Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-01
GIRLS SELL THEIR LOCKS
Crop for Many Years Has Averaged
100000.
STORY OF TWO ACTRESSES
Careers Of Rosine Bernard and
Rosselle Rousell, Who Were Rivals
Forty-Four Years Ago.
BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS.

WI CaAS x1kOs
BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence Of The Star and the Chicago
Record Herald.
PARIS, September Z, 1906.
In the fall Of the year, after the harvest
has been gathered, it Is customary IN
France to hold agricultural fairs in the
large country towns for trade and amuse-
ment. The farmers meet their customers
and each other, sell their crops and calves
and colts and buy whatever Is necessary,
while their wives and daughters take adj
vantage Of the opportunity to get acquaint-
ed and to spend their share Of the pro-
ceeds for dress goods, household articles
and whatever else they may need or fancy.
The entire community-men and women,
boys and girls, are thus brought together
once a year. The wholesale dealers in
human hair send agents called "coupeurs"
to these annual gatherings to buy the tress-
es of the young women and girls. They
take with them trunks full of dress goods,
fichus. feather boas, jewery Of all kinds
conspicuous places to await their victims.
The practice is centuries old, and the terms
and methods by which the trade is carried
on are we'll known to the country people.
For six months or a year in advance the
girls consider and discuss whether they
shall sell their hair or not, and conjec-
lures as to what they can get for it:
and If they refuse to sell one season many
of them promise the "coupeur that they
Will trade with him the next year. These
fairs are most common in Brittany, Aver
gne, Limoges and otner parts Of central
France. from which the largest supply
Of human hair is derived. Between fairs
the "coupeurs" go about the country from
house to house and visit the villages, tempt
ing the women to be shorn.
The annual crop of human hair for many
years has averaged in value in Paris alone
more than 100000 francs, or 100000,
but this year the coupeurs, who are be-
ginning to come In, report decided falling
on, and predict that the crop will not
amount to more than 100000 francs, al
though the demand has increased consider
ably In the last few years.
Fashionable women are wearing more
false hair than formerly. 1t is the fashion
to do SO, and the increased demand in a
large measure, it Is said. has been caused
by the rule prohibiting the wearing of hats
in theaters.
Increase in Prices.
Usually the "coupeurs' pay either in cash
or goods from $40 to $25 for a head of hair.
The price is usually from % to 40 francs a
pound, according to length and quality and
color. This year they complain that they
have had to pay double these prices and
that the girls are more reluctant than ever
to SELL Prices have run as high as $50 and
SIS a pound. The newspapers report
woman at Limoges who sold her long plaits
this fall for $3.50. which is the record price.
Three girls belonging to another family at
the same place sold their combined tresses
for $3.50. The average price paid was dou-
BILE that of previous years.
This change of conditions is accounted
for by the dealers, first because of the sup
preston Of the converts under the law
Gently passed by the chamber of deputies.
n mi Uynr
ally willing to sacrifice their hair, because
the pious nuns consider it vanity, and;
second, because by selling it they could
benefit their families. No girl can enter a
become a novitate she must go to some
other country. Hence that source of sup
ply has been cut off.
The "coupeurs" also say that the peasant
girls of Brittany and other departments are
discarding the native head dress which con-
ceals the hair, and are wearing Paris fash
ions Furthermore they have learned the
value Of their tresses, and will no longer
trade them for dress pattern, a string Of
beads, bracelet or other gewgaws. AS a
consequence Of these changed conditions
hair is 80 per cent more expensive in Paris
today than it was two years ago.
The greater part Of the crop, which comes
not only from the rural districts Of France
but from the farthermost ends of Europe,
is used in Paris but considerable amount
is exported. The value of the exports in
1903 was $4,000; in 1904 1t was 100000,
and in 1905 it was $4,000. A large part of
these exports goes to England and the
United States, but most Of the hair is made
up into wigs or coiffures before shipment.
Where Styles Originate.
Paris is the center Of the human hair
trade. More attention is given to hair
dressing here than in any other place. The
styles change as rapidly as any other por-
ton of human Dress and one might as we'll
Paris.
There are sixty wholesale dealers and
exporters of human hair in Paris and at
least 1000 wigmakers and dealers. There
are 1900 hairdressng shops for both women
and men and more than 5000 professional
hairdressers belong to their organization,
known as lie Chambre Performed de
Couture de Paris" of which Francis Du-
pont, % Rue de Peletier, Is the president
The hairdressers have p newspaper organ,
a monthly periodical edited by Mr.. Malle-
mont 1O2 Rue d'Aboukir. Every issue is
illustrated with cuts showing the new
styles of hairdressing and trimming, the
latest idea in mustaches and whiskers, and
Information concerning the market and the
source of supply and other news and gossip
likely to interest professional BARRIERS.
The fashions in hairdresslng originate in
Paris and change every season. They
usually follow or are suggested by the
changing styles in hats and other headgear
The leading milliners and dressmakers are
always willing to pay for suggestions of a
novel character that are likely to become
popular. When a milliner invents a new
style Of hat she usually sends for a coiffeur.
and between them they dress the hair of
the model to suit the hat. The next step
Is to get an artist to sketch 1t and to make
a wig that shall be an exact reproduction.
The design is len copyrighted and photo
graphs or drawings are given to the fashion
papers.
The hairdressers Of Paris are all men.
Fashionable French women will not allow
any women but their own maids to dress
their hair. and a large part of the 5000
men hairdressers are going about the resi-
dence quarters day after day dressing the
hair of their wealthy clients at home. Hair
dressing is regarded as a science and an
art and is taught at several colleges. The
most important is the "Ecole de la Coiffure'
at SO Rue Jean Jaques Rousseau There
are several smaller ones which are attended
by ladies' maids, by young women who
want to secure such positions and by ap-
prentices in barber shops. The "Ecole de la
Couture will not admit amateurs to Its
classes. The students are all accomplished
hairdressers, who go there to learn the new
styles. There are several hundred Of them,
both women and men. Every prominent
hairdresser and wigmaker in Paris receives