How to Use a Doll Hospital

If you have an old doll that has been damaged, you may be anxious to restore it to its former glory. A way that you can do this is to find a doll hospital. Doll hospitals repair the damaged parts of the doll, whether it requires them to put limbs back on, replace lost eyes or clean the doll. Read on to learn how to use a doll hospital.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Find a doll hospital in your area. Search through the yellow pages or ask doll collectors and retailers of any area doll hospitals.

2. Inquire about the types of dolls that the doll hospital works on. Certain hospitals specialize in specific dolls. Some will repair numerous types including Barbie dolls, porcelain dolls, antique dolls and vinyl dolls.

3. Get a quote on the service that you require. Let them know the extent of the damage to the doll, so that they can give you an idea of the cost to fix it.

4. Take the doll to the hospital. Find out the experience of the person who will be restoring your doll. Ideally, you want a person that has been repairing and restoring dolls for several years.

5. Leave the doll at the hospital. Depending on the extent of the damage, it may take up to several weeks to be restored. The hospital will call you when the doll is ready to be picked up.

Tips & Warnings

• Doll hospitals can also offer replication services for your dolls' antique and contemporary fashions.
• You should always ask to see photos of past restorations completed by the doll hospital.