Many sellers on Ebay don't specialize in just one product. Instead, they buy random lots of items that come from auction houses, estate sales, abandoned storage units, and neighborhood yard sales containing everything from soup to nuts! Today you might be selling radiator caps and tomorrow Chatty Cathy! Let's face it. Variety can be the "spice of life" ---- especially in the secondary market.

This is a user-friendly guide! You won't have to be a doll expert or museum curator to get good, solid information that will help you to become a better-informed seller overall, write improved descriptions of the dolls that you come across, and answer questions about those dolls for potential bidders. In addition, you'll be able to give the information that many doll buyers want to know up front, and avoid having to respond to as many email requests for more data. In any one given day on eBay there are triple digit figures of dolls listed for sale. They are a high-draw item, ranking way up there in collectibility factor worldwide. They are well-worth the time it takes to list and sell them. Here we go . . .

Don't be afraid to respectfully handle & examine the doll (guys, you too!). Clear a well-lighted space on the kitchen table or on your workbench, grab a pen & a piece of paper, and give the doll a thorough check-up. If the clothing and shoes are removable (without breaking stitches or loosening glued areas), remove them & set them aside. As you look the doll over, note the following things:

1) Manufacturer's markings: These can be almost ANYWHERE on the doll's head, torso, or limbs. Common places for markings are the lower back of the head (where it meets the neck) and on the doll's back itself. Other areas include the doll's buttocks, bottoms of the feet, inside the arms, and up into the hairline as well. Some markings are hard to see or may have faded with time. You might need to use a magnifying glass to enlarge the symbols. Write down what you see (including shapes & symbols) and where they are located on the doll. Sometimes, if the doll is wearing its original clothing, there will be identifying logos or tags on it. We'll get to that in another paragraph. These markings will help you to possibly identify the type, brand, & age of the doll. Even if that isn't possible, they will ultimately help a potential bidder to recognize what you're offering.  Here is a photo of a manufacturer's logo on the lower back of a modern Barbie doll:

2) What the heck is it made of!?: Good question! Sometimes even the "experts" disagree! If you take a peek at the catagories of "dolls by material" in the sub-catagory listing selections on eBay, you'll get a feel for the various types of materials of which a doll can be composed. Sometimes it's a combination of things. The best advice I can give is this: What does it feel like to you --- as you relate it to things that you touch & feel every day? Here are some ideas on the most commonly seen materials:

PORCELAIN & BISQUE - Hey, I'm a ceramist and it's still hard for me to tell the two apart! Bisque is technically unglazed porcelain, which is one of the strongest ceramic materials there is.  PER UDFC: ."Technically, bisque is porcelain. (porcelain denotes the type of clay used to produce the slip) It is unglazed. China head dolls are glazed porcelain".  Most of the modern dolls that you find that have a head, arms, & legs that feel like a coffee cup or a stoneware baking dish and a stuffed cloth body are PORCELAIN & CLOTH. You can find dolls such as this sold even in variety & drugstores (especially at the holidays!) dressed in ornate costumes ----- sometimes dressed as clowns, some are musical, etc. There are fine quality artist dolls that are also made of these two materials. Quite a few OLDER (antique-looking) dolls - usually not too large - that have their heads, limbs, and entire BODIES cast from ceramic material are more likely to be made of bisque. I come across many more dolls that are porcelain than bisque. When listing a porcelain & cloth doll, it's good to determine how far up the porcelain parts go on the body ---- such as, "arms, to just below the elbow and legs to just below the knees" Many buyers like to know that. Then add the fact that the body is stuffed cloth material. You can usually feel the distance of the porcelain with your hands, rather than using your eyes, especially if you can't remove the costume.  

This is an ALL BISQUE DOLL (about 4" tall)

This Pierrot clown has a PORCELAIN head, feet, & hands (with a cloth body)

ALL CLOTH - This would include dolls like Raggedy Ann & Andy, Annalee dolls, and any that are made entirely of stuffed fabric or leather. There are also artist cloth dolls in which the cloth is actually laid over another material which makes it hard to instantly see that there's any cloth there at all. But that's a topic for another day. . . Look for silk seam tags on these dolls that may help you identify the manufacturer & the year it was made. .

VINYL - The catch-all category (*smile*), and the most widely used material in modern doll manufacture Once again, I have to say, that as with MANY of the materials used to make dolls (both past & present), it's often really hard to know! Sometimes the materials used were actually a combination of things. Also, not all vinyl feels alike. It can be hard, or soft. If you don't know for sure, describe what it feels like. "feels like a Barbie doll material", or feels "like a rubbery, soft type vinyl", or "a hard type vinyl". Maybe even add a question mark after the word vinyl. To give you a feel for vinyl: Modern play Barbies are vinyl. Cabbage Patch dolls' heads are vinyl. Most modern baby dolls sold in our favorite discount department stores have vinyl heads & limbs. If you're dealing with a doll that is part vinyl & part cloth, try to remember to let the buyer know how far the vinyl limbs come up on the body as you did with the porcelain doll.  The vintage Campell's Kid doll below is all vinyl.

RUBBER - This material is found mostly in vintage (older) dolls and tends to deteriorate & discolor faster than vinyl. Usually, but not always, the entire doll will be made of rubber. Many BABY dolls from the late 40s through the early 60s were made of rubber. Dolls with the "Sun Rubber" manufacturer's logo are a dead giveaway. Rubber, if it's still in a good state of elasticity, can feel more "stretchy" than vinyl.

CELLULOID - Think old-time carnival Kewpie dolls ---- the kind look that like like hoochy-mammas, with showgirl feathers in their hair! Think of a material like ultra-thin plastic, made fragile like blown glass. Think dolls that you can easily dent-in and crush by squeezing them in your hand. Celluloid is VERY flimsy & brittle, and was mostly used for vintage dolls. A close relative of celluloid is blown plastic ---- which has a similar appearance, but has a bit more strength & elasticity. Some modern, bargain-brand knock-off dolls (Bratz & Barbie imposters) are made of blown plastic.

COMPOSITION: Boy, this covers a wide territory too! Composition was widely used for antique & vintage dolls. Composition was almost never the same formula twice! Old rags, paper, wood shavings ---- whatever was most plentiful at the time, was ground & combined with water & other additives to form a kind of "paper clay", which was used to make dolls heads, limbs, & bodies. Think paper mache (like masks, pinatas, etc), only ground to a finer consistency. Think lighter-weight than porcelain. Instead of a "ping" (like a china cup) when you flick your fingers on it, you hear more of a dull "thunk". Flaking, peeling, and extreme cracking are things you may observe in an antique or vintage composition doll. Composition materials are being used in modern artist dolls too, but on a much more sophisticated level. Not too many of these modern dolls are likely to be up for grabs at a yard sale though.

PLASTIC: Can be hard, or soft & pliable. Some plastic is mixed in with vinyl for use in both modern & vintage dolls. My personal rule of thumb on this is that I tend to relate plastic to more vintage-variety dolls. Think hard plastic (for the most-part) Think of the hard, shiny material used on the legs of some of the walking & crawling dolls. Think of the small, hard-textured, wind-up crawling babies. Think dollhouse furniture of the 50s through the 70s. I think "shiny" is a key word here too when thinking of the use of plastic in dolls. Statistically, in my own experience, I don't come across, or list, very many dolls that I would define as "plastic".

RESIN:  An extremely hard material that is also used in small statuary pieces in lieu of ceramic material.  There are a few ALL resin dolls that are made, but more commonly you will find just the head & limbs made of resin and the body made of stuffed fabric.  This material is mostly found in higher end artist dolls (such as Sybille Sauer's "Baby Babsy", pictured below).  It is sometimes hard to determine the difference between hard vinyl & resin.  One tip is that resin takes on a rather milky, transluscent quality under bright light.  Odds are that if you encounter a resin doll at a sale, it will most like be identified as such.

3.) The Head-To-Toe Physical: Start with the head & work your way down. Things to look for that are important to buyers:

HAIR:

Painted (molded) on (Like many CitiToy & Berenguer play baby dolls)? Is the color still vibrant? Are there any color rub-offs or scuffing?  (photo below is a 1980s Ken doll with molded hair)

Wigged? (Like most porcelain dolls) When you lift up the hair, you will see a woven burlap-looking "cap" to which the hair is sewn. Is the wig still firmly in place? Is the hair tangled & matted? Is there hair missing? Does it appear to have had its hair cut by someone other than the factory that made it?

Rooted? (Like Barbie dolls) You will see small bunches (called "plugs") of hair strands rooted into holes in the doll's scalp. Check to see if there are any holes that are thinning or missing hair plugs entirely. Is the hair tangled or matted? Does it appear to have had its hair cut by someone other than the factory that made it? (Close-up photo of "rooted" doll hair below)

FACE: A description of the facial features, especially the EYES, can help determine the brand & age of the doll & let the bidder know what to expect.

All painted facial features (INCLUDING EYES)? Is any paint missing or faded? Does the doll have applied or rooted lashes? If so, are they all there?

Stationary eyes (glass or pabol eyes set into head that do not move or close)? Are eyes clear & bright, or cloudy & scratched? If there are applied or rooted eyelashes, are they all there?

Sleep eyes (glass or pabol eyes mounted on a rocker bar that open & close)? Are eyes clear & bright? Do they open & close with ease, or do they stick? If there are applied or rooted eyelashes, are they all there?

Cheeks & Lips --- Is the color still vibrant? Are there any color rub-offs or faded areas? Any ink marks, green age discolorations, scuffs, cuts, punctures, bite marks, etc. to the facial area? (check around ears, especially in dolls that may have had metal pierced earrings at one time.)

BODY & LIMBS Check for any ink marks, green age discolorations, scuffs, cuts, punctures, bite marks, missing fingers or toes, etc. Also check to see that the limbs move freely (if the doll is jointed) and that they are firmly in place. Sometimes you will unknowingly pick up a doll that has been repaired improperly and has had one or more of its limbs glued into a frozen position. Check the way the doll is jointed (do head, arms, & legs all swivel?) and pass that information along to your bidders. Dolls who have no jointing (except for possible swivel of the head) are called "Frozen Charlottes". Some dolls will have additional jointing at the elbows, wrists, waist, knees, & ankles --- be sure to mention that also. On high-heeled fashion dolls, check for split in the vinyl on the legs & feet. You may have to manipulate the feet & legs a bit to reveal these.

HEIGHT OF DOLL: Make a note of the doll's height (or length) and be sure to include it in your item description.

ON CLOTH DOLLS: Check for unpleasant odors, watermarks, mildew, stains, tears, missing stitches, ink marks, runs in any stockinette-type fabrics, pilling, etc.

ON PORCELAIN, BISQUE, & COMPOSITION DOLLS: Check for cracking, chips, scratches, marks on porcelain or compo material, prior repairs or repainting, any tears or looseness in the area where the porcelain or compo limbs join the cloth body.

ON DOLLS WITH BATTERY-OPERATED & MUSIC BOX FUNCTIONS: Check the working order of these functions by inserting new batteries, or winding up the music box before selling. Or ---- sell them as in "unknown working order", advising the buyer they are "as found", and may not function properly.

4.) Check out the clothing - it is often the missing piece of the puzzle when it comes to identifying the brand, name, & age of the doll.

TAGS & MARKINGS: Look on the inner and outer seams (including the waistband area) of the garments for seam tags that might have a logo, a manufacturer's name, or the name of the doll printed on them. Some dolls (such as Cabbage Patch, Barbie, etc.) have embroidered or applied logos on the garment itself. Shoes can also have logos --- check the soles too.

SIZE & FIT: Does the clothing match the doll? Is it too modern? Too vintage? Wrong size? Obviously not a match? If looks like it fits to a T and matches the doll's personna, you can make the statement, "possibly wearing original outfit".

OVERALL CONDITION OF CLOTHING & SHOES: Buyers are often concerned with the condition of the clothing, especially when buying an "as is" doll. Check for sun-fading, stains, missing snaps, hooks, & buttons, broken zippers, rips, small holes from burns or insect chewing, mildew, excessive dirt, and offensive odors. On shoes --- check for broken straps or snaps, missing ribbon ties, tears in leatherette where it joins the sole, etc. If it looks "wrong", it usually is!

5.) Cleanliness of doll - I'm probably WAY more fussy than anyone you'll ever meet when it comes to this catagory! But if you're selling your dolls "as is", it's not really a big deal. Just be honest. As far as I'm concerned, most dolls sold "as is" can always use a cleaning of some kind when I get them. Everytime we lay a hand on that vinyl we leave behind oils from the skin that eventually stain & become one with the material if not washed off. So, just take a good look and tell it like it is. On some it's real obvious. They look like they've been buried in the backyard for a year or so! If they have dirt marks, or grass stains, lay it all out there. A great deal of the doll collectors who buy on eBay are well-versed at the cleaning and restoration of dolls and will take care of business when it arrives at their door as long as the item is honestly portrayed.

6.) Listing the Doll on eBay - Sometimes, you will recognize a doll that you pick up instantly, and that makes listing it really easy. Sometimes the markings will provide a manufacturer's name and nothing more. If you have "Mattel", at least that gives you a "by type or manufacturer" to list under. An easily recognizable doll by "type", such as a Kewpie, can be listed under Kewpie without knowing a manufacturer. Sometimes, though, it's just a huge blank! So, what then? Here are a few suggestions for fairly expedient ways of getting more information about a doll you want to list:

Check in with an on-line eBay doll group and seek their advise and expertise.

Go to the Ebay doll listings and see if a doll similar to the one you have is currently listed (try searching by material or type). I have been a collector on and off for most of my life, but I've learned more about doll identification from the six years I've been buying & selling on eBay than anywhere else ---- simply from browsing the listings!

If you can put the doll into a time frame, you can check with family members and friends of that age bracket to see if they remember the doll at all. For modern dolls, especially character dolls from movies & television, kids are a great resource! I've been known to call a friend, who calls her daughter, who in turn asks HER daughter what the name of the doll is!Use information that may have been given to you by the prior owner or custodian of the doll. Don't necessarily quote it as gospel, but it may be helpful in shedding more light on the doll's identity.If a doll looks extremely recent and familiar, check out the toy aisles at your local retail stores. Barbie, Bratz, Berenguer, Disney, Polly Pocket, & Groovy Girls are all really hot right now ---- even the previously appreciated ones!You can also make your best evaluation of the material the doll is made of and list it under that sub-catagory. Take the clearest, highest-definition photo you can of the doll, so that the face (especially) is available for recognition by others. Mention in your listing that you are open to identification help from fellow eBay-ers. You'd be surprised how many knowledgable folks are willing to lend a hand. (Clear, detailed photo of the face of a vintage Horsman "Ruthie" doll below)

IF YOU FIND THAT YOU ARE LISTING QUITE A LOT OF DOLLS, or if they become a focus for you, you may want to think about purchasing some doll identification books. Let me stop right there. These puppies are spendy, and there's almost one for every manufacturer, and THEN SOME! However, two that I have found to be extremely helpful and that cover a span of years & manufacturers are both by author Cindy Sabulis. They are, "Collector's Guide To Dolls Of The 1960s And 1970s", and "Collector's Guide To Dolls Of The 1960s And 1970s, Vol. II". For Barbie dolls, I recommend "The Ultimate Barbie Doll Book", by Marcie Melillo (this covers the years 1959 to 1995 --- sure wish she'd write a newer one as well!)

Thank you for giving this guide a test drive. I hope that it has been helpful and easy to understand. Have fun! Sell as you would like to be sold to, and keep finding and listing those treasures for us to bid on here on eBay! SCROLL ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE TO LEAVE YOUR RATING FOR THIS REVIEW  All the best,   angelsark2u