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I would like to find an antique doll appraiser and doll hospital in the southern California area?

I have an antique doll, approximately 100 years old, which I would like to have appraised. I would also like to locate a doll hospital to have the eyes put back in place, they aren't broke, just fell out of the socket and into the head. Any suggestions (southern California area) for an antique doll appraiser and/or doll hospital? The Antiques Road Show does not have a trip scheduled in California at this time.

I have a book called "Doll Directory " A guide to U/S. Doll Museums By Katherine Witt. It list five places in California
Angels Attic 310-394-8331 S.Monica

others are in Platerville, Tarzana, Campbell. Tahoe City

I will say that if the eyes have fallen out and rolling around the head, the glass is very fragile, I think the doll should have what we call a pate under the wig, carefully lift the wig do not pull from the back with an exto knife cut around the circle pull up the pate and take the eyes out and wrap in soft tissue. If its broken save every scrap, because I can glue those eyes back to the full position, so most should be able to.

If you look on the back of the head there will be a mark maybe a mold number measure the doll. Then you can look up the dolls maker by the mold number and mark then cross reference it in the Blue Book of Doll values by Jan Foulk. Boarders carries those books stop by and have a cup of coffee and look up your doll and put the book back,

Hope this helps

2008-09-11 05:41:51 by guitarstrummin | Posted in Toys

Any help on cleaning an antique procelain doll?

Does anyone have an idea on how to clean an antique doll that is really dirty. Someone gave it to me and I'm not sure on how to go about cleaning it. I don't want to ruin the doll, but it is in need of a very good cleaning.

I don't usually post links. In this case I will because I know how precious the porcelain dolls are for collectors. Hope this helps.

Cleaning vintage glass and antique porcelain should be done with the utmost of care. Before you wash your porcelain piece you have to remove the dust and the dirt from it. For un-restored antique porcelain you can use a soft brush to remove the dirt and use a mild dishwashing liquid to wash it. Never ever use abrasive cleaners or put porcelain in your dishwasher. Never immerse your porcelain in water completely, it is best to use a damp cloth to clean porcelain items. Use a dabbing or gentle wiping motion. If the porcelain piece has no stains, it is best to leave it alone and use a dry cleaning method instead. Use a dry, soft brush to remove dust and any particles. While cleaning your antique piece you have to take extra care to place it on a soft towel or other soft fabric.


If there is a need to remove some stains from the antique porcelain you can use cotton soaked in hydrogen peroxide (20% vol) and ammonia. You can re-soak the cotton swabs if needed during the cleaning process.


Vintage glass should also be never cleaned in a dishwasher or by using an abrasive cleaner. Wash one piece at a time using mild dishwashing liquid and warm water. Use a plastic bowl or bucket while you wash vintage glass pieces.


Before cleaning glass, take off any jewelry you have on your hands such as rings or bracelets so you don't risk scratching your piece. If you have hard water, consider using bottled or filtered water instead of tap water. Also, pad the washing and drying area with some soft towels or cloths.


If the glass you are cleaning is stained by alcohol or usage of hard water, you can use citric acid or white vinegar with warm water to clean such glasses.


For glass that has a foggy look to it, that is not original to the glass, toothpaste or denture whitening paste will work. Simply put a dab of the paste on your finger and gently rub the glass. This also removes smoke stains from being in a house where there are smokers.


For glass with mineral or chemical deposits, you can use the same chemical cleaner that you use to clean your bathtub or tile from calcium deposits. Be sure to rinse the chemical off quickly though.


When cleaning any glass, it is critical to use lukewarm water to rinse only. Using water that is too hot or too cold may risk shattering the glass.


For very expensive or old cut glass, etched glass or painted glass, be extra careful. Cleaning may damage these surfaces. For very fragile glass like this, it may be best to consult a professional conservator.


Avoid using strong acids while cleaning older glasses since they may etch the glass and spoil the look of the vintage glass.


After cleaning, it is best to let your antiques, whether glass or porcelain to air dry for a bit, then use a soft, lint free towel to gently dab any excess water off of them.


With careful cleaning and handling, your vintage glass and antique porcelain items will look beautiful for years to come.

http://www.articles3000.com/Hobbies/19049/Clean-Vintage-Glass-and-Antique-Porcelain-Safely.html

2007-10-22 20:17:27 by littlebirdsydney | Posted in Toys

antique doll?

I have a 1958 "Sweet Ann" Doll in semi-mint condition with the box.

Her dress has some tears. Part of one of her earrings is missing. And she doesn't have the original hoop skirt or tiara that came with her.

After some cleaning up, I think she could be worth some money.

Can anyone help me in getting an appraisal?

Do you ever watch The Antiques Road Show?

One of the key messages that comes across from that show is that people shouldn't just "fix up" their potentially valuable collectibles. A lot of times someone will try to repair something (or employ an incompetent restorer), and, in doing so, will actually destroy a lot of the value - i.e. I wouldn't clean your doll or sew the dress until you know that that is the right course of action.

If I were you, I would find a couple of reputable dealers in antique dolls and toys, and bring the doll to them and ask what you should do about finding the value of the doll and how to go about getting it repaired in a way that will maximize its worth.

You can also do some research at the library and find books about collecting and restoring dolls. Use them to get a good idea if the dealers are being straight with you, or even if they seem to know what they are talking about.

There is no hurry to do this quickly - the doll is 50 years old, and it will be fine if you sell it at 51 or 54 years instead of now - so you should make sure you do it the right way.

Good luck.

2008-04-25 19:03:27 by Stephanie B | Posted in Toys

How does one remove non-water soluble glue from the face of an antique bisque doll?

I bought an antique Armand Marseille doll on ebay awhile back. Although it was not listed in the description and could not be seen from the pics, someone had tried to reset the dolls eyes and teeth with non-water soluble glue. I was able to loosen the glue enough to remove the eyes and teeth so that I could properly reset them, but there is glue on her face that won't come off with soap and warm water. This glue is like Crazy Glue or Super Glue. Does anyone know how to remove it without damaging the bisque?

http://www.dollcradle.com/dollhospital.nxg

I would contact these people especially with something as valuable as your doll.. i am sure they can tell you what to use and where you can purchase it.. maybe even directly through them

good luck

2007-12-03 22:00:23 by maggiebridget09 | Posted in Hobbies & Crafts

How can I remove dust from antique doll clothing?

I have a pre-WWII Japanese Geisha doll that is fixed to her stand. She and her clothing were hand made, and I want to restore her. She is covered in dust, and it's making the colors look faded on her kimono. I've used a makeup brush(bought new just for this project) and a can of air to remove most of it, but there is still a lot that I can't get. Any suggestions on how to remove it without damaging her?

When I was much younger my parents did a lot of crafting with stained glass. One of their projects was to make a display case for a doll just like you described, which my uncle owned. Once the case was made my mom had the chore of cleaning the doll before it was enclosed in the case.

Back then the cosmetic brush was available but the canned air was not so my mom used an infants nasal aspirator (the blue bulb thing used to clean the mucus out of an infants nose when they have a cold.) I seem to recall that this worked quite well. For the really hard to reach areas my mom purchase a contour eye shadow brush. The bristles were stiffer then a regular eye shadow brush, and the whole shape was kind of like a wedge. The bristles at one end were shorter then the bristles at the other end.

I am also thinking that a tiny stencil brush might work, but only if the fabric of the dolls clothing is in really good shape.

Good Luck

2008-07-02 20:05:14 by Rosemary Ann | Posted in Hobbies & Crafts

How can i find out about my antique doll?

Any advice on websites to visit to discover who made my doll, and what the marks mean on the back of her head would be great. I'd also like to know the value of her but dont know where to start. I do know she is over 100 years old. Ive tried some websites but you have to know who made her to get any info. and since i dont know, they cant help me. Thanks.

I wish you had mentioned what the doll is marked, I might have been able to help you. If you have a picture of the doll you can ask at the Doll Board on ebay or if you want you can email me. I'm no expert on bisque, but I can usually find what I'm looking for. You can also try searching for the mark on ebay or Google. www.dollreference.com is also a very good site to help id dolls.

2007-01-24 18:09:05 by kelstar | Posted in Other - Arts & Humanities

How would I find the value of an antique doll from the early 1900's?

It was my grandmothers, who passed away a year ago and this christmas it was passed down to my daughter (her great grandaughter). It is a plastic doll made in the early 1900's and my grandmother cherished it. I would never sell it but I have a few valuable dolls now and It'd be nice to know what they are worth, also for insurance purposes.

thanks

I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your grandmother and I'm sure her doll is priceless to you no matter what her monetary value is. But I do understand the desire to know what you have.

There are many websites devoted to dolls to help you Identify them and ebay is the best source to find out current market value. But first of all you need to know what terms search with.

I wish I could see a picture so I could help you more. (you can email me one if you want) because there were no plastic dolls in the early 1900's, unless it's celluloid (which is very thin & fragile) Most dolls of that time period were made of bisque and then later, into the1920's & 30's dolls were commonly made of composition. Celluloid dolls were popular from the 1920's into the 1930's as well. If it is hard plastic it would date from the late 1940's - early 1950's and if it's vinyl or blown plastic it could date from the early 1950's until present times. If the doll has a glued on wig it is most likely hard plastic and if it has rooted hair it would probably be vinyl. Plastic is a generic term that can mean many different things, so you need to find out what she is really made of first!

Check the back of the neck & back to see if there are any markings. If there are you can search the web for them. Also, you can go to www.dollreference.com to see if you can find your doll there.

2008-01-02 17:11:47 by Kira | Posted in Toys