Has anyone tried to reborn an antique doll?

[Barbara L.]

...This might be a bad question. I know antiques are very special and should
be treasured for the most part, but if a doll is in bad shape and could be reborned -- not necessarily to look original, but better than
it looked originally, wouldn't that be better than it sitting in a box or thrown in the trash by someone who doesn't
want to save it?

Like this doll at a great price with accessories: (this in not my auction, I just thought the doll needs someone to love it)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-Antique-Ea ... OSwf-VWZHK~

[Pebby]

It's a composition doll, so baking it isn't possible I don't think.....so reborning would be out. There are ways to restore them though.

Just what I was going to say

[ladyelizabeth]

Definitely a restore (not reborn) project -
As a collector of antique and vintage dolls, I treasure their marks and scars...
and only give the doll a very gentle cleaning and stitching up of holes/rips or other easy fixes.
While I have seen some lovely antique Restorations, I prefer keeping the doll as Original as possible,
so as to retain Her Narrative History.

[suebabygirl]

Rosewood jannie does some lovely restorations. You could ask her. I also have a lady locally who does restoration of antiques for a living. She is one of the best. If you are interested, I can give you her number.

[Barbara L.]

Thanks for the comments and offer of a phone number for someone to restore the doll.
I am not going to buy it, but I wanted to ask. I hadn't thought about not being able to bake it.
I guess air dry paints could be used. I do understand about trying to keep the history,
but someone once took a challenge on when they took a berenguer doll and added craft paint to its face
and cut it's body off to put it on a cloth body. (not the same as an antique, of course)
And look where doll collecting is now...that was before artists sculpted just to make a kit or silicone edition.
Some people have reborned the collectible Middleton dolls, or Ashton drake dolls, even old play dolls.

I love the creativity and all kinds of dolls...this was just a question because I was curious about
the idea, only when the dolls are in bad shape.

[Brooke]

I'm been tempted several times too. But I know the value of antique dolls and such lie in their original condition and their box too, so if you started doing restoration it would probably devalue the doll. If you want to restore it just for your own pleasure and for display, not for resale, it would be a challenge. When I've looked at composition dolls like this I always think that dealing with the opening/closing eyes would be almost impossible. Hmmmm, I wonder what the original paint used was? Just curious. If you stripped her and then used air-dry or acrylic paint would it work? Thinking out loud here...
Just found this on YouTube

[Barbara L.]

The youtube video is wonderful!

[Rosewood Jannie]

Thank you Suebaby...
Here's my take on it...if the doll was mass produced...and is..in the case of this doll..pretty much had it..I would move to restore it.
I'm doing one now, given to me by a Doll fan friend..who's face is cracked...she's wigless and I'm fairly certain her body is a marriage, I'm trying to keep Face painting original as possible but I have no qualms about restoring her
Being rubber...there's no fixing this ones body....the head could be put on a new body and with very little other fixing...be given a new life

[tuckerk]

Jannie I have a baby tiny Tears with this type of body and it just deteriates...........She is a cute baby otherwise............such a shame..........so glad you help some of these babies out..............Hugs, Kathy

[Rosewood Jannie]

Jannie I have a baby tiny Tears with this type of body and it just deteriates...........She is a cute baby otherwise............such a shame..........so glad you help some of these babies out..............Hugs, Kathy

Thank you Kathy...it's my favorite part of doll collecting.