Doll News Fall 2016 - 72

Useful cleaning supplies can be found through art supply stores. SUGGESTIONS FOR A CAREFUL TRUNK CLEANING: Exterior - using a light-colored cloth, go over the entire outside of the trunk with a slightly vigorous rub, being careful around edges where there may be loose covering. Using a knife wrapped with the cloth may help get into tight areas such as along the trim. Use a slightly damp rag to remove additional soil on areas that can withstand a little water (not paper). If necessary, a baby toothbrush or a Q-tip may be useful when a little scrubbing is needed in small and/or textured areas. Metal parts can be lightly cleaned with dish soap and a little water, just enough to remove grit and grime. White toothpaste is an alternative, but use caution. Metal cleaners may be too harsh, or result in a more polished effect, which may look out-of-place on an old trunk! Stretched leather straps may be dampened slightly and allowed to dry, which tightens the leather. Interior - begin by vacuuming out the entire inside with a light setting and a piece of nylon hose over the nozzle. Again, using a light-colored cloth, wipe down the entire surface, getting in corners with a Q-tip or blunt edge covered in the cloth (this includes the tray). The interiors are covered in paper that has been well-glued (some not so nicely), but the edges can be fragile. When there is heavy soil, I have had great success with a combination of an art gum eraser, and the old "Pink Pearl" eraser, found in any supply store. Dry cleaning pads cover more area at a time, 72 FALL 2016 and are good at getting overall dirt out. This can be a timeconsuming project, but it is worth it. The dirt and lint from the erasers can then be vacuumed out. Absorene Wallpaper and Wall Cleaner has been recommended to me, but I have not tried it. It is a pink clay which can be shaped to ﬁt in crevices, and other tight spots and picks up dirt as it goes. A 15-oz. tub is about $9.00, from Lehman's in Kidron, Ohio. Their phone number is 1-877-438-5346. Tears in the paper lining, along with some minor hinge repair, can be checked with document repair tape, which is pH neutral and hides well. It comes in different widths. I purchased some at an art supply store that sells it by the foot, as it comes in large rolls. Filmoplast P tape is another one, also good for repairing leather bodies, I am told, and sells for $19.95 a ¾ inch -wide roll from TALAS, in NY: 1-212-219-0770. Shipping is high, so some may want to share a roll. These items can be found online through art supply sources, also. If replacement parts are needed, there are websites that sell them, though most are for full-sized trunks. You may have to get creative! For supplies and further information, the following websites may be helpful: Brettons Village, Legacy Trunks, This Old Trunk and HMS Antique Trunks. Kay Cassedy presented a Dynamic Dialog about trunks at the 2016 UFDC Convention. All items photographed belong to the author unless otherwise noted.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Doll News Fall 2016