Antique doll & teddy bear restoration by Pauline Porter

Antique doll & teddy bear restoration by Pauline Porter Repairs to antique/vintage bisque, composition, plastic, celluloid, wax dolls and antique/vintage teddy bears and other toys.

I have been restoring antique dolls for over 10 years and live in Kensal Green. I restore bisque, composition and papier mache doll heads and bodies, make new fingers for hands, reset glass and stationary eyes, re-paint facial features and bodies and restring limbs. I can also carry out work to hard plastics, celluloid and wax and my restorations are not limited to doll's only so please ask if you

have something for restoration/repair as estimates are free and I can give an initial appraisal from a photograph

Hello again, It's been some time since I have written a post but yes, I am still restoring dolls, teddies and other anti...
12/09/2023

Hello again, It's been some time since I have written a post but yes, I am still restoring dolls, teddies and other antique and vintage toys. I find I am quite busy these days and it is not always possible to write up all of the work I do, there is simply not enough time! So today instead of writing about what I have been doing, I am going to share photos of items that I have restored more recently. Please note that I can also restore none toy items made with various materials, which include Bisque, chalkware, china, wax, celluloid and composition. I also make and repair mohair wigs, create paperweight eyes and install them.

At the end of last year, I received two dolls, donated by a family member of the original owners. One of these, a 1928-1...
30/05/2022

At the end of last year, I received two dolls, donated by a family member of the original owners. One of these, a 1928-1930, Horsman, 16” composition Baby Dimples doll, had originally been owned by Jennifer Evans’ mother (now deceased). Jennifer said she had hoped her own daughters would want to keep the doll as a family memento, but they had said it was too scary on account of the damage to the composition.
The doll had crazing covering the whole head and limbs, although the cloth body was in good condition. Crazing is a condition that happens to composition over time when stored at different temperatures, or when the composition has come into contact with water. The effect is quite alarming but can be restored with time and patience.
The second doll, 1920/30’s an all composition 9”(character doll) was donated by Alison Morgan, Allison told me that the doll had belonged to her aunt Mary, her father’s youngest sister. The doll was in poor condition, some of the composition head was missing at the back, her fixed eyes had fallen out and the body was in pieces.
The doll needed the head repaired with papier-mâché and pulp. Although the original set eyes were usable, I decided to give her sleep eyes as these are always preferred. I decided to redress her as a fairy as she had no costume or wig to restore and Fairies are always in demand for Christmas celebrations, and as keepsakes to hand down through families.
Since my last blog, I have completed several other restores and will give a brief outline of these as the rest of the information can be found attached with the photographs. These include a papier-mâché, French Bulldog growler that had damage to the neck, collar and nodding mechanism. I have restored three of these in the last two years and you can find photos and information on them if you scroll through my business page. I’ve also made a new muslin body for a vinyl doll that was the childhood doll of a famous actress. She received the doll in the early 1980s and is very attached to it, so wanted it restored. Great way to keep memories alive! I have also added photos of a restoration of a doll's wig, and several Schoenhut wooden play-set circus figures, that I restored earlier this year

26/04/2022

Papier-mâché French Bulldog "Growler" restored by Pauline Porter, in operation

Papier-mâché French Bulldog "Growler"This is the fifth papier-mâché French Bulldog growler toy that I’ve restored in the...
26/04/2022

Papier-mâché French Bulldog "Growler"

This is the fifth papier-mâché French Bulldog growler toy that I’ve restored in the last eighteen months. This growler was produced in France in around 1930, then purchased second hand and brought to the U.K., in the 1950s.
The damage to the neck and collar occurred some time after that, and resulted in the head being separated from the body. As you can see in photos, there was a fair amount of work to create the missing neck part, neck mechanism and collar. I also restored colour to parts of the body that were faded, resulting in the growler being considered in excellent condition. Please message me if you have a growler or other antique toy needing restoration. Please scroll through my business page to see videos of the other growlers I've restored. You can also find photos of the other types of restoration work I carry out: These include; papier-mâché, bisque, composition and wax dolls, antique and vintage teddy bears, some modern dolls and other toys, please ask

These are the dolls' and their details that appear in my film Christmas Fairies 2021. Contact me via the message button ...
16/11/2021

These are the dolls' and their details that appear in my film Christmas Fairies 2021. Contact me via the message button for more information or photos

Address

Buchanan Gardens
London
NW105AB

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+442089690823

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