Scalpettes and Fringes; general remarks thereon—Curled and Waved Fringes—“Water Waves”—Mounting and Making Scalpettes.
Baldness is not by any means confined to the male sex, for females, through illness, accouchements, neuralgic pains in the head, constitutional weakness, frequent head-aches, tying the hair improperly, overmuch crimping, and other causes—frequently experience a loss of hair. True, this can easily be concealed by means of headdresses, bows, ribbons, flowers, lace, and so forth, but young and middle-aged ladies do not find it convenient to have recourse to such artifices at all times. Formerly, bandeaux and “fronts” were employed to conceal this defective condition of the hair, and they are still in request by elderly people and those whose means are limited. But now, thanks to the ingenuity of ladies’ hairdressers, the “scalpette” has been invented, and it may truly be regarded as a veritable work of art. What is a scalpette? As this is comparatively a new word, it will be advisable to dwell for a moment upon its meaning. I therefore consider it to signify an artificial covering for concealing a deficiency of hair, or to cover a bald place upon the female head—but not a wig. Just the same as a “scalp” is an artificial covering for the bald head of a man—but it is not a wig. Assuming, then, that my definition is correct, those of my readers who have much to do with board-work will readily perceive the variable nature of the invention. A scalpette can be made to cover a small space, or the entire top of the head; it can be formed with or without a “fringe;” with or without a parting or partings. It can be manufactured with long straight hair, or short curly hair, or both. It can be “knotted” upon gauze or a “human hair foundation,” and made, figuratively speaking, “as light as a feather,” or it can be woven, and mounted with net and galloon, which is, doubtless, more durable and less expensive. In short, a scalpette can be adapted to any possible requirement, and that there is a demand for such manufactures at good prices in certain localities, both in town and country, will not, probably, be contradicted.
Speaking of sundry ingenious contrivances for concealing bald patches, and helping thin partings to an improved appearance, the Queen newspaper observes that the modes of covering thin partings are various. “First, if the head is very bald at the top, a scalpette of straight hair is added; this comes to a point in front, so that any hairs that may remain on the forehead are seen; the partings of this scalpette are made of hair, and are quite invisible; secondly a scalpette of small curls is laid over the parting; it rests quite flat on the head, and is dressy and becoming; and thirdly, a scalpette of short straight hair, which forms a fringe in front, and mingles with the wearer’s own hair at the sides. The mode of concealing a thinness of the hair at the sides is to insert a piece of long hair, mounted on the most invisible of hair partings. This thinness at the sides is generally accompanied by the same at the top of the head; the addition is then made to conceal all together. The wearer’s own hair is parted at the side, the addition added and kept in its place by a few hairs brought over, and then the whole dressed together, the added piece being quite imperceptible. Another mode is the scalpette which curls at the top, and has straight hair coming from it on either side. When an entire covering is necessary, there is the invisible topee. These cover the parting with short hair, and are on the principle of a front without either springs or strings.”
It will appear, as my work advances, how scalpettes can be manufactured, but a knowledge of mounting and knotting must first be acquired, and the other will follow in due course.
Fringes are of a less difficult character, at least the majority of them, but some of the more elaborate ones must, for the reasons given above, stand over for the present.
Fig. 17.
Here is one[[9]], however, of simple construction, which is made on a wire foundation. Take half an ounce of six-inch hair in tight Sevigny curls. Adjust the weaving-frame, with a wire (instead of silk) in the centre, as has been before described. Make about fifteen inches of close or “once-in” weft. Comb out the hair carefully, curl up, and securely finish off the weft. Cut down. Fold the weft in three equal portions, and neatly, yet firmly, sew the ends together. Take a piece of watch-spring, one-and-a-half or two inches long, and adapt it to fit the bend of the head. Round off the ends, which is to be done with a small, fine file, or by rubbing the corners on a stone. Protect the ends with a piece of waxed kid, thin leather, or parchment, and then cover the spring with galloon. The galloon should be as narrow as possible, with the ends carefully turned in and stitched; it must also be sewn “over and over” at the sides. Gently hammer to make it as flat as possible; and I need scarcely observe that the stitches in this, and all other work should be small and almost invisible. Having thus prepared the spring, put it in position, namely, in the centre of the mount, the lower end being inside the weft, to which it is to be sewn. Sew the top row to the top of the spring, while the centre row of weft is, of course, to be attached to the middle of the spring. Tack the “fringe” on to a block, and dress in a number of small curls, as shown in the illustration.
Another way is to take three-quarters of an ounce of short, tight curled hair, and make twenty inches of weft or more. Sew up into four rows and put two springs, each one to be full an inch from the ends. In this case, the springs must not be quite so long as the previous one. Dress out as before.