Bisque Dolls History

Everything you need to know about the history of Bisque Dolls and how to collect them.

Right back through History, Children have always played with Dolls.
Egyptian children had basic wooden and cloth dolls and as time went by,
Dolls became more sophisticated in dress and in the manufacture of their bodies and heads.

Many collectors believe that the pinnacle of Doll making was reached in the 1800s and in the early 1900s with the fabulous dolls made by the French House of Jumeau and companies in Germany such as Gebruder Heubach and Kestner and several others.

 

These were ornately dressed and had heads made of BISQUE - a form of Porcelain that was fired without the addition of a glaze.
(The same system was also used to manufacture unglaze porcelain figures in Germany at around the same time)

 

At one point Fashion Dolls were made of Bisque and were taken around France by travelling salesmen to show the latest Paris Fashions which were then ordered by French Ladies. These are avidly collected.

 

Very early Bisque Dolls were more simply made to include the head all in one piece and later painted,eventually these evolved into the really collectible dolls with glass sleep eyes and inset tongues and teeth

(Although many collectors prefer the closed lip Dolls and do not collect the inset teeth type.)

 

If you want to collect Dolls for Investment (and that is a good idea) then go for Dolls by Jumeau or Heubach or Kestner and buy the best you can afford - ensuring that there has been no restoration or damage.

 

If you want to shop in person (and that is great fun) then the best places are the London Antique markets or those in Paris France. Prices are slightly higher in Paris specialist Shops but the quality is usually higher than Dolls bought in a street market.

 

You can find most of these Dolls in our collected Auctions and items for sale .
This is almost certainly the widest range of dolls available anywhere in the World .

Just look at our reviews  for some astonishing bargains and information about major French and German Dollmakers.