Restoration Options

At the shop I offer many different repairs to all kinds of dolls. I repair wooden, bisque, china, composition, celluloid, hard plastic and vinyl dolls. Wherever I can, will identify and if necessary.

Some of the repairs that I do include eye work, eye lashes, restringing rebuilding damaged parts, repairing and repairing fingers and painting facial details, plus many other jobs.

I will provide you with a list of repair work relating to your doll and then you can decide what you would like to be done. I can provide estimates for repairs via email also but it is not quite so easy to see what needs to be done.

It can take some time to complete repairs as we often need to search for old spares and the work is very time consuming. If you would like to have a doll restored for a particular date or special occasion please let me know.

Below is a small selection of the vast range of work that we do. If you are unsure if we are able to repair the doll that you have please telephone or email with your queries.

Antique Glass Eyes

Dolls with glass eyes: The descriptive terms "fixed eyes" and “stationery eyes” describe factory set eyes. Europeans generally use the term “fixed” to describe glass eyes that are set in place and do not move, while American collectors commonly refer to such eyes as “stationery.”

"Sleep eyes” or “open and close eyes” are set on a rocker that has weights and open and close when the doll is rocked back and forth and close for sleeping when the doll is at rest.

If the eyes that are on a rocker have been plastered in place, the doll is described as: "originally had sleeping eyes, which have been re-plastered (or reset) and no longer sleep."

If tIhe doll's eyes have been re-plastered and no longer sleep, collectors can restore the eyes if the weight is intact, and that's a plus. The doll is less desirable if the eyes have been replaced with stationery eyes.

Restringing Doll Body-Composition

Many French and German dolls from the 19th century combine a bisque head with a body that has joint arms and legs made of composition, with a bisque head portraying a young female or male doll. Composition dolls, especially those with a heavily sealed or lacquered finish, are especially prone to fine cracks, called crazing. The crazing is caused by changes in moisture and temperature. Because so many of these dolls have crazed over the years, light crazing on a composition doll is acceptable to collectors.

Shipping and Moving Tips for Your Dolls

My clients are both domestic and international and unfortunately sometimes dolls sent to me for repair are damaged even more while in the mail! For this month’s post I have included some tips and ideas for mailing or moving your own dolls, notably how best to protect their eyes, which I often see damaged.

First, its important to remember that when you mail a doll with moving parts, it will sustain shockwaves on both the inside of the package and to your doll. Keep that in mind when packing by adding cushioning materials. Consider packing a double box or allow at least an inch of packing between the doll and the walls of the box so there is space to absorb any pressure of impact to the wall of the container in transit.

Second, be aware that doll eyes are mounted on a rocker mechanism which has a pendulum action. To prevent that mechanism from rattling against the bisque in transit the inside of the head needs soft packing for stability. To gain access to the inside of the head, remove the top pate/wig and insert soft packing that will be removed once it arrives at its destination. For a dome head, the opening is at the bottom of the head, which is not always accessible. But if the head is a flange construction with antique, glass eyes that open and close, and the head can be removed from the body, it's a good idea to insert soft packing into the head to stabilize the eye mechanism.

Finally, remember that if a doll has its original eye construction and its original glue, chances are the glue is brittle and has lost its staying power. Pack so that the eyes do not detach and deteriorate in transit.