• Discover the Types of Collectible Dolls

• Select Modern Collectible Dolls

• Talk About Collectible Dolls: Common Terms

• Value Collectible Dolls

• Find Collectible Dolls on eBay Australia

• Buy Collectible Dolls With Confidence

• Need More Help?

• Legal Disclaimer

Discover the Types of Collectible Dolls

Discover the Types of Collectible Dolls

Throughout the centuries, doll makers have created dolls using everything from wood to papier-mâché to porcelain. Choosing the right collectible doll, therefore, is largely a matter of deciding which type of material is most appealing to you.

• Bisque dolls: Bisque dolls are made of tinted, unglazed porcelain. The colours are added by the doll makers before firing. However, French and German bisque dolls that are in demand often go through multiple firings so as to give the dolls a warm, rich colour. 

• Porcelain dolls: Fine ceramic porcelain dolls are made by firing pure clay. The translucence of the material makes for elegant dolls.

• Cloth dolls: As the name suggests, cloth dolls are made out of cloth and have hand painted features on flat cloth faces, wigs made out of yarn and hand made clothing. The best known examples are the Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls.

• Papier-mâché dolls: Made from a fragile mix of shredded or torn paper, glue and water, it can be hard to find papier-mâché dolls that are in good condition.

• Composition dolls: Composition dolls are made up of a mixture of several compounds (such as plaster of paris, sawdust, paper and glue). Examples of composition dolls made famous by Madame Alexander include: Tiny Betty dolls and Little Betty dolls, Betty dolls, Wendy Ann dolls, and Princess Elizabeth dolls.

• Metal dolls: You can find metal dolls in a variety of metals, such as pewter, silver, brass and tin. They may be made entirely of metal, or they may just have a metal head. Starting from the mid-1880s, Germany and the United States are the largest producers of metal dolls.

• Hard plastic dolls: Collectible dolls made out of flesh toned painted hard plastic was extremely popular between 1940 and 1950. Compared to composition dolls, hard plastic dolls tend to have sharper and more defined features.

• Vinyl dolls: Mass produced dolls are mostly vinyl dolls made out of a soft plastic.

• Wood dolls: Dating back to primitive times, intricately carved wood dolls carved from linden or basswood, exist as folk art pieces.

Select Modern Collectible Dolls

Select Modern Collectible Dolls

Many doll collectors have recently become interested in modern dolls in addition to collecting vintage or rare dolls. Modern dolls offer doll collectors reasonable prices, mint condition, out-of-the-box, and high availability.

• Barbie dolls: Barbie dolls have been a favourite for many generations. They have a variety of designs and themes which keep them engaging, thus making them popular with collectors.

• Lee Middleton dolls: Lee Middleton offers affordable collectible dolls and are well known for their "baby dolls". Collectors seek them out for their fine workmanship and very limited production. 

• Madame Alexander dolls: Vintage Madame Alexander dolls can be pricey, but modern dolls that offer such themes as The Wizard of Oz, storybook characters, or high fashion are available at a fraction of the price.    

• Adora dolls: Another maker of “baby dolls", Adora dolls offer a more affordable and widely accessible range of collectible dolls that appeals to both young and mature collectors. Moreover, Adora produces dolls in all races, hair, and eye colours, appealing to a much broader audience. For the serious collectors, there is also a more expensive and limited line of dolls.      

• Vogue dolls: The Ginny doll from Vogue has been a hit with collectors ever since the 1950s. Like Barbie, Ginny has a huge wardrobe—everything from Halloween costumes to formal wear.

• Robert Tonner dolls: With several lines of popular collector dolls, including Betsy McCall dolls, Tiny Betsy McCall dolls, Tyler Wentworth dolls, Kitty Collier dolls, and Mary Englebreit dolls, among others, Robert Tonner collectible dolls run the gamut from cute children to fashionable ladies to nostalgic reproductions.    

Talk About Collectible Dolls: Common Terms

Talk About Collectible Dolls: Common Terms

Familiarise yourself with the collectible doll terminology before you start buying collectible dolls.

• Antique dolls: Dolls that were made before 1930.    

• Collectible dolls: "Collectible" can be used to describe any doll that you can collect. However, the term usually applies to dolls made 25 to 75 years ago.    

• Modern dolls: Dolls that are less than 25 years old are termed "modern".    

• Contemporary dolls: Contemporary dolls are dolls that are still in production.    

• One of a Kind (OOAK) dolls: One of a kind dolls are unique. There are no replicas and they will never be created again.    

• Reproduction dolls: Copies of collectible dolls that were made earlier. Reproduction dolls are made from a mould.

• Restoration dolls: A restored collectible doll has had repairs, such as repainting of body parts, or replacement of missing clothing.

Value Collectible Dolls

Value Collectible Dolls

Once you've decided on which collectible doll or collectible doll type to buy, consider the factors that will affect its price and value. Depending on the popularity of a given doll, prices can vary greatly. However, the price is often determined by the doll’s age and overall condition.

• Antique dolls vs. new dolls: Just because a doll is antique doesn't mean that it is more expensive compared to newer dolls. The more popular in-demand collectible dolls and contemporary artist produced dolls can cost just as much or even more than some antique dolls.

• Overall condition: While dolls that have been played with may not come with their original clothing and accessories, they can still make charming additions to your doll collection. They also tend to be less expensive than dolls that are in pristine condition.

• Details: You can determine the quality of collectible dolls by looking at the details. Assess the facial expressions, hairstyle and stitching. Some dolls have lovely, carefully painted faces, while others do not.     

• Damage: The resale value of a doll can by affected by imperfections such as holes or cracks. However, small abnormalities should not matter too much if you truly love the doll and am planning on keeping it for yourself. Damaged dolls usually cost less, so you may be able to pick up a treasure that would usually be out of your price range. Keep in mind that if you do buy a damaged doll with plans to restore it, you will most probably have to purchase original or period clothing for the doll, as well as eyes, wigs, or other body parts for the doll separately.

• Popularity: Remember that despite its book value, a doll is worth what any single buyer is willing to pay for it.

• Doll clothing, shoes, and accessories: Some doll clothes are as beautiful and well made as haute couture for women. Many collectors find these items essential in a serious collection.     

Do your research

Be sure to do in-depth research before buying if you are considering making a purchase with an intention to sell the doll in future. You can find specialised books for highly collected dolls that can help you to determine value. In general, the values listed in books typically only apply to well-preserved dolls. You will need to adjust the value accordingly if you are looking at dolls with more wear and tear.

Find Collectible Dolls on eBay Australia

Find Collectible Dolls on eBay Australia

Once you know what type of collectible doll you want, go to the Dolls & Bears portal. Click Dolls, and start searching for item listings on eBay Australia.

• Categories: The Categories list on the left side of each page will help you narrow down your listings by item type. You'll find links for Antique (Pre-1930), Artist Offerings, Vintage  and more. As you dig deeper into the site, you'll be able to further narrow down your choices.     

• Keyword search: Search eBay Australia listing titles for specific words. For example, if you want to find bisque dolls, type “bisque” (without quotation marks) into the Search box. Click "Search title and description" to expand your results. Visit eBay Australia's Search Tips page for more tips on searching with keywords.

If you can't find exactly what you want, try shopping eBay Stores, tell the eBay Australia Community what you want by creating a post on Want It Now, or save a search on My eBay and eBay Australia will email you when a match becomes available.

Buy Collectible Dolls With Confidence

Buy Collectible Dolls With Confidence

Before making your purchase, make sure you know exactly what you're buying, research your seller, and understand how eBay Australia and PayPal protect you.

Know your purchase

Carefully read the details in item listings.

• Figure delivery costs into your final price. If you spend a lot of money, make sure the seller will insure the item when it ships.

• If you want more information, ask by clicking the "Ask seller a question" link under the seller's profile.

• Always make sure to complete your transaction on eBay Australia (with a bid, Buy It Now, or Best Offer). Transactions conducted outside of eBay Australia are not covered by eBay Australia protection programs.

• Never pay for your eBay Australia item using instant cash wire transfer services through Western Union or MoneyGram. These payment methods are unsafe when paying someone you do not know.

Know your seller

Research your seller so you feel positive and secure about every transaction.

• What is the seller's Feedback rating? How many transactions have they completed? What percentage of positive responses do they have?

• What do buyers say in their Feedback? Did the seller receive praise?

• Most top eBay Australia sellers operate like retail stores and have return policies. Do they offer a money-back guarantee? What are the terms and conditions?

Buyer protection

In the unlikely event that a problem arises during your transaction, eBay Australia and PayPal are there for you.

• Pay safely with PayPal: PayPal enables you to pay without the seller ever seeing your bank account or credit card numbers. In fact, PayPal protects buyers 100% against unauthorised payments from their accounts. Plus, with PayPal Buyer Protection, your purchase can be covered up to $1,500.

• eBay Australia Security & Resolution Centre: Visit the Security & Resolution Centre to learn how to protect your account and use eBay Australia's quick and efficient resolution tools.

Need More Help?

Need More Help?

Visit our help pages or start a thread on one of our Community Discussion Boards - If you have a quick question that needs answering, try posting it on our community Answer Centre - there's bound to be a seasoned eBay Australia veteran with just the information you're looking for!

Legal Disclaimer

Legal Disclaimer

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