lauradutoit asked:


Not all doll collectors make a conscious decision to become doll collectors at the start of our collection. We may purchase our first collectible doll simply because we found a particular collectible doll simply irresistible. Deep down all of us have our own reasons, most probably subconsciously, for purchasing that first collectible doll. Passion, warmth and excitement will, in all likelihood influence your decision to start a doll collection.

There are some doll collections that bring out the child in us whereas others have an uncanny way of bringing out the mother in us.

We can be the perfect mother to these children who never throw tantrums, never get sick, no dirty clothes to wash and no pajama drill. We can cuddle them if and when we so desire and in busy times we can leave them to sleep peacefully. We can buy new clothes and accessories for them when our budget allows, but if we don’t at least they won’t mind.

There are as many different collectible dolls as there are doll collectors. Toy dolls that you purchase at the local store are not classified as collectible dolls. They may be extremely cute and have priceless value for the children who play with them, but they will not increase in value, other than sentimental value. At the other extreme there are one-of-a-kind dolls created by world renowned doll artists. The waiting periods for these dolls are understandably extremely long and the purchaser would expect to pay thousands for this piece of artwork. These dolls are obviously beyond the reach of the average doll collector. In the middle of the two are a vast number of collectible dolls, created by renowned doll artists that are available on the market at prices that would be affordable for most budgets, and these are the dolls that are responsible for the growing popularity in doll collecting.

If you are new to the exciting world of doll collecting you will be amazed at the selection of dolls available for doll collectors today. If you have decided to venture into doll collecting then it may be that your biggest stumbling block will be in deciding what particular type or which particular artist/artists dolls you wish to include in your collection. Nowadays with the use of Internet access to the various doll collections is literally only an Internet connection away.

Guidelines for newcomers to the world of doll collecting:-

Get as much information as you possibly can – from the Internet, bookstores, libraries and specialized magazines.

Make sure that information you use to base your decision on is factual and knowledgeable.

Research previous work of any doll artist and their selling platforms before making a final decision.

Determine whether the dolls are issued with a Certificate of Authenticity.

Reputable doll galleries will only sell dolls of exceptional quality.

Make sure, above all else, that whatever type of collectible doll you decide upon for your collection that you would welcome the idea of owning not one, but a whole collection of these dolls.



Adventure Travel

lauradutoit asked:


Buy what you love.

As long as you love each doll that you buy you will love doll collecting. Doll collecting is a passionate pastime and choosing what type of doll to buy is a personal choice that should come from the heart. If you cannot walk past a baby doll without feeling it has your name written all over it, then buy baby dolls. If your passions for dolls dates back to childhood memories of playing with wooden dolls and you have a sentimental attachment to these dolls then collect these dolls. Do not let anyone influence you in your choice of dolls as a doll collection brings responsibilities and you do at least want to enjoy fulfilling these duties.

Collect within your budgetary limits.

Most serious doll collectors would love to own a whole collection of OOAK (one of a kind) collectible dolls. Very few of us can afford to own even one. Decide what you can afford to buy and start a collection in this price class. There is nothing to prevent you from upgrading your collection at a later stage should your financial position improve.

It is Quality and not Quantity that counts.

You will be adding more value to your collection by purchasing one quality doll per year than adding a number of mediocre dolls. Doll collections can so easily get too big to really appreciate and doll collecting is a marathon not a sprint. Be selective and appreciate each doll when you do manage to buy it.

Do sufficient research.

Making an informed decision always gives us confidence in our actions. Read as much as possible about a particular type of doll and get as much background information on the doll artists whose dolls hold a particular attraction for you.

Do not let price guides rule your decisions.

The Blue Book is every collector’s Bible, but this book is a point of reference only as there are numerous factors that can influence the value of a doll. Always use your own judgment in conjunction with price guides.

Buy from a reputable dealer.

This is of particular importance when purchasing antique dolls. Member of NADDA (National Antique Doll Dealers Association) must adhere to a strict code of ethics and membership requirements include at least five years experience in buying and selling antique dolls. All dolls must be guaranteed as to age, attribution, and physical condition in writing upon purchase. With modern new collectible dolls a reputable dealer will have a good after sales record and be knowledgeable about market trends.

Join a doll club.

Doll clubs are a great way of expanding your knowledge of the doll collecting world and a great way to share your ideas and aspirations. There is so much to learn from other doll collectors and these clubs often organize doll shows and other events that can bring a new dimension to your doll collecting.

Realize that you may want to upgrade your collection at some time.

Tastes change as we develop new ideas and are exposed to different types of dolls. Never feel guilty about wanting to change the direction of your collection. The money you get from the sale of your collection can be used towards your new-found doll collecting interests.

Enjoy yourself!

Remember that doll collecting is a pastime and it is meant to be enjoyed. Never let your doll collecting habits get in the way of family and friends and treasure the dolls that you are lucky enough to acquire. Always appreciate the doll friends you meet along the way even more than the dolls and you will find that you will always enjoy yourself.

Happy doll collecting!



Man Bling

dollmarket asked:


Tips to buy and sell Barbie Dolls online

It is not unnatural that the online sellers repent for not saving their Barbie Dolls when they come to know the big bucks behind pretty doll business.

Barbie, the doll which has been attracting the worldwide kids and elders since 1959, is available for wide range of prices from $5 to $5,000.

One has to know the nuances of doll business to buy or sell Barbies online. For example, just handful of profit you can see if you put up a classic Bubble-cut Barbie for sale at low opening bid with no reserve.

Web reference

Thanks to Internet, one can get lot of information, pictures, quotes and suggestions on doll collection through browsing hundreds of websites. However, three websites are worth watching for latest updates and vast information of Barbie dolls.

Doll Reference (http://www.dollreference.com/) is the best place to start off. This is a large, doll-collecting site, and the Barbie Menu is provided separately to find vintage Barbie & Friends of 1959 – 1976. There are more than 156 pages and nearly 2 thousand pictures in this section.

Official site for Mattels Barbie Dolls, Barbie Collectibles, (http://www.barbiecollectibles.com) cannot be ignored for your comprehensive information on Barbie Dolls business. From 1959 till today, it presents both classic and modern collection of Barbie Dolls and friends. Barbie fashions, newsletter to the members and space for showcasing members collection are the additional advantages of this website.

To get acquainted with the business lingo of Barbie Dolls, “Barbie Collecting Terminology” (http://www.dollectibles.com/terminology.htm) is a must watch. The website rolls out all kinds of letters/characters, abbreviations related to the title and their detailed information.

Tips to identify your Barbie

Markings encrypted on backside and back of the neck indicate the product details, in the absence of pictures. The condition of doll affects the cost like all other collectibles. Clothing, paint, torso, face and the condition of hair help you in determining the price. For a seller, it is important to know the advantages and disadvantage of these features. It is advisable that a buyer should ascertain the above, by sending an email or calling the seller if they are not found in the specifications.

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It is a sad fact of life that some people are dishonest, others forgetful, and others misinformed about dolls. Just like in a real life transaction at a doll show or shop, you need to protect yourself from being “taken” by the less-than scrupulous when you buy or sell dolls on the Internet at such online auction houses like eBay or Amazon.com, or in person-to-person direct sales from web sites. Unlike real life, when you purchase a doll online, you cant inspect it yourself. As a seller, your biggest fears are someone not paying you after the doll is sent, or someone returning a doll to you that is in worse condition than when you sent it. As a buyer, your biggest fear is getting NO doll at all after you have paid for it, or a doll that is in much worse condition than described. Here are some things you can do to help protect yourself in online transactions, as both a buyer and a seller:

BUYING:

1. Get REFERENCES: If you are dealing with an unknown person or entity, find out the names of other people who have had successful online transactions with the seller, and CONTACT THEM, via e-mail or phone.

2. Send a CHECK, and not a money order, whenever possible (this is the reverse of what you would prefer as a seller). You can stop a check, but there is little you can do about a money order if things go bad in the middle of a deal.

3. Get EXTENSIVE DESCRIPTIONS. Ask questions if the initial description is not detailed enough, and make sure you receive answers. If you sense resistance, or receive evasiveness or vague answers, PASS.

4. Get PICTURES whenever possible. If the seller is not equipped to send them via e-mail, then request them via snail mail (computer-speak for US Postal Service).

5. Get a RETURN PRIVILEGE; You WILL get dolls that are over-optimistically described, and you WILL use this privilege if you buy many dolls online.

6. Use COMMON SENSE: If something feels “off” about the doll, the seller, or the transaction, or you just get a bad feeling, LISTEN to your inner self, and pass on the doll. It isnt worth taking a chance, and your inner warning system is usually reliable. The few times I have been “burnt” on a doll, if I had paid attention to my misgivings, I wouldnt have been!

7. Dont be RUSHED: If the seller is in an undue rush (desperate for money; family emergency, raising cash), your warning system should go off. Another doll will come along; PASS

8. Get a PHONE NUMBER and an ADDRESS. Dont rely on an e-mail address and a post-office box; both can be ignored or disappear. Call the phone number.

9. KEEP CORRESPONDENCE: Keep all computerized correspondence until the doll is delivered, in case there is a dispute.

10. Do NOT Take Part In A THIRD PARTY Transaction: Dont buy a doll from x who is either selling or shipping it for y. This is a recipe for disaster; you can get caught in the middle of a dispute between the two parties. This has happened to me; a lady went on a long vacation, left a doll with a friend to ship when my $$ were received. They had a dispute over postage and shipping costs (and, she stiffed her friend on the electricity bill). I had to pay postage and handling on the doll AGAIN (my cheapest option to get out of this), while the two parties continued to argue and I didnt get my doll for nearly a month!

11. Does The Transaction Sound Too Good To Be True? Is someone offering you a perfect Jumeau for $500? RUN, quickly, in the opposite computerized direction.

12. Dont Buy Dolls that are TOO EXPENSIVE Online: Set a limit that wont be TOO painful if all of your precautions are of no use, and you get stuck with the dog doll of the century, or, even worse, no doll at all after payment. Remember, only YOU know what is too big a risk for you to take–for one person, it might be $50. For another, $5,000.

13. SHIPPING INSURANCE: It is a good idea to have this, in case your doll is lost or damaged in transit.

SELLING:

1. Get REFERENCES. Does the buyer pay their bills? Get e-mail and phone references from online transactions to make sure.

2. MONEY ORDERS AND CHECK CLEARANCE: When you sell, money orders are best for YOU. Money Orders are best. If you accept checks, make 100% sure it has cleared your bank before you ship the doll.

.3 Get a PHONE NUMBER and ACTUAL ADDRESS. Dont rely on an e-mail address and post office box or a PMB. Call the phone number.

4. DISCLOSE ALL FLAWS: As mentioned above. Be 100% honest, or you will end up with unsuccessful transactions and returns!

5. Have POLICIES ON PAYMENT: Also as mentioned above, and stick to them

6. Offer a RETURN POLICY–I offer return for anything that is NOT as described (purchaser finds a flaw I didnt describe, etc.) and a more liberal policy if asked for it up front.

7. Keep CORRESPONDENCE, DOCUMENTATION AND PICTURES: Since you DO offer a return policy, you need to protect yourself against the unscrupulous buyer who may return to you a DIFFERENT doll of the same type, which is in worse condition than yours (this is not very common, but could happen). I know one lady who sent out a mint #6 vintage Barbie, and what was returned to her was a very played with #6 Barbie. At least until the transaction is successfully completed, keep everything in case of a dispute.

8. Make The Buyer Purchase SHIPPING INSURANCE. It will help you have peace of mind, in case the box doesnt arrive. Also, it gives you proof of successful delivery.

9. Ship PROMPTLY, and let your customer know when to expect shipment. If you are going on a one week vacation, and cant ship that week, let your buyers know in ADVANCE so they dont get nervous when their e-mails to you arent answered.

10. UPS VS. US MAIL?: This is a personal choice; I have had good luck with Priority Mail, Insured. My UPS packages are often received more mangled than my post office ones, because UPS ships so many heavy packages. BUT, UPS has a marvelous tracking service; you can track a package with your computer. So, for my very expensive or large dolls, I DO use UPS. Both services offer return receipts for a fee, and for expensive dolls, I would purchase this extra peace of mind.

11. PACK the doll well. You DO NOT want to have an expensive doll ruined in transit. You will have a headache to deal with, a ruined sale, and an unhappy customer.

I hope these tips are helpful; in future articles, we will cover buying and selling dolls via eBay and other online auctons, as well as buying and selling dolls via other methods on the Internet.



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Tom Littlepage asked:


Dolls are believed to have been around since prehistoric times, and may well have been the earliest type of toy used by man. These dolls were certainly made of natural materials such as clay, wood, and fur. Many of them may have been used as children’s toys, but it is believed that they were often used to represent a deity, and likely played a key role in religious rituals and ceremonies.

None of these ancient dolls have survived through the ages, but dolls have often been found in Egyptian graves dating back as far as 3000 years. Some of these dolls were made of pottery, but most were made of flat pieces of wood painted with different designs, and with hair made of strings of wooden beads or clay. Dolls have also been found in the graves of Greek and Roman children, some with movable limbs and removable garments.

Later, Europe became a major producer of wooden dolls. Some of these dolls were made from tree stumps, while others were ‘peg’ dolls, made with simple peg joints and resembling a clothespin. Composition dolls, which were made from mixtures of pulped wood or paper that were molded under pressure, were developed in the 1800s. These dolls were durable and could be mass produced. Dolls with wax heads were also popular in the 17th and 18th centuries. Porcelain and bisque dolls became popular at the beginning of the 19th century.

The French “bebe” dolls were popular in the 1880s. Up until this time, most dolls represented adult figures. The bebes were different, because they represented younger girls. In the 1900s, realistic German bisque dolls were introduced and became very popular. These started an ongoing trend of creating realistic dolls.

Rag and cloth dolls have been hand made for centuries. ‘Rag’ dolls are made of any fabric, while dolls made specifically of linen or cotton are considered to be ‘cloth’ dolls. Commercial production of rag dolls was started in the 1850s in England and America.

It was not until after the Civil War that doll making became an important industry in the United States. Most dolls were produced in New England, and were made of various materials such as papier-mache, leather, cloth, and rubber. Celluloid was developed in the 1860s and was used in the manufacture of dolls until the 1950s. Although these dolls could be mass produced very cheaply, they were extremely flammable, and would fade in bright light.

Hard plastic dolls were made in the 1940s, and dolls of vinyl, rubber, and foam rubber were made in the 1950s and 1960s. The use of vinyl allowed doll makers to insert hair into the head, rather than having to paint the hair on, or to use wigs.

Modern dolls have traditionally been toys for children, and ‘action figures’ representing ‘superheroes’ are now very popular with boys. There are even ‘virtual’ dolls available on the Internet which can be designed, dressed up, and played with on web sites. Most dolls are now manufactured using modern materials and mass production techniques. However, dolls are also now collected by adults, and some manufacturers use the same kinds of materials that were used in the past, to create ‘vintage-style’ collectible dolls. But whatever the type of doll, they all trace their roots back to prehistoric times. They are truly ‘toys from antiquity.’



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lauradutoit asked:


Storage of your doll collection is inevitable to occur at some stage. This may be a result of moving home or purely because your doll collection has grown beyond the point where you have sufficient suitable available space to display your entire doll collection. Irreparable damage that could significantly devalue your doll collection can result from incorrect storage methods. The following are basic guidelines to assist you when storing collectible dolls.

Storage Area

The most popular storage areas for storage of goods, being basements and attics, are in most cases not ideally suited for storage areas for your doll collection. These areas are more likely to be prone to extreme temperatures which are a definite risk to most types of collectible dolls and could cause irreversible damage to your collection. As these areas are traditionally less frequented sections of your home they are more likely to get infested by rats and moths which needless to say could damage your collection.

If at all possible the ideal storage area in your home would preferably be in a temperature-controlled room in a closet, in a trunk or in a chest-of-drawers. There are temperature-controlled storage options available that would be suitable for your doll collection, but these may prove to be are costly should you require prolonged periods of storage for your doll collections.

Type of container

Plastic bags and plastic containers should never be used to store dolls and doll accessories. These containers have a tendency to trap moisture that could cause mold growth which is very difficult and in some cases impossible to remove. Vinyl or plastic dolls have the additional risk of damage resulting from gases that some plastic containers have been known to emit. Storing dolls in their original cardboard boxes is another common error made by many doll collectors. The acid present in cardboard could cause damage to your dolls if stored without the necessary protection in these boxes. Wrap your dolls in acid-free tissue paper or unbleached and undyed cotton or muslin cloths if you opt for storing your dolls in cardboard boxes



Metal Accessories

Jewelry, metal doll stands, metal headbands or any other metal objects must be removed from dolls prior to storage as these are known to discolor plastic and vinyl dolls.

If you have true NRFB (never remove from box) collectible dolls then you may have to leave box and doll together, and any jewelry still on the doll, risking eventual damage to the doll.



Packing materials

Ideally all dolls and doll clothing should be wrapped in acid-free tissue paper prior to storage. To prevent the doll and doll clothing from touching one another and maybe causing permanent discoloration it is advisable to place a layer of acid-free tissue paper between the doll and the dolls clothing. If the dolls are to be stored in a wooden trunk or drawer remember to place a protective barrier between the wood and the dolls as the acids present in wood can be damaging to your dolls. Muslin cloth or acid-free tissue paper is ideal for this purpose. Newspaper should never be used to wrap dolls or doll clothing as this too contains damaging acids and besides which it most probably will leave newsprint marks. Wooden dolls that are more prone to insect infestation should be stored with moth crystals but care must be taken to ensure that the crystals do not touch the body of the doll by wrapping the crystals in a muslin cloth. Moth crystals must never be used with plastic or vinyl dolls as irreversible damage can be caused by chemical reactions between the crystals and the plastic or vinyl.

Dolls with inset eyes must always be stored with their faces down to prevent damage to their eyes.



Storage of doll clothing

To minimize the crushing of doll clothes during prolonged storage periods it is advisable to place a ball of acid-free tissue paper inside the sleeves and bodice of doll clothing. To minimize creasing all clothing should be laid down flat.

Regular checks to perform on stored dolls

Remember to check your stored dolls at least once a year for any discoloration or vermin or insect infestations. Pay careful attention to clothing and sawdust for any signs of insects. Wooden dolls are a high risk for insect infestation and if undetected can spread from one doll to the next placing your entire collection at risk. If any of your dolls are found to be infested isolate the dolls until they have been chemically treated and you are satisfied that the dolls are insect-free.



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