About Antique Dolls

People have made dolls for thousands of years for use as religious objects, toys, and holiday displays. Many traditional dolls, like the Japanese Kokeshi, are still highly desirable today. Many early American dolls were made of rags, or cloth, and are a reminder of the simple life in the 18th and 19th centuries.

In the 19th century, French and German dolls were the most popular and innovative dolls in the western world. In the early 1850s, the Bebe doll appeared in France, starting the custom of making dolls in the form of infants and young children (as opposed to adults). The Germans caught on, and soon both countries were producing porcelain-headed dolls...

Late in the 1800s, the French started making dolls with unglazed heads, and the unglazed colored clay more accurately represented a human skin tone. These dolls became known as bisque dolls, and they remain a staple of doll-making.

Shortly thereafter, German doll makers started experimenting with celluloid, a lighter-weight and less breakable material. Celluloid dolls were popular for a number of years, despite the fact that the material was flammable. Dolls in Europe, Japan, and America made of celluloid, such as the famous Kewpie doll, were eventually replaced by dolls made of plastic, or composition dolls, made of a mix of materials including glue and sawdust.

The early 20th century saw the launch of a number of famous doll-making companies, such as Ideal, which became known among other things for its best-selling Shirley Temple dolls. Another was Vogue, which produced the Ginny doll, and of course Mattel, which launched its blockbuster Barbie line in the late 1950s.

Though most antique dolls started out as toys, some dolls have been sought by collectors from the beginning. A good example is the Simpich Doll Company, which produced small numbers of limited edition Christmas and Americana-themed dolls for over 50 years.

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An Interview on Antique Dolls With Museum Curator Noreen Marshall

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Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)

Dollreference.com

Dollreference.com

This densely packed index of antique and vintage dolls claims to offer over 10,000 images of dolls from the 1800s … [read review or visit site]

Vintage Dolls of the 50s

Vintage Dolls of the 50s

Rhonda Wilson's collection of 1950s dolls, organized by name (Ginny and friends, Littlest Angel and friends, etc.) … [read review or visit site]

Lorettas Shirley Temple Dolls

Lorettas Shirley Temple Dolls

Loretta McKenzie's tribute to the charming, singing, dancing, curly haired Shirley Temple. Click 'My Dolls' on the … [read review or visit site]

Kaylees Korner of Collectible Dolls

Kaylees Korner of Collectible Dolls

Kaylee's extensive collection of vintage dolls from the 1930s to 90s. Click the balloons to browse. Though Kaylee s… [read review or visit site]

Museum of Childhood

Museum of Childhood

Embrace your inner child on this microsite from the Victoria and Albert Museum, filled with high-quality images and… [read review or visit site]


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Antique Kammer & Reinhardt 117a My Darling 19" E/c Nr$2,499 Ends in 9 hours 1 bid 121 watchers
Antique Bru Bebe Gerard Bebe Doll O/of+ Shoes 22" Nr$1,999 Ends Saturday 1 bid 36 watchers
C1920 Early Kathe Kruse Cloth Doll 43cm 17 Inch *doll 1$1,531 Ends Sunday 5 bids 78 watchers
Steiner Gigotour Kicking Crying Mechanic Bebe Doll Nr$1,499 Ends Friday 1 bid 77 watchers
Outstanding All Orig 14" Swivel Head Fg French Fashion$1,387 Ends Saturday 1 bid 25 watchers
18" Jumeau Petite Size "6" Original Jointed Body 1880s$1,375 Ends Thursday 21 bids 51 watchers
Antique Mechanical Automaton Doll Wind Up Musical Harp$1,174 Ends in 1 hour 24 bids 132 watchers
Very Beautiful, Large, Antique Kestner Long-face Pouty$1,158 Ends Friday 9 bids 79 watchers
Antique F.g French Fashion Doll Original Custome$1,009 Ends Friday 14 bids 79 watchers
Antique Bisque Original Bebe Thuillier$965.00 Ends Thursday 21 bids 111 watchers
Fantastic Rare Original Cloth Kamkins Doll--must See!!!$910.50 Ends in 17 hours 10 bids 54 watchers
Very Beautiful Antique Bebe Jumeau Incised Marks$900.00 Ends Sunday 1 bid 21 watchers
Antique French Fashion Jumeau Doll Original Custome$860.00 Ends Wednesday 13 bids 116 watchers
Fine French Fashion Estate Doll Maybe Bru, Jumeau$860.00 Ends Friday 5 bids 119 watchers
Antique Bisque Head Googlie Googly A.m. 253 Doll 9 1/2"$780.00 Ends in 10 hours 15 bids 54 watchers
Wonderful Antique B??b?? Jumeau Doll 1890$530.00 Ends Saturday 16 bids 68 watchers
Antique Heubach Piano Baby Figurine Beach Girl 15 3/4 $510.00 Ends Friday 11 bids 22 watchers
Pretty Petite 19" Lenci Lady Boudoir Bed Doll$510.00 Ends Saturday 11 bids 35 watchers
Gorgeous Bleuette Premiere Repro Daniella + Book$495.00 Ends in 15 hours 1 bid 35 watchers
Rare Walkure Antique Doll German Bisque Original Dress $492.99 Ends Wednesday 12 bids 101 watchers
All Original All Bisque Doll, With Trousseau, Superb!$459.00 Ends Wednesday 14 bids 66 watchers
Antique French Doll Carriage 19c$430.00 Ends Wednesday 2 bids 16 watchers
Early Greiner 30" Doll With Original Clothes$430.00 Ends Wednesday 8 bids 47 watchers
Antique Heubach Piano Baby Figural Group Large$409.44 Ends Friday 7 bids 16 watchers
29" Ca.1910 Sfbj 236 French Character Child Elaborate $405.00 Ends Wednesday 8 bids 32 watchers
9" A.m. Rare Character Baby Mold 251 - Cabinet Size$399.00 Ends Tuesday 10 bids 7 watchers
Fab Huge Rare 1915 Marked 12" Rose O'neill Kewpie Lr$360.00 Ends Tuesday 6 bids 34 watchers
Antique Bisque Doll Head With Glass Eyes No Reserve$355.00 Ends Thursday 7 bids 61 watchers
17” Miss Dolly Schoenhut Doll ?? Exceptional Original$350.00 Ends Tuesday 6 bids 30 watchers
Rare 15" Antique French Lady Bru W/solid Dome Head$350.00 Ends Wednesday 5 bids 62 watchers
Huge 34 Inch Armand Marseille Child Doll #390$350.00 Ends in 13 hours 4 bids 33 watchers
Antique Doll W/ Leather Body-possibly German Or French$350.00 Ends Wednesday 11 bids 83 watchers
Antique Kestner All Bisque Dollhouse Doll W Wardrobe$350.00 Ends in 20 hours 22 bids 91 watchers
16" Antique All Original Lenci Doll Clean & Bright Nr$341.00 Ends Saturday 6 bids 52 watchers
Lg. Parian Head With Blue Bonnet: Mint Condition: Old$341.00 Ends Thursday 8 bids 22 watchers
21" 19teens Rare Schoenhut Doll Tin Teeth / Sleep Eyes $338.00 Ends Thursday 4 bids 35 watchers
Beautiful Walkure Antique Doll Circa 1902-25 $325.00 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 9 watchers
20" Charactor Schoenhut, Original Clothes Wig ,shoes$325.00 Ends in 7 hours 8 bids 47 watchers
Gorgeous~pintel & Godchaux~rarer Than Jumeau~1890~$306.00 Ends Sunday 2 bids 27 watchers
1800s Bru French 12 Inch Number 2-t Bisque Head Doll$305.00 Ends Tuesday 14 bids 69 watchers
Alice Leverett Ufd - French Fashion Huret,bru, Jumeau$300.97 Ends Friday 9 bids 67 watchers
162 Kestner Bisque Head Gibson Girl Lady Body 18.5" $299.00 Ends Thursday 1 bid 30 watchers
China Head Doll 1840s,20" Big On Kid Body,plaid Dress$295.00 Ends Wednesday 3 bids 13 watchers
Wow 19" Rare Gorgeous Goebel German Beauty Antique Doll$282.15 Ends Wednesday 38 bids 48 watchers
Antique Jumeu Size 9$280.00 Ends Saturday 5 bids 41 watchers
Huge 28" Antique Simon Halbig Jutta Doll Pierced Ears$275.00 Ends Saturday 1 bid 10 watchers
Bebe Jumeau - Fine Original Antique French Dolls Shoes$270.29 Ends in 12 hours 10 bids 67 watchers
9-1/2 All Original Kestner 174, Fabulous Body, Fixed Wr$260.00 Ends Tuesday 9 bids 51 watchers
20" B.illfelder Germany 1910 Marked: My Sweetheart No D$258.00 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 10 watchers
Outstanding~sonneberg Bru Face ~french Bebe~german Doll$256.00 Ends Sunday 3 bids 20 watchers
25" Tete Jumeeu Bebe "dep/12"in Antique Mariner Dress$255.99 Ends in 13 hours 3 bids 20 watchers
28" Gorgeous K*r Antique Doll In Lovely Sailor Costume!$255.28 Ends Sunday 4 bids 46 watchers
Fab 17" A/o Black Papier Mache Steiner Clown Jester Nr$255.00 Ends in 18 hours 5 bids 24 watchers
Unique 19" Fr Black Papier Mache Muisc Box Automaton$255.00 Ends Thursday 5 bids 32 watchers
Antique Rabey & Delphieu "25 Inches Tall$255.00 Ends Saturday 5 bids 52 watchers
Victorian Marotte Bisque Head Doll With Music Box$249.99 Ends Wednesday 1 bid 18 watchers
All Bisque Georgene Averill Bonnie Bab Sleep Eye$247.50 Ends Tuesday 9 bids 41 watchers
German Antique All Bisque Wire Jointed Three Bears $225.24 Ends Friday 3 bids 76 watchers
Antique French Silk Dress Fit Jumeau Bru Steiner Doll $204.50 Ends Saturday 3 bids 49 watchers
Antique German Bisque Head Doll 1800's "k"$203.50 Ends Tuesday 6 bids 63 watchers

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Recent News: Dolls

Source: Google News

Antique doll could be quite valuable
Times and Transcript, March 20th

Q: I have an antique doll that was manufactured by Simon & Halbig. It has a bisque head, a fully jointed body and is dressed is its original clothes...Read more

Mesa tract home has vintage charm
AZ Central.com, March 18th

Dolls sleep in antique doll beds. A stack of jewelry boxes is a pedestal for a lamp. A six-drawer dresser with a worn veneer of creamy paint anchors a...Read more

At home with Sara Hickman
Austin American-Statesman, March 17th

A room full of dollhouses, actually an alcove off the master bedroom, features both vintage doll houses and one painstakingly built by Hickman and her...Read more

The tiniest detail
York News-Times, March 8th

At home, Kuhns has one room of her house she calls “the quilt museum,” where she displays her miniatures on the walls or on antique doll beds...Read more

Can Vampires Sell Vooks? Anne Rice Thinks So
Wall Street Journal (blog), February 26th

In one scene, Rice shows off her antique doll collection; in another, her son Christopher describes his childhood home in New Orleans: “It was dark,...Read more

Leeds woman makes weddings a vintage occasion
Yorkshire Evening Post, February 24th

Keeley became interested in all things vintage after receiving a vintage doll as a childhood gift. The present was given to her by an antique dealer friend...Read more

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