Dolls & Bears
American Girl, porcelain, and vintage collectible dolls.
A specialty of ours — retired American Girl dolls, porcelain artist dolls, and vintage teddy bears in loved condition.
Dolls are one of our specialities. Markings on the neck, back and feet identify the maker, and completeness — original outfit, accessories, box and booklet — often decides most of the value.
What to look for in dolls & bears
- Neck and back marks
- Maker name, mould number and a copyright year that dates the mould, not the doll.
- Original hair
- Uncut, unrestyled hair matters enormously. A haircut cannot be undone.
- Green ear
- Green staining from corroded earring posts — slow spreading and very hard to remove.
- Completeness
- Meet outfits, accessories, booklets and boxes can be worth as much as the doll itself.
How we list dolls & bears
We photograph markings, hair condition and any body staining directly rather than describing around them, and we state when limbs have been restrung or parts replaced.
Retired American Girl and Pleasant Company dolls are checked for the older body style and tag wording, which collectors specifically look for.
Common questions
How do I tell a Pleasant Company doll from a modern American Girl?
Check the neck and back markings plus the body tag. Pleasant Company wording and the older body style indicate a pre-Mattel doll.
Can doll hair be repaired?
Frizz often improves with careful conditioning. Hair that has been cut cannot be restored.
Does body staining matter?
It is common on played-with dolls and usually acceptable when disclosed and priced in. Face marker or ink is a bigger deduction.