Buzz
In earlier times, the commerce of entire skeletons and assorted bones flourished. Specialists in osteology had discovered methods to bleach and maintain the most pristine skeletons for exhibition. Simultaneously, physicians eagerly sought complete bone sets for their studies and, arguably, to flaunt their expertise.
As the bone trade thrived, other macabre professions emerged to sustain it. Some individuals gathered corpses from poorhouses, and fortunes could be made by retrieving bodies from distant battlefields. Hospital custodians supplemented their income by collecting amputated limbs, and there were even rumors of grave robbing for the more audacious individuals.
10. Bone Oils
Maitre Mazzur was the sole individual in the United States possessing this unique expertise. Operating in New York City in 1876, Maitre Mazzur could “extract oil from human bones” to ensure that displayed skeletons remained free of any unpleasant odor. If a physician purchased a skeleton set from anyone else in the country, their office would be plagued by the stench of decay and death.
The method for eliminating the foul odor was a closely guarded trade secret. Mazzur had acquired his expertise by training in Paris, home to the finest skeleton display craftsmen, and he had no intention of sharing his knowledge with anyone in the US. His small workshop on Bleecker Street was off-limits to outsiders, and he was known to be a very private individual.
In Mazzur’s era, approximately 500 skeletons were imported annually into NYC for use by colleges, universities, medical students, physicians, artists, and collectors of unusual items. The remaining display skeletons were sourced locally, pieced together from various origins. These included parts gathered from hospitals by janitors.
9. Skeleton Quality Grades
Complete skeletons were categorized into different quality grades. A No. 1 skeleton represented the highest quality, intended for prominent medical doctors who could pay the hefty $800 price in 1891.
On the lower end of the spectrum were composite skeletons. These were assembled from the bones of several individuals rather than a single donor. For instance, the skull might come from one person, the right arm from another, and the pelvis from yet another source.
These composite skeletons were widely prevalent and frequently sold to sideshows for eerie exhibitions, theaters, and horror chambers. They held minimal value for medical research and often appeared uneven due to the bones originating from individuals of varying sizes.
Composite skeletons typically sold for around $150, provided they included a genuine human skull. Those incorporating imitation bones crafted from compressed paper pulp were far less valuable and often purchased by clandestine fraternal organizations.
8. Dedication to the Craft
In 1891, M. de Robaire operated a small shop in Philadelphia. Above the entrance to his business and residence hung a sign labeled “Perfumerie,” yet the contents of the second floor and closets were anything but fragrant oils.
De Robaire was a dealer in skeletons. To avoid drawing the ire of his highly superstitious neighbors, he maintained a perfume shop on the ground floor as a front for his true trade.
De Robaire, a solitary Frenchman, preferred to keep to himself, dedicating most of his time to his second-floor workshop. There, he meticulously assembled skeletons, primarily for secret societies and exclusive organizations.
His bedroom, also located on the second floor, served as a storage space. The walls where he slept were adorned with skulls and crossbones. Complete skeletons were on display, and each corner of his bed was crowned with a skull.
To ensure the highest quality, de Robaire imported the majority of his bones from France. He asserted that American and German bones were simply boiled, resulting in a coarse texture. French bones, however, underwent a meticulous cleaning process lasting two to three months, leaving them pristine and polished.
Once the bones arrived, de Robaire would skillfully assemble them into complete skeletons, renowned as some of the finest in the nation.
7. Bone Preparation Techniques
In 1892 France, preparing bones for display skeletons was a laborious and gruesome task. Starting with a cadaver, a scalpel was employed to strip away all fat, muscle, and tissue from the bones.
Once the flesh was completely removed, the bones were boiled. This step required constant vigilance to prevent overboiling, which could leave the bones rough and uneven.
Following boiling, the bones were sun-treated. This process bleached them white and allowed residual grease within the bones to seep out.
Finally, the bones were polished using ether, benzene, and other undisclosed chemicals. This chemical treatment distinguished French bones from those prepared elsewhere, ensuring they remained free from yellowing and emitted no unpleasant odors, even in hot weather.
After the meticulous preparation, a bone expert would assemble the spinal column using a brass rod. Brass wires secured the rib cage, while hinges and hooks were used to construct the rest of the skeleton, enabling it to move as it would have when encased in flesh.
6. London's Supply of Bodies
In 1899 London, unclaimed bodies from workhouses and hospitals were first dissected. If all bones were intact, they were cleaned and prepared for full skeleton displays.
Unfortunately, the demand for bodies far exceeded the supply. Bone collectors often had to wait for battles to conclude, then gather the intact remains of fallen enemies from the battlefield.
This practice occurred after the Battle of Omdurman, with London newspapers reporting that the bodies of dervishes were being transformed into sellable skeletons.
Skeleton dealers reassured the public that no British soldier's remains would be used for creating skeleton displays. They emphasized that the robust bodies of dervishes produced the finest and whitest skeletons. Additionally, dervish skeletons commanded higher prices compared to those sourced from London workhouses.
5. The Inferior Quality of British Bones
By 1900, everyone from collectors to physicians was eager to acquire a high-quality set of dervish bones. In contrast, British bones were considered the lowest quality in the trade.
According to industry experts, British bones were often undersized and had a pronounced yellow hue. Despite extensive bleaching, they retained a yellowish tint.
French bones, on the other hand, were highly sought after by collectors. The French were known for their strong bones, which could be easily whitened and polished. Complete French skeletons were priced in the mid-to-high range, depending on the craftsmanship involved.
It is widely believed that the diet and working conditions of the British contributed to the inferior quality of their bones. This might have been a small consolation for those who shuddered at the idea of being stripped of their flesh and displayed for public viewing.
4. Selling Your Bones While Alive
In need of money? Selling one’s bones before death was not uncommon in the past. For instance, a story from 1907 recounted a young man, recently married, who suffered an accident, lost his leg, and was slowly succumbing to internal injuries.
Determined to provide for his wife one final time, he sold his skeleton for $50 in advance. His wife was brought to the hospital for a last farewell, and he handed her the money as a final gesture of love.
Even if you weren’t near death, you could still profit from others’ bones. Explorers and travelers often brought back the remains of indigenous people from various parts of the world to London or Paris. These remains were sold to body dealers, who then supplied them to skeleton display makers.
3. The Decline of Britain’s Bone Trade
In 1948, three years after World War II, Parliament made a shocking discovery. British exports of human skeletons were plummeting rapidly.
Despite high demand from art schools, hospitals, and medical institutions for real human skeleton displays, there was a severe shortage of available bones.
There were even jokes that Parliament might soon issue posters urging, “Hurry up and die to support the Export Drive.” However, the decline was evident. The skeleton trade was fading, and bone dealers began planning to create plastic skeletons, using brass springs and catgut to replicate the mobility of real skeletons.
2. Skeleton Spare Parts
Skeleton parts, often called spare parts, were a significant aspect of the bone trade. These parts were typically collected from hospitals following amputations or dissections. They were stripped of flesh, bleached, and stored in neatly labeled boxes within warehouses.
While some were used to create composite skeletons, most spare parts served as replacements for damaged or missing bones. For instance, if a family dog damaged a skeleton and caused it to lose a toe, the incomplete skeleton could be sent to a bone warehouse to be fitted with a replacement.
Nearly every major European city had at least one bone warehouse. These facilities were kept hidden from the public, largely due to superstitions. With the right connections, one could acquire bones of all types, from individual parts to complete sets, for a price. The bones available ranged from those of infants to adults.
1. Skulls of Criminals
The French frequently preserved the skulls of criminals, as their executed remains were often unclaimed by relatives.
In 1913, certain skeleton warehouses in France, especially in Paris, featured rooms specifically for criminal skulls. These skulls were typically marked with the criminal’s name and execution date. Some even came with pamphlets detailing their crimes extensively.
These skulls were available for purchase and were sought after by both the curious and medical professionals. Additionally, skulls and skeletons could be rented for a fee. Those unable to buy bones outright could rent them temporarily, whether for lectures or macabre public exhibitions aimed at thrill-seekers.
