Composition toddler doll needing a complete restore. Someone had previously did a restore. They used EXCELLENT materials but their artistic skills left something to be desired. I found dried up mud in both the legs. You can tell it is a toddler style because the legs are straight for standing. Change the legs to the bent and you have a baby type. This head was used by different companies for various dolls. NO markings.Previous work may have removed the letters.Confirmed identity is a Horsman Gold Medal baby. 1930's to very early 1940s .
I was hoping I would not have to strip it all down. But as I could put a straight pin under the paint it would flake off too easily. That means the adhesion is breaking down. So I am going back to bare compo and will build up from that. I can do the repairs before I start a new paint job. Fingers had been repaired on one hand and the pointer finger was TOO wide and did not look natural. I am not the greatest sculpture but I did get the base smaller and closer to matching the others.
So she is in her very rough stages.
Attempting to paint in humid weather is the pits. Give me a dry air winter house anyday. I let the paint "cure for over 72 hours and when I strung her together, the paint "tore" in places where the joints go together... so I am patching and going to try a hair dryer on her to harden her paint.
I took her apart 3 times!. She now has even more to seal her color and coat of wax to protect and a wig (to be shown later) and now to dress...then she can go home.
She is going home REAL soon now.
