New Life for an Olde Girl

26"  C1850 Kloster V Glass Eye China

When we parted last, as you recall, Olly was merrily trying out eyes. Not shown in my post before, was a set of early pupiless black pinch backs, what she would have originally had most likely.  She does look happy in them doesn't she.

   Both of us really liked these blues ones~ so we decided to give them a try. If set in correctly, eyes can be removed quite easily~ no big deal. Problems arise when dolly has been to Hospital previously, and her Dr. did not know to use plain plaster ~ and instead, used any one of a number of permanent fixatives~ I have seen a mache head filled to the brim with....construction adhesive of all things! There is no getting that out~ not ever~ and it makes an otherwise light head so heavy it endangers its own self, making the doll top heavy and more likely to fall over and break the head or other parts of the doll.

 I use plain ol Plaster of Paris~ not much is needed~ after setting the eyes, plaster is placed over the back of them just enough to hold them firmly in place~

  I use a spoon and puddle the plaster over the back of the eyes, picking up dolly many many times to check and be sure the eyes have not moved. When all is well, she will sit and dry for several days. Now the plaster sets quite rapidly~ within 30 minutes one can pick her up and have no fear of anything moving....but it does stay damp~ so I be sure to let the head set face down on a pillow, with neck open to get as much air flow over the plaster as possible. Before the head is put back on the body,  the cavity is stuffed with tissue paper~ not super hard, but quite firm.

  Here is Olly with her new, olde blue eyes, on her body that she came to me on~ a vintage body~ very nicely made, but quite new. No character what so ever. Above her you will see a wonderful olde all original body that is perfect for her~

  Her replaced china arms are very nice~ quite quite nice actually~ she could have once had china arms and legs, but I dont think I have ever seen a glass eye china with original china arms/legs. The leather ones show years of holding hands and having tea~ they are worn but so full of life still~ I adore them!

  I guess the only thing that really bugged me about her vintage replacement body was the legs~ what can I say, I am a Virgo and little things can drive me absolutely insane!  One can immediately tell the legs are new by the fact there is no wear on the bottom of the feet...no wear on the back of the heels from years of sitting. If you look at the arrows, you will see a tiny bit of wear....on the outside of the shoes~ well...at one point in time they were correctly to the outside~ whoever used them for this body put them on the wrong leg! That is amazing to me and just drives me crazy!  So no question~ this body is history! Out with the new, in with the olde!

  Olly got her new olde eyes, and her new olde body and had a wonderful time chatting it up with the girls for a week or so....but ultimately in the end, she really liked the early pupiless eyes best, so thats what Mommy gave her

  Her delightful little smile is ever so much brighter now, having her olde self back as it should be~