Evie Summers
Dolls with 'sleep eyes' are designed with eyes that open and close. The mechanism behind this feature is known as a 'rocker', which is a spindle attached to the inside of the doll's head with a small weight attached to a metal plate. Sleep eyes were originally made of metal with a weight that closed and opened both eyes when the doll was moved. More modern plastic eyes have the weight inside each eye. Dolls with sleep eyes are generally pricier and are usually only used in modern baby dolls.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Material | Glass, Plastic, Metal, Celluloid |
| Components | Rocker, Iris, Pupil, Spindle, Metal Plate, Weights |
| Functionality | Open and Close |
| Maintenance | Prone to deterioration, requiring conservation treatment |
| Availability | Sold on Etsy and eBay |
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What You'll Learn
Madame Alexander's sleep eyes
Madame Alexander dolls are collectible vintage dolls with unique features. Some of these dolls have "sleep eyes", also known as "sleepy eyes", which open and close. The sleep eyes feature is achieved through a mechanism that involves metal rockers, or spindles, attached to the inside of the doll's head. Each eye is typically painted metal with a celluloid pupil and iris.
Over time, the celluloid in the eyes of Madame Alexander dolls can deteriorate, leading to cloudiness, cracking, or shattering. This deterioration is a common issue in dolls from the early 20th century, as manufacturers used celluloid, an early plastic, to imitate more expensive materials. The sleep eyes in these vintage dolls can become damaged or stop functioning properly due to various reasons, such as improper storage or handling.
Restoring the sleep eyes of a Madame Alexander doll requires careful work. One common issue is the deterioration of the plaster holding the eyes in place, which can cause the eyes to become loose or fall out. To fix this, one must carefully remove the old plaster by soaking the doll's head in water and gently lifting the plaster with a tool. After removing the old plaster, new plaster can be applied to secure the eyes in place.
Additionally, the sleep eyes of Madame Alexander dolls may require cleaning and minor repairs to address issues such as missing plugs or minor scuffs and wear. It is important to handle these repairs with care to avoid further damage to the delicate features of the doll. In some cases, replacement parts may be needed, which can be sourced from specialist sellers or online marketplaces.
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Modern plastic eyes
Materials
To make the rocker mechanism and set the sleep eyes, you will need the following materials:
- Lead fishing weight
- Eye wax or sticky tack
- Petroleum jelly
- Dental plaster
- Cork
- 8" piece of 18-gauge wire
- Needle-nose pliers
- Calipers
- Polyfill
Process
The process of setting the eyes involves the following steps:
- Set the eyes in place with the eye wax or sticky tack. Ensure that the iris is centred in the eye opening, with more of the white showing on the outside than the inside. Slightly raise the iris to create a natural look.
- Lay the doll's head face down on a bed of polyfill.
- Measure the distance between the holes in the eye stems and between the top of the nose (between the eyes) to the middle of the chin.
- Glue a piece of cork to the bottom of the chin inside the head to act as a cushion and prevent the weight from hitting the porcelain when the eyes move.
- Fold the wire in half and push the bent end through the hole in the fishing weight. Use the needle-nose pliers to bend the wire and secure the weight.
- Rub petroleum jelly on the sides of the eyes and inside the head to prevent plaster from sticking.
- Mix the dental plaster and apply it to secure the eyes in place.
Maintenance
Over time, the eyes in antique dolls may become damaged or dislodged. To reset sleep eyes, one must first remove the old plaster by soaking the doll's head in water. Then, realign the eyes and apply new plaster.
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Rocker mechanism
The rocker mechanism in a doll's sleep eyes is designed to simulate the eye movements of an infant falling asleep and awakening. The mechanism is typically activated by gentle rocking movements of the doll in a horizontal position, causing the eyes to close gradually, while abrupt shaking or jarring of the doll in a horizontal direction, followed by turning it to a vertical position, results in the eyes opening instantly.
To create this mechanism, a weight is attached to the eyes, which are positioned in their openings. The weight hangs down and makes contact with the cork glued inside the doll's head, keeping the eyes in the open position. Plaster is used to secure the eyes in place, and its consistency is crucial to ensure the eyes' proper movement. If the plaster is too thin, it will not effectively hold the eyes. Once the plaster has thickened sufficiently, it is applied to the sides of the outer eyes, and the weight is adjusted to close the eyes.
When repairing or replacing the rocker mechanism, it is important to have all the necessary materials, such as eye wax, sticky tack, petroleum jelly, and plaster. The doll's head is placed face down, and the eyes are positioned so that the iris is centred with more white showing on the outside than the inside. The distance between the eye stems is measured, and the eyes are secured with eye wax or sticky tack. Petroleum jelly is applied to prevent plaster from sticking to certain areas. The rocker bar is then replaced inside the head, and dental plaster is mixed to the correct consistency.
The improved mechanism in the doll's sleep eyes aims to provide a more natural and realistic simulation of an infant's eye movements. Prior mechanisms often required unnatural movements of the doll's body, and the eyes' responses were not always gradual or smooth. The rocker mechanism enhances the overall experience of playing with the doll by offering a more authentic representation of an infant's sleep and wake cycles.
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Celluloid deterioration
Celluloid was a material widely used in the early 20th century to imitate ivory, wood, tortoiseshell, or bone. It was used in the manufacturing of various products, including knife handles, fountain pens, and phonograph records. However, celluloid is susceptible to deterioration over time. When celluloid deteriorates, its appearance can become cloudy, cracked, or even shattered. This deterioration is referred to as "crazing" by conservators, and it affects the celluloid pupils and irises of dolls' sleep eyes, causing fine cracking throughout the early plastic.
The process of celluloid deterioration can eventually lead to a catastrophic failure, where the material crumbles or shatters into small glass-like chips. This was observed in the case of a Shirley Temple doll from the 1930s acquired by The Strong National Museum of Play. The doll's sleep eyes, which open and close with metal rockers, exhibited advanced stages of deterioration. The celluloid centers of the eyes were chemically unstable, and a small chip had already come loose.
To address the deterioration of celluloid eyes in dolls, conservators at the museum devised two new conservation treatment procedures. The first method involves applying a protective coating over the surface of the eyes before they fragment into chips. A reversible conservation adhesive that matches the gloss and does not yellow over time is used for this process. The second method, suitable for more severe cases, involves solvent-welding to fuse loose chips of celluloid back together.
The successful application of these conservation treatments can help slow down the deterioration process and prevent irreversible loss. Conservators like Darlene Gengelbach from The Strong museum continue to treat dolls with celluloid eyes, ensuring that these artifacts are preserved for future generations to appreciate and study.
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Antique doll sleep eyes
Antique dolls with sleep eyes are generally pricier than those without. Sleep eyes were first popularised in the 1930s by Madame Alexander, and they have been around since the mid-to-late 1800s. They are usually made of metal with a weight that opens and closes both eyes when the doll is moved. The weight is attached to a metal plate at the back of the eye, which is itself attached to a spindle—known as a rocker—that sits inside the doll's head. The eyes are typically made from painted metal, celluloid, or glass, and often have brush lashes.
Over time, the celluloid used in antique doll sleep eyes can deteriorate, causing the eyes to become cloudy, cracked, or shattered. This deterioration can be slowed through conservation efforts, such as applying a protective coating to the eyes or using solvent-welding to fuse loose celluloid chips back together.
If the sleep eyes of an antique doll need to be reset, this can be done by first removing the old plaster that holds the eyes in place. The doll's head should be placed upside down in a plastic bowl filled with water, which will cause the plaster to dissolve and slide off. Once the old plaster is removed, the eyes can be realigned using Vaseline, wax, and a small glass bowl.
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Frequently asked questions
Sleep eyes are a feature in dolls where the eyes open and close, mimicking sleep. They are usually found in antique porcelain dolls and vintage baby dolls.
Sleep eyes typically work using a rocker mechanism. This involves a spindle with a weight attached to a metal plate, which is inserted inside the doll's head. When the doll is moved, the weight shifts and causes the eyes to open or close. Modern plastic eyes may have individual weights inside each eye.
Sleep eyes can be made from a variety of materials, including glass, plastic, and metal (such as tin). In the early 20th century, celluloid was also used, but this material tends to deteriorate over time, becoming cloudy or cracked.
If the sleep eyes are not functioning properly, it may be due to issues with the mechanism or the eye sockets. You can attempt to fix this by removing old plaster, realigning the eyes, and replacing the rocker mechanism. However, this process requires careful handling to avoid further damage.
