Kestner

The Kestner company was located in Waltershausen in the German state of Thuringia, when Thuringia was a busy center of doll manufacturing-at one time 25,000 workers were employed in local doll factories. Adolf Kestner, inherited the family business about 1890 and operated it until the family's interest was sold during the 1920s Kestner dolls before 1891 are difficult to identify and date, but fortunately some have a "K" marked on the head. The marking "Germany" or "Made in Germany," which appeared when 1891 import laws required, seemed to stimulate further identification. The Kestner crown trademark was adopted on December 24, 1895.

From the 1890s, Kestner dolls were imported into the United States and Canada by Geo. Borgfeldt & Company of New York City. The the first Kestner dolls imported were all bisque. Unlike most of their contemporaries in Germany, the Kestner factory manufactured their own doll heads. Kestner also made kid body dolls, dolls with muslin bodies, and character baby dolls. Kestner manufactured the first Rose O'Neill Kewpie dolls in 1912, in bisque. Kewpies were phenomenally successful and were produced in many sizes.

Another great Kestner success was the Bye-Lo Baby, introduced in 1924. Its popularity won for it the nickname "Million Dollar Baby." The first Bye-Lo Babies, with composition body and turning bisque head, proved expensive to produce and only a few were made. Then Mrs. Grace Story Putnam designed the Bye-Lo Baby which is more familiar today, with flange neck, soft cloth body, and outspread fingers. Mr. Kolb writes, "Regarding Bye-Lo, Borgfeldt controlled this item, and other factories besides Kestner made them." Though the Bye-Lo was imitated, Mrs. Putnam's dolls were all clearly marked. The Gibson Girl, offered in 1900, was one of Kestner's outstanding dolls and is highly desired by collectors.