I can tell you more about storing dolls and toys than you ever
    wanted to know!  (I did my masters work on the subject of doll and
    toy preservation.)

    First, in almost all cases you do not want to store dolls standing
    up, especially is they have bodies that are filled with sawdust or
    a similar filler.  This would cause the filling to settle, causing
    distortion of the body.  Also, a doll must be supported when it
    stands, and this usually means a stand that grips the body,
    causing further distortion.  Where earthquakes are a factor, this
    is also a no no as dolls are almost always top heavy.

    Second, dolls that have inset eyes, whether stationary or eyes
    that move, must be stored face down and not face up.  Most glass
    eyes are held in place with small dabs of plaster.  Plaster is
    hygroscopic, so it expands and contracts.  It can, and often does,
    let go and the eyes fall inside the head.  When a doll is stored
    face down, you have gravity working in your favor.   This is
    espacially true with dolls that have eyes that open and close.  An
    exception is with dolls having wax heads.  I am always
    uncomfortable putting any preassure on a wax nose! So I take the
    chance and store these dolls face up.

    Third, I try to store dolls in flat boxes, arranged by size.  The
    best storage would be one doll per box, but this is rather
    unrealistic in most museums.  I line the box with a sheet of
    ethafoam, and sometimes I also make dividers, especially if the
    doll has porcelain arms and legs that will likely knock against
    another doll.  Taking dolls in and out of boxes can be tricky if
    the doll is loosely strung or has a cloth body with heavy
    porcelain limbs.  A limb can easily slip away and bang agains
    another doll.

    Dolls that have porcelain feet (usually cloth bodied dolls)
    should have their legs secured in such a way that the legs can not
    knock togther and break.  I have constructed small ethafoam tubes
    that act as a spacer.  I tie this between the legs just above the
    knee, using cloth tape.  This keeps the legs secured at a safe
    distance apart.  Some collectors use an old thread spool as a
    spacer. This works well, just make sure that it is not a wood
    spool.

    For large collections, you may have to adopt a system of wraping
    each doll in a tube of ethafoam, secured with cloth tape, and
    stored "stacked" in boxes.  I do not like this method but have had
    to use it.  In such cases, make sure that heavy dolls are at the
    bottom of the box, and light ones at the top. Also, make sure the
    tube is marked to determine a face down position.

    Finally, I try to store dolls with their clothes on.  Removing
    clothes can sometimes damage them.  I often slip small pieces of
    acid-free tissue between the body and the fabric to further
    protect the clothing from acid transfer.  Also, I use tissue to
    fill out and pad areas of large skirts and so forth to help
    prevent creasing (which is not all together avoidable.)

    I hope this is helpful.  Please contact me if you have any
    questions.

    John Handley
    [log in to unmask]
    San Francisco