The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-01-25
FIGURES FRO, wax.
kT.sTIc WORK IN GETTING UP DRY
GOODS DUMMIES.

Italians Putting ON Hair Dinicult and
Tedious Opefation-Modeiers Keep the
Graft In Their Own Families.
The dry goods men, with storcs on prom
incnt thoroughfares, employ IN their estab-
ushments wax figures modclod from life,
and some Of them, by the way, are remark.
ably accurate facsimiles.
These agures always ioture very pretty
women. Frequently yell known actresses
and noted beauties sis for their models In
wax, which are intended to grace the shop
Of some we'll known dry goods merchant
When these waz models are arrsyed In all
the flnery of iae season, they present
very fetching appearance, and doubtless
by their o. Effectiveness warrant the ex-
pepditurc 6. considerable sum of money
necessary ior their purchase.
The making of these figures In Philadel-
pbia !, very interesting and compare
live, new industry. Until few years ago
only the inferior grades were made here,
iic 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 are quite 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 a cast from
one model serves for a good many figures.
Among the Italians on South Eighth street
some of the best models for this business
are found, and periodical excursions to the
italian colony are made by the wax model
ers, who keep their eyes open for pretty
and well cut features When a face IL dis
covered that Is to their liking, they mako
every effort to induce the individual to
give them sitting or two Of three or four
hours, for which they pay literally.
Certain requisites are necessary for
good living model for wax figure. Promi-
nent among them is perfect regularity Of
features, and the wax modelers Say that by
long experience they have found IL ex-
tremely difficult to procure models with
regular features, but that the italian wom-
On 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.
Intellectual expression is not required in
wax figures and Is even drawback.
The first step In the process of making
high grade wax figure is to cast In wax a
head and bust In the rough. 1t is, Of
course, hollow and more nearly resembles
q huge wax potato than anything else. The
artist then takes knife and models like
sculptor the block of wax into some resem-
blance of the human head With knife In
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
sitter, and II he Is an expert modeler this
reproduction Is usually very exact. He
puts the tint on the wax to copy the models
complexion and completes every detail
with the utmost care Then the hair, eye
brows and eyelashes are put on. Only
natural hair Is used, and IL is inserted In
such a 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
operation is performed with a hot needle
and takes long time. This work is fire.
auently done " women, who become very
manner as stated, it can be dressed just as
II 1t 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 be cut, as there is no
possible chance of its growing in again.
The tedious work Of inserting the hair as
thus described 10, 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 big
dry goods stores is between $75 and 500.
The value Of these heads depends not only
upon the workmanship and time which are
put in on them, but also upon the quality
of tho wax used.
A good wax head will never become
greasy and shiny from heat and will stand
without injury a comparatively high tenn
pe-ature. The surface is protected by a
coating of fine powder, which is blown on
while the wax is slightly softened by heat.
The composition Of high grade wax Is care
fully. guarded by the manufacturers, each
having secret process of his own.
When the mouth of wax figure is shown
slightly open, real teeth are inserted. As
the faces will be seen at distance, the
eyebrows and eyelashes are slightly exag-
gersted, on the same principle that actors
and actresses rnake up the eyebrows and
eyelsshes on the stage, so that they will
show properly.
Not only the wax figures to be seen In
show windows, but also at waxwork ex
hibitions, are made as above described.
Expert wax modelers arc scarce and COM
mand high salary. The trade generally
runs along from father to son, because the
wax modelers refuse to teach their craft to
any but their own family.
Wax figures are frequently used by med
ical colleges and institutions to demon
strate anatomical monstrosities or peculiar
conditions of the human system under
certain circumstances, and there are mod
,elers who devote their time almost exclu-
sively to preparing special models to order
for medical institutions. s.-Philadelphia
Times.
Tho French Republic.
Awriter in Macmillan's Magazine COM
ments on French politics Of today and rath-
er questions the future of the republic. He
n a N n. Ct.~~l- II