Omaha daily bee., 1902-06-06
WAX LADIES IN THE WINDOWS
American Skill Revolutionizes the Girls
that Never Smile,
NOT VERY PROUD, BUT PUFFEO UP
Remarkable Works of Art in COM
pIexion, Pose and garments Dis
pIayed-How They Are Nodded
and Made Up.

wv 1857 ANW VI
live in our shop windows. At one time, re-
lates the New York Times, each one was
exactly like her neighbor in hair and com
plexion, usually a golden-haired blonde,
who endeavored to educate the taste OF
women shoppers by wearing the smartest
Of frocks, hats and coats. But there were
disadvantages in this. The wax blonde
was obliged to wear in the course OF her
varied existence all sorts and kinds OF
colors and materials whether they suited
her particular style Of beauty or not. To
be sure she was we'll able to do this on
account Of her fine waxen complexion, but
at the same time 1t did not give much Of
an idea to the brunette shopper OF the
effect Of certain shades and colors which
she considered her own. She complained,
and so there has been a gradual revolu-
tion in the wax figure world.
The Improvement which has taken place,
1t is said, is largely due to the fact that
figures which we're originally made in Ger
many and France are now home products
and are exceptionally we'll made. Figures
which were at one time nothing more than
overgrown wax dolls now show character
and expression. There is a wide variety
Of types, and even g~ray-haired women are
represented in wax. 1t is all in line with
the efforts Of the merchants who are con-
stantly vying with each other in the meth
DDS Of attractively showing the beautiful
goods they sell.
There is as much change of style In show
window figures as there is in the fashions
In women themselves. AS at times the
blonde, the brunette or the auburn-haired
woman is the most admired, so the differ
ent type of wax window ladies have their
day. Just at present there is a special
demand for auburn-haired beauties and
they are the most expensive Of all. There
is a wide selection Of lay figures from
which a merchant may make a choice
blondes Of three different shades, three
different tones Of auburn-haired women.
and brown, light brown, olive and dark
brown, to say nothing OF the gray. which
latter is less often required than any of
the others.
The Popular BIOnde g.
For general all-round use the golden
blonde is always popular. 1t is perhaps for
the same reason that the blonde doll with
faxen curls is the favorite with the child
that the blonde wax figure window lady Is
to be seen year in and year out. The dark
est of the brown-haired figures are more
often used than the nondescript brown
which gives neither blonde nor brunette
tones. Children OF the w~ax-fgure world
are universally blondes, and are in great
demand in sizes Of from two to six years.
1t is a work Of art to make a wax figure.
and 1t is expensive when finished. The
same methods are used as for the figures
representing famous people in the muses..
though there are degrees Of excellence. and
II is simpler to make a model face than a
copy from a picture or cast, as IS done
when a likeness is required. A specially
prepared wax is used, which will stand 90
degrees below zero of cold weather and 125
degrees Of heat, extremes which would
have either scanned the faces of the old
fashioned wax dolls with cracks or dis
solved their rounded cheeks into flesh
colored tears. Real hair which comes from
Germany and Italy is used, and It is
"planted"-a technical term-into their
heads a hair at a time; their skins are
delicately tinted in pretty pink tones, the
hair is dressed in the style Of the DAY, and
the head, when 1t is complete, is very life
like.
Delicate Work by ome
All the more delicate work on the figures
Is done by women. and in a little establish
ment in New York from which these waxen
mOuClS " oShb Ouls uOb Ohly lulO ulncIcuL
parts OF the United States, but to Europe
as we'll, a half a dozen pretty young girls
are kept constantly employed. The greater
number Of them are hair planters and
dressers, and in the former work their
fingers move with lightning like rapidity.
This must be the case, for an expert hair
planter will cover three bald wax heads
each with a luxuriant growth of blonde,
brown or auburn locks in a day, and 1t
would tax a magic hair restorer to excel
that.
Hair is one Of the expensive parts Of the
figures. Extra long blonde hair with a nat
ural wave is worth 81 an ounce, and an
authenticated wax shop lady can buy her
red gold crown for a trihe under s.. Short
golden blonde curls are used as a rule for
children, and to obtain these, as a matter
Of economy, the straight hair Is curled. 1t
is wound securely around irons which are
thrust into boiling water and allowed to
remain there for a time. On removal 1t is
slowly dried in an oven, after which the
curl is warranted permanent.
Upon the amount of wax used the cost
Of the completed figure depends, and the
exhibition lady contains just as much wax
as there is to be seen outside her clothes.
She will be. according to the style OF
| NAOluNb u . " wall a OhG~haAAI
tourths, or full-bust fgure, and she may
have only wax hands, though for an even
ing dress she will require full length wax
arms. A hrst-class figure Of this kind will
cost from $50 to SIS for the wax part alone.
The papier mache body comes from an
other establishment. II she has wax arms
she will be more valuable by from $40 to
S35.
When all is completed and well made this
wax lady has a long period OF usefulness
before her. She will last a lifetime II she
Is treated like a lady. the Manufactured
says as he views his handiwork with the
pleasure Of an artist. She may need a lit
tie r~ejuvenating once a year; may want her
hands manicured and her complexion re-
touched. Certainly that is but little to ask
for a waxen beauty who devotes her life
to her wearing Of beautiful clothes. occa-
sionally her hands require a bath more
often than this. and in a big New York
shop where a great many figures are used
a shopgtrl can be seen now and then wan
dering like some kind OF a modern Blue
beard from one figure to another. unscrew-
ing the hands and carrying the gruesome
pile away~in her apron.
1t sometimes happens that the wax lady
! -tVI.-. - ,,anF,1naaG 90 Nha - NfIauIa a.