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this is how Deanna is looking these days!

Deanna Durbin..Ideal Doll from 1939

marked Ideal Doll..25.. and the head is marked Deanna Durbin...

So far, the doll has been disassembled, and wig has been carefully removed. I have ordered a product that is highly recommended for working with her crazing and cracks...it is called Craze Control Formula and Care Repair. These product come as a kit, and they are available through a company called Colorado Doll Faire. They are located in Fort Collins, Co. This company does have a web site it is Colorado Doll Faire I will continue with the reconstruction and repair process when I have obtained the proper materials to do so.
the restorative process has begun...last week a small box from Colorado Doll Faire arrived... I opened it to find (I ordered two kits, just in case) two sandwich sized glassine envelopes with a white powder like substance, and two vials filled with what looked like loose silly putty, and two vials filled with what looks like acrylic paint. And one sheet of directions...

The first thing I did after reading the directions was to grab one leg, and begin filling in the larger cracks with the silly putty looking stuff...also called care repair...this process was very fast, and worked very well. I also used the same stuff to begin rebuilding the part of the foot that was damaged. Setting this leg aside to dry...I focused on the other leg. The directions said the other vial craze control formula should be mixed with the powder substance craze control powder to make a thin paste, this paste is a craze repair, cleaner for the composition doll...I did that and went to work on the arm (very bad crazing, with some chunks of paint missing...well, not only did the stuff work, it seemed to take the minor cracks and make them melt back into place. the arm is still needing work, but after rubbing with the craze control, I went to work with the care repair and filled in all the parts that were missing, and I remade the finger that was broken off. Putting this part of the doll aside...I decided to work on the face...her lovely face has some big cracks by the eyes, and I was very nervous about trying to work with them...however, a tiny bit of the care repair filled in the cracks so nicely, and by dampening my finger, I was able to smooth the area to almost perfection.

At this point, I realized that I needed to stop so we could take some pictures of the process, so this being done...we are waiting for the next steps to begin...I have to go back and sand some of the areas, I have to work on her face some more, but she is looking wonderful, and with a little luck she will be reassembled in a couple of weeks, then the fun will begin with my attempts at redressing her (will try to remake the dress pictured below)...one thing I want the folks following this to realize...I have never done this before, it is fun, it is also hard work...I don't want her to look like she just stepped out of the factory, that is NOT my objective, I want to restore some of her previous glory, and I want to stop the damage from continuing...I am one of those collectors that prefer dolls in original condition even if it means not mint...

I have gone back to work on the doll, thus far, she has been sanded, repeatedly...I have continued to rebuild her foot, it is looking very good...I also discovered that one of the stringing wires in her right arm wouldn't stay in place (impossible to restring this way) so I used some of the silly putty like stuff and worked it into the socket and hole for the wire...after setting, the wire now seems to be holding well, and I can think about restringing. I have not repainted the doll I am still not sure if I want to do this, but I am beginning to think that I must do this for the doll to look her best...I WILL NOT REPAINT HER FACE AT ALL. we have been taking pictures, BUT...the scanner is not available right now...so it will have to wait a while longer. sorry about that! will fill you in on any progress in the next few weeks.

Deanna Durbin..25 inch Ideal Doll

This is what I hope to get back for the doll, some of her original beauty and dignity...