How many paint layers can you count?

 Sometimes, during the 100+ years of an antique doll's existence, they get multiple repairs and/or multiple paint jobs. This Schoenhut boy has met many people wielding a paintbrush during his life!

I cannot count how many layers are on him but there are many! And, they are all failing. 

This model has nice carved hair but the carved details are smothered by the multiple layers of thick paint.

The failure of the paint layers is pretty impressive!

Unfortunately for me the paint layers are not removable with acetone so he will be a slow excavation using scrapers and tiny files. All the failing paint needs to come off.

Mysterious layer on a Schoenhut doll

This doll has arrived so she can be improved upon.

She has had a total repaint of her head.

 

The repaint layer comes off easily enough but underneath is a white layer. I have never met this product on a Schoenhut doll. I usually remove every non-original layer on these dolls as they tend to obscure the carved contours. But, this white stuff is not coming off no matter what solvent I try.

Here she is minus all the paint and a bit of epoxy putty that had been put around her mouth.

This white layer is hard, smooth and stuck securely to the underlying wood. It seems to have been sprayed on as it has conformed to the underlying wood contours pretty well. 

 

I have had a few suggestions what this white is. Plaster? No......plaster has a different feel and would come off with minimal difficulty. Epoxy putty such as Miliput? No......there is no way you can apply epoxy putty into all the contours of a head like this so smoothly. Also epoxy putty will soften with acetone and this white stuff did nothing with acetone.

My best current guess is that this is a spray on gesso.

Whatever it is, it will not come off easily and I do not want to damage the underlying wood. The stuff has left her carved features visible so I decide it shall remain on. I will do a wee bit of recontouring around her eyes and mouth and then start the usual repainting process.

Here she is during the contour fixing. 

Now she is starting the multiple paint layers. She looks a little shell shocked at this point!

This is her final look.