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DJR Expert Guide Series, Vol. 295 — How to Authenticate and Value Antique Doll Heads
Antique doll heads—whether bisque, china, composition, papier-mâché, wax, or early plastics—are among the most misidentified and misunderstood categories found in estate collections. Authentic examples from makers such as Kestner, Simon & Halbig, Bru, Jumeau, Armand Marseille, and Kammer & Reinhardt command significant value, while later reproductions and modern fantasy pieces often mimic their appearance. Accurate authentication requires examining material type, bisque quality, mold marks, painting technique, kiln characteristics, seam structure, eye construction, and age-consistent wear patterns.
DJR Expert Guide Series, Vol. 295 — How to Authenticate and Value Antique Doll Heads provides the complete professional workflow for evaluating authenticity, maker attribution, condition, and fair market value. This guide explains how to distinguish genuine antique bisque and china heads from modern reproductions, identify restoration, recognize mismatched doll components, and apply market comparables effectively.
Inside, you’ll learn how experts:
Identify bisque, china, composition, wax, papier-mâché & early-plastic materials
Evaluate mold numbers, maker marks, impressed stamps & hand-script markings
Analyze eyebrow strokes, lip shading, cheek blushing & eye-line detail
Detect kiln characteristics including pore distribution & authentic surface texture
Distinguish original vs modern bisque quality and gloss levels
Evaluate glass eyes, paperweight eyes, sleep-eye mechanisms & period-correct variants
Identify seam lines, mold joins & kiln lines consistent with genuine antiques
Detect restoration including repainting, fill work, crack stabilization & eye replacement
Interpret damage patterns consistent with genuine age vs artificial distressing
Assess body compatibility to avoid mismatched doll constructions
Determine value based on rarity, maker prestige, size, condition & desirability
Identify common reproduction red flags & fantasy markings
Volume 295 provides collectors, estate professionals, and doll historians with a complete, defensible system for authenticating antique doll heads and assigning accurate market value.
Digital Download — PDF • 7 Pages • Instant Access
Antique doll heads—whether bisque, china, composition, papier-mâché, wax, or early plastics—are among the most misidentified and misunderstood categories found in estate collections. Authentic examples from makers such as Kestner, Simon & Halbig, Bru, Jumeau, Armand Marseille, and Kammer & Reinhardt command significant value, while later reproductions and modern fantasy pieces often mimic their appearance. Accurate authentication requires examining material type, bisque quality, mold marks, painting technique, kiln characteristics, seam structure, eye construction, and age-consistent wear patterns.
DJR Expert Guide Series, Vol. 295 — How to Authenticate and Value Antique Doll Heads provides the complete professional workflow for evaluating authenticity, maker attribution, condition, and fair market value. This guide explains how to distinguish genuine antique bisque and china heads from modern reproductions, identify restoration, recognize mismatched doll components, and apply market comparables effectively.
Inside, you’ll learn how experts:
Identify bisque, china, composition, wax, papier-mâché & early-plastic materials
Evaluate mold numbers, maker marks, impressed stamps & hand-script markings
Analyze eyebrow strokes, lip shading, cheek blushing & eye-line detail
Detect kiln characteristics including pore distribution & authentic surface texture
Distinguish original vs modern bisque quality and gloss levels
Evaluate glass eyes, paperweight eyes, sleep-eye mechanisms & period-correct variants
Identify seam lines, mold joins & kiln lines consistent with genuine antiques
Detect restoration including repainting, fill work, crack stabilization & eye replacement
Interpret damage patterns consistent with genuine age vs artificial distressing
Assess body compatibility to avoid mismatched doll constructions
Determine value based on rarity, maker prestige, size, condition & desirability
Identify common reproduction red flags & fantasy markings
Volume 295 provides collectors, estate professionals, and doll historians with a complete, defensible system for authenticating antique doll heads and assigning accurate market value.
Digital Download — PDF • 7 Pages • Instant Access