Boris Karloff Life Mask
Visual Description:
An off-white plaster mask of a man’s face, with closed eyes beneath deeply furrowed brows. Prominent smile lines frame the nose, and a line marks the closed mouth, with a narrow, rounded chin below. The surface is dusty, with rough, crumbling edges.
Guided Tactile Description:
Note that as you touch the mask, some powdery residue may come off on your hands. Starting at the top of the mask, feel the slightly wrinkled forehead. Slowly move downward to where the eyebrows begin to furrow—notice the deep wrinkles above the eyes. Feel the eyebrows, which are slightly raised from the surface, with subtle indentations caused by the texture of the brow hair. Below the brows, trace over the closed eyelids and heavy bags under the eyes. At the center of the face, feel for the nose. On either side, notice the smile lines running from the nose toward the mouth area. Downward to the mouth, feel the indentation indicating the lips are closed. Beneath this, feel the slightly rounded chin. Toward the very bottom, the edges of the mask may feel crumbly or rough; part of the material has broken away. You may carefully lift and turn the mask to explore the back. Near the top, you’ll find two U-shaped indents. These were where metal pieces were once inserted to help release the mask from its mold.
Boris Karloff Mask Mold
Visual Description:
A rectangular, light blue silicone mold about the size of a toaster oven. There is a large opening on the top of the mold, with the shape of a face indented into the material. Light brown spots of plaster residue dot the mold. Carved into the mold on the upper left corner, text reads Boris Karloff. On the upper right corner, text reads Lifecast, and the number 1400 runs down the right side. On the bottom right corner are the numbers 3/1/14, indicating the date of the mold’s creation.
Guided Tactile Description:
Note that chalky residue may come off on your hands while touching the mold. Feel the outer edges of the rectangular mold from its position on the tabletop. Move your hands up the sides of the mold to the flat top surface. In the top left corner, feel for the name “Boris Karloff”, etched into the surface. To the right of the name, the outline of a face is deeply recessed into the surface. Moving into the top center of the mold, feel the smooth, slightly curved forehead. As you move downward, your hands will trace the indentations of the eyebrows, followed by the eyes and the folds of the under-eye area. In the middle of the face, the nose is prominently shaped. As your fingers move toward the base of the nose, you'll notice that only one nostril is present—the piece that would have formed the left nostril has broken off. Feel downward to the mouth area. Feel the slight indentation of the upper lip, and just below it, the horizontal line that represents the closed mouth. At the very bottom, trace the rounded chin, completing the impression of the actor’s face.
Touch Object Pages
Use the links below to explore the Museum's other visually described touch objects:
Hannibal Lecter Stunt Head Mask
Tales from the Crypt Model Teeth
Hound's Helm from Game of Thrones
Henson Puppet Building Materials
Keystone Capri 8mm film camera