Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1897-04-23
WAX MODELS.
yim,re0 Made for Use In the Show
Windows Of Stores.

WINDOWS OF Stores.
os,,sd from Living Subjects with All the
Care. Of . Sculptor-Bome Inter-
ssting Features Of shs
"A comparatively new industry In
New York il that Of making wax
models for show windows. Until two
years ago only the inferior grades were
made here, the better figures all COM
ins 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 hos long held the palm for max
Ink wax models.
All the figures are made from living
models, most of whom are found on
the East side among the Italians. A
Mrm which manufactures wax figures
y always on the lookout for pretty
face, and the models are well paid.
The chief modeler makes periodical
excursions among the people of the ex-
<reme 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-
lions with the owner, or IL it is child.
with its parents, and pays literally for
. sitting of two or three hours. By
long experience the manufacturers ind
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 10 ex-
tremely difficult to find except among
that class of people. whose complexion
also, when soap and water have been
plentifully applied. IL far more natural.
intellectual expression il not required
In . wax figure, and il even . draw
back.
The first step in the process Of max
ing . high-grade wax show figure 10 to
east in wax q head and bust in the
rough, It is, of course. hollow and looks
like q huge wax potato. The artist
then takes . knife and models like y
sculptor the block of wax into some re-
semblance to O 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
tho tints ON the wax to copy the models
complexion and completes every detail
with the utmost care. Then tho hA;.
eyebrows and eyelashes are put In.
Only natural hair il used, and 1t can be
hfushed and done up in any style the
purchaser plcases.
The modelling of tho eyes and put
ting in of the eyelashes arc the most
delicate parts of the whole process.
Each hair IL put in separately, both ON
the head and for the eyebrows and eye
aashcs. The operation 10 performed
with o hot needle, and takes long time.
When implanted in this manner the
hair can be treated just az though It
was growing on q living head. It can
be washed and brushed and taken down
and put up in any style just a. in ma
ture. This sort of thing is possible
cost $3.50 apiece. The average price Of
those seen in the dry goods stoges II
about 500.
The price depends not only upon the
workmanship. but upon the quality Of
the wax. A good wax head will never
become greasy and shiny from heat,
and will stand without injury a com
paratively high temperature. The sur
face is protected by a coating of fine
powder, which is blown on while the
wax il slightly softened by heat. The
composition of high grade wax is care
fully guarded by the manufacturers.
>a~h h.v;cs, n ancro< pvr,coaa NJ hls
own.
shown slightly open real teeth are in
sorted. AZ the faces will be seen from
. distance, the eyelashes and eyebrow
are slightly exaggerated. or they would
not show at all.
Expert wax modelers are scarce, and
command high salary. The trade
generally runs along from father To
son, because the wax modelers, one
and all, refuse TO teach their craft ia
any but members Of their own fam
ilies. Wax figures are frequently used
BY medical colleges and institutions
and ono or two modelers devote thetl
time almost exclusively TO getting uI
special models for the purposes OF med
icA instruction. A great many orders
have been executed for "rrilby" feet
and fad has lately sprung up for suaal
groups in wax of an categorical nature
In . big dry goods house in Boston
there is q complete group in wax rep
lesenting Lieut., Peary and his expedi
tdon at the north pole.
The WAX modelers are often requires