Author Topic: Two old dolls, one is a Kewpie, trying to identify age/value?  (Read 2105 times)

starbelly

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Two old dolls, one is a Kewpie, trying to identify age/value?
« on: August 12, 2013, 02:56:00 pm »
I have two antique dolls, one is a composition Kewpie and the other is a small bisque doll that looks like a Kewpie but doesn't have wings. It's 5" tall and has "Germany" engraved on the back. The composition Kewpie is about 12" tall.

I'd like to know the following about the Kewpie: How old is it? What is its value?

And for the small bisque doll, when was it made, and its value.

The composition Kewpie is very clearly authentic, but I'm having trouble identifying the small bisque at all.

Photos—

12" composition Kewpie:
http://i.imgur.com/JMZCsOV.jpg?1

5" bisque doll:
http://i.imgur.com/IfLywUu.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/c7K2Dpe.jpg

Thank you!

KC

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Re: Two old dolls, one is a Kewpie, trying to identify age/value?
« Reply #1 on: August 12, 2013, 03:10:27 pm »
Article on Kewpie Dolls
http://www.dollkind.com/kewpie-doll.shtml


Does the top doll have blue wings on the back?
« Last Edit: August 12, 2013, 03:29:06 pm by KC »
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talesofthesevenseas

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Re: Two old dolls, one is a Kewpie, trying to identify age/value?
« Reply #2 on: August 12, 2013, 03:49:50 pm »
There were tons of Kewpie-like dolls made. I'm afraid that most of these do not have a lot of value, however they are very cool and I would say that your bisque one probably dates to about the 1920s. It doesn't have to be an authentic Kewpie and it doesn't have to be valuable to be a wonderful doll.

Here's what the O'Neill signature on the bottom of the foot would look like if this were a Kewpie:

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Ipcress

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Re: Two old dolls, one is a Kewpie, trying to identify age/value?
« Reply #3 on: August 12, 2013, 04:03:08 pm »
This looks different to all the others i've seen online. The sticker / decal is very high on the chest and there's no definition in the toes. And the eyes look slightly different


I realise that a few different companies made these over a period of time but still

starbelly

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Re: Two old dolls, one is a Kewpie, trying to identify age/value?
« Reply #4 on: August 12, 2013, 04:36:27 pm »
Article on Kewpie Dolls
http://www.dollkind.com/kewpie-doll.shtml


Does the top doll have blue wings on the back?

Yes, the doll on top does have wings, blue ones. I'm 99.9% sure that is a real Kewpie. It has the heart logo and it looks identical to the others I've seen. The bottom doll doesn't appear to be a real kewpie, but I'd still like to find out any details I could on it.

mart

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Re: Two old dolls, one is a Kewpie, trying to identify age/value?
« Reply #5 on: August 12, 2013, 04:40:05 pm »
Is it signed ??  Cant see pics on that site!!

starbelly

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Re: Two old dolls, one is a Kewpie, trying to identify age/value?
« Reply #6 on: August 12, 2013, 04:44:47 pm »
I can't really upload it somewhere else right now, but it's not a signed one, which I was aware of when I bought it. It does have the heart decal though on its chest that reads "Kewpie, des. and copyright Rose O'Neill"

mart

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Re: Two old dolls, one is a Kewpie, trying to identify age/value?
« Reply #7 on: August 12, 2013, 05:49:24 pm »
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kewpie_doll

According to this yours would have been made somewhere between 1916 and 1930 !!  No way to date to a particular year !!