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Need some help regarding yellowing fr dolls/ yellowing packaging

Posted by Michele on April 7, 2022, 10:12 am

I started going through my collection for organizing and possibly downsizing so I was going through everything to see what I had and if things were in the correct boxes, etc

I noted a lot of the older dolls, the “white box” dolls especially have started to yellow pretty badly. Their packaging is also yellowing, including the tissue paper and boxes themselves.

Is this normal? My oldest dolls were stored in a spare bedroom closet, away from light and is moderate temperature. We are non smokers too. I am baffled by how the collection looks, both deboxed dolls and nrfb dolls seem to be suffering the same fate. Also, some of the clothing is falling apart, especially the faux leather type stuff, including boots and corsets, it is kinda rubbing off in pieces and just disintegrating.

So what I wanted to ask is, should I be doing anything else to try and keep the dolls in good condition? Is it bad to store them in the boxes? If they are kept in boxes, should the silica gel packs be changed on a frequent basis? Is this just something that has happened to the older dolls and doesn’t really happen with the newer ones?

I have purchased integrity dolls since the very beginning…it is a bit disappointing that so many of my dolls and some of their clothing/accessories look pretty bad.. I know there are replacement bodies but am just wondering if there is anything else I can do to store them better so they don’t worsen or is it just inevitable? I have attached some photos of a nrfb Vanessa and of a removed from box very, just so you can see what is happening to the bodies and paper. Recommendations?

how wide is my monitor

It's a reaction within the plastics themselves, many of my older FR have done the same thing>>

Posted by Joanne on April 8, 2022, 12:06 pm, in reply to "Need some help regarding yellowing fr dolls/ yellowing packaging"

just like the vintage Barbies get greasy because the plasticizers are breaking down so are the FR getting brittle from their chemical make up.
Shock BonBon turned yellow and I never had her stored or exposed to harsh light and always AC and still she turned.
Kyori was well cared for and I went to adjust her head and her neck cracked in my hands so her beautiful robe stayed on her body and became a manikin and I got the head a made to move Barbie body
because there weren't any bodies available and I didn't want to spend a hundred dollars.
That's why I won't invest hundreds of dollars obtaining grails.
It's also why I debox my dolls and play with them

Also this time frame has seen the AD Gene dolls and some Tonners become discolored and brittle. So it's coming from the plasticizers degrading that were used at the time in the factories.

A lot of glue's are also starting to break down and some of my expensive barely worn human shoes have fallen apart sitting in my dark AC'd closet open on the shelfs.

Keeping the dolls boxed up and away from air circulation is not good for them and seems to accelerate the problem.

The other thing I have also noticed with my BJD's is the elastic is stretching out on dolls that are sitting with no pressure on their limbs or bodies and still the elastic is degrading.

You even notice brittleness in rubber bands they become hard and just crumble or melt.

It's in the formulations of the plastics.

Re: Need some help regarding yellowing fr dolls/ yellowing packaging

Posted by Sandi M in Chicagoland on April 7, 2022, 5:57 pm, in reply to "Need some help regarding yellowing fr dolls/ yellowing packaging"

Your photos clearly show--your dolls are giving off or reacting with some sort of destructive chemical possibly in the paper, or the doll itself. Leaving your dolls/clothes in boxes, closed up---inside totes, with more plastics, or more unknown content cardboard/paper simply exposes them to trapped air-borne chemicals inside an already closed environment.

Storing dolls or items in acid free, archival materials would be recommended, just as you would keep antique books/magazines, prints. Museums are environmentally controlled with air purifiers, air circulators, and everything is carefully stored or displayed with safe lighting and safe materials around them. We kept the vault open in the University Library where I worked at least 4 hours every day---to air out the antique books stored there.

If it is the bodies themselves that are deteriorating, naked and out of the box with air around them might be the only solution.

Some awesome advice Sandi

Posted by Michele on April 7, 2022, 7:02 pm, in reply to "Re: Need some help regarding yellowing fr dolls/ yellowing packaging"

I was wondering if there was some weird reaction going on, I have acid free tissue paper that I have been using to store my daughters extra monster high dolls, I may end up using that for those fashion royalty dolls too. I already tossed the weird looking yellow tinged paper from the boxes. Thanks so much for your input

So sorry. I sure hope that they are not all like this.

Posted by Merce on April 7, 2022, 11:57 am, in reply to "Need some help regarding yellowing fr dolls/ yellowing packaging"

Thank you Merce, So far the newer ones seem to be >

Posted by Michele on April 7, 2022, 12:29 pm, in reply to "So sorry. I sure hope that they are not all like this."

Ok, haven’t noticed the discoloration etc on them. They have different packaging too so that may help, idk?

Be aware that the plastic in the dolls may be brittle too. I sold (Msg)

Posted by Joanna in MD on April 7, 2022, 11:10 am, in reply to "Need some help regarding yellowing fr dolls/ yellowing packaging"

Most of my original FR dolls years ago, but kept my Kyori in the black kimono with the cranes on it. She was displayed in my climate controlled /smoke-free doll room away from sunlight and her head broke off and her body crumbled. Just something to be aware of.

My Kyori's neck broke so I am using her body with the crane robe as a manikin in my dress shop

Posted by Joanne on April 8, 2022, 8:20 am, in reply to "Be aware that the plastic in the dolls may be brittle too. I sold (Msg)"

Omgosh yes! I just found this out too>>

Posted by Michele on April 7, 2022, 12:27 pm, in reply to "Be aware that the plastic in the dolls may be brittle too. I sold (Msg)"

I tend to switch stuff up and had a Barbie head on an older fr body, I tried to remove the head since the body was yellowing and the neck broke into several pieces…you aren’t kidding about them being brittle!

Looks like if I keep them I just may have to bite the bullet and upgrade the bodies over time. I love some of the early girls faces, is a shame to see them not get used!

That is too bad about your doll! I was amazed at how brittle they get!

Posted by Johanna in MD on April 7, 2022, 12:58 pm, in reply to "Omgosh yes! I just found this out too>>"

Sorry about your special Kyori! I try to check the few that I have every few weeks.

Posted by Merce on April 7, 2022, 12:05 pm, in reply to "Be aware that the plastic in the dolls may be brittle too. I sold (Msg)"

Thanks Merce! I was very surprised about the plastic.

Posted by Johanna in MD on April 7, 2022, 12:59 pm, in reply to "Sorry about your special Kyori! I try to check the few that I have every few weeks."

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