Care, Cleaning, Repairing, & Restoring

Care & cleaning of dolls, hair, and clothing

Collecting and buying dolls

Identifying dolls

Packing dolls for shipping

Photographing dolls

Repairing dolls

Rerooting hair on vinyl dolls

Selling dolls


Care & cleaning; repairs; and storage tips.
Some websites still suggest oiling eyes in composition dolls.
This is NOT recommended, as oil on eyes seeps into and damages composition over time!
"Tricks of the Trade" by eBay Dolls Discussion Board members
http://www.adollysworld.com/doll_cleaning_and_care_tips.html
http://www.angelfire.com/bc3/blackdollzine/dollcare6.html
http://www.citicom.com/~cstevens/restore.htm
http://collectdolls.about.com/od/restoration/a/top10preservat.htm
http://www.collectdolls.about.com/library/weekly/aa081800a.htm
http://www.dollinfo.com/caretips.htm
http://www.dollreader.com/tutorials.php?id=86
http://www.dollreader.com/tutorials.php?id=82
http://dollykruger.tripod.com/id12.html
http://www.eloradollhouse.com/help/care.html
http://www.madamealexander.com/hospital/
http://www.prillycharmin.com/restore/index.htm
http://www.tonnerdoll.com/dollcare.htm
Antique conservation:

http://www.ufdc.org/OnlineClubSeminar1.htm

http://www.mnhs.org/preserve/conservation/. Search keyword: dolls
Barbie, vintage
Barbie, modern
Cloth-bodied dolls, modern; re-stuffing: http://tinyurl.com/zskxk
Cloth dolls, cleaning: http://tinyurl.com/5jf58c (scroll down)
Clothing, cleaning:

http://www.dollreader.com/tutorials.php?id=80

Cleaning & storage: http://www.fabrics.net/joan300.asp

Fabric identification and care: http://www.fabrics.net/fabricsr.asp
Composition dolls: http://www.louiseslittleladies.com/care.htm
Eyes, cloudy: http://dollykruger.tripod.com/id12.html
Felt & cloth: http://www.lenci-dolls.net/hints.html
Hair care, vinyl dolls: http://www.justmagicdolls.com/articles/HairCare/HairCare101.htm
Hair curling/setting: http://www.odaca.org/tips/wigSherrod.htm
Hair, saran 1950s:

Cleaning: http://tinyurl.com/yoeo9e

Curling: http://tinyurl.com/2fwe6h
Hard plastic & vinyl: http://www.horsmandolls.com/Care.html
My Child dolls:

http://www.users.bigpond.com/armstroj/Restoration%20Tips.htm

Refreshing face color: http://www.prillycharmin.com/restore/3my_child.htm
Paper doll care & preservation: http://www.opdag.com/Preserving.html
Plastic breakdown (“Pedigree disease”): http://tinyurl.com/6ljwnr
Plastic dollhouse furniture, care & cleaning: http://tinyurl.com/lpj4l
Repairs
Rerooting
Storing, displaying, organizing:

http://bamagal.com/alexdolls/collecting3.htm

http://collectdolls.about.com/library/weekly/aa012201a.htm

http://collectdolls.about.com/od/restoration/tp/ruinyourdolls.htm

http://tinyurl.com/pszus

http://www.justmagicdolls.com/articles/DollClutter/clutter.htm
Vinyl dolls:

http://dollykruger.tripod.com/id12.html

http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/6985/joetips.htm#7

http://www.justmagicdolls.com/articles/vinylcleaning/BodyCleaning.htm

http://vintdolls.com/makeover.html

Eye mold: http://www.crissyandbeth.com/crissyfiles/EyeMold.pdf (PDF file)

“Green ear,” removing: http://tinyurl.com/m3535

Stains, removing: http://tinyurl.com/2hyf78
Waldorf dolls, cleaning modern: http://www.waldorfhomeschoolers.com/cleandoll.htm
Wigs, replacing for Ginny-type: http://vintdolls.com/wigs.html
Wood: http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art48966.asp


Collecting and buying dolls, about: articles, general information, or links
See Abbreviations & terminology; Identifying.
http://www.angelfire.com/de3/blackdollezine/q42005.html
http://www.collectdolls.about.com/library/bldollsatoz.htm
http://www.collectdolls.about.com/od/dollcollectingresources/
http://collectdolls.about.com/od/beginnerscollectingguide/a/antiqueormodern.htm
http://www.debrasdolls.com/links.html
http://www.goldeneradolls.com/collect.html
http://www.oldandsold.com/articles01/article602.shtml
http://www.sowatzka.com/gary/tips.htm
http://www.soyouwanna.com/site/syws/dolls/dolls2.html
http://www.worldcollectorsnet.com/magazine/issue41/iss41p6.html
Buying on eBay, guide:

http://tinyurl.com/2o8vct

Tips: http://dollreference.com/doll_fraud_prevention.html
Buying Ginny dolls, cautions about: http://tinyurl.com/yrzaty
History, brief: http://ctdollartists.com/history.htm#Whatisdoll
Mechanics of dolls: http://www.moah.org/exhibits/archives/dolls.html
Mistakes to avoid: http://collectdolls.about.com/cs/collectingdolls/a/newbiemistakes.htm
Myths: http://collectdolls.about.com/od/beginnerscollectingguide/tp/dollmyths.htm
Rationalizations: http://www.justmagicdolls.com/articles/1001Reasons.htm
Stands, measuring for: http://www.kaisermfg.com/measuring_guide.htm


Identifying dolls
http://collectdolls.about.com/cs/howtos/ht/howtoidentify.htm
http://totallykidsworld.blogspot.com/2006/02/how-to-identify-your-doll.html
Composition vs. hard plastic: http://tinyurl.com/3awzs6
Composition, hard plastic, & vinyl: http://www.angelfire.com/tx3/dollchat/patgfaces1.html
Dating modern toys: http://bigredtoybox.com/cgi-bin/toynfo.pl?info_datingmodtoys
Describing for resale: http://www.angelfire.com/tx3/dollchat/nenitpicks.html
Identifying doll materials: Glossary
Identifying for resale (eBay guide):

http://tinyurl.com/nk93t

http://tinyurl.com/kesn5
Marks, antique:

http://www.angelfire.com/tx3/dollchat/dollmarks.html/

German: http://www.puppenmarken.de/kopfmarken.htm
Marks, composition:

http://www.dollreference.com/composition_doll_marks.html

http://members.tripod.com/~LindaDahl/compomarks
Marks, hard plastic & vinyl:

http://www.dollreference.com/hard_plastic_doll_marks.html

1950s to 1960s: http://www.goldenrosedolls.com/

Packing dolls for shipping
Antique bisque dolls:

http://www.sowatzka.com/gary/shipping.htm

http://tinyurl.com/l5f98
Antique bisque dolls and strung dolls: http://tinyurl.com/gmst7
Modern porcelain dolls: http://tinyurl.com/m4vlo
Moving & packing: http://collectdolls.about.com/library/weekly/aa052799.htm


Photographing dolls and miniatures
http://www.collectdolls.about.com/library/weekly/aa081699.htm
Camerajim’s Guide: http://www.sigma-2.com/camerajim/index.htm
Light tent: http://www.creativepro.com/story/feature/19002.html
Photographing dolls and miniatures:

Part 1: http://www.dhminiatures.com/columns-smallsteps.php?id=74

Part 2: http://www.dhminiatures.com/columns.php?id=94

Part 3: http://www.dhminiatures.com/columns-smallsteps.php?id=250
Tips, Part I: http://tinyurl.com/3xb6q4
Tips, Part II: http://tinyurl.com/3broop



Repairs, reproductions, and restorations. See also Cleaning; OOAK.
http://collectdolls.about.com/library/weekly/aa081800a.htm
http://www.thisolddoll.info/hosp/hosp.htm
Antiques:

http://homepage.mac.com/repairdolls/parts.html

http://www.myfavouritedolly.com/?cat=18 (scroll down)
Barbie, removing "green ear:" http://tinyurl.com/m3535
Celluloid, repairing: http://tinyurl.com/lqlu4
China head dolls, antique vs. reproduction:

http://dollreference.com/china_heads_antique_repro.html
Clothing, shoes, repairs, wigs: http://www.thisolddoll.com/
Composition:

Dwayne (Doc) Gipe’s guide: http://tinyurl.com/p6q76

Nativelady’s guide: http://tinyurl.com/3bdyc6

Repair example: http://dollreference.com/horsman_brother_sister_dolls1937.html

Repairing a crack: http://www.argomo.com/split.htm

Repairing limbs: http://www.louiseslittleladies.com/dollcastle46-1.htm
Eyelashes, replacing: http://www.argomo.com/eyes.htm
Eyes, repairing or replacing:

Composition dolls: http://tinyurl.com/ghubs

Hard plastic dolls: http://www.thisolddoll.info/hosp/eyealign/eyealign.htm

Vinyl dolls, sleep eyes: http://tinyurl.com/nhk46
Fabric dictionary: http://www.minidolls.com/MSAT/Dictnry.shtml
Hard plastic dolls, destinking: http://tinyurl.com/nzbg2
Painting (specific for vinyl, but also good general tips):

http://www.juanalbuerne.com/PaintingClass.html
Plastic breakdown (“Pedigree disease”): http://www.dollclubnsw.com.au/hard_plastic_disease.htm
Replacement parts, supplies: http://dollspart.com/index.html
Rerooting
Restringing
Tools & hints: http://www.thisolddoll.com/tools.htm
Vinyl dolls: http://www.prillycharmin.com/restore/index.htm
Wigs:

Removing & replacing: http://www.allaboutdolls.com/howto.html

Vinyl dolls: http://www.justmagicdolls.com/articles/rewig/rewig.htm

Rerooting hair on vinyl dolls. See also OOAK.
http://www.dollraves.org/arttips/reroot-mauro.html
http://www.dollraves.org/arttips/qdreroot.html
http://www.modcolors.com/modbarbiecare/reroot1.htm (warning: music)
http://www.restoredoll.com/rerooting-guide.htm
http://www.wideeyedgirls.com/RerootInstruction.html
Barbie, modern, removing head:

http://home.comcast.net/~tefaz/cdarchive/Nov99/beheading.html
Dawn, rerooting: http://tinyurl.com/2g2zrt
Dying hair: http://www.dollraves.org/arttips/dye.html
Hairstyles: http://www.dollydiva.50megs.com/articles/hairpage.htm
Kanekelon: http://www.angelfire.com/de3/blackdollezine/dollcare10.html
Male dolls: http://www.dollreader.com/modern-repaint.php?id=3
Molding hair: http://www.rebeccachulew.com/ezine/moldedhair.html
Painting hair: http://home.comcast.net/~tefaz/cdarchive/Jan2000/painting.html
Tressy, rerooting: http://tressydoll.com/page13.htm#re-rooting
Tutorial (recommended):

http://www.meandmydolls.com/index1.htm Click Menu > Craft > Reroot


Restringing
http://www.adollysworld.com/doll_stringing_tips.html (scroll down)
http://collectdolls.about.com/od/beginnerscollectingguide/ht/dollrestring.htm
http://www.prillycharmin.com/restore/
American Girl: http://tinyurl.com/k2xxm
Composition: http://www.argomo.com/hosp/restring.htm
Hard plastic: http://www.argomo.com/hosp/latex/latex.htm
Little Miss Revlon:

http://www.thisolddoll.info/hosp/lmr/lmr.htm


Selling dolls on eBay. See also Collecting/buying; Identifying; Packing; Photographing.
http://collectdolls.about.com/cs/auctions/a/howtosellebay.htm
http://letsplaydolls.com/selling_tips.shtml
Buyer’s advice to sellers: http://tinyurl.com/3y2ytt
Describing for resale: http://www.angelfire.com/tx3/dollchat/nenitpicks.html
Identifying for resale (eBay guide):

http://tinyurl.com/nk93t

http://tinyurl.com/kesn5
Paper dolls, selling: http://www.opdag.com/Selling.html
Preparing for sale: http://tinyurl.com/2w24xp
Valuing: http://collectdolls.about.com/cs/howtos/ht/howtovalue.htm/