Our Repair Philosophy

We have heard many conflicting stories about repair and restoration "devaluing" a doll or "repair will raise the doll's value to above auction price." With collector's now commonly using on-line markets to evaluate doll pricing or scammers using the medium to dupe less sophisticated collectors, this has made it difficult for doll owners to decide what to do with their vintage doll. Most are understandably torn between wanting them to look beautiful now and retain their value for their grandchildren.

The answer is to do what feels right to you. You make your choice based on what feels right to you based on your relationship with the doll.

If you want to play with your doll again, fix her up and play with her. If you want to put her in a glass box as an investment doll and not play with her, do that.

There are three values to keep in mind in relation to your dolls: sentimental, historic, and monetary. You should also keep repair ethics in mind.

Monetary values are what appraisers and antique dealers worry about. Historic values are what museum curators and preservationists worry about. Sentimental values are what the rest of us worry about.

We have to say here that most of our doll jobs have been sentimental jobs with a healthy respect for history and preservation and a quirk of independent creativity based on the materials and accessories we are able to acquire these days. We generally will not undertake a repair job if we feel it might be technically over our heads (e.g. complex mechanical eyes) but we are patient and careful and will talk with you openly about what can and cannot be done. We enjoy handmaking things as they were historically made and we can also make arrangements for outsourcing some work.

Not all repairs will devalue a doll, some repairs and replacements need to be made in order to keep a doll from falling into pieces or somewhat displayable. For early 20th century dolls, most restringing is acceptable, hair arranging and gentle cleaning as well. Any doll from the early 1800's we probably would not be able to handle as they are generally considered museum pieces. Vinyl dolls from the mid-century can be easily cleaned and rewigged with even better synthetic hair these days. There are many fabrics available to make replica clothing. If you choose to go beyond what the doll originally looked like, you are moving into artistically "reborn" dolls and those changes must be declared if you choose to sell the doll.

For very damaged dolls, you do want to make an effort to stop further deterioration and rust. New costumes can be made quite easily that will make your doll worthy of display, just make sure to keep any original outfits or lingerie carefully put away with the doll in acid free paper or cloth (not a plastic bag) even if tattered.

More questions, write to us: Leigh Drake shopkeeper@dollmaker.biz