How can you tell an antique porcelain doll?

Look for craze lines on the porcelain or bisque surface of the doll. These antique dolls develop fine lines as they age, which look like cracks scattering across the porcelain or bisque. These will often be across the face of the doll. For example, a doll with very heavy cracks across the face is very old.

How can you tell how old a porcelain doll is?

Most dolls will have a manufacturer's stamp on them and a marking indicating the year they were made. If you can't find any obvious manufacturer's markings, look for any markers on the back of the head, shoulders, or upper back of the doll.

How do I know if my porcelain doll is valuable?

First, make a general assessment of your doll and determine that it is actually made from porcelain. There should be a clear identification name or number on the head, shoulder, neck, or bottom of your doll's foot. This number can be used for online comparisons or when consulting an appraiser.

How do I know if my old dolls are valuable?

Look for the Maker's Mark

If you can find the manufacturer mark, or maker's mark, on your old doll, it will give you the most important information needed to identify the doll. Take a good photo of the mark or draw a copy of it to keep handy. Doll manufacturer marks are typically found on the back of the head or neck.

How can you tell what kind of doll you have?

Examine the Doll

Note the size of the doll, the material the doll is made of, the type of eyes, hair and clothing details. Next, check the doll for markings. Most doll marks are found on the back of the head, on the torso, and sometimes the feet. All letters, numbers, and symbols may be important.

Tips to Tell a Fake Antique Doll | *Is my antique doll a REAL antique?*

What are the most valuable porcelain dolls?

In 2014, a porcelain doll sold by Theriault for $300,000 became the most expensive porcelain doll ever sold. In 1916, French sculptor Albert Marque created a set of 100 dolls for Parisian fashion designer Jeanne Margaine-LaCroix.

How old does a doll have to be to be vintage?

Antique, Vintage or Modern Collectible

Antique dolls are 100 years old or more. Notable dolls from the 50s are considered vintage.

What is the difference between porcelain and bisque dolls?

What Are Bisque and Porcelain? As mentioned, bisque is unglazed porcelain. Porcelain is created from a paste of clays and water which is molded and then fired at temperatures above 2300 F.

What were dolls made of in 1950s?

Hard plastic and vinyl dolls often had eyes that could open and close, as well as joints on the hips, shoulders, and wrists. In the '50s, the mohair wigs (made from Angora goat hair) of hard-plastic dolls were replaced with synthetic materials like saran, Dynel, and nylon.

How do you identify a composition doll?

A composition doll is a doll made partially or wholly out of composition, a composite material composed of sawdust, glue, and other materials such as cornstarch, resin and wood flour.

What is the best way to sell a doll collection?

To that end, her best bet it to simply sell the dolls in the open market. There are many ways to do this, but I think the best way to maximize her profit is to use eBay (or a similar service). eBay puts the items at auction so that others are competing to buy them, which generally results in the best price.

Are Cabbage Patch dolls worth anything?

Cabbage Patch dolls from earlier times are typically worth $500 to $2000, while standard dolls with vinyl heads usually cost between $10 to $30. Teresa Ann was the most valuable Cabbage Patch doll to sell in 1985. In April 2021, it sold on eBay for $2000.

When was the first porcelain doll made?

The earliest European porcelain dolls were china dolls, made predominantly in Germany between 1840 and 1880. China dolls were made of white glazed porcelain, giving them a characteristic glossy appearance, and their hair was painted on.

What are antique dolls made of?

Antique dolls were usually made of wax, papier mâché, wood, china, bisque, or cloth. This is typically how they're usually classified. Bisque is perhaps the best-known material. It's a kind of unglazed porcelain.

How much is a Shirley Temple doll worth today?

There were other dolls that looked like Shirley Temple, but they couldn't be advertised as Shirley Temple. The end of the original box has the price of $4.79. On today's market, your doll would sell between $500 and $650.

How can you tell if a doll is Madame Alexander?

Dolls have a mark on the back of their neck or at the base of their head that reads "Madame Alexander," "Alexander," "Alex," or "Mme. Alexander." The clothing also is often marked with a cloth label that typically reads "Madame Alexander, USA" and has the doll's name.

What was the most popular 1950s doll?

Raggedy Ann & Andy

Raggedy Ann was first produced in 1915, but her popularity lasted decades. She remained a best-selling doll in the 1950s and 1960s.

What were dolls made of in the 1940s?

Celluloid dolls were child playthings created from cheap synthetic plastic from the mid 1800s until the 1940s. They were produced as an unbreakable alternative to the extremely fragile China, wax, and bisque dolls.

What dolls were popular in the 70s?

How do you tell if a doll is porcelain or ceramic?

The easiest way to identify porcelain figurines as opposed to earthenware or stoneware figurines is to examine the piece. Porcelain figurines have a delicate, fragile quality to them and are somewhat translucent, whereas, stoneware or earthenware figurines are not.

Which dolls are worth money?

What is the difference between a china doll and a porcelain doll?

The key difference between a china doll and a bisque doll is the use of glaze on the porcelain of the china doll. Like the bisque variety of ceramic dolls, china dolls are painted after firing. They traditionally do not include additional material for hair.

Are Madame Alexander dolls worth money?

The more beloved the character or media tie-in, the more valuable the piece. Here are some of the many 1950s Madame Alexander dolls that've recently sold online: 1955 Bridal Lucille Ball Doll - Sold for $8,750. 1955 Cissy Doll with Wardrobe - Listed for $5,000.

How old are Victorian dolls?

During the period from the mid to late nineteenth century until the early 20th century, popularly known as the "Victorian Era," people typically used elaborate physical representations and rituals to mark the death of a loved one.

How much does it cost to restore a doll?

A typical doll restoration averages about $12 – $18 per inch of doll, but every doll has different needs, so the price on a doll repair bid may vary greatly.