Practical Do’s and Don’ts for Preserving your Barbie Collection
You have a sizeable Barbie collection, and it is the apple of your eye. Perhaps you have some vintage dolls, which you were able to purchase NRFB (never removed from box). Maybe you just own a large number of dolls, which you love to display lovingly all around your home. Of course, if you are like many collectors, you probably have a few showpieces, which you keep under lock and key in a curio cabinet, and a larger number of dolls which you may have on display on a variety of shelving choices. Whatever the size of your collection might be, you want to ensure that you will properly preserve the dolls and their accessories, yet sometimes you might not be as certain as to how to accomplish this task.
You have probably heard of the many ways to display the dolls, and quite possibly also had your ear to the ground when it came to buzz on how to preserve your treasures. Here are some practical dos and don’ts for preserving your Barbie collection.
Preservation begins with a proper mode of display. For this reason, the first and foremost rule of thumb is to store your dolls out of the reach of direct sunlight. Sunlight is known to fade the colors of dresses, packages, and pretty much anything else it reaches, while it will also contribute to the rapid ageing of rubber accessories. This ageing is the prime reason for cracking near zippers, and shoes that will split. Sun damage cannot be easily repaired but will instead lessen the value of your doll collection.
Store rubber accessories in separate little plastic bags. These bags may be purchased at stores that cater to collectors, numismatics, and even at arts and crafts stores. Remember that rubber will disintegrate and may quite possibly also cause the disintegration of other plastics that are stored near it.Â
Moisture is probably the number two enemy of your collection. Moisture in the air, moisture from the fluctuation of the seasons, moisture created by in home humidifiers, and even cooking moisture can wreak havoc on your collection! While there is probably no way that you can lock up your dolls in an airtight showcase, you can purchase some silica gel - the little packets you shake out of new shoes that you are taking out of their cartons for the first time – and keep it around your doll collection. It will suck any excess moisture out of the air and protect your dolls. Of course, it will do precious little when it comes to protecting your dolls from the ravages of water through accidental means.
Do not give in to Internet fads that claim that the best way to preserve a doll’s white complexion is to immerse her in bleach. As a matter of fact, stay away from bleach! It will add to the deterioration of the doll and her clothing, rather than conserving the whites. In addition to the foregoing, the bleach will damage the plastic materials that were used when the doll was manufactured, and repeated application of bleach may actually put your dolls into a rather poor condition.
Do not rummage through your garage in search of questionable chemicals like Armor All, which some doll collectors use to create dramatic effect on the rubber portions of their displays. It will break down the dolls in time, even though it will do a wonderful job on your dashboard.
Do not starch your doll’s clothing. The starch attracts insects! Similarly, do not fill your dolls with cob bedding, or any other material that is designed to take moisture away from them – all these materials also attract are insects, vermin, and other undesirable animals that will want to make their nests in these materials.
It is obvious that preserving a Barbie doll collection is a serious undertaking, and should only be done by judiciously separating Internet facts from fiction and myths perpetuated by those collectors who will also pass on any email they get that asks to be passed on – you know the kind. If you hear of a method of preservation that sounds too good to be true, or simply too outrageous to be genuine, err on the side of caution and contact a doll museum. The curators there should have the professional knowledge necessary to let you know quickly if the latest methods are more hype or will actually help you to keep your collection look great for many years to come.
