JDK Kestner bisque head Hilda doll mold 245 face

Photo courtesy of Flozdolz

Kestner King of Doll Makers

Kestner Dolls 1820-1938 German

Johann Daniel Kestner Jr. (JDK) of Waltershausen, Thuringia, Germany began making papier mache and wood dolls and toys as early as 1816.  Kestner eventually went on to employ nearly three quarters of the inhabitants of the Waltershausen region which earned him the nickname "King Kestner".  In 1858 J.D. Kestner passed away and his grandson Adolf eventually took over the running of the company, around 1860 Kestner produced wax over papier mache doll heads, by 1860 they acquired the Ohrdug porcelain factory and began to produce the bisque dolls known by collectors today.  Kestner leather kid bodies may have a green label Marvel, Par Excellence or Perfection along with the Kestner crown and streamer label.  Unique to Kestner are their doll head plaster like pates.

Antique JDK Kestner Dolls For Sale, use the search box to type a specific doll name or doll mold number, this is a category site wide ebay search, so be sure to include your search term plus Doll or anything you may want to purchase. 

Good luck we hope you find the doll of your dreams.

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JDK doll size 4 - A bisque socket head, closed mouth, glass eyes, feathered painted eyebrows, ball jointed composition body, wigged.  Doll shown is 12 1/2", marked Made in Germany 4.  Similar dolls can be marked with a letter or head size number.

JDK doll mold 161 - Unique Dolly face, bisque socket head, glass eyes, painted feathered or fur eyebrows, open mouth, chubby cheeks, ball jointed composition body.

Doll shown is 23" tall, marked Made in Germany JDK 161.

JDK doll mold 214 - Unique Dolly face doll, 10-42"  tall, bisque socket head with plaster dome, feathered eyebrows, glass eyes, open mouth, wigged on a ball jointed wood & composition jointed body.  Doll mold 214 shown, is 32" tall.

JDK doll mold 215 - Unique Dolly face doll, 10-42"  tall, bisque socket head with plaster dome, feathered eyebrows, glass eyes, open mouth, wigged on a ball jointed wood & composition jointed body.  Doll mold 215 shown, is 22" tall.

JDK doll mold 237, 245, 1070 - Hilda, character toddler doll, 10-30" tall, bisque socket head, composition body, molded or wigged hair, glass eyes, open mouth with teeth.  Doll mold 245 shown, is Hilda.

Photo courtesy of flozdolz.

JDK doll mold 249 - Dolly face, unique character doll, 10-42" tall, bisque socket head with plaster dome, feathered painted or fur brows, glass eyes, open mouth, ball jointed composition body, wigged.

Doll mold 249 shown, is 20" tall, doll mark Made in Germany JDK 249.

JDK doll mold 255 - Character baby, 10-16" tall, bisque head with flange neck, cloth body, solid dome with painted hair, glass eyes. 

Doll mold 255 shown, is 16" tall with open crying mouth, doll marked 255 O.I.C.  or marked Siegfried 272.

JDK doll mold 260 - Character child doll, 8-42" tall, bisque socket head with plaster pate, glass or painted eyes, open or closed mouth, jointed composition body, wigged.

Doll mold 260 shown, is 18" tall with glass eyes and open mouth.