Femlin Repair Tips
- Thread starter Masao
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Due to the value and rarity of these figures, I don't recommend doing any of this without any serious (professional) modelling skills.
Brief History:
The Femlin figurines were marketed in 1961 as part of Playboy magazine merchandising. Of the 13 figures known to have been made, only 4 ever went into mass production and offered on the magazine.
Several of the other Femlins found their way onto the cover of the magazine.
Construction:
Femlins were made of some kind of greenware ceramic as well as a type of vinyl material. They were subsequently assembled with wooden pins and glue.
Some had ceramic bodies and others had hard vinyl bodies. Sometimes the legs were ceramic and other times they were vinyl. The hair always seems to have been vinyl.
Brief History:
The Femlin figurines were marketed in 1961 as part of Playboy magazine merchandising. Of the 13 figures known to have been made, only 4 ever went into mass production and offered on the magazine.
Several of the other Femlins found their way onto the cover of the magazine.
Construction:
Femlins were made of some kind of greenware ceramic as well as a type of vinyl material. They were subsequently assembled with wooden pins and glue.
Some had ceramic bodies and others had hard vinyl bodies. Sometimes the legs were ceramic and other times they were vinyl. The hair always seems to have been vinyl.
Repair basics:
Many of the bodies are damaged over time and require repair. Some are in better shape than others.
Due to the age of the plastic involved, great care must be taken not to increase the damage. A femlin I had needed repair because her head had fallen off shortly after I received it. So, additional damage was not really a concern.
Epoxy in liquid or putty clay form seems to work best for repairs. Putty clays include Aves, Magic Sculpt and Miliput.
As mentioned earlier, these repairs should only be attempted by those with serious modeling skills. Unskilled attempts may lead to irreversible damage.
Many of the bodies are damaged over time and require repair. Some are in better shape than others.
Due to the age of the plastic involved, great care must be taken not to increase the damage. A femlin I had needed repair because her head had fallen off shortly after I received it. So, additional damage was not really a concern.
Epoxy in liquid or putty clay form seems to work best for repairs. Putty clays include Aves, Magic Sculpt and Miliput.
As mentioned earlier, these repairs should only be attempted by those with serious modeling skills. Unskilled attempts may lead to irreversible damage.
I recently bought 4 at auction from Julien’s, from the playboy archives. Always had an interest as my uncle was Austin Fox and always remember him complaining when I was a kid on how little playboy paid him to create the femlin sculptures. I think 2 are 1 of a kind, 2 maybe prototypes, and all 4 may have been used in the magazine in the 1960’s. You seem to have a great deal of knowledge regarding these whimsical little nymphs. Any information appreciated. Thanks M. Fox
Have you ever seen the resin femlins? Leland sold 4 at auction in 2015 and I have seen and been in possession of a few since. They don’t have the cracking of the composition femlin figures, but the colored (white body) resin has turned slightly yellow with time. Much lighter in weight than the composition figures. Honestly almost don’t seem authentic. Wondered your opinion. Thanks.
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