Antique cellulous wigs

Being a wig maker for now 22 years I have studied many kinds of antique doll wigs. Often I am amazed at what I find.
One thing which has been confirmed for me numerous times is some doll makers (Kestner) in particular used on their early dolls a form of cellulous (plant fiber) wig.

They have a black or tan gauzy buckram cap like the human and mohair wigs but the hair material is very shiny like a floss.
I have found 3 of these wigs on Kestner alphabet dolls and 1 on Kestner early dolly face.

    Like many collectors I first took these wigs as reproductions even though the doll was attic find untouched in 100 years but when going to remove them found they were undoubtedly the dolls original wigs.
I did tests on the material finding it plant based of a cellulous material although it has an appearance of synthetic because of the shine.
 How many of these rare cellulose wigs were tossed out I wondered?
They can be combed and curled (in regular curlers not heat) to restore quite nicely.
Often the colors are a bit off because the dyes don't adhere to them like the other hairs so my dark brown one has a burgundy tint on top where the light hit it most.

How do you know if you have a rare cellulous wig? The hair looks synthetic but the cap is evidence it is antique. The hair is finer than the synthetic hairs used to today which can make it look quite snarl after 90 years but if cleaned and brushed up it can look again beautiful.

  If burned cellulous turns into ash and does not leave a glump of waxy (plastic) substance behind like all synthetic hairs do  
(mohair, human hair and plant base cellulous wigs all leave just dry ash - no gooey or chunky residue when a piece is burned).

     I feel it is important to preserve the antique cellulous wigs as they are a part of that fabulous and mysterious history of antique dolls. Even if you don't actually like the original wig buy the doll a human hair or mohair wig and put a tag on her that her original wig is stored (and where you stored it) and keep the wig with her as you buy sell trade so her unique history is not completely lost.