Johann Gotthelf Greiner (1732-1797)  known as the "Father of Thurginian Porcelain" came from  a long line of German glass makers, he is the son of Johann Gottfried Greiner (1707-1767), of Thuringen, Germany, a glass painter who built the first glass factory in Limbach.  Gotthelf began working for his father by age twelve making small glasses, by age eighteen he took over the management of the glass factory.

 In 1761 J. Gotthelf Greiner, pottery master Georg Dummler and cousin Johann Gotthelf Greiner (1728-1768) began making hard paste porcelain in their converted former glass factory.

All of the Greiner family owned, rented or managed porcelain factories made dolls or doll related products, accepted production dates for Greiner dolls are from 1850 to the 1930s. 

Limbach made antique all bisque Penny Dolls (shown upper left), bisque head dolls on a jointed composition, kid or wood and springs body; Child, Dolly face or Character dolls, also mechanical pull toys, china shoulder head dolls, figurines, bathing dolls, nanking dolls, small doll house dolls, as well as many other porcelain products.

Limbach mold number 8660 with clover leaf doll marking,

is shown on left,

Limbach bisque head doll face with painted eyes, a jointed composition body, mold 8660, is shown on right.