Kewpie Dolls - 1Earth Antiques & Appraisals Magazine

Dear 1Earth Antiques,
I recently inherited a collection of Rose O'Neill Kewpie dolls — over 35 in all. In 1980, the collection was appraised for $6,000. They have remained in a dark room under glass since then. Would it be beneficial to get each doll appraised separately?
— H. T.

Dear H.T.,
Kewpies have been around for nearly a century, but the angelic-faced dolls are really timeless.

Updated version of the classic dolls

The most valuable dolls combine rareness, excellent condition, and appeal.

Kewpie dolls should be appraised individually in most cases, because typically, only one or two rare dolls bolster the entire collection's value.

That may be the case with your dolls.

It sounds like you've done a great job of preserving your dolls. Ideally a bisque (porcelain) Kewpie should be stored in tissue paper and bubble wrap, then kept in a cardboard or plastic box.

If your Kewpies are made of composition, a combination of plastic, papier-mâchè, or plaster, we suggest they stay dry and out of temperature extremes.

We recommend
Insider's Guide to Doll Buying & Selling: Antique to Modern, Insider's Guide by Jan Foulke, Howard Foulke