1914 German Kewpie Doll

Appraised on: August 26, 2006

Appraised in: Honolulu, Hawaii

Appraised by: Richard Wright

Category: Dolls

Episode Info: Honolulu, Hour 2 (#1102)

Originally Aired: January 8, 2007

IMAGE: 1 of 2  

Appraisal Video: (2:05)

GUEST: I don't know too much about it. I got it from my sister many years ago. And I never did ask her where she got it from but she had it for many years.

APPRAISER: Okay and where was she living?

GUEST: New York.

APPRAISER: Okay. It's called a Kewpie doll. And it was designed by Rose O'Neill, who is a fantastic artist. She illustrated children's books. The Kewpie first came out in 1909 in the "Ladies' Home Journal." There were stories all about the Kewpie and how the Kewpie lived and where the Kewpies went. And, of course, children loved that. And all Kewpies have little blue wings like this guy. To be an authentic Kewpie, it has to have blue wings.

GUEST: Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER: Kewpies are made all over the world. Rose O'Neill went to Germany. She went to Japan. They were made in both places. They were also made in America. Your Kewpie doll actually was made in Germany around 1914. This particular Kewpie is bisque, it's an all-bisque doll, with movable arms. The box lid shows you the Kewpie in action: flying. Rose O'Neill's name is down here at the bottom. And these guys came in all different sizes. This is one of the larger sizes. And there's some small ones that are just a couple inches high. Very, very popular, all over the world. There's no place you could go from 1910 into the '20s where there wasn't a Kewpie. They were in Russia. They were in South America. They were in Mexico, uh, Japan, Italy, France. Very, very, very popular item. What would you think that sold for when it was new?

GUEST: Oh... not too much, I don't imagine. Probably about $25.

APPRAISER: Mm, try about 25 cents.

GUEST: Oh. Uh-huh.

APPRAISER: So, a quarter went a long way years and years ago. If you came into my antique shop, and I had him sitting in my case, perfect condition, original box, great expression-- $1,200.

GUEST: Wow.

APPRAISER: So, it went way up from its 25 cents, but they're just a happy little character.

GUEST: Well, thank you very much.

APPRAISER: Good, good.

GUEST: That's surprising.