties sit for their models In
wax, which are intended to grace the chop
NJ some well known dry goods merchant.
When these wax models are arrayed in all
the flnery of the season, they present n
very fetching appearance, and doubtless
by their attractiveness warrant the ex-
penditure of a considerable sum Of money
necessary for their purchase.
The making of these figures In Philadel-
phia is a very interesting and compare
lively new industry. Until u few years ago
only the inferior grades were made here,
the better figures all coming from abroad,
and at the moment although the home
manufactured article has not entirely dis
placed the foreign one, yet the wax figures
made In Philadelphia requite equal to
any imported, even those coming from vi
emma, which has long held the premium
for making the most artistic and lifelike
wax models for show windows.
The great majority of figures are made
from living models, although cast from
one model serves for a good many figures.
Among the Italians on South Eighth street
some of the tyst models for this business
are found and periodical excursions to the
I., bxt hr dol
ers, who keep their eyes open for pretty
and we'll cut features. When face is dis
covered that is to their liking, they make
every effort to induce the individual to
give them a sitting or two of three or four
hours, for which they pay literally.
Certain requisites are necessary for
good living model for a wax figure. Promi-
nent among them is perfect regularity of
fea lures and the wax modelers say that by
long experience they have found it ex-
tremely difficult to procure models with
regular features, but that the italian wom-
en- most frequently fulfill their require
, ments. and, moreover, they state that their
complexion, when soap and water have been
applied, Is far more natural than the COM
plexion of the average models belonging to
other nationalities who apply to them for
work.
wax figures and is even a draw back.
The first step In the process Of making a
high grade wax figure is to cast in wax a
. head and btst in the rough. 1t is of
course, hollow and more nearly resembles
a huge wax potato than anything else. The
artist then takes a knife and models like a
-. sculptor the block of wax into come resem-
blance of the human head With knife In
e hand and the model before him, he then
carefully cuts away the wax until the re-
production has been made of the face of his
I sitter, and IL he is an expert modeler this
: reproduction is usually very exact. He
: puts the tint on the wax to copy the model
complexion and completes every detail
Y with the utmost care Then the hair, eye
brows and eyelashes are put ON. Only
S natural hair is used, and it is inserted in
such manner that it can be brushed and
done up as often as required, in any style
the purchaser pleases.
Probably the modelling of the eyes and
] putting in of the eyelashes are the most
delicate part of the whole process Each
hair is put in separately, both on the head
> and for the eyebrows and eyelashes The
a operation is performed with hot needle
and takes a long time. This work is fire.
/, quently done by women, who become very
expert When the hair is implanted in the
manner as stated, 1t can be dressed Just as
If it were growing on living head 1t can
be washed and brushed and taken down
and put up in any style, just as in nature
. OF course, it cannot Inc cut as there is nc
possible chance of its growing in again
The tedious work of inserting the hair as
: thus described is, of course, only possible
on what are known as first class wax heads
which often cost as much as $3.50 apiece
The average price of those seen in the bis
dry goods stores is between $75 and 800
The value of these heads depends not only
upon the workmanship and time which arr
put in on them, but also upon the quality
of the wax used.
- A good wax head will never become
greasy and shiny from heat and will stnnt
e without injury comparatively high tenn
f. perature The surface is protected by I
coating of fine powder, which is blown OF
while the wax Is slightly softened by heat
The composition of high grade wax is care
fully guarded by the manufacturers, eacl
having a secret process of his own.
When the mouth of wax figure is shown
slightly open, real teeth are inserted A
the faces will be seen at "A distance; tn
eyebrows and eyelashes are slightly exag
gerated, on the same principle that actor
and actresses make up the eyebrows ant
eyelashes on the stage, SO that they will
show properly.
Not only the wax figures to be seen IL
show windows, hut also at waxwork ex
hibitions, are made as above described
Expert wax modelers are scarce and com
mand high salary. The trade generally
runs along from father to son, because tn
wax modelers refuse to teach their craft t.
in any but their own family.
J., Wax figures are frequently used by med
Il
s. strate anatomical monstrosities or pecu!ia
conditions of the human system unde
certain circumstances, and there are mod
elers who devote their time almost exclu
, sively to preparing special models to orde
| for medical Institutions. Philadelphi
] Times.