Rauenstein Porzellanfabrik Dolls 1783-1930 German
The Rauenstein Porcelain factory was founded by Friedrich Christian Greiner of the Greiner family of Lauscha, in Rauenstein, Thüringia, Germany in 1783, for making pottery and other household items. The earliest dolls made were nanking (cotton) China head dolls which maybe marked with the Rauenstein R, (the R marking is also used by other doll makers) or the doll mold 114.
After several changes of ownership in 1892 the factory of Hugo Michaelis was purchased and rebuilt after a fire. Bisque doll heads, figurines and nick-knack making began, the two factories by this time employed 260 workers. In 1918 a third factory that of Amandus Michaelis was purchased and now they employed 500 workers.
Most of the Porzellanfabrik Rauenstein antique bisque head white or black dolls we have found are small cabinet size dolls, but also dolls as large as 16″ tall, with sleep eyes, open mouth, wigged, most are on jointed composition bodies.
The two named Rauenstein dolls are; Alice doll mold 191, a shoulder head doll with a jointed kid leather body and Dora in 1892+.
In 1895 Rauenstein registered their doll trade mark of two crossed flags, which usually includes the letters of A, C, D, N, No, P or R.
Rauenstein Doll Mold Numbers Identified
90, 114, 191, 5430, 5431
