Doll Restoration

Doll Cleaning~Repair~Restoration

   










I enjoy restoring dolls and would love to clean and restore yours for you. I am a self-taught doll restorationist.  Please see my before and after photos to determine the quality of my work. 
(Also see about me below)

Quick Price Guide:
(more details about pricing below)

         Restringing                                                         $35-$50
         Wigs (wash and restyle)                                       $60-$75
Iris transplant (composition doll)                  $75
          Eye enhancement (composition doll)            $35-$50
         Clothes (wash, iron  and simple repairs)           $25-$40
             Full Restoration (everything except clothes) $90-$300

You must also pay to ship your doll to me and back home to you.
Shipping usually runs from $9-$25 each way depending on the size and weight of the doll.
I suggest USPS priority mail with insurance.
I invoice you through paypal for all services plus return shipping.
I require shipping insurance on all dolls leaving my house.
Email me at jparkerparis@aol.com with pictures of your doll for a free quote.

 

Information about my restorations:

 

I work to retain as much originality of the doll as possible. I do not do any repairs or renovations that I don't feel are necessary. I can do as little or as much restoration as you would like.

 

If you simply want me to clean your doll and do minor work without completely repainting, that's what I'll do. The choice is yours.

Should I restore my doll?

This is a question only you can answer. In my opinion: Restoration is an investment, which should be weighed. It should be reserved for dolls that can no longer be enjoyed because they are in such poor condition.

If a doll is valuable (worth $100 or more in good shape) and a wreck, it is probably worth restoring her.  If she has minimal damage, I would leave her alone. Examples would be composition Shirley Temples and Patsy family dolls, 1950’s hard plastic Madame Alexander dolls and Vintage Barbie Ponytails.

If you have a doll that is a wreck and has only sentimental value, I would restore her to preserve her and to be able to display and enjoy her.

If you have a doll that is not valuable (worth less than $100 in good shape) and not sentimental either, I would not restore her.

Restoration Pricing DETAILS:
(See what's included in restoration below)

Composition Dolls: $10 per inch (example: 18” doll is $180).  I repair any limbs and replace missing fingers/toes with epoxy based sculpting compound.  This is included in pricing. I do not replace the limbs or bodies on composition dolls and I do not clean cloth bodies other than vacuuming or spot cleaning.

Vintage Barbies: $10 per inch, which makes the cost $115. This price does not include replacement of any limbs. It does include everything else to make your doll beautiful again. Green ear treatment included*.

All Other Dolls- Hard Plastic and Vinyl ( I do not restore porcelain or bisque dolls) $8 per inch with a minimum price of $90. Example: Madame Alexander 14” hard plastic doll would be $112 and a Madame Alexander 20” Cissy Doll would be $160. A 1950’s hard plastic 8” Vogue Ginny Doll would be the minimum of $90. Again, this does not include replacing limbs.

Wigs- I wash and restyle most wigs for $60-$75 depending on its size. This is included in restoration prices. Some people only want their wigs restored, not the entire doll. This price is for those people.

Clothing: In most cases, I can clean and repair your antique clothing or replace the doll’s clothing with a style from the doll’s time period for $25- $35, depending on the size of your doll. Dolls up to 22” are $25 and over 23” are $35. This is an extra fee over the price of your restoration.

Note about Green Ear in Vintage Barbies: I can NOT guarantee to remove all green ear. I use a long process and will lift much of the green, but many times not all of it. Sometimes there is still a hue of green depending on how bad the doll was to begin with. In mild cases, it usually removes all of it. The process will take me a few weeks to complete so Barbie’s with extensive green ear will take longer for me to complete.

If you are unsure which price fits your doll. Please email me for a free quote.

What’s included in restoration?

COMPOSITION DOLLS- I do not completely remove all paint from my composition dolls. Some restorationists believe this is necessary, I do not.  Instead, I remove all lifting areas only. I use wood glue (composition is wood) on the edges only of the missing paint to secure the remaining paint and prevent further lifting. Then I fill the area with putty/sculpting compound, sand the area smooth, repaint the area or the entire doll (whichever is needed) and seal with a protective clear coat. Next, I touch up or repaint facial features: lips, nose dots, eye dots, eyelashes, eyebrows and blush (on cheeks, knees, hands, back of elbows and top of feet). After this I add another clear coat. In all your doll will get a minimum of two coats of paint and three coats of clear sealer. This should keep her from crazing again for many years to come and possibly forever.

 

Craze Lines and Cracks- Composition Dolls

I fill and cover craze lines and cracks. Small craze lines can often be covered/filled with paint. Deeper cracks require a filler. I remove all lifting paint, fill with putty and sand to a smooth finish.

 

Painting

I either match the paint for spot treatment or completely repaint the entire doll when necessary. I use acrylic paints and an airbrush. I only completely repaint composition dolls. I just touch up other dolls as needed. At one time, I hand-painted the hair of composition dolls. You'll see some of my dolls have hand-painted hair. I now only airbrush hair. Airbrushing looks more original.

 

Broken/Missing Areas

I resculpt toes, fingers etc. on composition dolls.
I can reattach most broken limbs.

 

Stringing

I restring your doll, if needed

 

Facial Features

I touch up or repaint all facial features as needed.

 

Clear Coating

I seal composition dolls with satin varnish to help prevent future crazing.

 

Wigs

I remove and gently wash mohair and human hair wigs (when needed) and restyle your dolls hair. I comb and curl your mohair and human hair wigs with a small curling iron and finish it with hairspray.  I wash and curl synthetic hair with rollers (synthetic hair would melt with a curling iron). Then I re-style and hairspray.

If your wig needs to be replaced, we will discuss our options. Often, I can save wigs in very poor condition as long as there is is still enough hair for me to work with.

 

Eyes

I can enhance shattered original eyes (paint pupils and iris's if needed and then cover with a shiny clear coat) or replace iris/pupils when needed. I can also fill in missing eyelashes.

 

 

ALL ABOVE IS INCLUDED IN FULL RESTORATION PRICE. YOU MUST ALSO PAY TO SHIP YOUR DOLL TO AND FROM MY HOUSE.

EMAIL ME WITH PICTURES OF YOUR DOLL FOR A FREE QUOTE.

 

 

Clothing

I can clean and do basic mending to your dolls clothing for an additional fee. If  I feel your clothing is too fragile or damaged for the process, I'll let you know. You can send your doll's clothing with her and I'll redress her after the restoration is complete.

Why is doll restoration so expensive?

It is a very tedious time-consuming process. I spend an average of 16-24 hours on each doll I restore. In addition to the time it takes, there is also the cost of supplies and equipment to consider.

ABOUT ME:

I have a creative background that has allowed me to learn this process. In my younger years, I worked for a cosmetic company (Clinique) and did make-overs for people for 3 years. They trained me. When my children were small, I was in business for myself in home decor sales providing floral and interior design services. I worked for 6 years decorating people's homes. For  10+ years, I worked in the print industry where I was an advertising manager and a graphic designer. I put together magazines and promotional materials for a newspaper. Now I'm the marketing director at a local assisted living and memory care community where I work with seniors who played with these dolls when they were little.

Along with a life-long love for dolls and lots of practice, the combination of these experiences gave me what it takes to restore dolls.  I don't have a degree in any of these things (there's no such thing as a degree in doll restoration). I actually have a BBA- Bachelor of business degree  from Texas A&M University-Commerce, Texas. I also have a love of restoring dolls and a natural talent for creative things. You can trust that I will do everything in my power to make your doll beautiful again. I try to use the least invasive process possible that will still insure many years of renewed beauty for your doll. It is my goal to restore your doll to her original beauty, not completely create a new doll.

 

DISCLAIMER:

I can not guarantee that I can erase all traces of damage to your doll. There is sometimes evidence of a repair if an area was seriously damaged. I do promise you will be amazed at the transformation and your doll will look 100% better. Just remember she will still be a very old doll!

If I have not received your FULL payment in 60 days, I reserve the right to keep or sell your doll. I do not have room to store your doll indefinetly.