Antique China Dolls 1836-1940s

Antique China Dolls 1836-1940s

Antique China dolls were made by various, mostly German companies from 1836 to the 1940s. Glazed porcelain China head dolls (unglazed porcelain dolls are referred to as Parian dolls) are usually found on a wood, cloth or kid body with some dolls having partial China limbs as well. Most China dolls found, have molded painted hair, but some have a wig over a solid bald dome head. China head dolls range in size from a tiny 3 inches to a big and very heavy 40 inches tall.

China head dolls are usually unmarked, some may have a mold number or doll makers mark on the back of the neck or on the shoulder plate, thus it can be impossible to pinpoint the doll maker, so dolls are described and identified by the type of hairstyle. As hairstyles changed over the long history of China head doll making, dolls changed too, which gives us a clue to their dating.

related page; China Head Dolls - Antique dolls versus Reproduction dolls

Shown above is a China head doll hairstyle known as Countess Dagmar ca. 1860s, photo courtesy of Virtu Doll

So how well do you know your Hairstyles?

Items shown below are for reference

1840's China Head Doll Bun

Damenkoph, Lady head,

Young Queen Victoria

Hairstyle is in a bun, braid or hair rolled at the back of the neck.

1840's China Head Child doll

Kinderkoff head

Can be a female or male child shoulder head doll.

1840's China Head Doll KPM

KPM, Königliche Porzellan Manufactur Messen, King's Porcelain Factory, is the company name not a hairstyle, very rare blanc de chine male shoulder head doll.

1840's China Head Doll

Lydia head (shown on left)

Hairstyle parted in the center, smooth on top, ringlet type long curls on sides. The photo on the right is of a Sophia or Lydia head - in other words it's close to both hairstyles.

1840's China Head Doll

Queen Victoria head, exposed ears

If you look at many of the photo's here, you will not see ears beneath the hair, but this one shows the ears and was made by TPM the Carl Tiesch Company of Poland 1840's.

1840's China Head Doll

Sophia Smith head

Hairstyle with straight sausage curl hair.

1850's China Head Doll

Biedermier or bald head

Solid dome bald shaped head with a wig over the head.

1850's China Head Doll

Covered wagon head

Hairstyle with a center part, flat on top with curls around the head.

1850's China Head Doll

Greiner style head

Hairstyle with a middle part, wavy on the sides with comb marks, high forehead.

1860's China Head Doll

Alice in Wonderland head

Hairstyle with molded headband on a Motschmann type body.

1860's China Head Doll

Countess Dagmar head

Various elaborate hairstyles some with pierced ears.

1860's China Head Doll

High Brow head

Hairstyle with center part, flat top, curls around head, round face with high forehead.

1860's China Head Doll

Jenny Lind head

Hairstyle parted in the middle and pulled back into a bun with a high forehead

1860's China Head Doll

Morning Glory head

Hairstyle with hair pulled back, wavy on sides with molded flowers at the neck.

1860-1870's China Head Doll

Mary Todd Lincoln head

Hairstyle is pulled back and held in place with a snood.

1860's China Head Doll

Waterfall head

Hairstyle, you better just take a look at the photo to understand the description for yourself.

1860-1870's China Head Doll

Flat top, High brow

or Civil War head

Hairstyle parted in the middle with short curls, high forehead and flat top head.

1870's China Head Doll

Adelina Patti head

Hairstyle with a center part, rolled hair with elaborate curls.

1870's China Head Doll

Curly Top head

Hairstyle has ringlet curls over entire head

1870's China Head Doll

Dolly Madison head

Hairstyle with curls all over the head with molded ribbon

1870's China Head Doll

Spill Curl head

Hairstyle of curls on forehead and spilling down the back of the neck

1870's China Head Doll

Currier & Ives head

Hairstyle with bangs, some have hair details like a headband shown on this parian head of untinted bisque.

1880's China Head Doll

Highland Mary head

Hairstyle with bangs and curls at sides.

1890's China Head Doll

Low Brow head

Hairstyle is common for this era with all over curls could be blonde or black hair.

1895's China Head Doll

Pet Name head by Hertwig

Doll name is printed in gold on front of shoulder plate; shown is Marion

1900's China Head Doll

Japan - China heads

Various hairstyles.

1900's China Head Doll

Bonnet heads

Like the name implies dolls are wearing a molded bonnet over their molded hair.

1905's China Head Doll
Low Brow shoulder heads with jewel neck.

Additional China Head dolls not shown

1920-1930s China Head Doll,

Low Brows head,

some made in Japan

1940s China Head Dolls

Companies that made Antique China head dolls

Alt, Beck & Gottschalck, ABG
German

** Au Paradis Des Enfants
French (more information below)

Bahr & Proschild
German

Bawo & Dotter, Importer
- doll marks B & D, Pat. Dec. 7/80,
Barclay Baby Belle Germany
French, German, USA

Ernst Bohne doll mark anchor symbol EB, German

- various doll marks of Letters & numbers, made by various makers

George Borgfeldt, importer USA

Our Pet China head dolls;

Agnes, Bertha, Daisy, Dorothy, Edith, Ethell, Florence, Helen, Mabel,

Marion made by Closter V. or Hertwig.

- doll mark Patent Appd For Germany

Butler Brothers, importer

USA

Max Carl & Company,

doll mark C symbol, German

Closter (Kloster) Veilsdorf

Greiner type China's German

Conta & Boehme

- doll marks V37, IX36, arm on a shield German

D'Autremont Paris

- doll mark 6 Rue De Dauphin 6 French

Dressel, Kister & Co., DKP

- usually heads or half dolls
doll mark a staff symbol DKP
German

T. Eaton & Company

Canada

Ehrich Brothers

USA

Ellis, Britton & Eaton
USA

William Goebel
German

Philip Goldsmith

USA

Gräfenthal Porzellanfabrik or Unger, Carl Erben Schneider, Hutschenreuther doll mark G

German

Fr. Haas & Co doll mark Fr. H & Co (distributor) for Fischer, Naumann England UK/German

Hertwig & Company

German

Maison Huret

French

Kestner & Company
German

Kling & Company
German

August Wilhelm

Friedolin Kister, KPM X

or A. W. Fr. Kister

Schwarzburg, Rudolstadt, German

Königliche Porzellan Manufaktur KPM Berlin, German

Königliche Porzellan Manufaktur
KPM Meissen, German

Nanking dolls (China head dolls on nanking - cotton bodies - exact marks may vary, unknown

Morimura Brothers

USA

Nymphenburg Porzellanfabrik

Munich, Bavaria

- doll mark O.K.
Orben, Knabe & Company

German

Jacob Petit

French

Fritz Pfeffer

Austria & German

Theodor Pohl doll mark TP 2210

Bohemia

Pollak & Hoffman

Buchau, Bohemia

L. Prieur
French

A. H. Pröschold

German

August Reideler

German

Madame Rohmer

French

Rörstrand

Sweden

Royal Copenhagen
Denmark

Schlaggenwald doll mark S 59, IS 60, owners Lipfert, Haas, Cžijžek

Schlaggenwald, Bohemia

Schreyer & Company

German

Sèrves
French

Samson Smith

England UK

Strasburger, Pfeiffer & Co.

USA

John E. Stratton

USA

Charles Edward Turnbull

England UK

Wallendorf Porzellanfabrik or
Kämpfe, Heubach & Sontag
German

Western News Co

USA

China bonnet head doll mark Gota - unknown

China doll marks - unknown

China doll mark IHO - unknown

The Meissen KPM factories are the oldest and most desirable of China head dolls.

The Thuringia area in Germany had many other small porcelain factories that produced China head dolls as well.

During and after World War I, China dolls were made in Japan

** Au Paradis des Enfants dolls 1864-1925 France, distributor and assembler of dolls from various doll makers including;

China head dolls with pink kid bodies, wax over China head dolls. Located at 156 Rué de Rivoli, Paris, Rue du Louvre, No. 1

related page; China Head Dolls; Antique dolls versus Reproduction dolls and how to tell the difference

This entire page was made possible by the China doll experts and collectors; Virtu Doll, Barb, Wild Rose Cottage Antiques, Tapestries

and others who lent their expertise and photos. A huge Thanks to everyone for their contributions and help with this page.

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