Handbook of Doll Repair & Restoration
by Marty Westfall

Publisher:  Crown
ISBN:  0517887355

The Handbook of Doll Repair & Restoration is a classic in its field. The book is a MUST for any collector of antique or vintage dolls, as it gives detailed instructions and illustrations for the repair and restoration of china, bisque, and composition dolls. First published in 1979, the book is as valuable today as it was 20 years ago, if not more valuable because of the continued deterioration of many composition, cloth and leather bodied dolls during the 20 year time period.

The book covers the repair of doll heads, setting various types of eyes, wigs, repairing composition bodies, restringing dolls, restoration and repair of kid (leather) bodies, and cloth bodies. There are even instructions for dealing with delicate wax dolls!

The book has a well-done table of contents. A collector can immediately find the technique she is looking for, including setting sleep eyes, refurbishing old wigs, or making a cloth body. Illustrations are mostly well done line drawings, with a few photographs. Doll collectors for the most part will not have trouble deciphering the line drawings, although a new collector might be a little confused.

Two of the most valuable sections of the book deal with detecting a repaired doll, and how to distinguish replicas and fakes. Ms. Westfall details several tricks that you can use when buying dolls in any situation which will help you determine if the dolls are authentic and also if they have been repaired.

One of the most detailed parts of the book are the chapters on making cloth and leather doll bodies. There are many patterns included (all must be enlarged) and good instructions. The sections on restringing, wig refurbishment, and composition repair are absolute MUSTS for all collectors who have old dolls that are not in perfect condition. The list of suppliers in the back of the book has been updated with this latest printing, and is very useful.

Author Marty Westfall has been a professional dollmaker and restoration artist for 36 years. For 12 years, she made antique reproductions for Dollspart Supply Company. She is a lecturer and teacher on dolls, and her articles on doll shave appeared in many magazines, worldwide.

Denise Van Patten, your Guide for Doll Collecting