|
As of the date November 2008, we're starting to see more and more modern fake dolls being sold as antiques for a high price on internet auctions and online shops.
Most of the sellers and shop owners are not aware that these are fake and they believe that these dolls are antiques.
The fake dolls issue has been a problem in the US for a while but now they are starting to turn up in Japan and other countries also.
These fake dolls are believed to be manufactured in Germany by very skillful people. In fact, they mimic antique characteristics so well. Sometimes it's hard to judge by just glancing at them. It takes some close studying to judge if the doll is fake or a real antique.
Even the long time doll dealers can be deceived. That's how good these fakes can be.
I must say, I have no problem if these fake dolls are sold as reproductions. These dolls can be very attractive and beautiful. But it turns into a big problem when they are sold as antiques with a high price and if they circulate as antique dolls.
When you buy any types of antiques, there's always a chance you might encounter fakes. Unfortunately, dolls aren't an exception.
This page is made to show the difference between genuine antique dolls and fake dolls. It has nothing to do with great reproduction dolls which are clearly signed by the artists which should be cherished and appreciated. These fake dolls are deceiving and unfaithful to the buyers.
The following photos are the example comparisons between antique and fake dolls:
Above photo is an authentic 292 doll believed to be made by Kestner.
And these are modern-made 292 dolls.
 
The left photo is showing the back of an antique 292 head and the right photo is from the modern-made 292 head.
The modern-made 292 has a wider rim at the top and the font type is different from an antique.
When they are lined up like these, the difference of these two heads skin complexion is more obvious.
The first significant difference you will notice between an antique and a newly made doll is how big the newly made dolls eyes are.
At first glance, the big difference between an antique and a modern doll is the size of the eye hole. The modern dolls have much larger, round eye holes.
This characteristic feature will apply to all types, different mold number modern dolls, not just for 292 dolls.
The next difference you will notice about modern dolls are the eyebrows, eyelashes and the lip colors are a bit thicker, darker, shinier than antique ones.
The modern dolls complexion of the bisque are very well done and very close to antique dolls bisque tone.
They even have some dusty spots mixed in like an antique bisque head.
The modern dolls eyes are blown glass eyes. I can't be certain if they use antique old stock or newer eyes. It could be both in different dolls.
Usually these modern small bisque dolls eyes are set and they do not sleep. The modern googly dolls eyes may vary.
Even the plaster inside the head is made to look like it is old. There is some old looking dust and some marks are applied on the surface and even inside the head to deceive the buyers.
The dimpled (depressed) area, (behind the ear, side of nose, around the lips, finger lines, etc...) has been darkend and dusted intentionally.
The costumes are usually stated as "all original" but the material being used is not old all the time. They are rather vintage and sometimes much newer.
They are creased, stained, and made to look like they have some fading.
The dolls palm on the right has been darkened deliberately.
I believe that most of modern made all bisque dolls shoes have a dotted ribbon on the front center like shown above.
This pattern has been popular with many modern dolls but I haven't seen this style on antique dolls shoes.
If anyone sees or knows the authentic dolls that also have this type of shoe pattern, please email me. I will correct this information.
This photo is showing the antique mold 219 doll in the middle with modern fake 292 on both sides.
Even though the antique 219 is not a googly type, still, you can tell that the modern 292 dolls have much larger eyes.
Not sure but what I'm guessing is that the fake makers either could not get a hold of smaller antique or even newer glass eyes so they had to make the eye holes larger in order to fit the larger size glass eyes.
Also the modern dolls have much thicker eyelashes. They are pretty evenly painted but do not have the delicate lines like an antique doll does.
The modern fake dolls are usually sold as a pair, or sold "in the original box" or "attached (sewed on ) in the original cardboard".
When they are sewed onto the cardboard, they are usually a pair or three or more dolls together.
These fake dolls are stated to be found in former East Germany as deadstock. These are how they are sold.
I believe that in the past, some old parts and used molds were actually found there, but it has been 20 years since the Berlin Wall has collapsed. It's very hard to believe they still show up on the market.
Also the modern fake doll makers are improving their quality everyday. There can be more high quality, antique looking dolls showing up on the market.
Especially modern googly dolls, they are making googlies with sleep eyes now. You can't judge them from just the newer looking paperweight eyes like I have shown below.
Now we will move onto the comparison of the googly dolls.
On the left is a modern made AM 323 googly and antique 323 on the right.
The same as the all bisque 292, the difference is obvious when you line them up like the above photo.
The head mark as follows:
 
The left photo is an antique 323, the right photo shows modern made 323 head.
Excuse me that the picture is not that clear, but same as the all bisque dolls, the font style is different.
Attention: Please note that the head marking of the Antique AM 323 googly head dolls may vary and the marking I've shown above ("germany 323 A 6/0 M") as a modern mark DOES exist on authentic 323 dolls also. The photo shown above is just one example.
Please be aware that you can't judge the doll from just the marking. You have to examine the doll thoroughly from top to bottom, inside and out, in order to judge the authenticity. -updated May/2009-
This is the full length figure of two dolls.
The face size isn't so different but the modern doll has larger eye holes and is a bit taller.
The modern fake dolls have a very antique looking good quality body.
The body of the modern dolls have a rather better quality than antique AM bodies.
Most of the antique AM googly torsos are made with poor quality composition or paper mache type of material.
A bit ironic but the modern made body is heavier and well made.
The modern 323 dolls have heels on their shoes and the mesh pattern socks are much more visible and well sculpted.
The antique 323 doesn't have heels and the bottom is flat so this will be a tip to distinguish one from the other.
The modern bodies are well painted and made to look like they have antique finish on the surface but if you examine them very closely, you'll be able to tell that the these newly made bodies are shinier than the original antique bodies. In some cases, the newer bodies have surface cracks, irregular color, small chips in order to make them look like antique bodies.
The modern fake googlies are mostly sold as a pair just like small all bisque dolls.
The above modern 323 dolls were sold as "all original" as others, but the dress design does not match the antique googly era (1910-1920s).
These designs are more like late 1890s to 1900s style. The antique googlies are wearing much simpler design clothes.
The material of the dresses are not all old either. If you study them closely, you will be able to tell not only is the fabric not old, but the stiching isn't that old either.
I have only shown the example of the 323 doll here but that's not the only mold which is fooling people. There are so many others, much more expensive fake mold dolls are showing up on the market. Especially the ebay auctions, the sellers don't show clear photos and they only show a few photos. Because these dolls are so well made, people tend to believe the dolls are old and they are willing to pay money thinking it's a "deal".
Also as I've mentioned before, because the dolls have sleep eyes, they are not necessarily antique anymore. The fake dolls sometimes have sleep eyes now.
The only thing I believe about how you can tell the difference is to examine the actual doll in person, not from photos. That's how difficult it is to judge the difference. Really sad.
Generally, as far as ebay auctions, the sellers locations are in Europe it seems. But once these dolls are sold to anywhere in the world, the buyer who's innocent and unknowing about the authenticity of these dolls will then resell the doll as an antique again. So you have to be careful wherever the doll is coming from.
 
The body of modern 323 doll. The colors are very natural and made to look like they are old.
The undies are sewed on and stained.
The main characteristic of the modern fake 323 AM is that their eyes are not blown glass eyes but paperweight eyes.
The eye holes are larger than antique 323 and the eyelashes are thicker and the face features are well-balanced.
Its different individually but sometimes the color of the eyebrows and lips are very similar to the antique ones.
The wigs are made with both human hair and mohair. I don't think the mohair itself is old either.
Also they don't have pates like antique dolls. The glue attaching the wigs looks old also.
These things don't always apply to other fake mold dolls. Sometimes they do have a pate, blown glass eyes with sleep mechanism.
This one is an antique.
The reason why the antique dolls are so attractive for us is that these old dolls have their own charming imperfections. They are hand painted almost 100 years ago for small children.
The fake antique dolls have been an issue in the USA for a long time. The great doll experts Jan and Howard Foulke have been warning collectors in their blue books.
(The link to their site).
NADDA.ORG (The National Antique Doll Dealers Association, Inc.,) is a non profit organization consisting of reputable antique doll dealers. There is an interview page which Jan and Howard talk about fake dolls: "THOUGHTS & IDEAS".
Here is another related link warning about fake antiques.
http://www.onr.com/user/bblady/fakes.html
One more thing I should say is, in "The History and Art of Googlies" by Anita Ladensack on page 138, top photo, there is one fake 292 doll shown there along with an antique 292 pair. The author of the book doesn't say the fake one is either antique or modern, so the dealers tend to believe that one is an antique also. But it is not.
When this book was published in 2002, I am not sure if this type of fake was new to the market, or the author forgot to mention. I hope this will be fixed if they reprint it in the future. Otherwise this is a great googly doll study book.
The History and Art of Googlies
|
Page 138 top photo. The one on the left is not an antique.
|
This page only covers all bisque 292 and AM 323 modern fake dolls but the fake problems are everywhere. Especially other expensive googly molds.
All kinds of all bisque dolls including molded bonnet dolls, painted eyes, piano baby fugurines....you need to examine them very closely before you buy.
Please ask for the additional photos and detailed questions to the seller. In any case, it would help to ask the seller's return policy also.
The fake doll sellers have been improving, and it will continue to improve more and more in the future. Its getting very hard to judge. Please be aware.
It is indeed a shame that the fake makers don't sell them as reproductions since they can be very cute and charming.
If you see any mistakes, or have questions about this page, please email me from my home page http://mydarlingdolls.com/. There is a email icon there.
This page was made with a big help from tenten-san.
It all began from her email and I realized how the big this problem can be. Without her help, I might have bought one or sold it without knowing the doll is fake!
I would like to thank her passion and her dedication.
The modern googly323, 292 and antique 292 dolls in the photo belongs to tetnten-san, pictures are taken by me, Ritsuko Hozumi.
|
