A (Doll) Eye for An Eye - Doll Eye Replacement & Caring for Your Vintage Dolls

So many dolls, so little time! Vintage dolls are a common and widely popular category of collectibles.  Whether it was your great grandmother, grandmother, mother, sister or Aunt, I am willing to bet we all know at least one person with a doll collection of some sort!  The variety of dolls that can be collected today is endless, and collectors have nearly infinite many ways of collecting and sorting dolls--by era (antique dolls, vintage dolls, modern dolls), by material (bisque, wood, wax) by theme (celebrity dolls, Alice in Wonderland dolls), by function (play doll, collector doll, utility doll) and by type (baby doll, fashion doll, ball-jointed doll).   One thing is for sure, you will never run out of options or possibilities when adding to your vintage doll collection!

It is important to remember, however, that although your collection has the ability to grow and multiply throughout your years as a collector, your collection will not hold its value without the proper care and repair of your dolls.  Nothing stays in mint condition forever!  Before we talk about how to properly maintain your vintage doll collection, it is important to know what criteria influences their value.

Factors Influencing the Value of Vintage Dolls

Availability, Rarity, and Demand

The “availability” of the doll usually refers to how many of that particular model was produced.

The rarity of your vintage doll is one of the most important factors affecting it’s initial value.  The rarity of a doll creates a higher demand, which directly influences how much it is worth.  Sellers will demand higher prices and auction values will soar.  The tiniest thing on a doll can increase the rarity.  For example, the original 1959 Barbie doll with the pony tail is worth far more than the “Bubble Cut” hairstyle Barbie doll produces just a few short years later, even through the face mold for both dolls was identical.  

Was the doll mass produced or hand-painted in small quantities by a famous artist?

Condition

This factor is one that we will touch on more below, when we discuss repairing and maintaining your doll collection.  The better the condition of the doll (especially in relation to it’s age), the higher the value.

Original Packaging

Dolls are often worth more if they come with the original box!

Age

If the doll is still in good condition, as a result of limited handling throughout the years to good, solid repair/restoration, the value is going to increase significantly.

Restoring, Repairing, and Maintaining your Vintage and Antique Dolls

There are two options to choose from when repairing and maintaining your Vintage Doll collection:  You can have your dolls restored by a professional, which can get pricey, or you can take it upon yourself to learn the ins and outs of doll repair.  If your doll is simply missing an eye or needs to be cleaned, the do-it-yourself method can save you a lot of money that could be better spent on expanding your doll collection! 

Let’s start with the most common doll repair need: the eyes!  If the eyes are the window to the soul, then your dool can have any type of soul that your desire!  The eyes can make one of the biggest differences in the appearance and value of your doll.  Even better, there are almost an infinite number of different possibilities out there to choose from when replacing your doll’s eyes!

There are four main materials that compose doll eyes on the market: glass eyes, silicon eyes, acrylic eyes, and urethane eyes.

Glass Eyes

Glass eyes are the oldest type of doll eye.  They are durable and have a natural appearing, glossy shine.  Glass eyes are generally slightly more expensive and can range in detail and size.  For the most part, you get what you pay for in terms of detail when you purchase glass eyes for your vintage dolls.  The more threading in the pupil of the eye, the more expensive.  These types of eyes are also heavy and come in a smaller range of color than silicon, acrylic, and urethane eyes.  

Silicon Eyes

This type of doll eye is sometimes known as soft glass.  They come in many different colors and are flexible, allowing for insertion into dolls with awkward eye openings.  The disadvantages of silicon eyes as opposed to glass eyes is that they do not have as much shine and do not photograph well because of their matte appearance.

Acrylic Eyes

These eyes are very inexpensive and popular with modern doll companies because of their ability to take on many different unique looks.  The disadvantage to using acrylic doll eyes is that they scratch easily.

Urethane Eyes

This type of eye was once very hard to find but now are more common in the marketplace.  Urethane eyes come in a wide range of different colors, sizes and styles.  Like acrylic eyes, however, urethane eyes scratch easily!

Do-it-yourself: Replacing Doll Eyes

I found this video on youtube.com very useful should you decide to replace your own doll eyes!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpHppDES8uI

Eye Replacement Alternatives

If the potentially trial-and-error method of replacing your own doll eyes isn’t for you, there are some ways to repair and clean your doll’s current eyes if the damage isn’t too sever.  Here is a helpful article I found on using the “Blowdryer Method” and the “Cleaning Method” to repair scratched and cloudy-appearing doll eyes:
(courtesy of http://www.adollysworld.com)

Scratches on Eyes / Dull Eyes

This is a neat little trick if you dolls eyes have some light scratches to the glass:
*  Put a coat of the clear sealer on them
*  Make sure you apply the clear sealer evenly.
*  A coat of sealer will also brighten up dull eyes that are "not" cloudy but dull.


Cloudy Eyes

The Blowdryer Method

When I have a doll with cloudy eyes first I clean the eyeball with doll cleaner or vinegar and a toothpick and Q-tips. This way you can see if it is just film is on the outside or has spread to the inside. If it has spread inside then the first thing I try is the blow dryer method.

Hold the dryer so that it blows directly on the eye(s). This can take awhile and you may want to do it for about 10 minutes at a time to see what happens. If it looks like it is working then you can do it longer. I usually do this a few times in a day.

If they do not completely clear up then I use a combination method

The Cleaner Method:

I use a product called “De-solv-It.” I like this product best but am told Orange Glow works too. I have used other cleaners but a oil based cleaner seems to work best.

This method does involve getting the eyes wet. I have only used this method on vinyl heads.

Do not use this method if the head is hard plastic or the eyes are set on a metal rocker.

First I lay the dolls head back and spray the cleaner filling the eyes. Then I start flushing with hot water for several minutes keeping the head tilted back. I turn her over, let the eyes drain and repeat the process. Sometime I will alternate between cleaner and vinegar (which helps to kill the mold). This process can be repeated several times until they clear up. After they are clear lay dolls face down on a towel for about 10 minutes to let the water drain out. Then I follow this by using the blow dryer method again (see above). On rare occasion they will cloud back up after a few days. If this happens, repeat the process again.

This method has worked on 95% of the dolls I have tried it on with NO damage.

Another alternative is buying a vintage table top hooded hair dryer. Long story but a friend of mine accidently stumbled on this for curing her dolls cloudy eyes. Set doll under the dryer for about 30 minutes checking periodically. She swears it clears them right up !!

Where to Purchase Doll Eyes

*Ball Jointed Doll Eye Database:  http://silent-r.com/eyes/?cat=51
*Masterpiece Eyes: http://www.softglasseyes.com/
*Mini World: http://www.miniworlddolls.com/Eyes.htm
*User “jncshop's” Shop on Etsy.com: http://www.etsy.com/shop/jncshop?section_id=5281642
*Safrin Doll: http://www.safrindoll.com/
*Ethereal Angels Eyes: http://www.etherealangels.com/

Tips for Maintaining your Vintage and Antique Doll Collection

Every once in a while, especially if your dolls are handled often, it is important to clean you dolls.  You can do so with a *soft* washcloth and warm water.  If the clothing is dirty and it is not too old/threadbare, it would be OK to hand wash the tiny clothes in the sink using warm water and a little soap.

You can always restyle your doll’s hair by wetting it and wrapping the small locks around drinking straws.  Voila!  You have just made mini doll curlers!  Allow the dolls hair to air dry for a day or two then remove the “curlers” and fluff using a small hair pick.

Keep your vintage dolls away from heating/cooling systems and away from direct sunlight!  An environment that is too dry with intense air circulation can cause any paint on the doll to flake.  UV rays from the sun can fade paint.

Maintain a constant temperature environment.  It is important to avoid exposing the doll to drastic temperature changes, as this will cause a composition doll to expand and contract, causing permanent damage to delicate vintage dolls.

Store your vintage dolls in a room where the humidity stays between 45 and 55 percent. Buy a humidity gauge at most hardware or museum supply stores.  [Consult cigar-enthusiast husband for tips on creating your own doll humidor if possible]

Use UV acrylic or glass doll display cases whenever possible to store your vintage dolls. If you have a large collection, consider building storage cabinets with glass doors for your expanding doll collection. You'll enjoy your dolls and protect them at the same time!

Antique and Vintage Doll Terminology
(courtesy of http://collectdolls.about.com)

If you are going to be a serious collector of Antique and Vintage dolls, you have to walk to the walk and talk the talk!  Especially if you are planning to maintain and repair your collection without a professional.  Here is a list of Vintage Doll terminology I thought you might find helpful!

A
ALL-BISQUE: Doll, usually quite small (under 8”) that is made entirely of bisque parts.  Most all-bisque dolls are from the late 1800s and early 1900s, to about 1930.  Kestner and Simon and Halbig made many of these dolls; many other makers of generally lesser quality also did.  Most of these dolls were made in Germany, but some very early exquisite dolls were made in France, and many crudely made later dolls were made in Japan.
APPLIED EARS:  Ears applied to a doll AFTER the mold for the head has been poured (The ears are molded separately then “applied” to the doll’s head before the head is put in the kiln).

B
BALL JOINTED:  Common method of jointing composition bodies; uses little wood “balls” at joints for movement.
BÉBÉ:  Term commonly used to describe French dolls representing small children.
BISQUE:  Unglazed porcelain; usually molded into shape then baked in high temperatures in a “kiln” to form doll heads and doll body parts.  Most German and French dolls from the late 1800s and very early 1900s had heads made of bisque.
BREVETÉ:  The French word for “patented.”  Sometimes abbreviated to Bte. or B.T.E.; can be found stamped on antique dolls.
BOOK VALUE:  The value of your doll in a price guide; NOT the value you can expect when you sell your doll either on the internet or to a dealer.  Also, please note that a Book Value is generally for a doll in excellent condition; dolls of lesser condition are valued accordingly.

C
COMPOSITION:  A mixture of wood pulp, sawdust, glue and similar items which is used to make bodies for antique dolls and also for entire dolls (head and body) during this century until the advent of hard plastic dolls. 
CELLULOID:  The first plastic used to make dolls; highly flammable and usually quite thin.  Used for dollmaking from approximately the 1920s to the 1940s (generally until Hard Plastic dolls were introduced)
CHINA:  Glazed porcelain used for making dolls heads, very popular in the mid 1800s.
CLOSED MOUTH:  Doll sculpted so that the mouth is closed with no teeth showing.  Prized by collectors of bisque antique dolls, who prefer the closed mouth dolls to the open mouth dolls.
CHARACTER DOLL:  Doll made to look like a living child or adult (and not stylized like most earlier dolls from the 1800s); term popularized in the beginning of the 1900s.
CRAZING:  Little cracks that sometimes form, with age, over the surface of a composition or china doll.  Most composition dolls found today have crazing to some degree.

D
DEP:  Often found on French and German dolls; an abbreviation for the French and German words for “patent.”
DOLLHOUSE DOLL:  Doll generally scaled 1 inch to 1 foot for use in dollhouses (although the earliest dollhouse dolls do not hold to these proportions and are generally larger). 
DOMED HEAD:  Also known as a “Belton Head” this is a head that is made with a closed, or domed top (as opposed to an open head; see below).

E
EXCELLENT CONDITION:  Doll that is not mint but has no major flaws.  Perhaps dress is not perfect or original, there can be minor flaws.

F
FLANGE NECK:  A doll head where the edge of the neck flares out for attachment to a cloth doll body.
FLIRTY EYES:  Doll eyes that can move from side to side.
FASHION DOLL: A French or German lady doll made, generally, with a bisque head, and dressed in fashions of the day (much like our modern Fashion Dolls).  Doll’s body can be made of kid, cloth, wood, or other materials.

G
GES:  Abbreviation for “Gesch” which is the German word for patent.
GOOGLY EYES: Big, round, side-glancing eyes, very popular on dolls from 1910s through the 1920s.
GUSSETED JOINT: Type of joint sewn into leather and cloth bodies that can allow the joint to bend.

H
HARD PLASTIC: Type of durable, very hard plastic used to make dolls in the 1940s and 1950s.
HAIRLINE:  Type of crack in bisque dolls that can often only be seen upon close examination, usually with the assistance of a light.  Hairlines CAN also be seen with the naked eye; not considered as bad a flaw as a crack that has been repaired or one that has bisque missing.
HTF: Common abbreviation at online auctions and doll lists; means ‘Hard To Find.”

I
INTAGLIO EYES: Eyes that are molded into the head that are meant to be painted. 
INSET EYES: Eyes that are set into the doll’s head that do not move; common setting for eyes in dolls from the 1800s and earlier.
INCISED:  Marks that are “incised” are actually scratched into the bisque on a dolls head or shoulder plate.

K
KID: Common term for soft leather used to make French and German fashion doll bodies.

M
MARK OR MARKINGS:  Letters and numbers and symbols placed by the manufacturer of a doll on the doll’s head or body which are invaluable for identifying dolls today; it is often impossible to identify an antique or vintage doll without a mark.  However, please note that not all marks have been identified today. 
MOHAIR:  Hair of the angora goat, used for antique doll wigs. Very desirable; very soft and natural looking wigs are made of mohair.
MOLDED EARS:  Ears that are molded right in with the doll’s head, as opposed to “Applied Ears” (see above).
MOLD NUMBER:  See “Markings: above; the mold number designates the mold that was used to make the doll’s head and can be an invaluable part of the markings for doll identification. 

O
OPEN MOUTH:  Mouth molded open to, generally, reveal teeth inside.  Can also reveal tongues on bisque baby dolls.
OPEN/CLOSED MOUTH:  Mouth molded to appear open, but which does not actually have an opening in the bisque.
OPEN HEAD:  Doll head with the crown cut out so that eyes can be inserted; crown opening is usually covered with a “pate” so that the wig can be put on the doll.

P
PARIAN:  Doll made of unglazed bisque that is also finished without a wash of color; generally bisque appears pure white.
PATE:  Covers the crown hole in an open-head doll; can be made of cardboard, cork, or other materials.
PEG WOODEN:  Early simple wooden doll made with peg joints.
PORTRAIT DOLL:  Term used for dolls late 1800s and early 1900s bisque dolls representing a person. 
POOR CONDITION: Doll is a mess; major flaws; maybe doll is salvageable but even that is in question!
POUPEÉ:  Term used for French fashion dolls; also means “doll” in French.
PROVENANCE:  An antique doll with a provenance is lucky indeed; a provenance usually consists of historical information regarding the original and subsequent owners of the doll.  
PRESENTATION BOX:  Original presentation of antique dolls, doll furniture, clothing and accessories (sometimes in combination)  as found in the original retail stores. 

R
REPRODUCTION: Dolls made to look like antique bisque, china and pariah dolls.  NOT fakes; most reproduction artists are meticulous about marking their dolls as reproductions, BUT be on the lookout for unsuspecting or unscrupulous people who DO try to sell a reproduction as an original. 

S
SHOULDER HEAD:  Doll’s head and shoulders molded together in one piece; usually attached to a kid or cloth body.
SHOULDER PLATE:  The shoulder portion of a shoulder head, OR the bisque shoulders used with a swivel head.
SLEEP EYES:  Dolls eyes that are open when the doll is upright, but close when the doll is put prone.
SOCKET HEAD:  Doll’s head is molded with a neck that is placed into the doll’s body with a cup and saucer like arrangement.
SWIVEL HEAD:  A socket head using separate shoulder plates.

V
VINYL:  Plastic developed in the late 1940s that is the dominant type of plastic used to make dolls since the 1960s; can be hard or soft.
VOICE BOX:  Mechanism in a dolls body that allows the doll to make some sound such as “mama.”

A Little More on Doll Eyes

Here is a current price guide for Acrylic, Glass, and Silicone Doll Eyes: