There was quite a bit of interest generated recently when we had a couple columns on statues and figurines. So I thought I would mention that, along the same lines, character dolls always have been quite popular. 

     If you are taking inventory of what is in your attic or basement, character dolls especially from the 1930s and 1940s can be real treasures. During the 1930s dolls by Madame Alexander, Knickerbocker, Freundlich, and Ideal were the rage. Ideal offered dolls of Shirley Temple, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Jiminy Cricket, Pinochio, and others. Madame Alexander dolls included characters from Alice in Wonderland, Gone With The Wind, and Little Women. Knickerbocker produced dolls of Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, Ferdinand the Bull, Dagwood and Blondie Bumstead, and Sleeping Beauty. Freundlich dolls included Orphan Annie and her dog Sandy.

     The most critical factor to determine value is the condition of the doll. Also, make sure that your doll is a character doll, not a play doll.

     The value for most dolls from that period is around several hundred dollars. Samples of sales from that era include: Ideals's Pinocchio for nearly $400, Jiminy Cricket for almost $500, Madame Alexander's Snow White for $700, and Alice in Wonderland for $900, Knickerbocker's Jiminy Cricket for $700, and, Freundlich's Orphan Annie for around $100.

     I have received many emails from collectors asking if I can match their interests with the interests of other collectors. If any of the following interests you please let me know and I will put you in touch with the right person.

              A hand-sketched portrait of the first L.A. Kings hockey team.

              Old Avon perfume aftershave, etc . . decorated bottles.

              Military medals and cigarette cards.

              Cadaco All-Star baseball board games from the late 1950s and early 1960s.

              1946 Boston Red Sox program with a photo pullout.

              1945 Boston Braves Sketch Book

              Baseball cards from 1952-1958.

     Here are some recent auction results you might find interesting:

              Bess Myerson's 1945 Miss America trophy for $8,098

              Erik Estrada's CHIPS costume for $1,258

              John Lennon's Vox Python guitar strap for $14,724

              David Ruffin's (The Temptations) Rock and Roll Hall of Fame award from 1989 for $13,852

              Bruce Springsteen's handwritten "Meeting Across the River" lyrics for $10,140

              Two copper cents owned by Jesse James for $5,875

              Kareen Abdul-Jabaar's game used jersey from 1982 for $6,900

              A Babe Ruth photograph for $7,186

              Jim Thorpe's personal Indian moccasins for $2,290

              An Ali-Foreman Zaire fight poster for $6,705

     Sometimes it surprises me how much or how little items actually go for. It boils down to timing. You do not want to be the victim of a bidding war, but that can and does happen quite often. It is out of your control if another person wants a particular item as much as you do. The other party, or parties probably feel the same way, too. It all depends on your desire for the item. It is possible that if you waited another six months you might be able to get the item for less. But then again, if you wait, you may have to pay even more. If you wait you take the chance that there will be several people interested in an item, not just one or two. So goes the chase, and the life of a collector.