Avoiding Your Doll's Worst Nightmare: Tricks On How to Treat Your Dolls
by Diana E. Vining
Dolly Dingle got a bit creative for Halloween this year. She wanted to come up with a scary costume. But not just scary to the average person, scary to dolls! Besides being a fun and quirky Halloween costume, her outfit also gives us doll collectors something to think about, i.e., the things that bring gloom and doom to our beloved treasures. Let's take a look at each of these:
1. Direct Sunlight- Displaying your dolls in direct sunlight can fade the colors on both the doll and her clothing over time. The ideal spot for a doll is an area that is dry, clean, and that doesn't have direct sunlight.
2. Permanent Markers- Needless to say, you don't want permanent markers anywhere near your dolls! This is especially important to note in households with children. Not only are marks from pens and markers practically impossible to remove, but even if you do remove it, it may leave a permanent stain behind.
3. Playful Pets - They are adorable as can be and so much fun to play with, but while they are known as man's best friend, pets can be a doll's worst enemy. When displaying your dolls, make sure that they are placed in a safe spot, preferably free of pet hair, and where pets will not disturb them.
4. Dirt - The handprints on Dolly's costume are a reminder for collectors, and anyone who handles our dolls, to make sure their hands are clean. By doing this, we can help our dolls to last a very long time. Of course, with age, they and their clothing become more fragile and, therefore more difficult to clean.
5. Smoke - Playfully represented by a toy pipe hanging from Dolly's wrist, this is a reminder to keep our dolls' environment free of cigarette smoke, etc. Doll hair and clothing absorb these odors and make them unpleasant and more difficult to sell in the future if you choose to do so. Many doll listings on eBay specifically note that their item "comes from a smoke-free home." This is a big plus when selling an item, as it gives the buyer confidence that their item will be clean and odor-free.
6. Paint Remover - Of course, this is an essential tool for repainting or customizing a doll. However, if you are working on a different project, or doing your nails, make sure there are no dolls around your work area. It just takes one accidental bump to make a spill that could potentially damage your doll.
7. Yard Sale! - This one, of course, is just in good fun. Of course, collectors' interests, tastes, and philosophies change over time, and many times we do need to re-home some of our dolls. (And of course, everyone loves to find a great bargain now and then!) What you can do to ensure a good future for your dolls is to research and know what you have, and it's also a good idea to document that information for others who might not know the value or significance of your collection. This way, your dolls have a better chance of finding a home where they will be better appreciated and cared for.
A lot of these "tips" are common sense, but it's always a good idea to review them as we change our doll displays around and evolve in our doll collecting. The trick is to avoid these "dolly dangers," and the treat is a doll that you will get to enjoy for years to come.
