Doll Stand Magic
Ok, everybody who has had trouble getting a doll to stand up on a regular doll stand, raise their hand!
Ah, that's what I thought! (You can put your hands down now.) Generic stands have given all of us problems at times. So, one of us needs to invent an all-purpose, workable doll stand and make a million bucks, or we adapt what we have available. I kind of like the $1,000,000 idea, but in the mean time . . .
Those wonderful artists who devise special stands for particular dolls, like Rustie's huge fashion ladies and Bill O'Conner's flower fairies, solve our problem. But what about all those dolls who come "complete with stand" and then precariously balance on it or the ones posed not to need a stand and fall over when you let go?
Illustration 1 shows the parts of a generic doll stand. The larger the stand, the wider the base and the longer the ring. And, supposedly, the weight of the doll itself will anchor the stand. However, 30" tall dolls do not all have the same size waist nor are they all the same weight. And there are special problems such as a lack of grip on a full-body porcelain doll, cloth dolls without firm bodies, tightly fitted clothing that won't allow for the ring to encircle the waist without distorting the costume, and dolls intended to sit on a stool or to lean sideways. So, let's take those one at a time.
First, when weight and/or a larger base is necessary, a circle or square -- or octagon, or hexagon, or whatever -- of any wood from particle board to hard woods can be attached to the bottom of the base and stained or painted. It can be screwed through the base or simply glued with a good quality wood glue. Another option is to remove the original base of the stand and attach the stem directly to the new, heavier base.
When the ring just doesn't fit the waist, there are a number of tricks to try. The amount of curve in the ring itself can be adjusted using pliers and a vise -- or a husband can come in handy, too. Bend each side of the ring in or out a little at a time until you get a better fit. Or use a ribbon threaded through the loops at the front of the ring and tie it securely around the waist (I use this method with a pair of fairly large all porcelain baby dolls I own.) Also, using a ring from a smaller stand in a larger base, or visa versa, can be the answer to both waist size problems and height/size differences. And, of course, there is converting the regular stand into a saddle stand, as in illustration 2 and many possible variations thereof. I like eliminating the ring around the waist entirely and bend the two ring holders to simply come up between the legs of the doll and let the ring rest against the body of the doll in the front. If added stability is necessary, you can still use the loops to tie a ribbon around the doll.
Sometimes a doll will stand straighter if the base stem is bent slightly forward or backward from the base. Using gentle pressure, the stem will adjust to an appropriate angle. The ring holders can also be bent forward at the appropriate height for your particular doll to allow for more clearance between the back of the doll and the base stem. Using your pliers again, angle the two holder pieces forward and, if necessary, angle the ring at the neck so that it is level when it encircles the waist. Just be sure that there is sufficient length of the holder in the channel to keep it from slipping out.
For seated dolls, a small stand with the rings widened if necessary and/or a tie used, can be placed under the dress and the doll sat on the base. Bend the stem at the base of the stand sideways and adjust the angle of the rings for a side-seated doll. If the costume does not hide the stand, gradually adjust the angles until it is completely behind the doll or add a little decoration to the display to hide it.
Of course, the object is to securely position the doll in the desired pose and one needn't use a commercial stand at all. Use your imagination to construct something that will work for you. Any sort of base with a steady upright can be used with a tie or even a length of Velcro attached to it and fastened around the doll. How about sharing your answers to this problem? Or have you invented that million dollar stand?
