Featured Ballerina Figurines

I've had these since I can remember. They are about 4 inches tall and have highly starched tutus. The only identification are blue rectangular labels that just say JAPAN in white letters. This starched lace was probably a fad at the time they were made, whenever that was. There are many similar figurines on Google Lens. The tutus are tan colored - is this an artifact of aging or were they like that from the getgo? I was discussing this with a dealer and he said to leave them alone. If I try to clean the lace, it will take the starch out and they would be very limp and not look right.

 

Is this lace that was glued on afterwards, or actual Dresden lace, which is lace dipped in porcelain slip?

 

Glued on fabric. It is pliable, just feels stiff.

 

Then I reckon water would be a bad idea.

 

You could try dusting them off with a soft brush. That would help a little.

Years ago I collected figurines of dancers (all types) for a while. The older ones with that type of skirt generally were not discolored like that. I think it's the original color, as it goes well with the slippers and other colors in the figures.

 

My parents chain smoked and all the textiles in their home were that color from the nicotine. It's nearly impossible to get out.

 

from the ...tar !

 

I remember my parents washing the kitchen walls. The water was absolutely brown from the smoke. I also remember wafts of smoke in the living room when there was a party of adults smoking, LOL. I'm still here after all that second hand smoke, and I never smoked myself.

 

Growing up it was my job to wash the dozens of knick-knacks my mother had at least once a week. It was nasty.