Posted by Sherry Baloun
Placing Value on Antique Dolls
When you want to determine the value of a doll you typically take into account its age. Older antique dolls are usually worth more money than, say, new ones you bought at Walmart this week. If you’re an antique doll collector, you know there are certain things to look for on a doll to help identify it and its value.
Clues to Follow
For instance, the height of a doll, the materials its made of, and the shape of its head are all clues to when and where it was made. Furthermore, you can do an Internet search to help you determine details about a doll you want to know more about… the Internet is probably the best way to find out information about antique dolls today.
What if you don’t use the Internet? You could ask friends and neighbors and other collectors if they know about the doll in question. You could bring the doll to an antique mall or store and see what they think.Perhaps you could pay an appraiser to research the doll and determine its current value? Or you could get a book from the library and spend time looking through it to see if you find a photo of the doll you want to identify.
Manufacturer’s Mark
If you have an antique doll and you have no idea about it–say, for instance, you just inherited it from your grandmother who passed away– then you should look for a manufacturer’s mark on it. Early doll makers normally marked doll bodies with a name and number and this information can be typed into “Google” on the net to then find out more information. Many manufacturers’ marks have been written about and/or cataloged on the Internet.Look on the doll’s feet, head, neck or between the shoulder blades to find manufacturers’ marks. Sometimes doll clothing will have tags with names and numbers, too, which can help you identify the doll.
A great website for finding a doll’s identity is Doll Reference. And when you’re looking to buy vintage dolls, Gigi’s has some beautiful ones for sale here. For more info, call 773-594-1540.
