Collecting antique dolls is a popular hobby that is fun, and can be used as an investment for collectors. Checking the manufacturer's label is the best way to identify the type and year of manufacture of an antique doll. However, you can also observe the shape of the doll made of porcelain and bisque to confirm its antiquity. If you are unsure about your self-assessment, contact a professional for a more accurate assessment.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Checking the Manufacturer's Label
Step 1. Check the back of the doll for the label
Lift the doll's hair if the toy has a wig on. Most antique dolls have the manufacturer's label on the back of their head or at the base of their neck.
- If the doll doesn't have a label anywhere and you still believe it's antique, contact a professional for an accurate appraisal.
- Although these labels are usually placed on the back of the head or neck, they may be located elsewhere. Check the back, the area under the careless, or the area under the feet.
Step 2. Read the label provided by the manufacturer
This label usually includes the location of the doll's manufacture, the name of the manufacturer, and the size of the doll. The interpretation of doll sizes varies, depending on the brand and manufacturer.
Step 3. Use the manufacturer's label to find books and websites to reference
The manufacturer's label usually provides all the information you need to identify a doll. Go to the nearest library or use a search engine to find sites that contain references to the label so you can identify the doll.
- The method above can also provide information on the value of the doll.
- This is the most accurate way to identify a doll because recognizing the value of an antique by its appearance alone is very difficult.
Step 4. Seek professional help if you cannot identify the doll
If you have trouble finding or reading the manufacturer's label, contact an antique appraiser immediately for assistance. They must be able to accurately identify the type, year of production, and value of the doll.
Method 2 of 2: Recognizing Porcelain and Bisque Dolls
Step 1. Check if your doll is made of porcelain or bisque along with 1 other material
Touch the doll's head to your teeth. If it feels hard and cold, the doll is made of porcelain or bisque. Doll bodies are usually made of different materials, such as soft leather or cloth.
- Other materials that make up the doll's body are usually made from a mixture of several materials (sawdust, wood, and glue), ceramics, and paper-mache.
- Bisque is ceramic porcelain that has not been baked. This material has small pores that can become a nest of dust and dirt if the doll is old enough.
Step 2. Examine the doll's body for 2 holes near the shoulders
The head, neck and shoulders of an antique porcelain doll are made from 1 mold. The 2 holes show the part of the head that is attached to the doll's body.
The hole is sometimes also at the base of the neck
Step 3. Find the stuffing of the doll if possible
Antique dolls that have leather or cloth bodies are usually filled with sawdust or horse hair. The doll will be filled to the brim so that it can support the weight of its head.
Vintage dolls are always filled to the brim and never filled with polyester
Step 4. Look for rough lines on the surface of the porcelain or bisque doll
There will be rough lines such as cracks that appear on the surface of an antique porcelain or bisque doll. This line is usually on the doll's face.
For example, dolls with large cracks on their faces are usually very old
Step 5. Check if the color of the doll has started to fade
The faded color of the doll's face is a sign of an antique porcelain or bisque doll. The color of the doll's eyes, cheeks, and lips will appear faded.
Step 6. Examine the doll's eyes to find out how old it is
Antique dolls made before 1870 have painted eyes. Dolls produced in the 1870s to the early 1900s wore glass inserts that couldn't move. Since the early 1900s, doll's eyes appear larger, rounder, and her gaze is slightly slanted.
Doll eyes that were painted and manufactured before 1870 are usually light blue, but some are brown or black
Step 7. Check if the doll's hair is dyed
Most antique dolls have hair dyed black, brown, or blonde. The only exceptions are vintage German porcelain dolls which are usually worn with wigs made of Angora goat hair or human hair.
- Red hair is rarely used on antique porcelain dolls because the color is considered bad luck.
- German porcelain dolls feature wigs that are glued to the head, not attached to the head like more modern dolls.
- Angora goat hair is also known as "mohair".
Step 8. Make sure the doll's clothes look old and the colors have faded
Doll clothes are a feature that clearly shows the antiquity of the toy. The older the clothes, the older the doll will be. Antique doll clothes are usually shabby, dusty, and possibly damaged.
- Antique dolls have never been fitted with modern safety velcro.
- Check the inside of the garment for a label that includes information about the doll.
