China Dolls

China Dolls

Antique Doll Collectibles- What to Look For

If you are combing the shops for collectible antique dolls to buy, remember that at some point it was usually the confidante and best friend of some young girl somewhere, dressed, played with and well-loved, and possibly repaired along the way. For anyone eager to start a doll collection, this can determine if they are getting what they pay for.

Another point about antique dolls is original clothing and accessories can cost more than the price of the doll itself. People beginning their collections  buying dolls in less than ideal condition with the idea of restoring them to original condition. Take into consideration that just a good pair of shoes for a collectible antique doll, such as French bisque, could cost around $100. Original clothing for some dolls can cost several hundreds of dollars.

Antique dolls come in all shapes and sizes. Some, like a frozen china doll, are less than two inches tall. (A "frozen doll" is one that does not move at all.) Faces painted on bisque dolls can widely differ in quality and detail. For example, certain dolls have a single brush stroke serving as eyebrows, while better quality faces will have the paint feathered for a more natural look. Cheeks on a quality collectible antique doll will not look like a child got carried away with mom's lipstick.

Another point to look for is the clothing. Higher quality dolls also came with original clothing and many of the outfits rivaled their owners' dresses in quality, fit and prices. It isn't out of the ordinary for an original dress in good condition to cost upwards of $500. In fact, there are some people who own valued collectible antique doll clothing but the dolls are of inferior condition. They are focused on the accessories rather than the dolls.

When you decide you want to collect antique dolls, be wary of buying without having an opportunity to examine them in person. There are many minor factors to consider before you are able to accurately judge its condition. Are there cracks along the hairline? What condition is the hair in? What quality is the hand painting craftsmanship? And so on. Buying hastily rules out your ability to see in detail any subtle blemishes that may affect its value.

About the Author

Some doll collectors also collect original boxes and literature that the doll sold with. Macrida says you can protect and help catalog these items by using a good quality scanner, like the Canoscan LiDE 200, which you can read about at the scanner review site, http://www.scannerreviews.com

China Dolls - Muay Nee Kah