New-York tribune., 1902-08-24
HAIR JEWELRY TO-DAY
PEOPLE STILL ORDER MEMORIALS OF
THIS KINDA REVIVAL OF THE
FAD PREDICTED.

The low. old buildings that like isthnuses
from one island skyscraper to another on the lower
end OF Manhattan conceal many queer occupa-
tion and quaint employment The manufacture OF
nar jewelry is of those trades which has lasted
over from earlier period. With the exception
of some work done in Chicago. all the hair jewery
now used. not only in this country. bur in the
Spanish countries TO the southwark is made in
two little upstairs down in old New-York
Lower NewYOrk has witnessed the rise and
passing Of many great business built with in
finite and labor the misty foundation OF a
popular taste. When the taste changed, nothing
under heaven could preserve the business. and now
and then tragic changes have been interviewer Win
the closing up of the accounts.
Hair jewelry great trade IN TINS city
There was one man who did business of about
100000 q year in it. Forty girls were busy all
day the year around in his workrooms, when nueo
three floors of d large building. and as many men
were occupied in fashioning the gold mountings
When the Christmas season approached. and orders
came thick and fast, the girls working overtime
on piecework. could make $40 a week
To-day the mans daughter sits in one little room
up two flights and still makes hair jewelry The
little room ample for the business and one opeF-
usually fill all the orders with ease
DECLINE OF THE FASHION.
The fashion came out of Paris in 1860 and for
twenty years it hourished in America But the
taste changed: the man failed. and his daughter.
who had been brought up in luxury was left to
carry on a wavering ghost of the former business;
the industry has never actually died rounded
upon fashion, 1t has survived upon sentiment
silky brown curls still come through the mail to
the little upstairs room: thin shreds OF silver pa
thetic in their suggestion of age; long locks OF
pale gold clipped from baby head. lying on
its pillow OF immortelles. Still at Christmas time
the orders come IN from here and there. all over
the country; from little New-England villages
from lonely ranches on Western plains from the
rushing streets of New-York; for although the
fashion has changed people still die and leave De
hind those who mourn.
There ia fuuereaI atmosphere in little room,
quantity commingIed with the vanites OF the world
brooches and baby's locks; watch chains and
WiIlies curls: bracelets and Bessie hair
On the walls those same things that Mrs
Deacon Jones used to have on her parior wall. and
that one still finds IN the spare bedrooms OF old
fashioned village homes There are the "eepiils
willows and the gravestones. made OF haiT ana
framed; the wreaths the kneeling female figures
the baskets full OF flowers. OF all the co4oTs mat
come In hair. Iucredb bic as It may SEEM people
mourned thus up recent times in the South- II
is only within few years past that orders stopped
coming from that section for these funeorous wall
pieces at prices ranging anywhere from 50 TO $50
These devices" they called in the trade
are stI1 ordered occasionally from Cuba and the
South American countries. The Spanish nave
always been especially fond OF this hair WORK ana
have never ceased to wear the hair 1eweIry- 1hey
Ike that which employs devices best; brooches
f mother OF pearl set in gold. in the old fashioned
oval shape and the mother Of pearl back
ground tiny wreath, almost incredibly fine ana
delicate the leaves and flowers made OF hair 10
make these little devices the hair is subjected
10 a treatment which attaches It to very thin
foundation material Then tiny cutters. SNAPPED IN
the form desired are used and the competed
design is applied the mother OF pearl A small
portion Of hair is sufficient for this. tiny lock-
TOO IS enough 20 put little bands across the top OF
ri- 10 n side OF small nsaTtshaPeu
Iock.t or TO put a little device IN the top OF d
bracelet Fu. II requires more 70 make waicn-
Sbain which is one OF the most frequent orders
Proba biv the vest chains and fobs made OF halr
exceed in number any other article OF hair je~eIry
CHAIN OF THREE COLORS.
curious order came in the other day from a
man in an inland town, who sent IN three kinds
n hair and demanded that MS chain be made IN
three pieces-yeIlow. black and gray.
\ person ignorant OF hair jeWelry would be nys-
'tined at first to recognize the material Of these
chains II makes thick silky cord which may
De woven any of fifty different patterns
Woven hair makes 4 verit2ble material. which
might be used for n variety OF purposes II is a
material soft and yet why. more Ike stlr SILK
net than anything else To make Il, little wooden
something Ike lace bobbtns and attached to a
round, revolving table, with post protrudtng up
right from the The punches strands OF
hairs run from the bobbins this upright and the
operator walks around the table and braids the
hairs From ten TO fifty hairs attached 10 each
| must be exactly counted and made ot the same