Collecting dolls

Why collect dolls?

Chances are you played with dolls when you were a kid. Kids and dolls have come a long way since that time!

While no one knows when dolls were first invented, but there is evidence that they have been around since 3000 BCE or even earlier. The earliest known dolls were made of clay; any fabric used has long since deteriorated. If a child died during this time, a doll was frequently included as part of their grave goods.

To this day dolls are widely collected by both children and adults. For most doll collectors, it usually starts with the find of a doll remembered from childhood. Next thing you know, there's a house full of dolls and their accessories.

The problem with this is that once word of your collection gets around, all your friends and family will bring you dolls items "because I just thought of you". Not all dolls are alike, though. While many collectors do collect several types of doll, they tend to specialize in a particular type of doll. Some may collect only vintage or modern fashion dolls, others love baby dolls, while others prefer unique art dolls.

• All Bisque: Dolls under 15" tall, made entirely of bisque material.
• Articulated Body: Body and limbs are jointed for movement.
• BJD: Ball Jointed Doll. This can be used in reference to antique fashion dolls on articulated bodies or modern ball jointed dolls (typically made of cast-resin).
• Bisque: Unglazed tinted porcelain.
• Celluloid: Cellulose nitrate and camphor material.
• China Doll: Glazed porcelain head with partial China limbs. The body is usually a stuffed cloth or leather.
• Cloth Doll: Made entirely of cloth. Sometimes called a "rag doll".
• Composition: Wood pulp and glue doll material.
• Crown: The opening on top back of antique doll heads.
• Fashion Doll: A body with minimal body detailing whose purpose is to display fashionable clothing.
• Fixed eyes: Eyes that do not sleep.
• Flirty Eyes: Eyes that open, close and move side to side.
• Hard Plastic: Plastic doll material used after 1948. It is harder than vinyl.
• Kid Body: A doll body made of leather.
• Papier Mâché: A mixture of paper pulp, glue, sizing, clay, and flour.
• Parian: Fine white bisque without a flesh tint.
• Pate: The cardboard, cork, or plaster covering of the open crown of an antique or antique reproduction doll.
• Primitive: A folk art doll with a simple design.
• Reproduction: A modern doll made to resemble a well-known type of antique doll.
• Shoulder Head: The head and shoulder of the doll are all one piece. This is typically fastened to a leather or cloth body.
• Sleep Eyes: Eyes that open when the doll is upright and close when the doll is laid down.
• Solid Dome: A doll head without a crown opening.
• Stockinet, Stockinette: A soft loosely knit cloth fabric, usually stretchy.
• Tuck Comb: A wooden doll with a carved hair comb decoration.
• Vinyl Doll: A plastic-like doll material used after 1950.

Can you help me identify my doll?

Maybe. If you could send some photos and info about the doll, I will see what I can dig up. If there are any markings (usually on the back of the head), any dates, any other info you have about the doll such as the height of the doll, articulation, sleep eyes or not, and whether the hair is rooted or a wig, that might help narrow it down.

Where can I find the original outfit and accessories for my doll?

Try any of the following for vintage dolls, clothing, and accessories:

• Estate sales
• Yard sales
• Flea markets
• Antique stores
• Thrift stores
• Classified ads

Some dolls will prove easier to redress in the original outfit than others. I would suggest taking her measurements, then finding someone who makes clothes for a doll with a similar body style. For those who can sew, if the fit is close enough, a few adjustments may get clothes to fit properly.

My doll needs repairs. Do you know of any reputable doll hospitals?

No. Sadly, the owners of most doll hospitals are of an age where they are closing up shop and retiring. I don't know of any within the US which are still in business. If you hear of one, I would suggest calling them for information and prices. Depending on the doll and type of repair needed, you may also be able to do some repairs yourself.

Buying and selling dolls

When buying and selling dolls, clothing, and accessories, bear in mind these three factors:

• Know what you're buying before you buy it. Check reference guides for information on how the piece in question is marked, what sizes it was available in, any variants in painting or colours that you should know about?
• Condition: Is it mint condition? Is it unused? Any chips, cracks, crazing, or obvious damage? A mint complete set of an older item is rare. An antique French doll is worth far more than a shelf-fresh Barbie.
• Demand: Popular items sell for proportionally higher prices simply because there are more potential buyers.

• A/O: All Original.
• HTF: Hard to Find.
• VHTF: Very Hard to Find.
• MIB: Mint in Box (mint condition doll in original box).
• MIMB: Mint in Mint Box (mint condition doll in mint condition original box).
• MIP: Mint in Package (mint condition item in original packaging).
• NM: Near Mint.
• NRFB: Never Removed From Box.
• Mint & Complete: Mint condition outfit with all accessories in mint condition.
• Debox: The removal of a NRFB or MIB doll from its box. This is considered to lower the value of the doll.
• COA: Certificate of Authenticity. Paperwork or documentation about that particular doll. This may include a number if part of a limited edition, date of creation, and/or artist information.
• Provenance: Paperwork showing the doll's history and/or ownership records. This is usually used for antique dolls.
• Crazing: Fine lines on the surface of composition dolls.
• Rub: A spot where the paint colour or glaze has worn away.

World Doll Day was founded 14 June 1986 by dollmaker Mildred Seeley to spread a message of happiness and love to all who collect dolls.

The day is celebrated on the second Saturday of June with the gift of a doll to a special someone (child or someone young at heart). The day is not owned by any company, club or person and no fees, permission or obligations are required.

Many doll collectors' clubs and organizations arrange a local exhibit, doll sale or doll show, or seminar for their group on this day as part of the festivities.

About the logo

The logo was created by artist Boots Tyner and represents a child with a German bisque doll -- her gift on this day that celebrates dolls. The logo was designed for free use to promote this special day and may be reproduced.

In the late 1980s, a sheet of stamps featuring classic American dolls was first conceived by stamp designer Derry Noyes. It took ten years (until 1997) to decide which dolls best exemplified American dollmaking. The final list of dolls was shown when the stamps were issued on 28 July 1997, which included:

• antique rag dolls (Alabama Baby, Martha Chase, Columbian Dolls, Raggedy Ann, Izannah Walker, Babyland Rag, Plains Indian)
• articulated wooden dolls (Schoenhut)
• china head (Greiner)
• composition (American Child, Skippy)
• hard plastic (Baby Coos)
• vinyl dolls (Scootles, Betsy McCall, Maggie Mix-up)

Once the dolls had been gathered from museums across the country, photos of the chosen dolls were taken by photographer Sally Andersen-Bruce. The end result is a sheet of 15 stamps, with each stamp having a postage value of 32 cents.

Stamp merchandise

Quite a few First Day postal covers were produced to commemorate these stamps, including several by artist Fred Collins.

In addition, a reproduction of each doll was produced by Collectible Concepts in conjunction with the stamp sheet release. Each doll included a special sheet explaining that particular dollmaker's contribution to their craft.

Further reading

You might also enjoy this article:

• "The Classic American Doll to Grace U.S. Postage Stamps" in The Cloth Doll (Spring 1997).