Price guide to wax character dolls. Character dolls can be those modelled on an actual person, such as those similare to the Queen Victoria doll below, or those which have a realistic appearance. They can also refer to dolls with exaggerated characteristics such as google-eyed dolls.
‘The young Queen Victoria’ poured wax shoulder head doll, possibly by Lucy Peck The slightly turned head with fixed blue glass eyes, inserted eyebrows and lashes, tinted closed mouth and cheeks and auburn wig with plaits, on a cloth body with wax lower arms and legs, wearing a cream silk and lace gown, embroidered red velvet cloak, silk stockings, slippers and crown, with jewels, orb and more, this doll comes with a framed provenance: ‘Bequeathed to Wilton House by the late Mrs Vivien Greene to be exhibited for the enjoyment of all visitors’, (the head is believed to have been obtained at the Great exhibition in 1851 and cleaned by the late Margaret Glover, who also made the cloth body and wax limbs, 90cm (35 1/2in) tall.
Sold for £ 937 inc. premium at Bonhams in 2015
A pair of wax-headed figures depicting members of the Ottoman Empire with painted features, inset brows, lashes and moustache, the woman with long dark hair, both with papier-mache bodies and wax hands wearing traditional dress, mounted on wood stands, early 20th century –17¼in. (44cm.) high (man’s hair and hat with moth damage) (2)
Sold for GBP 180 at Christies in 2006
REINFORCED POURED WAX CHARACTER CHILD DOLL, poured over composition shoulder mold with pate, fixed brown glass eyes, painted eyebrows, brown hair, jointed cloth body and reinforced wax limbs. Vintage clothing comprising a white gown and later undergarments. 1860-1890. 14″ HOA. Very good condition, wax with expected overall light cracking and some minor deterioration to legs. Clothing with some minor imperfections.
Sold for $110 at Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates in
Elderly lady with molded wax character face, on a cloth body with wax hands (fingers damaged). Her clothing features traditional red pedlar’s cape and black hat with ruffled under cap, gold quilted petticoat and plaid silk dress. Her pedlar’s tray contains a wide array of original antique items, including fabrics, threads, hats, trims, handkerchiefs, scissors, tablewear, and lots of other goodies. From the collection of Madeline Merrill and featured in her Handbook of Collectible Dolls, she dates the doll to 1840. With a base and glass dome. Fine early doll in remarkable condition! Size Doll: 11” T.
Sold for $800 at Dan Morphy Auctions in 2016
