Antique dolls

Over a period of time dolls have come to evolve from customs and traditions of humans. So you have dolls from the Victorian era that look like a Victorian lady and the modern ones that are hi-tech and reflect the current ideology like Lora Croft who has caught the fancy of boys and girls. Hence doll collectors look for dolls that interest them, it could be one from each era or all from one era.

You must have loved dolls when you were young, loved to curl their hair, stitch them new clothes and make them as beautiful as ever. Although your childhood is over you do not mind getting younger just for the dolls. No doubt collecting dolls is your hobby and that of a few people around the world.

From the dolls that are collected, most of them are antique dolls because antique dolls have a charm and charisma that modern dolls lack. They have been dressed like queens and princes, minus the ultra short minis and the macho look that dolls today have.

Of course there is Barbie in all her nuances dressing up like people around the world, so you can pick the Barbie that you like best. If you are looking for the dolls made in the 50s like the Betsy McCall series you can just look the name and the date of manufacture as it is printed on the body of the dolls. Sometimes marketers would put the details on the neck of the doll, so look for them if you are head on for an antique collection.

When you are considering buying a doll, the value will depend on the condition and quality of the doll. Porcelain dolls that were among the first type of dolls made should display eyes in sockets and teeth inside of an open mouth. If a tooth is missing, chances are that the doll has had a fall and the neck or some place in the doll in broken. However you can get it fixed with doll restorers who growing in India.

Dolls with original clothing and hair are higher in value than those that are re-fixed because of the natural wear and tear of material and hair. As long as the clothes are fixed according to the period of the doll it should not matter but the value will certainly be lesser that you should pay for the original.

Also dolls even though made from the same mould will be more expensive than the newer one although the mould is the same. For instance a Barbie doll from the 1950s with a ponytail is more expensive than the bubble cut that is the hairstyle from the mid 60s. Hence old is certainly gold when you are in the doll buying industry.

But at the same time it also depends on the interest of the buyer as he is procuring what he loves. He could buy a haggard doll and get it re-fixed from elsewhere because the doll is of an age he has not had in his collection.

However the general interest lies in dolls that are more cared for, with better complexion and cleaner appearances. The price of which can never be fixed or estimated, it all depends on the interest of the buyers and sellers.