Hello, Dolly!

Collectors are one of eBay’s most enthusiastic audiences, as they love to hunt down rare, one-of-a-kind, antique or vintage items.  They may use the listings to appreciate the objects virtually or to compile bid information and assess the current value of items in their collections, but then find themselves bidding on that one collectible they just have to have. And, though eBay is a marketplace, many of these types of sales are not about investment for the buyers, but about sentimentality.  A retro car or vintage comic book has the power to bring back childhood memories.  Think of your Huffy bike or your little red wagon you had as a child, or your first teddy bear.

Or reflect on your childhood dolls.  Chances are you played with dolls at some point during your childhood, be they Raggedy Ann or American Girls, G.I. Joe or Baby Alive.  You may have also had the good fortune to play with dolls handed down from your parents or grandparents, family heirlooms that might have featured glass eyes, hand-stitched clothing and a broken limb or two.  Browsing eBay’s listings of classic, vintage and international dolls results in a staggering variety.

The first doll up for inspection dates from over a century ago, a 1900s Armand Marseille Boxed 38″ Princess Doll:

This classic doll comes with original packaging and accessories.  From the listing:

“Here we have a gorgeous 38” Armand Marseille bisque/composition ball jointed doll from ca. 1900. Her condition is incredible, and she comes with the original shipping box, something I have never seen before now! Inside the box are some extra clothes, some bedding, and a doll pillow, and I assume it’s all original with this doll.”

The seller goes into intense detail regarding the doll’s condition, information of great interest to most collectors, and concludes with this comment, “Her head is otherwise free of issues.”  I hope, someday, people could say the same of me.  Multiple bids have brought the price of the doll up to $200, with four days left to go on the auction.

The next two listings are from the Madame Alexander line of dolls.  Take a look at this Vintage 20″ Madame Alexander Cissy Doll and this 1956 Madame Alexander 21″ Hard Plastic & Vinyl Cissy Doll in Tagged Dress

This doll company shows up in many eBay listings and seems to strike a chord amongst collectors.  In part, this may have to do with the fact that Madame Beatrice Alexander, the company’s founder, oversaw the production of many significant dolls, including dolls inspired by Alice in Wonderland, Gone with the Wind, and Little Women.  According to the company’s website, in the 1940s, Madame Alexander invented dolls with “sleep” eyes that open and close (although some people who own vintage dolls that have this capability may beg to differ).  In 1944, the company designed patriotic dolls in tribute to the U.S. Armed Forces fighting in World War II.  The year 1953 saw the company create the first dolls modeled after real people, including Queen Elizabeth and Dionne Quints.  But it was the Cissy dolls, pictured in these listings, which created a new kind of hubbub, as they wore haute couture.

Cissy wasn’t the only doll with connections to the fashion industry.  Another eBay listing features the Vintage Little Miss Revlon 10.5″ Doll in Original Box:

The packaging alone–with its cardboard box showcasing a striped awning, old-school logo, and doll with windswept hair and hem–stands out from today’s toys ensconced in bubble wrap and hard plastic shells.  The seller elaborates:

“She is the Pony Tail Platinum Little Miss Revlon doll #9000 from Ideal. She is dressed in her original pink satin and nylon dress, pink satin panties and white shoes.”

Like their predecessors, Cissy, Little Miss Revlon dolls wear high fashion clothing.  Some models come with high heel shoes, jewels, faux fur coats and pierced ears with earrings, though buyers should check listings carefully to see what accessories the dolls include, and which of these accessories are original.  According to an eBay guide to Little Miss Revlon dolls, some of the dolls’ outfits originally cost more than the actual dolls.

Which leads us to another area of fascination for doll collectors: Doll clothes.

Vintage and antique doll clothes may have couture styles and details, but I always loved the flashy stuff such as paisley go-go dresses and purple pantsuits, and it was all about Barbie for me.  Did you have treasured dolls during your childhood?

Follow @ebaystories