Kewpie Dolls Made Of Bisque
Kewpies were created in the early 1900s and they were very well known. They were based on illustrations by artist Rosie O’Neill, whose work was first seen back in 1909 in Ladies’ Home Journal. The first Kewpie dolls, though, were not actually manufactured for another three years, when they were first produced in Ohrdurf, Germany. The early dolls were called Kewpie bisque dolls because they were made out of bisque.
Bisque unglazed porcelain, a compound which is dissimilar from the glazed porcelain typically used to produce dolls throughout the 1800’s. Using bisque gave the Kewpie doll a more natural skin tone due to its skin-like matte appearance. Using bisque originally turned popular during the 1860’s and was found in French and German manufactured dolls. The reason the first Kewpie dolls were made of bisque is that they were German-made.
Kewpie bisque which was created entirely of bisque is normally small due to its brittleness and heaviness of the material. Larger Kewpies will only have the bisque material on their heads. On the remainder of the doll a different, lighter substance for the body and also the limbs like fabric or composition. These days, bisque dolls are only made for the collector’s market, where they are capable of carrying a higher price tag that most other dolls that are made of different material(s). Bisque Kewpie Dolls do not make good playthings because they are fragile, so Kewpies made of vinyl, plastic, or compositions are more popular.
The Antique Kewpie crafted from bisque can obtain in excess of 100 dollars or more, however this will depend on the overall state of the bisque and its time of fabrication. Any enthusiasts that collect antique Kewpies ought to take note of the state of the Kewpie bisque previous to purchasing it by inspecting for very fine cracks, restorations that could have been done on the piece.
You should also assess the doll for other damages that may have occurred. To find hairline cracks, shine a light on the head. Additional verification is needed to determine if the Kewpie bisque is an antique or a reproduction. This is normally executed by testing the sauce of the bisque made. After market Kewpies that are made from bisque are likely to be smoother to the touch than the Vintage Kewpie made of bisque.
