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March 10, 2008
Bisque Dolls Information
Jean McClelland: Bisque dolls draw attention from collectors
Mar 01, 2008 @ 10:55 PM
The Herald-Dispatch
They are easily broken and quite fragile, yet many have lasted for a 150 years.
Bisque dolls were a European design of the second half of the 19th century. They first appeared in France, then the Germans entered the market, as did the Japanese, the Americans and finally, today the Chinese dominate production. The most coveted of these antique dolls were made from about 1860 until World War I in France and Germany.
Two of the more popular French and German dolls produced in that era include the fashion doll and the French Bebe with all of their accessories. Both were made for well-to-do little girls whose families could afford them. The fashion doll was made to reflect the clothing styles of women of the day. The French Bebe was extravagantly dressed to reflect the period's youthful fashions. An entire industry grew around these dolls in that special shoes, accessories and clothing were created to dress them.
These beautiful dolls captured the imagination of 19th century little girls and continue to fascinate today's collectors. Their realistic skin color that comes from their unique preparation is part of the attraction. Other ingredients collectors use to judge a bisque doll include the quality of the bisque, the detailed facial expressions, the body style, makers markings, original clothing, condition and size. Replacement parts on a doll will affect its value, as will cracks, nicks and tears.
Prices for bisque dolls are all over the place. One source quoted a sale of $200,000 yet some of the dolls can be purchased for less than $100. Most dolls tend to sell in the $200 to $600 range with extremes on either end.
Several sources recommended a serious new collector checking out the Armand Marseille dolls, particularly one called Polly #390. It was considered a very nice doll. However, because there were so many of them produced, the price hits a reasonable range for most people.
There are numerous chat rooms, Web sites and books to help the budding collector learn more about this topic. Questions about whether to buy just the bisque head, how can one recognize a reproduction and more should be answered by an expert. Wise collectors should learn all they can about the dolls they love from sources such as these.
Jean McClelland writes about antiques for The Herald-Dispatch.
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