Love of friends of Schildkroet dolls, we would like you on this side, which questions, which are placed very frequently at us, answer:

- Is it possible to repair or restore old dolls/puppets made from celluloid, tortulone and vinyl ?

- How much does a repair or restoration cost ?

- How do I package old and new dolls/puppets ?

- How long are the repair times ?

- Can I also send dolls or puppets which do not bear the trademark Schildkröt ?

- Can you provide clothing for dolls or puppets with special sizes ?

- Has Schildkröt established a factory outlet in Rauenstein ?

- Where can I buy Schildkröt dolls/puppets and bears ?

Is it possible to repair or restore old dolls/puppets made from celluloid, tortulone and vinyl ?

We are trying to cure each doll/puppet. Our company has its own repair and restore workshop, employing specialists who are able to cure each “patient” to 90 percent. Sometimes it is unavoidable to use new parts, and sometimes it is necessary to restore the old parts, depending on each patient. An individual decision, however, can only be made on the spot, i.e. we need to hold the doll/puppet in our hands. In principle we can say that we cannot repair or restore it to a completely new condition because in rare cases it might be possible that cracks will occur or the varnish chips off after some time.

How much does a repair or restoration cost ?

This question is not so easy to answer. We can only submit a cost estimate after precise expert valuation of the “ill” doll/puppet. For this purpose you must send your doll/puppet to our works.

If you do not want a repair we will return your doll/puppet COD. We will charge you with handling and freight costs amounting to 15 EUR for each doll/puppet.

How do I package old and new dolls/puppets ?

In most cases the old dolls/puppets are very fragile. Don’t forget that often the packages are not handled very gentle during transport. We recommend packing each doll/puppet in a solid cardboard box. The box must be of sufficient size to accommodate the doll and the padding. Please do not use newspaper because the ink comes off. Please bear in mind that very sensitive dolls/puppets and improperly packed dolls/puppets might be damaged during transport to our works and back to you. If you intend to travel to the Thuringian Forest you can of course hand over the doll/puppet personally to us and take the opportunity to visit our museum.

How long are the repair times ?

Dolls/puppets are sent to us from all over the world. There are some thousands of dolls and puppets waiting for “curing”, involving waiting times of up to 9 months.

We apologize for any inconvenience, but it is our policy to entrust specialists with repairs or restorations only. In this way we are able to ensure high-quality work.

Can I also send dolls or puppets which do not bear the trademark Schildkröt ?

We are also repairing/restoring celluloid dolls or puppets of other trademarks, as for instance Celba or Minerva. We accept these third-party products with reservation and will then decide on the spot whether or not we can help using our materials, but sometimes we have to return them unrepaired.

Can you provide clothing for dolls or puppets with special sizes ?

We are able to deliver individual clothing from our product line of dolls or puppets. We also make special-size clothing for Schildkröt dolls or puppets upon request. For this purpose we need to know the measurement of neck and waist, length of arms, legs and body, and the length from waist to knee. You can also send your doll or puppet by mail, properly packed and marked “sample”. Regarding the costs of special-size clothing we will submit a cost estimate on request.

Has Schildkröt established a factory outlet in Rauenstein ?

We do not have a factory outlet, however, a small shop selling a line of dolls/puppets and soft toys is located next to our museum.

Where can I buy Schildkröt dolls/puppets and bears ?

You can buy our dolls and puppets, clothing, accessories, bears and soft toys in any specialist doll and bear shop or special division of department stores. Please contact us if you need the names and addresses of shops selling our products in your area. We hope we were able to answer some common questions and remain with kind regards from Rauenstein.

Your Schildkröt-Team