“Jenny doll” porcelain head & hands
01 October 2019
Description

About 18-19” in height. Has been passed down through family. Body seems to have been stuffed with what looks like sawdust. Porcelain is in very good condition & however the rest of the body has wear & tear from age & elements. Was told it was originally my Grandmothers & she was born in 1908. I took the doll when my Mother passed away. She also has 3 custom made dresses.

Provenance

Has always been a family toy to my knowledge.

Acquired from
Inherited
For sale
Yes
Answered within about 15 hours
By Sabrina Vinther
Oct 02, 09:45 UTC
Fair Market Value
$250 - $350 USD
Insurance Value $0 USD
What does this mean?

Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry.

It is a lovely antique doll. Such antique bisque headed dolls are being offered at auction on a regular basis.
I presume your doll is with a bisque shoulderhead, the way the face is moulded looks as if it comes from the German doll factory Kling. This type of doll with shoulderhead and moulded painted hair and face was typical for that particular factory.
The body made of leather and legs and arms of bisque are also typical of this type of woman-doll. It was made around 1880-1890. Collectors today are very concerned that the head is in mint condition meaning that there must be no chips, hairlines or cracks in the head and that the body and underarms are in very good condition too. If there are original clothes to go with the doll it usually increases the price.

The estimate provided is for a well-advertised specialised online old toys auction, where I believe the doll has the best chance of realising its fullest potential. However, there is no measurement for the sentimental value you might attach to the lovely doll. Retail "asking prices" can be higher and vary.

Please let me know if you have any additional questions. I’m happy to help.
Thank you

Jacklyn russell Oct 02, 19:27 UTC

Thank you for your insight & information regarding this doll. For years now she has just been wrapped up & stored in a closet and I have no one too pass her on to. I would very much be interested in what the next step would be to pass her on to someone who can appreciate her the way previous generations had. As I stated before and the pictures show her legs are deteriorating and her arms have been taped where they have torn long ago. Her head however seems to be in perfect condition, no cracks or breaks whatsoever. Same with the hands, no cracks and all fingers are complete and in tact.

I’ve never done anything like this before, not even EBay so I am totally out of my depth on procedure. Any guidance or help you can offer will be greatly appreciated.

Sabrina vinther Oct 03, 10:05 UTC

Your item will be presented for several auction houses, but they tend only to be interested in items worth more than $1000. I would recommend eBay for these kinds of items because of the extended amount of buyers on the platform. Ebay is fairly easy to access. You start by creating an account. I would suggest that you browse through how similar dolls are described and then you create an entry for your doll. The photos you have used here are quite suitable for ebay too.
I wish you the best of luck.
Kind regards

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