~ FOREVER CHILDREN ~
~ WELCOMES YOU ~

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Come in and enjoy my
Restorations

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This is a 9" Baby Bumps, Made in 1910
~ One of Horsman's first dolls ~





"A True Master at Restoration and DOLL RESCUE"
Debbie T., Alabama

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MY FAMILY CREDENTIALS:

My daughter Thea Alvin's website

My brother Mark Alvin's website

My cousin John Alvin's movie poster art

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I guarantee my work.
I use, as closely as possible,
the same materials that were originally used
to create the composition dolls I work on.
I do not use plastics, fiber glass, or acrylics
in any of my restorations
because none of these synthetics had been invented
when most of these dolls were made.



If necessary,
Each doll is carefully taken apart.
Composition parts are cleaned
inside and out.
Cloth bodies are unstuffed,
hand washed, line dried and ironed
Then I either patch and mend the original,
or, if it's too far gone,
I use it as a pattern for a new one.
I never use polyfil in my old dolls.

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19" Effanbee Patsy Ann

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19" Mme Alexander
Princess Elizabeth

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17" R&B Nancy

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24" Ideal Baby Coos
Re-Restored



Thickly coated over with acrylic paint,
Which is simply liquid plastic,
This poor baby was all lumps and cracks
And slightly soggy under the paint
She had to be completely peeled and chipped
Then filled and sanded
Before being properly painted with oil based enamels



~ Adopted ~

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27" Papier Mache Head
Ball Jointed









~ Adopted and Flown to France ~

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20" American Character "Little Love"

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16" L. D. Company Doll
Made in 1914

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10" Unmarked Madame Hendren, 1916

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Ideal Soldier Doll, 1940s

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Soozie Smiles Head, 1924

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22" Ideal Baby, 1940s

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26" 1930s
Shirley Temple Look-Alike

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24" Baby Horsman
Made in 1923

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Rare
1910s 16" Madame Hendren
Heavy, cold-pressed composition head and arms







This old baby is so rare and appealing
that I'm afraid I'm going to have to keep her.

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18" Averill
Madame Hendren Baby
1920s

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21" Mystery Mama Doll
1910s






An early mama doll
She is 21" tall and marked "W. M. D."
on the back of her shoulder plate.
I don't know what company used this mark
and can't find it in any of my books.
She's been adopted.

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This is Alicita
25" Unmarked Early Mama Doll

Alicita escaped from Cuba with her owner in the 1960s.
Her owner had twin daughters who inherited her.
She is so beloved by the family
that the twins take turns
having her to visit their homes each month.

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"...You don't realize how good your work is!"
Anne H., Massachusetts

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12" Horsman Campbell Kid from 1948

Her left fingers had been chewed off
Her right arm was missing below the elbow
Half of her left foot was missing
And her overall condition, except for her face, was poor
I began this restoration in 2005
and by the time I'd finally finished her
I'd lost her original before pictures
and had to take pictures
of the only print-outs I had
thus the grainy quality

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1910s Unmarked Girl, 24"













~ Adopted ~

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1924 Horsman Tynie Baby, 21"











Made to compete with the Bye-Lo Baby,
this old Horsman baby doll has
the beautiful face molding of a newborn baby.
This doll was in dramatically bad condition,
with frightening damage to her face,
especially around her eyes,
but I love a challenge.

~ ADOPTED ~

This baby left me breathless! Thank You!!!
Elizabeth W., Missouri

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Antique Greiner Type Papier Mache Head
Old attempted restoration
Broken nose, worn off mouth, broken off at the neck
but wonderful worn hair









Her head is on a custom-made
muslin body with an hourglass figure,
leather lower arms, and jointed hips and knees.
She's 15" tall

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22" Effanbee Mary Ann





Found a home

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23" Horsman Sister



Adopted

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Large Effanbee Lovums Baby


Adopted

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20" Ideal Shirley Temple


Adopted

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Horsman Rosebud 20"




Adopted

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Ideal Shirley Temple 18"



This is a beautiful and rare Shirley with original eyeshadow
Her face was in such good condition that I was able to save most of the details
Her body needed a lot of restoration

Her untagged dress came with little ties on the hem
so she could hold up her skirt and curtsey




Her wig was very dirty and had to be shampooed and reset




Sorry, this doll was a private restoration
and not for sale


"Shirley arrived and is out of this world.
She is all I'd hoped she'd once again be, after 67 years.
Myself and our entire family will be able to enjoy her and her story forever.
A world of gratitude and appreciation for your artistry" JS

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Rare 1912 Louis Amberg & Sons Girl Tiny Tot, 12"

These also came as boys.
This one had been restored quite a while back
and with a fairly heavy hand.


This doll scared me, and that's never happened before.
I couldn't wait to get that face off her.
The only thing I had to go by was her picture on page 47 of
Ursula Mertz's second volume
Collector's Encyclopedia of American Composition Dolls, 1900-1950.
Found a home in Alabama.

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Rare 24" Baby Horsman

He was in throw-away condition
and the miracle is that no one had done it.
His head was deeply cracked and split in two
his hands were hanging on by threads,
badly cracked and missing fingers.


I saved as much of his original cloth body as possible.
He was reconstructed around his neck, his arms, and his feet.
Also went to Alabama.

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12" Horsman Peterkin



Sorry, not for sale

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I guarantee my restoration work.

My dolls are for sale privately and on ebay. My ebay ID is goodqueenmab

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My workroom, February 2007

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All the pictures are my property and may be used
WITH MY PERMISSION.

THANKS FOR VISITING

COME BACK SOON!

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Quisset Harbor from the Knob, Cape Cod Mass