Early Plastic Doll
This doll is estimated to have been produced between the 1940s-60s as a boudoir doll. At nearly a meter tall, the doll is intended for display on couches and beds rather than for children to play with. The doll is made from blown celluloid and has black saran hair coiffed using pins. She has sleepy eyes and a crying voice box.
The doll was in four parts, with its legs and head separate from the torso and arms which remained strung together. The anchor point for the right leg had popped (sprung) leading to loss of original material and its shape.
Currently on display at the Museum of Science and Technology in Belgrade, Serbia.
As seen on the educational and scientific programme 'All the Colours of Life', Radio Television Serbia.
Treatment:
◦ Water and water-based micellar gel were used for cleaning down the plastic.
◦ The dress was cleaned using a soft bristle brush, water and DBS detergent, then rinsed through with water.
◦ Removed previous repair of badly stitched lace from the dress and restitched by hand using colour matched thread.
◦ Acetone was swabbed on particularly dirty areas of plastic. For example, the shoes, around the fingers and some flecks of paint on the legs.
◦ Dirt was removed from the hair by hand using tweezers as even a low-suction vacuuming was too strong.
◦ Balsa wood was used to support and reinforce the structure of the right leg. Car filler was used to allow the joint to keep its flexibility. The area that was lost was filled and reinforced with Japanese tissue paper and 2-part epoxy. A rotary Dremel with a sanding head and then micro-mesh were used to smooth the surface. Finally, the leg was colour matched and an airbrush was used to cover the fill.