Auckland Doll’s Hospital
The Auckland Doll's Hospital was established in 1944 after the war by a local entrepreneurial couple, Don and Marion Lawson. They lived in the building at 460 Karangahape Road, Auckland.
Don and Marion became skilled at repairing the dolls and built up an excellent reputation. They even repaired special dolls for Queen Salote. Don who was quite an entrepreneur invented and created excellent glues made from the broken parts of dolls - the celluloid and early plastics a skill which still carries on to this day.
However, eventually because of ill health, the business retired and the subsequent demand allowed several entrepreneurial hobbyists around west and central Auckland to restart the business from within their homes.
Today the Auckland Dolls Hospital has moved and merged under the banner of the art restoration studio Wrightway Studios Ltd at 227 Taniwha Street, with an inhouse staff of 15 supported by 20 outworkers.
Doll Restoration and Repair
Our very talented dolly doctors can lovingly restore or repair your cherished childhood doll or expensive collectible using authentic methods and materials. We have expertise in restoring early Victorian wax or Bisque dolls, war time and depression era composite dolls and off course the glamorous 1950's Pedigree Walkie Talkie doll.
We also undertake the make overs of 1960-70's rubber and vinyl dolls and fix the contemporary American Girl doll.
Restoration may involve a complete overhaul or a very gentle make over including cleaning, a new doll wig and restoration of facial features. We stock gorgeous clothes and shoes to fit most vintage dolls or can make bespoke outfits for your doll.
Restore your Teddy Bear back to Life
Bring your much loved teddy bear and soft toys to Auckland Dolls Hospital and we will lovingly restore them for the next generation or for you to simply display as an interesting collectible. Re-kindle your childhood memories and stories.
We use authentic materials including 100% mohair to restore your vintage mohair bear and have the expertise to restore all kinds of soft toys and bears made from acrylic, sheepskin, real fur and mohair. We are experts in remaking and repairing very damaged soft toys from either too much love or your pet dog mistaking teddy for one of his toys!
No teddy bears were harmed in the above photographs.
Vintage Pram and Bikes
The Auckland Dolls Hospital has a dedicated pram and bike restorer on our staff with the expertise to make them look like brand new but with the cool factor only vintage can bring. We strip bikes and prams down to their component parts and rebuild , re-chrome and powder coat to a factory finish. Our prams are completed with new upholstery and we ensure that all bikes and prams are working like new.
We sell replacement doll pram tyres in our online shop here . They are easily installed on the wheel rim by heating the tyres in hot water to make them soft. Do not use boiling water.
Toys and Rocking Horses
From Christmas carousels to Edwardian rocking horses we fix and restore your toys back to their original fabulous condition. We refurbish timber work on the rockers, repaint to original specifications and give rocking horses new leather saddles, manes and tails. Sometimes we can fix broken motors and voice-boxes on talking toys bringing back their original character.
