Getting Started Collecting Porcelain Dolls

Who says dolls are for kids? Today, porcelain dolls are the second best collectable item. Porcelain and bisque are considered antique and are therefore highly valued. These dolls are also beautiful, giving a unique charm to your home. Collectors need to be aware of any information regarding collecting porcelain dolls in order to build a good collection that will be the envy of every collector - and kid!

The dolls are normally hand crafted and hand painted from excellent quality porcelain. The subtle expressions and eloquent poses are captured by the artist, increasing their value even more. Each and every minute detail is paid attention to when a collectible porcelain doll is appraised, as even minor damage to it, especially the face, will bring its value down.

How expensive they are depends on the popularity of the artist and the quantity of similar dolls produced. Since dolls have been around for years, for collectors and adults who purchase these dolls, it provides a wonderful trip back in memory. The exquisite beauty of these dolls will remind you why you always loved dolls.

If you wish to start collecting, you must first decide what type of doll you would like to collect. After that, research the type of doll you have chosen. Duplicates of porcelain dolls are common, so be cautious and study your options carefully before buying one. Also understand the antique value of the doll before you invest in it. This will help you save money.

Doll collection can be addictive. It is not like collecting vinyl dolls or other types of dolls. Although it does take you back to your childhood, there is fierce competition to face once you become a collector. You will have porcelain doll shows to attend, socialize with other collectors and keep a look out for any new porcelain doll in the market. Once you fall in love with these dolls, you will want to possess every one of them. There are several types of porcelain dolls that you will come across, so picking the one you want to collect can be quite over-whelming. Here are the few common types you will come across:

Handcrafted Porcelain Dolls

These dolls are made by an artist in limited numbers and each piece is unique. No two dolls will look the same. This type of porcelain doll is extremely valuable, for its sheer uniqueness and beauty. The popularity of the artisan adds more value to it.

Antique Porcelain Dolls

There are antique porcelain dolls that are scarcely found. When you do come across one that seems antique, make sure you verify its details, as very realistic replicas of these beautiful dolls are made. These duplicates are sold in flea markets, garage sales and antique shops, to make them seem exactly like the original collectible. Do not be fooled by such replications. Be sure to cross-check with experts before you invest in an antique porcelain doll.

Limited Edition Porcelain Dolls

This is a very popular variety of porcelain dolls. Although they are mass-produced, it is only in limited numbers. For instance, a Christmas collection might be released in the festive season and it will sell like hot cakes! Make sure you buy limited edition dolls from a well-known collector or seller of porcelain dolls.

Porcelain Doll Reproductions

As I mentioned before, there are hundreds of people all over the world manufacturing phonies and duplications of the rare and antique porcelain dolls, as well as many other types of dolls.

Porcelain dolls are made especially in specific countries. There are Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Persian, Native American, Indian and many other ethnic porcelain dolls. They also make for excellent gifts! Whether it is your child or a special person, a unique porcelain doll can be a memorable gift to give.

Collecting dolls is one of the best hobbies, as it always keeps you young at heart. These porcelain dolls, when displayed in the right manner, can be a true collector's pride adding character to your home as well. Being surrounded by beautiful dolls such as these is sure to add happiness to your home. Porcelain dolls are wonderful collectibles, as they are very valuable and their value only appreciates with time. It is therefore a worthy investment.

By Patrick Cannon

Antique Dolls

Antique dolls were mostly popular with children and little girls. While playing with them, the children mostly dressed and undressed them. This makes them mostly worn out. They have been patched and re-patched. However, they can still be beautiful play things for children today if one happens to find one that was carefully handled and is in good condition. Antique dolls can not be easily purchased over the Internet. This is because they are unique in regards to their clothes and looks. Therefore, one has to have a close personal look before purchasing them. On the other hand, Barbie dolls can be easily purchased on the Internet as they have standardized clothes. If one needs to purchase antique dolls, first and foremost check its condition. They should carefully examine the hairline to ensure that there are no cracks. These cracks tend to increase as the days go by. The body should be in good condition. Replacement of body parts such as the eyes, wigs and other parts can be an expensive affair. It is therefore prudent to avoid items that require such items.

It is also important that one studies magazines with details regarding these ancient items and their dealers. This will enable one to make the correct choice and therefore, a worthwhile purchase. If the overall appearance of this kind of ancient item is pleasing and satisfactory, then one can purchase them. Their prices also of a good range. For instance the German type ranges between two hundred and five hundred dollars. One is sure to find a price that suits them. By Peter Gitundu

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The Miniature Doll House Fascination

What fascinates them about seeing familiar objects in a tiny, realistic form?

Much more than a child's plaything, building doll houses, and ultimately decorating and furnishing them in a theme of your choice, has become an adult hobby. Personally, my miniature

interest lies in antique miniatures and dolls, more so than in modern works. The strange thing about that is the fact that antique pieces were seldom created with a true eye to scale, and scale is of utmost importance to me when viewing modern miniatures.

The craftsmanship involved in creating tiny little porcelain dolls, with jointed limbs, often hand blown inset glass eyes, real mohair wigs is amazing. Add to that the primitive conditions within the factories that many of these dolls were created in, adds to my amazement. Manufactured doll house furnishings of this era, were often made in Germany as were the little dolls. (sorry Chrysenbon) If bathroom fixtures are representing porcelain pieces, then do not make them in wood! Some enthusiasts enjoy making all of their own furnishings and accessories, even their own dolls. Some crafters make such exquisite pieces that the prices can command as much as their full size counterparts. There are miniature artists, who paint on tiny canvases each work of art is a one of a kind painting. Other artists paint on tiny plates, even buttons as canvases.

There are miniature artists who do miniature needlepoint, knitting, rug making and pottery as well as wood workers.

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Book Review of "A Doll's House"

This book happens to be a play that contains suspense throughout the book. It is about Nora and Torvald Helmer. Nora doesn't seem to care about going in debt. Unknown to Torvald, Nora has borrowed money from Nils Krogstad. He works for Torvald. Nora gave Torvald a bond with her father's signature on it. Nils confronts Nora about the signature. Nora also finds out that Torvald is going to fire Nils. After Nils has been let go, he tells Nora that he has written a letter to Torvald about Nora's secret. Nora tells Mrs. Linde about the situation. Nora wants to stop Torvald from getting the letter. Will Torvald find out Nora's secret? The suspense builds when Nora's secret is revealed to the reader's. I recommend this play to anyone who enjoys reading plays with an element of suspense.

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What Makes Victorian Doll Houses the Most Popular Among Collectors?

Doll houses, whether toys for children or collectible items for adults, come in any architectural style imaginable. From the logical geometric designs of classical and neoclassical architecture to the sometimes confusing subtlety of modern design, miniature houses run the gamut. But what is it about Victorian architecture that is so attractive to doll house collectors? Of all the different architectural styles, the Victorian style is by far the most popular.

One of the elements of Victorian design that is of great interest to miniature enthusiasts is the incredibly elaborate, purely ornate character of Victorian architecture. Featuring lofty, gothic spires, enormous wrap around balconies and porches, and majestic double swinging doorways, this type of house provides ample opportunities to indulge in the little details that miniaturists love. Not only is a Victorian dollhouse an enjoyable challenge to their building skills, but an opportunity to create a truly spectacular showpiece.

As is the case with almost any style of art or architecture, there are historical reasons for the elaborate nature of Victorian design. Victorian dollhouses are so charming because, like the full-size houses built in the same style, they have a personality. Surprisingly enough, doll houses in the Victorian era were used more for instruction than play. Victorian dollhouses served as teaching aids to show young ladies the proper way to behave and how to care for a home. Technorati : Doll Houses Del.icio.us : Doll Houses Zooomr : Doll Houses Flickr : Doll Houses

Doll Houses Aren’t Just for Girls

The dollhouse market is inundated with toys and miniatures geared towards young girls. When you think of boys' toys, the assumption is that boys need trucks, action figures, or sporting goods like a new baseball, basketball, or hockey stick. Yet, there is a small market of boy's dollhouses.

You won't find any of these dollhouses in the regular toy section as you'd find the normal dollhouses. Over the years, "dollhouses" for boys have taken on themes such as Castle Grey Skull from the He-Man series and the G.I. Joe Command Headquarters Command Centre. Both these fortresses contained some of the same imaginative elements as a regular dollhouse: functioning doors, moveable pieces, and places to sit your "action figure" down after a long day.

Even today, you can find a boy's "dollhouse" in the form of Captain Jack Sparrow's ship, The Black Pearl, from the Pirates of the Caribbean series. NASA even has model space stations, shuttles, and action figures for your would-be astronaut.

The only limitation in knowing what can be considered a boy's dollhouse is the extent of one's imagination. The next time you think about dollhouses as a gift, don't forget about all the young boys in your life. Technorati : Doll Houses Del.icio.us : Doll Houses Zooomr : Doll Houses Flickr : Doll Houses

Growing Your Collection: How to Choose the Right Doll House Kit

Enter the Miniature Museum of Greater St. Louis in Missouri. In here, exhibits are akin to legacies, and they communicate a part of the original owners' passion and artistry to the museum's patrons everyday.

Concerned that their children were not as enthusiastic as they were about their miniature collection, or that they did not have the space to store and exhibit their collection, these ladies envisioned a museum that would house their work.

Originally, the group's collection can be found at the Miniature World Museum in St. Charles. Today, the Miniature Museum of Greater St. Louis is not just home to the original founders' collection, but displays donated collections from other enthusiasts and museums that closed as well.

The highlights that this museum offers include the sponsorship of two miniature shows annually: the Gateway Miniature Fair and the Garage Sale. In these much-anticipated events, dealers from all over the country exhibit and sell their miniature crafts. It is a perfect opportunity to network with other enthusiasts, get a market for your miniatures, and browse through offerings of dollhouses, dolls, furniture, and dollhouse accessories of different varieties.

If the fairs are not enough to infect your friends with the miniature collecting bug, you can also take them to classes and workshops on miniatures that the museum sponsors. Then there's the exhibits themselves. There are also unusual miniatures, like miniature needlework and exquisite silver dinnerware from the Netherlands and India.

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Plastic Doll House Furniture

The list goes on and on, and this long list definitely includes the toy industry. The invention of this highly versatile material has brought about a development in the doll house industry known as: plastic doll house furniture.

For obvious reasons, the emergence of plastic doll house furniture followed the birth of plastic doll houses, specifically because of the reason that the former is simply a form of accessorizing the latter. In modern times however, the use of plastic doll house furniture is no longer limited to the presence of an actual doll house.

Nowadays, consumers on a budget may choose to purchase individually packaged plastic doll house furniture. These items may be bought without a doll house, and often these toys are used for play by children who are fond of dolls. One example is the sturdiness of the material; plastic of the right kind is actually quite durable and this characteristic has definitely added a different dimension to the art of miniature toy furniture pieces.

Imagine, toy manufacturers can easily vary designs just by changing the mold.

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Tips for Buying Victorian Doll House Furniture

Victorian doll house furniture appear formal and somber. They also feature elaborate details, including outwardly curving arm chairs . Victorian doll house furniture are made with wood, either as genuine materials or imitations of maple, oak, ash, black walnut and rosewood. Unlike modern doll house furniture, Victorian-style furniture look heavy.

Victorian doll house furniture sometimes come in a two- or three-piece set. Scale matters

When you're buying Victorian doll house furniture, look for items that are scaled appropriately. The most commonly-used scale for dollhouses is the 1/12 scale. For example, if an actual Victorian-style chair is 3.5 feet high, its miniature should be 3.5 inches high.

You might also find other scales such as the 1/2" scale (where 1 foot is equal to 1/2"), 1/4" (where 1 foot is equal to 1/4") and 3/4" (where 1 foot is equal to 3/4"). There are also furniture produced using 1/144" (where 1 foot is equal to 1/12"). This is the smallest scale used by most doll house furniture makers.

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