One of the oldest doll makers in the US is the Valentine Doll, Inc., which was famous for its vinyl and hard plastic ballerina dolls in the 1950s. The company was founded by John Landers who also established Debbie Toy Company with partner Shelly Greenburg. The latter was known for its baby product line and vinyl dolls. Most of the dolls from Valentine's were sold only through catalogs for mail order. The company had also supplied products for Sear under their toy line named Happi Time.
Some of the dolls that were marketed by Valentine were mostly dressed with ballerina's tutu. Here is a list of Valentine's dolls that were popular from the 1950s to the 1960s:
1) Valentina
Marked with 11VW on its back, this doll is made of hard plastic body and measured 10.5 inches tall. It is also similar to Sear's marketed doll in the Happi Time doll line. The doll has rooted hair on its vinyl head and has jointed shoulders, neck, hips, waist, and knees. Wearing a tutu with rubber ballet slippers, the doll also came with a plastic stand wherein it will rotate to make its ballet dance.
2) Little Mannikin (1958)
Still made of hard plastic body, marked with 11VW, and measured 10.5 inches, this doll came in different styles and colors. It featured a vinyl head with rooted hair, sleep eyes, and jointed body parts. The design was similar to the Dollikin dolls of Uneeda.
3) LuAnn Simms (1950s)
The 14-inch tall doll is made of hard plastic and featured a closed mouth, sleep eyes, and mohair wig. The companies Roberta and Horsman also had their versions of LuAnn Simms.
4) Doreena and Concertina
Both dolls measure 20 inches and have rooted hair on their vinyl head. The dolls featured sleep eyes and hard jointed plastic bodies. The Concertina doll also has a music box which played the song "Dance, Ballerina Dance" of the Swan Lake while Doreena comes with a set of wardrobe aside from her tutu. Both are also indicated with the marking "20HH".
5) Queen for a Day
Also marked with "20HH", this doll stands at 20 inches tall which features blue sleep eyes and a rooted vinyl head. She wears a white ball gown with red velvet cape and a tiara.
These are just some of Valentine's dolls which became popular and are now sought-after vintage pieces. The ballerina dolls can be acquired from auction sites and in doll conventions which may be pricey due to its rarity.
Do you have vintage dolls packed away in a closet somewhere, saved from your mother's childhood or perhaps your own? If so, it's time to break them out -- they might be worth something. However, one of the worst things you can do is to buy a doll values book, look up your dolls, and take to heart whatever the book says. It is important to realize that many things go into determining the value of 우리카지노 a doll, and yours may be worth considerably less than the doll values book indicates.
In general, three major factors go into determining a doll's value. In order to estimate what your vintage doll is worth, you will need to decide how each of these factors apply to your doll.
Demand
Regardless of what the book claims, if there is no demand for your doll you would be unlikely to get that price. High demand means that the doll would sell quite high at auction, or that a doll shop would feel comfortable putting a high price on it. Low demand means that sellers need to drop their prices in order to score a sale.
For instance, doll value books consistently value Madame Alexander International dolls at approximately $75 each. In reality, though, there is very little demand for these dolls, therefore forcing sellers to sell them for a third or less of their "value."
Availability
One of the top ways to determine if your doll is valuable is to check how rare it is. Generally, rarity triggers higher demand, because collectors always want what they can't have. A rare collectible that is in high demand will have buyers clamoring to get it first, enabling sellers to demand higher prices, and causing auction values to soar.
Again using the first example, during the late 1960s and 1970s, the Madame Alexander Doll Company produced a great many International dolls. As a result, they are abundantly available now (and not selling).
Condition
The factor that many doll owners fail to consider when estimating the value of their doll is the condition the doll is in. Even if a mint Madame Alexander Sweet Violet (a very rare doll from the 1950s) will sell for well over $1,000, a well played-with doll will frequently only get a third or less of that amount.
Doll value books almost always list the prices for a "mint" doll. For a vintage doll to be mint, it literally needs to look just like it would have the day it rolled off the assembly line. For instance, a mint doll needs to:
Depending on how many of these qualities your doll has, she may be worth considerably less than the value given by your source. But don't lose heart -- even "near-mint" and those in "good" condition can be valuable. They just aren't worth the eye-popping prices that mint dolls typically command.
One of the best ways to determine what your vintage doll is worth is to research the doll on eBay. Search both current and completed listings for dolls similar to yours. To get a true estimate of what your doll is worth, you should look for dolls wearing the same outfit as yours and in approximately the same condition.
Before selling or purchasing a doll, you should always research the current market value using both print and online resources. But remember, even if that family heirloom isn't worth as much as you thought it was, to you it's priceless.