Antique Wagner & Zetzsche Doll, 12" tall, bisque head, composition jointed body, sleep eyes, single stroke eyebrows, painted lashes, open mouth, mohair wig.

Wagner & Zetzsche Dolls 1875-1938

Richard Wagner and Richard Zetzsche founded their doll company in 1875 located in Illmenau, Thuringia, Germany. 

Mr. Wagner was the business manger while Mr. Zetzsche was the artist and sculptor, he even used his four grandchildren; Harald, Hansi, Inge and Barbele as models for his dolls. 

They made dolls with cloth bodies, leather, imitation leather, papier mache and a composition like material called Haralit, used on the Haralit Art Dolls of the grandchildren in 1916.

Bisque heads were supplied by ABG - Alt, Beck & Gottschalck, Gebruder Heubach, Armand Marseille and probably others. 

Besides dolls, Wagner & Zetzsche also made numerous accessories; shoes, stockings, wigs and more for dolls.

Wagner & Zetzshe's doll mark of intertwined WZ or ZW is a very elaborate, scrolled marking and difficult to make out.

WZ

ZW

--

1 Hansi

W. Z.

1 Harald

 W. Z.

Inge

 W. Z.

Barbele

 W. Z.