“Collectible” is a very broad term which may be applied to a great many items. Then again, dolls are the most commonly collected collectible. For this reason, collectible dolls are frequently what people think of as collectibles.
If you collect dolls or are interested in collecting them, it is important that you educate yourself about them as much as possible. Learning how to properly take care of your collectible dolls will safeguard your investment. This will allow you to keep your doll in perfect condition, and possibly sell it for a profit at a later date.
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After buying a collectible doll, it is important that the packaging be kept in perfect condition when you remove the doll. You should do your best to keep the packaging in excellent condition. To ensure that your doll has a long shelf life, it will be necessary for you to remove the doll from its package so you can prepare the doll for storage.
The first step is to remove any tape from the ribbons in the doll’s hair. The resale price for collectible dolls will be seriously impacted if glue from the tape gets on the fabric. Anything that might rust should be removed from the packaging. The doll could be ruined if pieces of metal in the packaging rust.
The length of time you will be keeping your doll will influence the way you choose to prepare your doll for storage. You should buy special acid free tissue paper for wrapping collectible dolls, which is available at hobby stores. Than you should remove the doll’s clothing and wrap tissue paper around the doll before putting the clothes back on. By doing this, the integrity of the fabric will be maintained for an extended period of time. Dyes from the fabric may be transferred to the doll’s skin if you don’t use tissue paper to wrap the doll. It would not be good for your doll to have a stained face!
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The eyes of the doll are the next area to be treated. If your doll’s eyes move freely or close when the doll lies horizontally, they need to be specially treated with diluted isopropyl alcohol (one part alcohol to one part water). Lay the doll on its back and treat the eyes with a thin layer of the solution. After wiping the eye area with a clean rag made of cotton, you should let it dry thoroughly. This treatment will ensure that your doll’s eyes are completely clean and dust free. Dolls with eyes that are glued shut are certainly less than desirable!
Once your doll has been prepared for a long shelf life, you can just put the doll away and forget about it. Dolls shouldn’t be bought as an investment as their value will not increase significantly over time. Dolls should not be bought if your only motivation is to profit from them. People who love collectible dolls can hope that they will increase in value with time. It is for this reason that you must perform the necessary steps to protect your doll.
I hope you found this article useful. You may also be interested in the Heavenly Handfuls collectible dolls here: Heavenly Handfuls
April 8th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
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