My favourite old plastic doll has got an arm that seems to be “withering” and drying out, is there any way of repairing this?
This may be the sign of the dreaded Hard Plastic Disease or Plastic Doll Disease. After the second world war the plastic used in doll production was not always stable. The warning signs are a very strong smell of vinegar, the wrists go white and split (example) and the arms discolour, wither and shrink and give the appearance of being dry and brittle (example). There are many tell-tale signs in the head. The face often discolours and can show a faintly powdered surface, the nose can shrink inwards and begin to disintegrate, the head can distort and become more pointed at the top (example) and the head itself can split, often at the neck (example). In severe cases the body itself can distort and split (example). If you can catch the disease in its early stages it is worth treating – see example. “Doll Magazine” had an excellent article about this disease in Issue 43 – May 2001 and they suggest treating the doll in the following way. Unstring the doll and wash it in an antiseptic wash, s
