WAXIPEDIA

Antes de traductor de Google, su eran tanslators!

There have been a handful of legendary wax sculptors, but few had more work displayed across the world than this gentleman: Jose Ballester. From his Spanish studio figures of celebrities, musicians, politician, and royalty filled the halls and scenes of dozens of wax museums. Many of the original figures of Buena Park, California's Movieland were of Ballesters making, as were those that occupied the Museo de Cera's of Spain and Mexico.
 
   In addition to his own private wax museum (in Benidorm, Spain) Señor Ballester also created many wax figures for Ripley's Believe It or Not! and the Louis Tussaud's Waxworks.

   What we have today is a fax reply from Mr. Jose Ballester's to a letter from a Ripley's executive (in this case, Mr. MacIntyre) where he is asked to list the figures he produced for the Ripley's Company. He make two lists. One of figures produced for Ripley's Odditoriums (including their 'TALLEST MAN' Robert Wadlow and 'FATTEST MAN' Earl Hughes) and another of famous personalities for the Louis Tussaud's Waxworks. The part I find most fascinating is that the fax is in Mr. Ballester's own hand (and is accompanied with a respective translation to English, from August 1995) and included the scribbles and cross-outs of the artist himself!

( These correspondences between wax sculptor, Jose Ballester and Ripley's Believe It or Not! could have easily been lost forever, but thankfully have been preserved and can now be found, along with thousands of others documents, within the ever growing 'WAXIPEDIA ARCHIVES'.

Dedicated to preserving the history of Wax Arts, and the unique stories of all those involved in it's development, WAXIPEDIA strives to become the ultimate source of information on the subject of wax museums.  Anyone interested in donating items for preservation are invited to contact me at timothywrandall@gmail.com. Donated items will be cataloged, digitally scanned, photographed, and restored.  All donated items will be credited to their specific donors, will be preserved and made available to future generations of artists, designers, historians and fans).

THANK YOU!