Doll Collecting

History

Since ancient times, dolls have been used by people throughout the world as both playthings and miniature representations of life. From baby dolls to exquisite fashion dolls to job-oriented dolls made to teach young girls about the career options open to them, dolls have long been objects of social and cultural significance.

The notion of doll collecting as a hobby gained popularity among the middle and upper classes in the United States during the latter half of the nineteenth century. As individual collections grew, doll exhibits were frequently used as charity fundraisers.

Over time, doll collecting groups began to meet to share ideas and enjoy the company of other collectors. The Doll Collectors of America, the first formal group of doll collectors, was established in 1936. In the 1940s, the United Federation of Doll Clubs was established; in the twenty-first century, the group has thousands of members from around the world.

Antique dolls are generally distinguished as pre-1930 European-manufactured bisque, china, papier-mâché, wood, or wax dolls. The oldest of these antique dolls are the English carved wooden dolls with painted features, known as "Queen Anne" dolls. Papier-mâché dolls are much easier to find, and were mass-produced in Germany, France, and the United States from the beginning of the nineteenth century through the early twentieth century. These dolls have black molded hair, wooden limbs, and painted eyes. Exceptional dolls from this period have glass eyes.

During the second half of the nineteenth century, English wax dolls became popular. These dolls have hair and glass eyes set into their wax heads. The most familiar type of antique doll is the china doll, produced primarily in Germany between 1840 and 1920. These dolls are named for their glazed porcelain heads. Unglazed porcelain dolls are known as parians. China dolls are identified by their hairstyles, which reflect the styles of the day in which the doll was produced.

From 1860 to 1890, the European doll-making industry was dominated by the production of bisque fashion dolls, reflecting the styles of wealthy nineteenth century women. These dolls were sold with trunks full of fashion clothes and accessories. In the later half of the nineteenth century, the French produced the first popular baby dolls, known as the French Bébés. These, along with later German dolly-faced dolls, were made with bisque heads painted with beautiful expressions. These dolls were dressed in garments that matched baby clothes of the era, and were owned exclusively by wealthy children.

In the modern era, such dolls as Barbies, Effanbees, Madame Alexanders, Cabbage Patch Kids, and American Girls have dominated the doll collecting world. These hard-plastic and vinyl dolls were first produced in the middle of the twentieth century, and are still available in retail stores today. Modern dolls include both fashion and baby doll types and range in quality, price, popularity, and style.

While most documented doll making has taken place in the Western world, particularly the antique dolls of Europe during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, collectors might also be interested in pursuing locally-made dolls from around the world. While it is difficult to assess the resale value of such dolls, they add interesting depth to a growing collection.

Things to Look For

When purchasing dolls from another collector, it is important to examine the condition of the doll to determine its authenticity and value.

For modern dolls, the notation "mint in box" or "MIB" might accompany a doll's listing to indicate that the doll is in mint condition and is accompanied by the original manufacturer's box. The additional notation "NRFB" indicates that the doll was never removed from its box. This sets the doll apart from one that was gently used, displayed in another collection, or played with by a child.

When beginning a new collection it is also important to be mindful of fads. The popularity of the Cabbage Patch doll in the mid-1980s is a good example of the rise and fall of a fad in the doll collecting world. While the dolls first appeared as expensive collectibles because of their scarcity, over time the manufacturer flooded the market with the continued production of the dolls. This caused the value of the dolls to drop dramatically within just a few years.

Trends

In the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, Mattel, Inc. impacted the doll collecting market with the release of Barbie dolls specifically designed for collectors. In 2004, Mattel changed the terminology for collectible Barbies from the traditional "Collector Edition" and "Limited Edition" to a four-tier color-coded system that indicates a doll's collectible value. Each tier is set apart according to the production numbers for those dolls and their availability in the retail market.

In terms of style, some of the latest editions to the Barbie line have actually been reproductions of classic vintage dolls. The Friday Night Dream Date Barbie Doll and Ken Doll Giftset is one such example. The original Friday Nite Date doll was produced between 1960 and 1964, and the outfit for Dreamboat Ken is a recreation of a 1961 fashion doll outfit.

The trend in other modern-era dolls such as Madame Alexander and Effanbee are dolls fashioned after storybook, movie, and fairy tale characters. For example, Effanbee offers collectors an entire series of Little Orphan Annie dolls, while Madame Alexander offers collectible dolls based on the film "Gone with the Wind."

Another trend among some modern doll manufacturers is to participate in fundraising by donating proceeds from the sales of specialty dolls. Two such examples are the Pink Ribbon Barbie, created for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, and "The Spirit of New Orleans" Madame Alexander doll, created in response to Hurricane Katrina.

Collecting Dolls for Fun vs. Profit

Doll collectors should decide if their collections are ultimately intended to be passed on for posterity or resold as an investment. This will direct a collector's purchasing decisions and the amount of time and care they devote to their collection. A doll collector with either goal could be considered a serious collector.

Doll collecting does not require formal education of any type, but it might be useful for a beginning collector to read about doll collecting and the history of doll making to learn about different manufacturers and the availability and cost of their dolls before pursuing the hobby. This information will have a huge effect on the ease and cost of doll collecting.

Because of the nature of dolls, doll collections are often intended to be passed on to children or grandchildren. It is important for a collector to consider whether or not the collection will be appreciated by the intended recipient, and to plan accordingly.

Learning More

Organizations

The United Federation of Doll Collecting, Inc. (UFDC) <https://www.ufdc.org/>

National Antique Doll Dealers Association (NADDA) <https://nadda.org/>

Books

Augustyniak, J. Michael. Collector's Encyclopedia of Barbie Doll Collector's Editions: Identification & Values. Paducah, KY: Collector Books, 2008.

Herlocher, Dawn. 200 Years of Dolls: Identification and Price Guide. 4th ed. Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2009.

Van Patten, Denise. Official Price Guide to Dolls: Antique, Vintage, Modern. New York: Ballantine Books, 2005.