Building a Collection of Collectible Dolls

Collectors know that collectible dolls of yesterday have a wide spread popularity and there are a wide variety of treasure dolls and merchandise to choose from. Collectors enjoy forming collections of dolls from the past that are rare and even from more the modern day era.

Many collectors start building collections of dolls as way of reminiscing into their childhood. Collectors need to figure out what type of dolls they want to add to their collections, which may greatly depend on the type of material they are made from. Once the collector has decided on the type of doll they want to collect then they may want to purchase merchandise for their dolls as well to add to their collections. However, most collectors do prefer the more modern and vintage style dolls or the classic and antique dolls. There are a variety of dolls for any collector to base their collections upon, with each containing distinct features that are sure to please any collector.

Some collectors collect dolls based upon limited editions and by the individual who actually designed the doll such as Jan McLean, Susi Emer, Beatrice Paccini, Diddy Jacobson, Joke Grobben, or Hildegard Gunzel to name only a few. Collectors can locate dolls designed by these individuals and many more at specialty shops, flea markets, antique stores, and on-line. In fact, there are plenty on-line sites that specialize in collectible dolls and even have exclusive items that may not be available at other sites. Some of these on-line sites are extremely informative and can assist collectors in gather more facts about the dolls they are collecting and related items to these dolls.

The history of the doll can actually be dated back to the beginning of man and they were traditional created as toys for children and were made out of many materials both hard and soft. During earlier days dolls were originally made from rock, mud, clay, wood, or bone, but now during more modern days dolls are usually constructed from plastic, rubber, cloth, paper, porcelain, or a combination of materials. Children often feel that their dolls are cherished possessions and are usually made to resemble a girl or boy, but some dolls are create to resemble fairies, angels or animals. One type of popular animal doll that has been given human-like characteristics is the teddy bear, which often have clothes and even hair.

Collectors find that the most realistic looking dolls are often times the most popular with any collector, especially if these dolls look like babies or children. Most realistic looking dolls are produced of plastic and vinyl, with vinyl being used mostly toady because it is so durable. Some of the best dolls created are handmade and are often constructed of high quality materials, such as the rag dolls. Collectors collect paper dolls that were first produced in France back in the 18th century and moved to other areas of the world. For several years paper dolls were hand painted versions of popular actors or actresses from different parts of the world.

Due to the large amount of grading that was needed in the doll market the Collectible Doll Authority or the CDA was formed, which some collectors feel has only brought problems and frustrations to collectors. Dealers and collectors were using their own standard to judge dolls by with their own definitions until the formation of the Collectible Doll Authority came into play.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant about rare coins, stamp collections, and rare collectibles. Follow these links to find the best marketplace for: rare coins, stamp collections.

The Five Secrets to Getting the Best Price When Buying an Antique Doll Or Collectible Barbie Doll

The absolute best way to get a great deal when buying a collectible antique doll or Barbie doll is to be armed with information. There' no substitute for knowledge when it comes to buying or investing in dolls.

There are usually only two things you, as a doll collector, are looking for when considering antique dolls:

#1. You are looking for a very specific doll. You know the designer, when and where the doll was made and you know a lot of other things about the exact doll you're looking for.

#2. You are looking for a bargain. You are looking for any antique doll or collectible doll that is available way below it's actual value.

Here's how to get the best value for both types of dolls.

You have to approach each of these situations differently. The first situation is easier, but there are still some things that many collectors overlook. You need to do your homework and find out what dolls like you are looking for are actually selling for. And you need to know what they have sold for recently.

The market may have changed.  A particular doll that was in high demand and expensive not long ago, may be a lot less expensive now (or it may be even more expensive). Either way, don't rely on your previous knowledge. Find out what the value of the doll is NOW.

By all means it's important that you don't let your emotions get in the way of logic. Of course, that's easier to say than to do. If you love antique dolls like I do, it's easy to fall in love with a doll. But remember that you will have a better chance to get the best doll at the best price, if you can remain logical and not let your emotions rule.

Of course, the condition of the doll you're looking for has a lot to do with the price. This means that there could be (and probably will be) a wide range of prices that the particular doll you're looking for will be selling for.

In the second situation where you are looking for any doll that you can get at a great price, your job is even harder. You need to know the value of many dolls in order to find bargains. Of course, you can't know the value of all dolls, but there are probably a wide range of dolls that you're interested in and have some idea about the the price range they should be selling in.

One of the best ways to find a bargain in an antique doll is to realize that a lot of people start out collecting dolls and then lose interest. Also realize that in many cases the person selling the doll wants to sell it a lot more than you want to buy the doll. Regardless of how high (or even how reasonable) the initial asking price is, make a low-ball offer and work from there.

The Internet has a wealth of information about dolls. One of the best places to find out about antique doll prices is on eBay. Be sure to check completed auctions to see what antique, collectible or Barbie dolls like the one you're looking for really sold for. You can use this information in your negotiating.

CraigsList is another good place to search for antique dolls or Barbie dolls. But remember that the prices shown on CraigsList are the asking prices and not what the doll will or did sell for.

When you're armed with all of the above information, your final step is to use the five negotiating techniques shown below and don't be in a hurry -- be the reluctant buyer.

Five  Secrets to Getting the Best Price When Buying Any Antique, Collectible, or Barbie Doll:

1.    Offer way less than you expect to have to pay. 

2.    Always act shocked and surprised at the other side's first price.

3.    Say, "You've got to do better than that." 

4.   Walk away (or pretend to walk away) sometime during the negotiation.

5.    Arm yourself with information.  The more you're prepared with facts and information, the better deal you can negotiate.  For example, say, "I have checked eBay and other Internet sources, and dolls like this one never sell for more than $200."

Use these techniques and you will come out with the best deal possible on an antique doll. Don't forget that there are a lot of collectible dolls out there, so always be willing to walk away from any negotiation. 

Bottom line: Do your homework, check prices on eBay, negotiate, be patient and walk away (or pretend to  walk away) from any negotiation if necessary.

You are free to publish this article as long as it is published in it's entirely including the author information and links shown below.

Jerry Minchey is an engineer, author, researcher and he holds seven patents. He cuts through the hype and gets down to the bare facts to reveal secrets that are easy to understand using non-technical terms. He has written several books and produced DVDs as a results of his research.

You can see the latest information about antique dolls (including prices that are updated hourly) at Rare Antique Dolls. At this site you can find the best prices for all types of rare and collectible antique dolls.

You can also see the latest hourly updated information about collectible Barbie dolls at Rare Barbie Dolls [http://www.RareBarbieDolls.com]. At this site you can find the latest information and the best prices for all types of Barbie dolls.

Collectible Barbie Dolls - Make Money With Your Collection

Barbie will be 50 years old in 2009. Wow I wish we all looked that good at 50. Of course she has had plastic surgery over the decades. She has even had a complete body replacement.

Barbie was first made in 1959 by Mattel and millions have been sold all over the globe since then. On March 9th 1959 Barbie was exhibited at the New York Toy Fair and that date is her official birthday. She wore a one piece black and white zebra striped swimsuit,high heel open toe shoes,hoop earrings and had white sunglasses with blue lenses. She has blonde or brunette hair pulled back in a ponytail and she has strongly arched eyebrows and white irises. She was made from a type of plastic which has faded to white over the years. She has copper tubing in her legs and holes in the feet for mounting on a pedestal. She is marked JAPAN on the bottom of the right foot and on the body she is marked Barbie TM Pats. Pend. Copyright MCMVIII.

If you find one of these dolls in good condition you have a collectors delight which is worth quite a bit of money. The exact value depends on the condition and completeness of the doll. Any missing parts or damage will lower the value substantially. This doll is known as the #1 Ponytail Barbie.

The #2 Ponytail Barbie is the same as #1 except that there is no copper tubing in the legs or holes in the feet. The pedestal was changed and made with extensions to support the doll.

The #3 Ponytail Barbie is the same as #2 but has different eyebrows and blue irises. She may have blue or brown eyeliner makeup.

The #4 Ponytail Barbie is made from a non fading plastic which retains it's flesh color. She has blue eyeliner makeup.

The #5 Ponytail Barbie was made with a hollow plastic body rather than the solid type found in earlier editions. The markings are similar with the difference that she is marked R Pats. Pend. rather than TM Pats. Pend. A new hair color was added to the line,known as titian,and dolls with this hair color are scarcer and therefore worth more than the brunette or blonde dolls. The plastic in some dolls had a problem which caused a greasy appearance with age. The regular matte faced doll,if you find one,is more valuable than a greasy faced doll.

The #6 Ponytail Barbie was made from a new vinyl which does not develop a greasy appearance as it ages. Her lips and fingernails are a pinkish red rather than the previous bright red. She is clad in a red swimsuit and has open toe,red,shoes.

The #7 Ponytail Barbie was made in various different hair colors including brunette, titian,lemon blonde and ash blonde. Her lips and nails are coral red. This new edition was brought out in the 1962-1963 period and the markings became Midge TM copyright 1962/Barbie copyright 1958 by Mattel. Dolls with this new marking are often called the #7 Ponytail Barbie but many people still call them #6. Dolls made before the changeover in 1962 are scarcer and more valuable than the new edition.

Condition is undoubtedly the most important factor in putting a value on early Barbie dolls. Collectors want a doll which is clean,completely original and not damaged.Such a doll fetches top price. If the doll is in its original packaging,and in mint condition, it is a highly desirable collectors doll and will fetch a premium price. Dolls which have in any way been repaired,restored or repainted are worth less than those left in the faded original condition.

Where can you expect to find early collectible Barbie dolls? The answer is almost anywhere,if you know what you are looking for. The vast majority of people do not know what an old Barbie doll looks like or that it is valuable. You can find old Barbie dolls sometimes by looking in thrift or second hand stores, fleamarkets and garage sales. Be sure to carry a magnifier to read the markings on the Barbie dolls when you are out there searching. Best of Luck.

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Take care of your doll collecting.

It can sometimes be difficult to know how to clean your cherished collectible without causing harm. The following is a simple guideline for you to help you learn which way is the best way to care for your doll.

Porcelain Dolls:

With porcelain, the decorations are usually fired on, so it would be unlikely that that you would hurt them by cleaning. Use warm soapy water. If this doesn't work good enough, try a wet eraser to remove marks. As a last resort, very, very gently clean with a low abrasive cleaner such as Tilex or Soft Scrub. Use caution because some cleansers have bleaching agents that could be devastating to antique clothing, wigs or bodies. Ultra violet rays can be very damaging to porcelain dolls, so when you are displaying your doll, avoid direct sunlight.

Celluloid Dolls:

These dolls are extremely perishable. They are easily broken and can become very brittle over time. Proper care and respect of a celluloid doll helps a perfect example remain in that condition. Heat is celluloid's worst enemy. Keep these dolls in a cool room with good ventilation - and never store celluloid in a sealed case - it can combust!

Cloth Dolls:

Vintage cloth dolls can be worth thousands of dollars and deserve your best efforts to preserve them and prevent needless deterioration. Keeping the fabric clean is important because it's exposing the fabric to pollutants that will weaken the material. Direct sunlight is not good for these dolls. You should also inspect your cloth dolls every now and then for insects. There are insecticides designed especially for textiles under many brands and the results can be excellent if used according to instructions.

If you decide to vacuum your doll, place a nylon screen over the fabric first to protect the delicate fibers. Most often, a good vacuuming is enough to restore a doll to display condition. If you doll is badly soiled, get the advice of a professional who specializes in preserving textiles.

Sometimes you can use an eraser or art gum, tapeten and reinger-and-absorene to clean your cloth doll. These seem to give the best results. Ink can be removed with hairspray, but first test an area on the doll to assure that no damage will occur. Apply the hair spray with a cloth, and wipe in a light rubbing motion with a clean white cloth.

For display purposes, it is best to keep them in protective cases and inspect them regularly. Moth crystals should be placed near your dolls. Many collectors recommend making a small cloth pouch, filling it with moth crystals and placing it under the doll's hat or tying it around its waist beneath the clothing.

Composition and paper-mache Dolls:

These dolls pretty much require the same care as the cloth type dolls. They are especially susceptible to damage from temperature changes. Never store composition or paper-mache dolls in a hot or cold attic, or in a damp basement.

Most collectors will accept some signs of aging on composition dolls - fine craze lines or cracked eyes, for example.

There are many popular ways for cleaning composition, but first always test it on an inconspicuous area of the doll and work quickly - never leave any cleaning agent on the doll for any length of time. Pond's Cold Cream or Vaseline and a soft tissue work well for these dolls. Another option is paste window cleaner but not the ammonia type. You want the old fashioned paste that you can get at most hardware stores.

Wigs can be restyled after spraying with Johnson's & Johnson's No More Tangles. Faded or worn-off facial features can be touched up with artist's colored pencils. When moistened, they are very easy to apply. Crackled eyes are best left alone.

Hard Plastic Dolls:

These types of dolls are very resilient and can be cleaned with almost any soap detergent. You can clean stubborn stains with cold cream or waterless hand cleaner. Avoid chlorine, bleach and ammonia. Never use fingernail polish remover or lacquer thinner which may eat into the plastic! You can use Oxy-10 to remove stains that are not close to painted surfaces. Just moisten a cotton ball and allow it to sit on the stain for several hours. You may have to repeat this process several times. After each cleaning, wash the doll with mild soap and rinse well.

For displaying purposes, avoid direct exposure to ultraviolet light. Although they may seem indestructible, hard plastic can slowly oxidize and change color and direct heat can also cause warping.

Rubber Dolls:

These dolls will deteriorate no matter what precautions you take, but you can delay the process. Any form of grease is harmful and accelerates deterioration. If you have a "Magic Skin Doll" always wear cotton gloves when handling her. Rubbing corn starch on these kinds of dolls twice a year will help to preserve the dolls' life. Maintain an even temperature and avoid changes in humidity.

Tin Dolls:

These dolls often have chipped paint which can happen from the metal getting cold which in turn causes the paint to lift off the face. Try to keep these dolls in a constant temperature environment.

Vinyl Dolls:

Vinyl dolls are probably the most lifelike in appearance and touch. In order to keep them looking that way, special care is needed. Extreme room temperatures are harmful. Even quality vinyl dolls subjected to heaters or air conditioners can be damaged in just a few months. Direct sunlight can be deadly. Vinyl is also sensitive to fluorescent light; use indirect non-fluorescent lights. Finally, avoid tightly sealed show cases or glass domes because condensation can form and damage vinyl dolls.

Wooden Dolls:

Chipping paint is a major problem with wooden dolls. Humidity and mistreatment are the two main culprits. Keep wooden dolls in a dry atmosphere. Expanding and contracting associated with high humidity causes paint to chip. Knocks and bumps can also chip paint, so take care in moving or displaying wooden dolls.

Wax Dolls:

Wax dolls can be intimidating to many collectors. They do require special care, but so do all types of dolls. Basic care and common sense will help preserve a wax doll in perfect condition. Of course, never place a wax doll in direct sunlight or near any heat source, such as a fireplace mantle.

The best way to start cleaning these types of dolls is to use a solution of cool water and Woolite. Saturate a cotton ball or a Q-tip and wash the wax. If this doesn't work, try a dab of cold cream on a Q-tip, followed by a rinse of the Woolite solution and then clean, cool water. As a last resort, try denatured alcohol on a cotton ball, followed by a through rinsing. Never use turpentine to clean wax dolls because it can soften the wax!

Tips for Barbie Doll Collectors:

Remember those Barbie Dolls with the earrings and how it would eventually create green deposits around the ear? Here's a way to remove it:

Cover the ears with a small piece of cotton soaked in Tarn-X silver cleaner. Wrap the head in saran wrap to keep the application moist. Check after two days. If the ears are still green, replace the saran wrap. If, the ears are still green after four days, repeat the procedure with fresh cotton balls. Once the green is gone, rub a paste of baking soda and water over the treated areas. After several days, flake off the dried baking soda and clean the area with warm, soapy water on a Q-tip. Tarn-X causes a chemical reaction that acts as a bleach; the baking soda neutralizes the reaction; and the warm, soapy water removes any residue. It is important to perform each step as described and to inspect the doll periodically throughout the process.

Bubble cut Barbies often have sticky or greasy faces. This is due to an ingredient being emitted by the vinyl. Here's a tip to take care of that:

Carefully remove the head from the body and clean inside and out with a Q-tip soaked in alcohol. Dry it good and fill the head cavity with baking soda. Then replace it on the body. The baking soda will neutralize the chemicals and absorb the extracted grease.

Old Tips Recommended By Some Doll Collectors

- To remove mildew: soak in sour milk and salt. Then lay the doll in the sun. To remove milk therapy, follow with a warm soapy water wash and rinse.

- To restore color to faded cloth: sponge with chloroform.

- To soften old kid: saturate an old woolen rag with kerosene and rub in the kid.

- To clean old ivory: scrub with Ivory soap; bleach in the sun for several days, reapplying the soapy solution often.

- To remove tar: clean first with turpentine, then clean with Lux soap.

- To remove paint: Patient rubbing with chloroform.

- To restore faded calico: wash in water with a teaspoon of sugar of lead; soak for fifteen minutes and launder.

- Black taffeta is best washed in strong tea.

Hopefully, we given you some helpful information!

Evelyn Whitaker writes articles for Deutsches Haus http://www.deutscheshaus.cc which specializes in imported German gifts, souvenirs and collectibles from Germany.

All about dolls collectible.

Collectible dolls are excellent companions of games for children and adds to the wonderful collections of collectors of dolls, young or old. There are several different types, so it is the purchaser to choose.

Here, you will see that collectible dolls are usually made of:

o dolls of cloth: many dolls of cloth have faces of flat fabric with features painted by hand, wigs, made of wire and hand-made clothing.

o Composition dolls: Composition dolls consist of a mixture of several compounds (such as sawdust, paper, glue) many types of dolls of composition made famous by Madame Alexander.

o Bisque dolls: porcelain tinted, glass. The doll makers collectibles added color before triggering, although some Bisque dolls were often multiple firings to give a warm and rich color to the doll collecting.

o hard plastic dolls: made of flesh tones painted in hard plastic, these dolls collectible became extremely popular between 1940 and 1950.

o dolls of metals: metal dolls can be made entirely in metal, or they may just have a metal head. See metal dolls in a variety of metals such as silver, Tin and brass.

o Papier-mâché dolls: Papier-mâché dolls made of a fragile paper torn or shredded, glue and water mixture.

o porcelain dolls: Fine porcelain ceramic dolls is made using pure clay. The translucency of the material makes for elegant dolls.

o vinyl dolls: more manufactured in series dolls are dolls of vinyl in a flexible plastic.

o wood dolls: wood dolls date back to primitive times. Highly, carved wooden doll carved in wood of Basswood or linden, exist as pieces of folk art.

It is only a tip of the iceberg, because the world of dolls collectible is so vast and explore-able, as each time you will get a new treasure for your collection. But for your benefit, we have the divided into four sections: dolls collectible Antique, Vintage, modern and One-of-a-kind.

Ancient Dolls

These are dolls collectible produced before 1930 material as Bisque, China, wood or wax. You can also consider early composition and celluloid dolls dolls in this category. Each doll in this section is a work of art and collection of these dolls increases your knowledge of history and will tell you on the Europe of 19th century.

Vintage dolls

Collecting vintage dolls are miniature dolls of the period between 1980-in periods of 1930. This category consist of composition, hard plastic, celluloid dolls dolls and early vinyl dolls.

Modern dolls

Here, you will get the dolls made from 1980 to the present day. Some brands are Ashton Drake, Marie Osmond dolls, Barbie Collectibles, etc. Modern collection dolls are for children who like to play with them. Sculpted, dressed in the fashion and designed for the modern period, they are coveted by children around the world.

One-of-a-kind dolls

One-of-a-kind dolls are almost always fully designed and developed by the artist to create by hand and no replicas are made. It can fetch high prices when the fact of an artist renowned and collectors everywhere aspired after such valuable dolls.

DaDaBean [http://dadabean.com] is an informative blog that offers many different articles on collection dolls. Browse the store [http://dadabean.com/store] of various objects of collection and find the dolls you need to DaDaBean.

Collectible dolls 101

Collectible dolls exist for years, perhaps decades or even centuries. It may have started when a mother created one using one flying over or worn equipment or by or father sculpt one a piece of wood debris. These first examples were probably created to entertain and occupy the time of their daughter while they were performing their chores around the House. Over the years since the first examples were created girls grew, became the young women who are more interested to play with them, so that they their conditioned on a shelf in the room do not realize that they had begun their first collection.

Since these early primitive created by loving parents with elements are found around the House collecting dolls are now made of each material available. Lists of these materials include, but are not limited to: fabric, composition, Bisque, plastic hard, metal, paper maché, porcelain, vinyl and wood.

Collections are kept by the girls and young men who started playing with G.I. Joe adolescent mothers. Girls collect because it pretending to be a grown up. Mothers collect them because they grew up with him as a child and could not let go of it as they grew up. They spend their love for collectible dolls for their children similar to a parent or a grandparent passing on their love for a collection of pieces of currency or stamps. Husbands have been known to add rooms on their home to their wives collections.

Collectible dolls come in various categories, including; babies, children, multicultural, fairies and angels, fashion, brides and of course the dolls for special occasions such as birthdays, Valentine's day, the feast of Saint Patrick's, Easter, the feast of the mother, the father's day, weddings, July 4th, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

When looking for dolls collectible for your collection, you can take into consideration the following ideas:
It is for you, or someone else (the age of the person that you could give the doll should be taken into account)
Category
She is dressed in costume
Expression on his face.
Does look like a son, daughter, siblings, parent, grandchild, friend or neighbour
Examine the quality of the materials used in the manufacture of the body, clothing and accessories
Decide on which documents you want that it be made of
The price you are willing to pay
It is part of a collection or is it an investment

These are some of the things that you must take into account in the purchase of collection dolls.

Collection can be a great passion for all ages. It may be cheap if you collect those produced in mass quantities; However, if you limited edition collectible dolls or antiques he may become a very expensive hobby. Collection can also become a rewarding hobby. Collection can be a great passion for all ages. It may be cheap if you collect those produced in mass quantities; However, if you limited edition collectible dolls or antiques he may become a very expensive hobby. Collection can also become a rewarding hobby.

Sharon M. Owens collects dolls for over 30 years. It has more than 150 carefully selected dolls in her collection. To learn more about fashion, cultural and occasional doll collection visit our website: http://www.collectibledollsoutlet.com