Antique & Vintage Dolls
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*SMART DOLL FINDER*
Adora
Antique (Pre-1930)
  Bisque
    French
    Other
  Celluloid
  China
  Cloth
    Kathe Kruse
    Klumpe
    Lenci
  Composition
  Other Antique Dolls
  Papier-Mache
  Reproduction
  Wood
Artist Offerings, OOAK, Reborn
  OOAK
    Baby, Babies
    Fairies, Elves, Dwarves
    Fashion Dolls
    Other
  Other
  R J Wright
  Reborn
Babs - Hong Kong lilly
  Bild Lilli - Hong Kong Lilli
Barbie Contemporary (1973-Now)
  Barbie Dolls
    Anniversary Dolls
    Artist Dolls, OOAK, Nudes
      Nude Dolls
      OOAK
      Supplies
    Athlete Barbie
    Bridal Barbie
    Career Barbie
    Designer Editions, Bob Mackie
    Dolls of the World
    Fairytale Barbie
      Cinderella
      Disney
      Nutcracker
      Other
      Rapunzel
      Swan Lake
      Wizard of Oz
    Gift Sets
    Happy Birthday Barbie
    Holiday Barbie
      Holiday Angel
      Holiday Celebration
      Other
    Hollywood Barbie & Friends
      Gone with the Wind
      I Love Lucy
      Marilyn Monroe
      Other
    Mixed Lots
    My Scene Dolls
    My Size Barbie
    Other
    Pop Culture Barbie
      Avon
      Coca-Cola
      Harley-Davidson
      NASCAR
      Other
    Porcelain Barbie
    Silkstone, Fashion Models
    Store Exclusives
    Sun, Beach Barbie
    Western Barbie
  Books, Magazines
  Clothing & Accessories
    Accessories
    Clothing
      Custom, Handmade
      Fashion Avenue
      My Size
      Other
      Silkstone
    Other
    Shoes
  Friends & Family
    Kelly & Same-Size Friends
    Ken & Same-Size Friends
    Midge & Same-Size Friends
    Other Barbie Friends & Family
    Skipper & Same-Size Friends
    Tommy & Same-Size Friends
  Licensed Merchandise, Non-Doll
  Mixed Lots
  Other Contemporary
  Pets & Animals
  Structures, Furniture
  Vehicles
Barbie Vintage (Pre-1973)
  Barbie Dolls
    Bubblecut Barbie
    Mixed Lots
    Other
    Ponytail Barbie
  Cases
  Clothing & Accessories
    Clothing
    Mixed Lots
    Other
    Shoes
  Friends & Family
    Francie, Casey, Twiggy
    Ken & Same-Size Friends
    Midge & Same-Size Friends
    Other Barbie Friends & Family
    Skipper & Same-Size Friends
    Tutti, Todd, Chris
  Mixed Lots
  Other Vintage
  Structures, Furniture
  Vehicles
Bleuette
By Brand, Company, Character
  Amazing Ally, Babies
  American Character
    Betsy McCall
    Other
    Sweet Sue
    Tiny Tears
  American Girl
    Addy
    Angelina Ballerina
    Bitty Baby
    Felicity
    Josefina
    Kirsten
    Kit
    Molly
    Nellie
    Other
    Samantha
    Today
  Anne Geddes
  Annette Himstedt
  Arranbee (R&B)
  Ashton Drake
    Gene
    Other
  Berenguer, Berjusa
    Dolls
    Other
    Reborn Dolls
  Betty Boop
  Blythe
  Bratz
  Cabbage Patch
    Modern (1990-Now)
    Vintage (Pre-1990)
  Cameo
  Danbury Mint
  Dawn
  Dollfie
  Eegee
  Effanbee
    Modern
    Other
    Reproductions
    Vintage
  Fisher Price
  Franklin Mint
  Gerber
  Gotz
  Groovy Girls
  Hasbro
  Holly Hobbie
  Horsman
  Ideal
    Crissy Family
    Other
    Play Pals
    Revlon
    Shirley Temple
    Tammy Family
    Thumbelina
    Toni
  Integrity, Fashion Royalty
  Jem
  Kenner
  Kish
  Madame Alexander
    Modern (1970-Now)
      8 Inches and Under
      9-12 Inches
      Over 12 Inches
    Vintage (Pre-1973)
      1948-59
      1960-72
      Pre-1948
  Madeline
  Marie Osmond
  Mattel
    Chatty Cathy
    Corolle
    Kiddles
    Other
    Polly Pocket
  Middleton
  Mrs. Beasley
  Nancy Ann
    Muffie
    Other
    Storybook
  Only Hearts Club
  Other Brands
  Pauline
  Precious Moments
  Rainbow Brite
    Contemporary
    Vintage
  Remco
  Sailor Moon
  Sasha
  Seymour Mann
  Sindy
  Strawberry Shortcake
    Contemporary
      Figures, Minis
      Other
      Plush, Cloth
      Scented, Plastic
    Vintage
  Takara
  Terri Lee
  Tonner
    Ann Estelle
    Betsy McCall
    Brenda Starr
    Ellowyne Wilde
    Kitty Collier
    Matt ONeill
    Other
    Sydney Chase
    Tiny Kitty
    Tyler
  Uneeda
  Vogue
    Ginnette
    Ginny
      Modern (1970-Now)
      Vintage (Pre-1970)
    Jill, Jeff
    Other
  Zapf
By Material
  Bisque
    All Bisque
    Bisque Head
    Other
  Cloth
    Annalee
    Other
    Raggedy Ann, Andy
      Contemporary (1970-Now)
      Vintage (Pre-1970)
  Composition
  Hard Plastic
  Other Materials
  Plastic
  Polymer
  Porcelain
    Contemporary (1980-Now)
      Angels
      Ballerina
      Clowns
      Fantasy
      Native American
      Other
      Victorian
    Vintage (Pre-1980)
  Resin
  Rubber
  Vinyl
    Contemporary (1970-Now)
    Vintage (Pre-1970)
  Wood
By Type
  Celebrity
    Britney Spears
    Elvis Presley
    Lucille Ball
    Marilyn Monroe
    NSYNC
    Other
    Princess Diana
    Spice Girls
  Figures
  Gothic, Horror
  International, Cultural
    Asian
    European
    Other
  Kewpie
    Cameo
    Jesco
    Other
    Rose ONeill
  Nesting
  Other Doll Items
  Trolls
    Modern (1975-Now)
    Vintage (Pre-1975)
Clothes, Accessories
  Antique, Vintage
  Modern
    American Girl
      Dresses
      Other
      Pajamas
      Shoes
    Berenguer
    Bratz
    Cabbage Patch
    Lee Middleton
    My Twinn
    Other
Doll Making & Repair
  Molds
  Other
  Parts
  Patterns
    Clothing Patterns
      Modern (1970-Now)
      Vintage (Pre-1970)
    Doll Patterns
      Modern (1970-Now)
      Vintage (Pre-1970)
    Other Patterns
  Supplies
FITA Faeries
Furniture
  Modern (1970-Now)
  Vintage (Pre-1970)
German
GODEY'S LADY'S BOOK Antique Fashion Reference 1800s
Jan_Mclean
La Semaine de Suzette
Robert Raikes
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Blue Book of Dolls & Values (Blue Book of Dolls and Values, 14th Edition)
Blue Book of Dolls & Values (Blue Book of Dolls and Values, 14th Edition)
List Price: $19.95
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The first, favorite, and most trusted, price guide to all types of dolls is even more colorful and reader-friendly in its 14th edition. It is organized into an "Antique" section which covers the manufacturers of the bisque, china, wax, wood, cloth and papier-mache dolls of the 19th and early 20th century and a "Modern" section which covers the makers of composition, hard plastic, vinyl, artists' dolls and more...

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A*WENDYS BABIES* REBORN SO LIFELIKE BABY GIRL DOLL

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TINKERBELL REBORN Baby twin doll by Helen Jalland

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HANDMADE SLEEPING BAG Hot Pink/Zebra FITS AMERICAN GIRL

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Watch count: 317

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Before Barbie there was Bild-Lilli


Bild-Lilli dolls (Photo: http://www.musee-imaginaire.de)

Bild-Lilli was a sexy cartoon character, created by Reinhard Beuthien, that first appeared in the German Bild newpaper on June 24, 1952. Her persona was that of a country girl who had come to work in a newspaper office in the big city, a curvaceous girl with a quick wit, who wore her blond hair in a high ponytail and favored perilously high heels with her tight skirts and capri pants.

The Bild-Lilli cartoon was such a big hit with readers that it was decided to produce a Lilli novelty doll, aimed at the adult readers rather than children.

The task of creating the Lilli doll was given to Max Weissbrodt, of the Hausser/Elastolin company in Neustadt/Coburg, Germany who designed the doll, an 11 1/2" doll, made of plastic (elastoline) coated with paint, with hand-painted painted features, and molded on shoes. A smaller version of Lilli, 7 1/2" tall, could be suspended from the rear view mirror of a car, on a little swing.


Bild-Lilli at the Barbie Museum, Prague


1st Edition BILD-Zeitung, 24 Jun 1952


BILD Zeitung 2nd August 1952, the Bild-Lilli cartoon is seen to the right of the page.

On August 12, 1955 Lilli was first sold in Germany, through outlets such as cigarette kiosks and a few toy stores. Bild-Lilli had a unique construction so patents were registered for her leg joints and neck joint. There was a whole wardrobe of clothes collectors could buy for her, and a little girls also wanted her as a playdoll.

Bild-Lilli outfits
Source:Original Bild-Lilli catalog

If she reminds you of a Barbie doll, that is because Bild-Lilli was the inspiration for Barbie. Ruth Handler, the founder of Mattel, bought a few Bild-Lilli dolls when shopping in Europe in 1956 and on her return to the USA, gave her "discovery" to her engineers with instructions to make a similar doll suitable for children. The result was the first Barbie of 1959, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Barbie debuted at the New York toy fair on March 9, 1959. Barbie was made of superior materials, had rooted hair and removable shoes, but her resemblance to Bild-Lilli was undeniable; placed side by side it looked as though they were made from the same mold. A "little matter" of getting the rights from Bild-Lilli's creators, seemed to have been overlooked.

Barbie had already become a runaway success in the USA, allegedly unknown to Bild-Lilli's stake holders, by the time Mattel approached them to negotiate a deal. Whatever the circumstances, the outcome was that the owners of Bild-Lilli sold the rights for a relatively small lump sum, even in relation to the money Barbie was generating at the time. Not surprisingly, the settlement was an uneasy one and court cases followed, with even a court case as recently as 4 or 5 years ago.

These days Bild-Lilli has found recognition among serious Barbie collectors, with original Bild-Lilli dolls fetching up to $3,500.00 US or more at auction, easily rivalling the No 1 Barbies.


Hong Kong Lilly

For the average collector on a limited budget, a still affordable version of a Bild-Lilli is a doll from the Marx Toy Company made in Hong-Kong commonly referred to as "Hong Kong Lilly" or "Hong Kong Lilli". Marx had a licence to manufacture the doll in 50'-60's. The construction is very similar to Bild-Lilli. Both Bild-Lilli and Hong Kong Lilly dolls are made of frail hard plastic. The original German 11 1/2" Bild-Lilli's are coated all over with a layer of paint and there are differences seen in the painting of the features and hair colors etc, but otherwise the Hong-Kong Lilly is a good example of the type, still in an affordable price range. Try a search for the words "barbie lilli" in the search box above and see what comes up, and have fun collecting!


The Bild newspaper now has a new updated Lilly, (now Lilly with a "y"), seen here next to her creator Ully Arndt. (www.ullyarndt.de)

Author: Patricia Hayes for bisque-dolls.com, 10-10-2007


Bild-Lilli Doll seen in Barbie Bazaar Magazine


Early Barbie seen on Ebay


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