IMPROVEMENTS IN WIGS, PERUKES, CHIGNONS, AND OTHER LIKE COVERINGS or Dresses for THE HEAD
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN
WIGS, PERUKES, CHIGNONS, AND OTHER LIKE COVERINGS or Dresses for
THE HEAD." A communication from abroad by Gilles Petit, of Paris, in the
Republic of France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th October 1881.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN WIGS, PERUKES, CHIGNONS, AND
OTHER LIKE COVERINGS OR DRESSES FOR THE HEAD." A communication from
abroad by Gilles Petit, of Paris, in the Republic of France.
This Invention relates to improvements in wigs, perukes, chignons, and other
like coverings or dresses for the head, and it consists in a novel method, hereinafter
described, of manufacturing these articles, whereby it is rendered possible to produce
a superior article with great economy of time, labor, and expense.
According to the method of manufacture usually heretofore adopted the hair or
materials imitating hair are first set on end in a suitable support, in order to
imitate nature as closely as possible, and are subsequently caused to assume the
various forms in which the natural hair may be arranged.
Now according to this Invention two nets with large meshes are employed, the
said nets being themselves composed of hair or other suitable material, so as to be
practically invisible, and hair, or other material representing hair, is arranged
parallel with and between the nets in such a manner as to produce the same effect
as the natural hair when dressed.
In carrying out this Invention the wig or other false hair is prepared upon a
block, which is covered with leather in order to facilitate the insertion of pins, as
hereinafter described, and a net with large meshes, made of hair or other suitable
material so as to be practically invisible, is stretched by means of pins over the
fore part of the block, for example, if it is desired to make a "front," or at the

page_text: back if it is desired to make a chignon or false back hair; or again it may be
caused to cover the whole of the block when making a complete wig. The net
being thus pinned down, small bunches or tresses of hair of different lengths are
arranged upon the net, the said hair having been previously prepared according to
the style of hairdressing or coiffure which it is desired to imitate, that is to say,
the bunches or tresses of hair are previously waved, frizzed, curled, or plaited. The
bunches of hair are carefully spread out over the black as they are applied in such
a manner as so impart to them a light and natural appearance, and according as
the style of coiffure adopted is wavy, smooth, flat, or rounded. When the bunches
of hair have been carefully arranged and pinned in position, another net of similar
construction and materials to the one herein before described is laid over the
whole, and the meshes of the upper and lower nets are then sewn or otherwise
connected together in such a manner as to retain the hair in position between the
said nets.
The thread employed for sewing the nets together is preferably composed of
prepared hair or of material similar to that employed in making up the wig.
In this condition the block with the false hair or wig is wrapped in a cloth in
order to preserve the form, and either placed in a stove or a hot iron is lightly
passed over it from above, whereby the hair becomes fixed in the desired position,
after which the pins are removed and the wig or false hair is taken off the block.
The action of the heat has the effect of permanently fixing the hair and nets in
position, and at the same time allows them to retain the qualities of flexibility and
lightness to a degree which it has not heretofore been possible to obtain by any
known process.
False hair prepared by the improved method hereinbefore described possesses the
advantage of lightness combined with cheapness of production, and is easily fitted
to the head of the wearer, being capable of accommodating itself readily to all the
elevations or depressions of the cranium.
By means of this Invention false tresses or other forms of false hair may also be
prepared in any desired length or breadth for the purpose of being combined with
the natural hair in order to obtain any variety of light and graceful effects.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th April 1882.
"
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman. IMPROVEMENTS IN WIGS, PERUKES, CHIGNONS, AND
OTHER LIKE COVERINGS OR DRESSES FOR THE HEAD." A communication from
abroad by Gilles Petit, of Paris, in the Republic of France.
This Invention relates to improvements in wigs, perukes, chignons, and other like
coverings or dresses for the head, and it consists in a novel method, hereinafter
described, of manufacturing these articles, whereby it is rendered possible to produce
a superior article with great economy of time, labour, and at a reduced cost of
production.
According to the ordinary method of manufacture heretofore adopted the hair or
materials imitating hair are first set on end in a suitable support, in order to imitate
nature as closely as possible, and are subsequently caused to assume the various
forms in which the natural hair may be arranged.
Now according to this Invention two nets with large meshes are employed, the
said nets being themselves composed of hair or other suitable fine material so as to
be practically invisible, and hair or other material representing hair is arranged
parallel with and between the nets, in such a manner as to produce the same effect
or appearance as is produced by the natural hair when dressed.
It will be readily understood that by means of this arrangement the tedious and
delicate operation of setting or fixing each hair or substitute for hair vertically is
dispensed with, and that practised hairdressers are thus enabled to display their
taste in arranging the hair in groups or masses, in order to obtain effects imitating
the effect of the natural hair as perfectly as with any other substitute heretofore
employed, but with much greater facility and rapidity, and at a greatly reduced cost
for labour.
Figure 1 a plan, and Figure 2 is a vertical section of a wig or head covering
made according to this Invention and resting upon a block A.
In carrying out this Invention the hair or other material of which the wig or
hend covering is to be composed is prepared upon the block A, which is covered
with leather in order to facilitate the insertion of pins, as hereinafter described.
A net d, preferable with large meshes, made of hair or other suitable material of
such fineness or colour as to be practically invisible, is first stretched by means of
pins over the block A, for example, over the fore part of the said block if it is
desired to make a "front," or at the back if it is desired to make a chignon or false
back hair; or again it may be caused to cover the whole of the block when making
a complete wig or head covering. The net d being thus pinned down, small bundles
or tresses of hair 6 of different lengths are arranged upon the net, the said hair
having been previously prepared according to the style of hair dressing or coiffure
which it is desired to imitate, that is to say, the bunches or tresses of hair are
previously waved, frizzed, curled, or plaited. The bunches of hair bare carefully
spread out over the block as they are applied, in such a manner as to impart to them
a light and natural appearance in accordance with the style of coiffure adopted,
whether it be wavy, smooth, flat, or rounded. When the bunches of hair have
been carefully arranged and pinned in position, another net or nets c similar to the
first mentioned one d is or are laid over the whole, and the meshes of the upper
and lower nets d and c are then sewn or otherwise connected together in such a
manner as to retain the hair b in position between the said nets & and c. The

page_text: thread employed for sewing the nets together is preferably composed of prepared
hair or of material similar to that employed in making up the wig or other head
covering.
In this condition the block A and the wig or other head covering thereon are
wrapped in a cloth in order to preserve the form of the said wig or covering, and they
are then placed in a stove or a hot iron is lightly passed over it, whereby the hair
becomes fixed in the desired position, after which the pins are removed and the wig
or other covering may then be taken off the block A. The action of the heat has the
effect of permanently fixing the hair and nets in position, and at the same time allows
them to retain the qualities of flexibility and lightness to a degree which it has not
been possible to obtain by any other known process.
'
Wigs or other coverings for the head prepared by the improved method herein-
before described possesses the advantage of lightness combined with cheapness of
production, and is easily fitted to the head of the wearer, being capable of accom-
modating itself readily to all the elevations or depressions of the cranium.
By means of this Invention false tresses or other forms of false hair may also be
prepared in any desired length or breadth for the purpose of being combined with
the natural hair, in order to obtain any variety of light and graceful effects.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original;
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein before in part
recited Letters Patent is,
:
First. The improvements in wigs, perukes, chignons, and other like coverings or
dresses for the head, consisting in forming them of hair (or of material being an
imitation of hair) interposed between two nets united together, substantially as
herein before described.
-
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Jolinson, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, the Twenty fourth day of May, One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
J. HENRY JOHNSON.
(4.5.)