Composition doll repair gone wrong

[dexter_]

My sister tried to fix my grandmother's 1930s effanbee composition doll myself. Big mistake guys
The original issue was minor crackling on her cheeks and one loose arm, so she said she watched a few youtube videos and thought she could handle it, bought some compound and paint from the craft store, now her face looks like it was repainted by someone wearing oven mitts in the dark. The color doesn't match at all, the blush is completely wrong, and I somehow made the crackling worse by over sanding. The arm is still loose because I was too scared to mess with the elastic after what I'd already done.
Worst part now is this doll was in okay condition before she touched her, could've just left the crackling alone and dealt with the loose arm properly. Instead she destroyed any value she had and ruined a family heirloom

 

[doll.up.jasin]

Hey @dexter_ the loose arm is easy, just elastic replacement and any doll restorer can fix both issues

 

[doll l4dy]

My sister tried to fix my grandmother's 1930s effanbee composition doll myself. Big mistake guys
The original issue was minor crackling on her cheeks and one loose arm, so she said she watched a few youtube videos and thought she could handle it, bought some compound and paint from the craft store, now her face looks like it was repainted by someone wearing oven mitts in the dark. The color doesn't match at all, the blush is completely wrong, and I somehow made the crackling worse by over sanding. The arm is still loose because I was too scared to mess with the elastic after what I'd already done.
Worst part now is this doll was in okay condition before she touched her, could've just left the crackling alone and dealt with the loose arm properly. Instead she destroyed any value she had and ruined a family heirloom

is it a rare doll? I recommend bringing it to a pro repairman so tht you guys wouldn't make another mistake and make it worth less. but if you want to repair it yourself, you must replace the old, broken elastic inside the body with a new one

 

[Hello!]

Oof, yeah, that happens more often than people think with composition dolls. Honestly, minor crackling is usually best left alone. It adds character and age patina. Over-sanding and repainting tends to make things look worse, like you described.

For the loose arm, replacing the elastic is the safest DIY fix, but composition dolls are delicate, so it’s easy to go wrong. At this point, you probably need to take it to a pro restorer if you care about keeping it looking decent or preserving value. If you still want to try at home, just be super careful with matching paint and thin layers, and maybe do test patches on a hidden area first. Patience is everything with these old dolls.