If the occupants of the Box at Ford's Theatre actually looked like this, I doubt that anyone would have been assassinated......

Booth looks at least 85 years old. Mary and Abe appear as if they just stepped out of a shower fully dressed......

Pretty scary wax figurine exhibit - one of the worst I've ever seen. It's actually laughable. :D

   

They all look very tired...but after 150 years it's understandable.

These look like they are from the American Civil War Wax Museum in Getysburg that had the big auction last month? They had a lot of really nice things.

http://rogerjnorton.com/LincolnDiscussio...-1534.html

I was teasing my wife about going to the auction so I could convert our sons bedroom into the box at Ford's Theater. She didn't didn't seem to share my enthusiam. Did you get to go? Buy anything?

I completely agree with you, Betty. I saw this display at the waxed museum in Gettysburg when my family and I visited there last year. I couldn't believe how old Booth looked! And yes, we guessed right around the age limit of 80 to 85! How could they do that to someone as good looking as Booth?! I thought some of the generals looked a little old too. I heard on the news about the waxed museum auction and was wondering (kind of hoping) the presidential box display would be replaced with a new one with more accuracy.

No way does that wax museum "set" portray Booth as the "Handsomest man in America!" All I can say is that Mr. Booth sure aged....and not well, either!

Good Lord! Is this at Gettysburg, Paige? I guess I didn't see it when I was there a few year ago - surely I'd have remembered it! Ha!

Wow, one wonders who was the consultant for the "making of" the figures.

Jenny, you probably blocked it out of your mind! Who would want to remember Booth looking like that?! We actually asked the attendant at the waxed museum that day why they would do such a thing! Booth was so young and handsome- they got it all wrong!

The Gettysburg Wax Museum was there in the mid-1960s when I was taking class trips there. I have no idea how much earlier than that the figures were made, but I suspect that the wax process has improved tremendously over the years -- and also that 50+ years of dirty air have done their worst.

In the old days, there was a gentleman paid to dress up like a CW soldier and wear make-up that resembled wax. He stood right at the entrance to the display, and the kids would instinctively touch him as they passed by. Every twenty or so students, he would let out an "ouch" as he was man-handled and scare the kids to death. It gave "Don't Touch" a whole new meaning.

Here's a link to some great photos of the wax figures for sale from the Gettysburg museum. They look different from the one's posted by Betty. Maybe they had several Lincolns and Marys. http://cdn.spundge.com/stories/15040/embedded/

I think they are the same ones actually. The photo that Betty linked just shows them more clearly and in better lighting.

(04-24-2014 02:30 PM)Jenny Wrote:  I think they are the same ones actually. The photo that Betty linked just shows them more clearly and in better lighting.

Yes Page, I took a closer look and they are the same. Thanks.

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(04-21-2014 06:27 PM)BettyO Wrote:  If the occupants of the Box at Ford's Theatre actually looked like this, I doubt that anyone would have been assassinated......

Booth looks at least 85 years old. Mary and Abe appear as if they just stepped out of a shower fully dressed......

Pretty scary wax figurine exhibit - one of the worst I've ever seen. It's actually laughable.

I read that most of the figures at the Gettysburg Wax Museum were actually made out of vinyl! Madame Tussaud would not approve.