On the Porcelain Doll Repairs website where I will illustrate the many and varied projects I have undertaken over the last forty or so years! The repairs I have carried out have been diverse and very individual to each doll "patient"!
Work I have undertaken in the past is extensive, the most common problems being dolls which need re-stringing, and the repair of porcelain doll eye movements which have become detached. Having said that, I am more than happy to make up complete eye movements; repair damaged limb sockets and replace real or mohair wigs.
At this stage I would emphasize that I will need to thoroughly examine your porcelain doll in person to give an accurate assessment of work to be carried out and its cost. An example of this is re-stringing, which may first need the restoration of arm and/or leg sockets for the body to accept the pressure of the newly inserted stringing elastic.
From the most common repairs, I would like to tell the story of the most unusual repair I have ever carried out on a porcelain doll. I was the owner of an original Simon & Halbig doll when a lady brought me a similar doll, one size smaller than my own, and asked if I could do anything with it, as it was of great sentimental value to her! The problem was the head was totally beyond repair and in around 30 to 40 pieces, with some bits missing. It was then that I had an idea that as a teacher of replica doll making I could take a mould from my own original doll, and knew that once kiln fired the head would shrink. This would mean that my replica head should in theory mount onto her original body. When the porcelain work was complete the original eye movement fell into place exactly, and her original wig fitted like a glove. I had a very happy customer!