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the porcelain model removed. The gelatine mould is then used for
casting plaster figures. The plaster consists of ordinary plaster of
Paris and water mixed. The casts are hollow, partly on account of
cost of material, and partly to reduce the weight of the goods for
carrying. They are retailed at varying prices, from twopence
upwards. The salesman hawker has one-third of the price realized;
" the house " (i.e. Sig. L.) takes two-thirds. There are less than
twenty firms similar to this in London. Recently a score or more
of Italian plaster-makers arrived here from Paris.
Sig. F., of 1, S. Street, is another of the Italian plaster workers in
Finsbury. He came from near Venice about five years ago. He had
previously worked in Paris, Berlin, and St. Petersburg for longer or
shorter periods. He employs at S. Street six men and three girls.
They came from various parts of Italy, and their chief recommendation
has been their artistic talent and special skill. Occasionally P.
employs other nationalities; a German is just leaving him, and two
others are coming in from Cologne. The wages he pays range from
36s. per week to £2 2s. per week. Two of the men sleep on the
premises. The work is regular, and not greatly affected by season.
The figures and casts made by P. are of various qualities, hardened
by a " secret process," which makes them like marble. The girls do
the rough colouring work, and specially skilled men do the finishing.
Sig. P. stated that he is the only maker of this class of goods in
London, and he sells in Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow and Belfast.
He also exports to Canada and Australia, some of his export orders
being very large. He also supplies firms in London. The average
wholesale price of his large figures is about 12s, per pair; of his
smaller figures about 2s. per pair.
4. Organ-making and Organ-playing.—In the Italian quarter
there is an organ factory. The owner has been in England for twentysix
years. He came from Caserta, and eventually married an
English woman and settled down here. He lives in the Quarter.
The firm produces about sixty piano-organs every year. These are
not for hire, but for sale, and not a few of them find a market in
Buffalo, New York, Chicago, and other places in the United States.
Some even go to South Africa, and a few go direct to the Continent
of Europe. The majority are sold, however, to English firms, who