History Of Prosthetics

Before the 1930's the idea of make up being an art form was not recognised, their creative integrity and imagination was simply diminished and the idea of it being art was founded by people that would be simply applying make up to themselves for various roles, like actors, stunt men etc. These people would technically be considered a make up artist in this day and age.
Similar products were used back then as they do today although they are very basic in relation to today's silicones. It included spirit gum, fish skin, cotton, gelatine, greasepaints, clay, cheesecloth, fullers earth etc.

Early prosthetics are mentioned in a book written by Cavendish Morton The Art of Theatre Make Up 1909. It mentions in this book how he used silk attatched to a wig, nose paste, spirit gum and greasepaint to transform himself. Below are the images.

Lon Chaney the man known as A Man of a Thousand Faces created his own make up for the film 'Phantom of the Opera' (1925) and continued to do so for all his acting parts, a pure example of actors having to do their own make up and own looks for the parts they have then got to act in.

http://www.filmreference.com/encyclopedia/Independent-Film-Road-Movies/Makeup-HISTORY.html