Dolls, dolls, dolls again!

I had hoped to go to the Austin Doll Show yesterday, but it's a 3 1/2 hour ride each way and I needed to get some things done around here.  I missed the Houston Doll Show last month because it conflicted with a Houston Texans' football game, so it's been a while since I've been to a show.

I remember back in the late 90's through the early 2000's when the doll shows were big events, but in recent years they've been scaled back.  Dolls just aren't as popular anymore.  Many doll prices took a nose dive on eBay too.  There are still certain Vogue Ginny dolls that command a high price, but things just aren't the same.  When I first started collecting I'd be thrilled when I won a beat up Ginny for $45.  Now when they're listed for less they often don't even get bids.

I recently bought a Hitty Doll at an antique show.  The seller told me that people just don't buy dolls anymore.  I told him that I still buy them!  Although I stick mostly with Ginny and the Vogue family of dolls this Hitty seemed like too good a buy to pass up.  She's hand carved and was only $20.  I really don't know much about Hitty, but there are lots of Hitty pictures on Pinterest.  This isn't the greatest picture, but you'll get the idea.  I found a spot on the bookshelf for her.

A while back I bought two Ginnys at a doll show.  The one was a strung Ginny with beautiful facial coloring, but she needed to be rewigged.  I think I showed these pictures once before.

 

Although it was a nice full Ginny wig it was full of fly away ends.  She always had hair sticking out all over the place and in her face.  You can see what I mean in this picture.  She came in the Cathy dress from 1953.  For collectors it's #61 of the Debutante series.  She's really a beautiful Ginny and I think I paid around $35 for her, but the replaced wig needed improvement.

My friend Diane reminded me of the Armor All treatment.  Yes, Armor All is for cars, but it actually helps tame wig hair.  Diane told me that she wets paper towels with Armor All and presses the wet towels on Ginny's hair.  That's what I did and her hair is greatly improved.  Not perfect, but so much better.  I used the Original Armor All. 

 

Note:  If you try this treatment do not get the Armor All on her face or body.  I wrapped Ginny in Press N Seal to protect her.

Maybe someday I'll find the hat that goes with the Cathy outfit.

I also worked on this molded lash walker Ginny.  I bought her at the same doll show for $25 dressed in the Tiny Miss Clown outfit #6041 from 1956.  Often the clown outfit is very faded, but this one wasn't.  Her hair was a frizzy mess and the wig needed some gluing to keep it on her head.

I braided her hair and then gave her the Armor All treatment too.  She's greatly improved.  I've been slowly working on a Halloween scene and I just stuck her on the shelf for a quick picture.  She'll be a part of the actual scene when I get it completed.

It's hard to tell in this picture, but her hair is so much better.  You'll get a better view when I get my scene done and take the final pictures.  I'll be posting them sometime before Halloween.

My friend Linda calls the fixer uppers "previously loved"  Ginnys.  I really like that term.  I remember how much I enjoyed playing with my Ginnys back in the 1950's.  To know that most of my current collection were "previously loved" makes them that much more special to me.  I don't buy the expensive mint dolls.  I know that's what some collectors look for and they like them even better if they're still in the box.  Since I like to "play" with my dolls by redressing them and setting them up in scenes I feel like the mint dolls belong to someone that will preserve and take care of them.  That's just not me.  Besides, I enjoy the challenge of trying to restore my Ginnys.  I also enjoy not paying hundreds of dollars.  :)