The most expensive dolls in the world
Contents:
• Dolls are not just toys. Some of them are very expensive collectibles. Others are made from expensive materials or in a complex way so that their price is comparable to a prestige car. Here are the top 10 most expensive dolls in the world.
10 American Girl Dolls – $2650
• The most coveted dolls in the American Girl Dolls family were made before 1996 and collectors are looking for them everywhere.
• And the most famous of the American Girl Dolls is Samantha Parkington, portraying a precocious nine-year-old orphan learning to navigate early twentieth-century New York.
• Samantha is so famous that she was sold at auction for $2650, making her the most expensive American Girl Doll.
9 Beanie Baby – $5000
• These soft dolls, made by Ty Warner, are sought after by both children and collectors. The dolls depict different animals and are produced in limited series.
• The most expensive doll in this collection is a royal blue elephant named Peanut (Peanut). Most of the Peanuts series dolls were made in blue, but due to a manufacturing error, some were made in a darker shade. These rare toys can cost $5000.
8 Vintage 1959 Barbie – $8000
• After the creation of the first Barbie doll, the history of the modern toy industry changed forever. Barbie brought to the market children's toys that look like adults and have their own biography.
• So, Barbie received her full name (Barbara Millicent Roberts), hometown (Willow, Wisconsin, USA), date of birth (March 9, 1959 – the day the first Barbie doll was presented to the public). She had parents, siblings, friends and, of course, her famous boyfriend, Ken Carson.
• The first Barbie models were marketed as "teenage fashion models". They wore a zebra-striped swimsuit, non-removable shoes and removable sunglasses, and wore their hair in their signature ponytail. Barbies were available in both blonde and brown hair, with blondes outnumbering brunettes by a 3:1 ratio. The clothes were designed by Mattel fashion designer Charlotte Johnson, and production was established in Japan, where craftswomen sewed the pieces of clothing by hand.
• Now it is difficult to find a figure from the first series of Barbie dolls in 1959. It's even harder to find one in perfect condition. But if you're lucky enough to have one lying around in your grandmother's chest, you can sell it at auction for $8000.
7 Diamond Barbie – $85
• One of the most unusual and expensive dolls in the world was made in 1999 by diamond manufacturer De Beers for Mattel in honor of Barbie's 40th birthday.
• The raven-haired doll is dressed in a dress with a sash adorned with 160 diamonds, and all this beauty is complemented by miniature white gold jewelry.
6. Diamond Teddy Bear – $193
• The Teddy Bear is a popular toy that dates back to the 20th century. He got his name from US President Theodore Roosevelt, whom the public called Teddy, although he did not like this name.
• The most expensive Teddy bear ever made was made in honor of the 125th anniversary of the Teddy Bear doll. His eyes are made of diamonds and sapphires, and his mouth is made of a single piece of gold. A total of 125 diamond bears were created.
5. Biscuit (porcelain) doll by Albert Marquet – $280.000
• The value of some porcelain dolls is easy to determine after a quick run through online auctions. Other dolls can only be truly appreciated by experts. Things like the quality of the garment, the condition of the china, identification marks and mold numbers all need to be carefully examined and taken into account.
• Dolls that are considered genuine antiques can cost up to $2000. And the most expensive china doll ever sold went for a whopping $280. It was a figurine called "Girl in the costume of Lorraine", created by the French sculptor Albert Marquet.
• As the name suggests, the doll is dressed in French Renaissance Lorraine costume, a tribute to Queen Louise of Lorraine, wife of Henry III.
4 Barbie by Stefano Canturi – $302
• This beautiful doll from the Barbie Basics "Little Black Dress" collection was auctioned off to benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and raised an impressive $302, making her the most expensive Barbie ever sold.
• She casually wears an art deco diamond necklace, which alone is worth $300. Made by Australian jeweler Stefano Kanturi, using rectangular white baguette-cut diamonds and a large emerald-cut pink diamond. The necklace is complemented by a ring with a square white diamond, it flaunts on the right handle of the doll.
3. Kemmer and Reinhard Doll – $336
• The doll company Kämmer & Reinhardt was founded in 1886 in Germany. And among its wares is a K&R 108 biscuit porcelain doll that sold for £242 ($500 at current exchange rates) at Bonhams' Fine and Rare Character Dolls auction.
• Since the sale of this lot at auction in 1994, no other copy has been found. Therefore, it is possible that this doll was an experimental cast. Her facial expression, full upper lip and – uniquely – her pierced ears paint a striking portrait of a young woman, not a child. The toy depicts a real girl from the period 1909-1912.
2. Madame Alexander Eloise – $5
• In second place on the list of the most valuable dolls in the world is a set of five unique handmade toys. The purpose of their creation was good – to help several charitable organizations.
• Several high-class designers worked on the creation of Madame Alexander Eloise:
- House of Harry Winston provided nine carats of diamonds.
- The furs were from fashion designer Oscar de la Renta, who works for Alixandre Furs.
- Clothes and accessories for dolls were made by Christian Dior and Swarovski.
• The entire set was sold for $5.
1. The most expensive doll in the world "L'Oiseleur" – $ 6
• The name of this doll is translated as "Birdman", and it is a 55-kilogram automatic machine with a complex mechanism. The 1,25 meter tall doll is dressed in elaborate Renaissance clothing, holding a flute in one hand and a bird in the other, with another bird perched on her shoulder. A sword and a velvet bag hang from the figure's belt.
• The bird-catcher can play the flute, playing Georges Bizet's Marche de Roi and an 18th-century melody to teach canaries to sing. When the doll is turned on with a key, she brings the flute to her lips, and her fingers move. 12 people worked over 15 hours to create this masterpiece, and they needed over 000 parts to complete the work.
• The mechanical figure is priced at $6 and is said to be the most expensive doll in the world.
