Peter Scherf Bisque Dolls 1879+, Paul Schmidt Bisque Dolls 1922+ German

Peter Scherf Antique Bisque Dolls 1879-1930s German

Peter Scherf founded his doll factory in the “Town of Toys” Sonneberg, Germany in 1879. When Peter Scherf passed away in 1887, the company was divided amongst family members, including his widow Marie Aschenbach, who continued to provide bisque dolls, many for the American market into the 1930s and possibly later. 

Scherf bisque doll heads were made for Scherf by Armand Marseille.  The bisque shoulder head dolls were on a riveted kid leather body with bisque lower arms and hands or bisque socket doll heads were on a jointed all composition body, wigged, glass eyes, open mouth.  Peter Scherf dolls are of good quality.

Doll shown above; ca. 1900s Peter Scherf bisque socket head Dolly face doll, 24″ tall, glass sleep eyes, feathered brows, open mouth, all composition jointed body, doll mark P. Sch. 

Note: Peter Scherf also made “Dollar Dolls”, made for the American market, with elongated cylindrical upper leg thighs.  This feature is exclusive to several German doll makers, this added to the dolls height without incurring higher costs and still sold the doll for $1.00. A brilliant “more bang for your buck” doll marketing.

Peter Scherf Doll Marks Identified

Peter Scherf Doll Mold Numbers Identified

1899, 1901, 1902 bisque shoulder head dolls on kid bodies, 100, 101, 102, 103 character dolls registered in 1916 and the trademark The Fairy Kid for dolls

Paul Schmidt Antique Bisque Dolls 1922-1930+ German

The Paul Schmidt Factory for dolls, toys and export was founded in 1922, located in Sonneberg, Thüringia, Germany. Paul Schmidt advertised in 1922 they made mechanical moving bisque head dolls with voice boxes and toys. 

At the Leipzig fair of 1922 they introduced their Peso doll whose mechanical head moved and had voice boxes with both a Mama and Papa voice.  In 1922 Schmidt registered the doll mark PSSTH.

By 1923 Schmidt advertised they made their own jointed dolls and character baby dolls dressed in a simple shift to more elaborate and the trademark PS was registered by Paul Schmidt. A new owner in 1927 M. L. Schmidt.

ca. 1923+ Paul Schmidt character Baby doll 12″, shown bisque socket head (non-mechanical), wigged, sleep eyes, open mouth with teeth, five piece bent limb baby body with voice box, doll mark PSt 23 Germany (size) 5.

Paul Schmidt Doll Marks Identified

Paul Schmidt Doll Mold Numbers Identified

23, 4536, 4537