All the fun - none of the hassle.

All the fun - none of the hassle
Review of Cloveray 16" porceliosa

As a doll collector, one collects artistry, and a piece of toy and fashion history. The holy grail for a lot of us is an antique. Not just something from the 20th century, but preferably from the nineteenth. Dolls of this age were a true luxury. Heads were made of bisque, an unglazed porcelain. The bodies were often made of cheaper materials, but not less intricate: they were often jointed and made of composite, leather or wood. Big brand names from this period are Jumeau, Bru, Simon und Halbig, Armand Marseille and Steiner, among others. 

Victorian doll were fragile, and that makes them expensive too. And that's why I will never own one, even if I could theoretically afford one. Because I am a clumsy girl, and I like to 'play' with my dolls. For me all the fun is in dressing up a doll, finding the right accessories and props and setting up scenes and taking pictures. 

And that is where this doll comes into the picture. While I was doomscrolling (as one does) my eye fell on an AliExpress ad. Normally I would never buy a doll from this platform. Dolls from Shein, Temu, AliExpress and Amazon are almost always fakes - sculpts stolen from the artists that created them. Also, the soft vinyls these dolls are made of contain a lot of carcinogenic plasticisers. But this doll was different. Made from hard vinyl, so less likely to be toxic. And most importantly: although obviously inspired by other dolls, the originals are of an age where the copyright is considered as 'in the public domain'. 

Before you order, remember that every purchase on AliExpress and the like is always a gamble of some sort. Also, don't expect the box to be intact. These things are shipped in plastic bags to keep things affordable. And most importantly: do your research. Read other buyer's reviews and feedback. 

So what do I think about this reproduction of a Victorian bisque doll? For a price of around 70 euros including shipping from China, it is seriously well made. The vinyl feels similar to that of other hard vinyl jointed dolls, like Paola Reina Amigas articuladas and Götz Happy Kidz. This doll is around 40cm or 16" tall. The doll is articulated, she is strung with elastic. The body is painted as if it is made of wood. 

The synthetic wig is not the best I have ever seen, but certainly not the worst. We can see part of the construction sticking out, but overall the coverage is good. And can you believe the eyes are made from glass? She has big eyes that will appeal to those that collect modern dolls, tiny teeth, and the cutest dimple in her chin. The paint job is slightly asymmetrical but true to the period and very detailed. 

The dress and bonnet are made very well, all seams are finished on the inside. The skirt has several layers of fabric and lace. The shoes are made from PU fake leather. I am not a fashion historian, so I can't tell you if the clothes are historically correct. The materials are obviously not, but they look adequately antique. Besides, wouldn't this doll be a dream to sew for?

Overall, we are delighted. A slightly better wig and safety testing would have made this doll perfect for this price. As is, we give her an 8 out of 10. 

Find the doll at:
https://a.aliexpress.com/_EIMm6Pw

Cloveray Collection Store:
https://a.aliexpress.com/_Ewsi7Hw

#adultcollector #dollcollector #collectordoll  #cloveray 
#dollreview #review #toyreview #brutallyhonestdollreviews



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