Frank Marshall Ventriloquist Figure Eyes
Frank Marshall was a genius when it came to the functions of his characters. I was asked about the winkers and how or what type of clips Frank used to attach them. The fact is that he didn’t use any clips to attach the wire frame. Instead the wire frame was bent into the correct shape of the outer ball of the eye and the wire continued inside the head at the tear duct side a bit longer making a right angle to which he attached the spring which is attached to the head below the eyes. He then knotted the cord to that same spot holding the spring to the wire, ran the cord upwards and over a pulley and then down through the head stick attaching to his chop stick lever. Very simple and very effective. A small nail is placed as a stop so that they travel just so far down. I have photographed this for you to see.
Frank has 2 style of eyes that he used in his figures. One was a complete glass eyeball the type you can find a taxidermist using and these were stationary. The other is a wooden sphere into which he planted a glass Iris. I am not sure where you can get glass Irises today but plastic ones are readily available at hobby shops.
Dan
www.ventriloquistcentral.com
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