How To Repair A Talking Doll

Ah, yes, one of the loves of my doll collecting life - but WAY out of my cost range. Until the internet, that is. Of course, it's fortunate that I tin can repair dolls too....

Here is my most contempo acquisition. I purchased this little beauty on layaway from a very kind and helpful doll dealer named Carla on Reddish Lane. Become to world wide web.rubylane.com and check out her store 'Oldeclectics'. She has the nearly wonderful dolls, at reasonable prices, and is just a sweety.

This wax or wax over (which I believe she is, though the wax coating is very thick and makes her appear to be a poured wax) is a fashion doll. (Note the tiny waist.) I am not certain yet whether she was meant to be a lady manner or a child mode doll. More study is indicated. At the moment I am going to dress her as an older kid, say around 12 or then. (And yes, the kid style dolls had that teeny, tiny waist like their corset-wearing mommies.)

She looks a chip like something out of a horror picture right now. At to the lowest degree, that is what my granddaughter tells me! The doll has slumber optics, which came loose in transport and will have to be reset, and as you tin can come across - no arms. I purchase a communist china head torso on EBay (sans caput). It had a lovely pair of leather arms, and I will somewhen act similar Dr. Frankenstein and accept parts from both and put them together. Her body is finely made. It is weighted so she can sit down and pretty clean for its historic period, so information technology will require trivial work. She fifty-fifty came with her little linen shoes that I am going to endeavor to restore.

Her hair is going to exist a challenge. Information technology is incised, or pressed into the wax and not a wig, and the original wired braids that went effectually the sides are still intact (if filthy!). This is an indicator that this was a fine, more expensive doll such as those made bu English firms similar Pierotti and Montonari, equally the maker would not take the time to press the pilus in unless they were going to make more money. (Think today's retail!) This is a wonderful thing - except it means that I have to make clean the hair on the head! Y'all clean old mohair with lighter fluid or paint thinner. At present, think about that - lighter fluid on a wax or wax covered head. Yeah, you tin can see the dilemma. I know how I am going to tackle it and volition document as I become along so you can see whether or not it works!

Then, of course, the head itself has to be cleaned. I take done some enquiry on this and where one restoration artist swears by non-acetone boom polish cleaner, another shouts 'Don't employ that!' Woolite is recommended by one and nixed by some other. So is cold foam. Hmmmm...nosotros'll see.

Anyway, savor the 'before' pictures. Hopefully I will post some of the 'after' soon. I am dying to have her completely restored!