Price guide to wax German dolls. In the 1870s, 80s and 90s, the most commonly found waxed dolls were the German lady dolls, made by Dressel, Schilling & Kestner, but not always easy to identify, as dolls were only just beginning to be marked. The Dressel dolls often have brightly coloured high heeled boots, and while the shoulder heads are waxed, the arms and legs of all these dolls are often composition; only sometimes waxed on the more expensive models. Reference: All You Can Bear
Large wax over composition shoulder head doll, German circa 1890 The tinted wax head with fixed blue glass eyes, transfer eye-brows and pink lips, blonde wig and on a cloth body with wax over lower arms and legs with moulded blue heeled boots, wearing original blue buttoned dress with lace, white coat with fur trim and underclothes, 92cm (36in) tall.
Sold for £ 200 inc. premium at Bonhams in 2015
A Cuno and Otto Dressel children’s nurse a wax over composition headed lady doll with fixed pale blue eyes, moulded teeth, high piled blonde mohair wig, stuffed body with composition limbs with moulded buff boots, dressed as a children’s nurse with pale blue uniform, lawn apron, dark blue cape with matching veiled hat, early 20th century –16in. (41cm.) high (crack at side of face)
Sold for GBP 204 at Christies in 2005
EARLY GERMAN WAX-OVER-PAPER MACHE TAUFLING BABY. 15″. Solid-domed wax-over-paper mache head with delicately painted baby hair above the ears, black glass enamel inset eyes, lightly tinted brows, closed mouth, on Motschmann body with paper mache and wooden shoulderplate, lower torso, lower arms and legs, hands and feet, twill-covered midriff bellows, muslin upper arms and legs. Antique cotton dress and bonnet, brown leather shoes. Commentary: Circa 1865 doll, well-preserved with original finish and appealing face.
Sold for $900 at Frasher’s Doll Auction in 2018
KESTNER wax coated papier mâché socket head doll, 35 cm, socket head, mohair wig, blue fix inset glass eyes, crack at the forehead, closed mouth, jointed body with fix wrists, old clothes
Sold for €300 at Ladenburger Spielzeugauktion GmbH in 20015
