Featured Seeking Information on Antique Doll

Since we don't have a doll thread, I'm using this spot for my inquiry. Without dragging out details, this doll belonged to the mother of a very dear friend (my friend died at the age of 90 in 2000.) When I was cleaning out her attic to move her into assisted living, I found this. It was totally thread bare - literally just about nothing but the perfect condition china (if that is the correct term.) When I asked her about it, she said it was her mother's childhood doll and her mother never let her play with it when she herself was a child.

So, for her 90th birthday gift I sent it off to a doll restoration place in Wichita. When the woman received it she wanted to know what color dress I preferred, and was going to try to keep it period correct. Then she asked "do you know what you have here?" Me? Of course not. She went on about how rare the combination of hair & eye color was.

I've taken her out of her moving box and took some pictures before giving her a proper home today. Sweetest part of the story is that my friend slept with the doll the five days she lived into her 90's. She finally got to "play" with the doll. So, I know this must truly be an antique, but looking for someone knowledgeable in dolls to see if I can gather any more info. No markings/identifiers whatsoever. Thank you, in advance.

 

Isn't @judy a member who knows about dolls?

 

This is a called a china head doll. Her cloth body looks really clean. I'm assuming that the body is new as well. German, maybe. Didn't the restorer tell you anything? The face is beautiful!

 

It may be a low brow china head, Hair looks a little different, I think blondes are rarer than the dark haired one.

 

Everything but the china itself had to be replaced. This was 20 yrs ago, and with two (then) little kiddos of my own & a FT job, I'm lucky to have used the internet to find a place that could help me. Especially, when you think Google is only 20 years old! I really only recall the talk about the hair color & eyes - never thinking I'd have this doll at this point in life. Sure wish I could hit the "replay" on that conversation. Thanks for your input.

 

Duplicate post - sorry

 

Thanks for the term "low brow" - big help in researching!

 

@Christmasjoy too.

 

Apologize @Christmasjoy Hard for me to keep track!

 

This is so odd!.
I was just looking at a doll with identical porcelain legs with the little blue ribbons in an antiques fair today and thinking there was something rather special about it. This was a boy doll though and I left it as a) I no nothing about dolls unless they have AM on them, b) I have too much stuff and no room for another doll and c)I wouldn't know if the pricing was any where near competitive.
Lovely doll though and may be there next week so I could ask if they know anything about it.
Edit- looking at the photo it could be the same face just dressed as a boy!

 

Germany had a lot of factories making china head dolls. She was most likely made by the German doll maker Alt Beck & Gottschalck or Kling. Circa 1880-1890. Nice doll!

 

Thank you!

 

Hi Synchroncity!

Welcome to Antiquers........

@Grateful............. This is the first I've seen of this thread.

The doll's face looks authentic. She is beautiful and the new dress is lovely. Love that color blue....brings out the blue in her eyes for sure.

Was the body, arms and legs replaced at the time you sent it for a new dress?

It's difficult to tell from the photos if they are replaced or not.

The china head looks authentic to me from the pictures.

She is beautiful and yes the combo of blond/blue eyes as opposed to black hair/dark eyes is significant.

I'll post a couple of photos from my Coleman's encyclopedia to show comparison of hair color.

The blond looks much like yours.

The time period mentioned seems to be correct for this doll.

I'm surprised @Christmasjoy did not reply......she must have missed this thread as well.

 

Blond.......

 

The photos are in black and white, unfortunately.

If you google china head dolls, late period, you will find comparisons.

The red line over the eye, high color cheeks/beautiful mouth are all indications of nice quality. Many china heads do not have such lovely detail.

 

China heads were made by many manufactures and distributed by many also. It almost doesn't matter who made her.....I don't think I've ever seen one marked (that I can remember anyway).

 

Thank you for all that info! IF I recall correctly, I think all the china is original. I kinda (??) recall thinking that I couldn't believe a doll literally thrown in a box was in mint condition except for the cloth body & clothing.

 

I hope you have a place to display her......she really is lovely.

It is amazing how many china heads survived.

The cloth bodies are usually the first to go....many filled with sawdust, and boy is that ever mess when there's a split in the fabric!

Many times the arms/legs would suffer a casualty, but repro replacements could/can be found.

The heads survived!!

 

And just to note, there are/were collectors of just the heads...............

 

Is there an impressed mark just under the hairline on the back of her neck?