Vintage Porcelain Dolls

Porcelain dolls are beautiful and come in a huge variety of styles and ethnicities.

Collecting vintage porcelain dolls is a popular hobby among both youngsters and adults. People collect vintage porcelain dolls for different reasons. Some collect vintage porcelain dolls simply for the beauty of the dolls and the joy of collecting brings. Others collect with an eye towards finding the finest, most valuable vintage porcelain dolls they can locate.

Tips: How to identify fine vintage porcelain dolls that will add value to your collection.

• Look for initial signs of age. Glancing through the Doll's clothes will give you an idea of its age. Assuming the dolls are original, they won't make use of Velcro or poppers. In addition, you will probably find traces of trapped dust and occasional signs of perishing or fading.
• Establish that the doll is porcelain. Compare the head to the fingers because the former is supposedly porcelain and the latter should be composition, the head ought to have a much finer finish. On most late 19^th century porcelain dolls, you should also be able to remove the wig and peer inside the doll's head. Glazed porcelain heads will be glossy on the outside but matte within. Another way of testing whether a head of the doll is porcelain is to touch it with your teeth. In comparison to other possible materials such as composition, wax or plastic it should feel hard and cold.
• Check the back of the doll's head for a maker's name and mold number. Not all the vintage porcelain dolls have them, but many do. By searching the mold numbers on the internet, you should be able to find similar dolls listed on online stores and auction sites. The accompanying descriptions will probably include a rough date.

See the collection of Vintage Porcelain Dolls below