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Simon & Halbig Doll with Jumeau Costume, ca. 1890

Value (2016) | $2,000 Retail – $2,400 Retail
Watch  

GUEST:
This doll was bought in the United States, and my sister was so enthusiastic about her because she seemed so unusual, and her costuming was so different from anything we'd ever seen before. So I had to wait quite a long time, and she talked to me several times on the phone about her, and finally flew out, hand-carrying her, to gift her to me.

APPRAISER:
And you said your sister paid $500 for it—

GUEST:
That’s correct.

APPRAISER:
--this doll-- and you were wondering why she has this outfit on.

GUEST:
Exactly.

APPRAISER:
Well, this is actually a German doll made by the Simon and Halbig firm, which was a very prestigious firm in the 1800s. And the reason she's dressed as she is, is that Simon and Halbig made dolls and exported them to France for different makers. On the back of the doll is a label that says Jumeau, which is a French firm. So I think this was a special order where Simon and Halbig made the head, shipped it to the Jumeau firm, and then they costumed it in this wonderful Joan of Arc costume. Simon and Halbig is known for their wonderful bisque. This doll has original finish on her composition ball-jointed body, and then the costume is just fabulous. Over here, we have the little sword. Look at the detail in the vest-- somebody's spent a lot of time on that-- and then as we come down, look at the nice silk costume and the wonderful sandals. So it's a German influence, but sent to France, with a Joan of Arc influence. What also I like about the story about your sister is that she bought these for you, and what did she use to do to trick you as a child?

GUEST:
Well, in order to get her room cleaned, she always promised that I could look at her dolls, so I would clean her room, and then she would take her storybook dolls off the shelf and show them to me for a short period of time, and then put them up again until the room needed cleaning.

APPRAISER:
But you became a doll collector, yet she goes and buys the dolls for you...

GUEST:
That's correct.

APPRAISER:
And she paid $500. It's now worth about $1,500, so it has appreciated and will continue to appreciate. Thank you for bringing this in.

Support provided by: Learn more

Appraisal Details

Appraiser
Ann Hays
Dolls
Kenneth S. Hays & Associates
Louisville, KY
Update (2016)
$2,000 Retail – $2,400 Retail
Appraised value (2001)
$1,500 Retail
Featured In
San Diego, Hour 2 (#0611)
Vintage San Diego (#2023)
Event
San Diego, CA (June 30, 2001)
Category
Dolls
Period
20th Century
Form
Doll , Doll Clothes
Material
Bisque , Cloth , Composite , Silk

Executive producer Marsha Bemko shares her tips for getting the most out of ANTIQUES ROADSHOW.

Value can change: The value of an item is dependent upon many things, including the condition of the object itself, trends in the market for that kind of object, and the location where the item will be sold. These are just some of the reasons why the answer to the question "What's it worth?" is so often "It depends."

Note the date: Take note of the date the appraisal was recorded. This information appears in the upper left corner of the page, with the label "Appraised On." Values change over time according to market forces, so the current value of the item could be higher, lower, or the same as when our expert first appraised it.

Context is key: Listen carefully. Most of our experts will give appraisal values in context. For example, you'll often hear them say what an item is worth "at auction," or "retail," or "for insurance purposes" (replacement value). Retail prices are different from wholesale prices. Often an auctioneer will talk about what she knows best: the auction market. A shop owner will usually talk about what he knows best: the retail price he'd place on the object in his shop. And though there are no hard and fast rules, an object's auction price can often be half its retail value; yet for other objects, an auction price could be higher than retail. As a rule, however, retail and insurance/replacement values are about the same.

Verbal approximations: The values given by the experts on ANTIQUES ROADSHOW are considered "verbal approximations of value." Technically, an "appraisal" is a legal document, generally for insurance purposes, written by a qualified expert and paid for by the owner of the item. An appraisal usually involves an extensive amount of research to establish authenticity, provenance, composition, method of construction, and other important attributes of a particular object.

Opinion of value: As with all appraisals, the verbal approximations of value given at ROADSHOW events are our experts' opinions formed from their knowledge of antiques and collectibles, market trends, and other factors. Although our valuations are based on research and experience, opinions can, and sometimes do, vary among experts.

Appraiser affiliations: Finally, the affiliation of the appraiser may have changed since the appraisal was recorded. To see current contact information for an appraiser in the ROADSHOW Archive, click on the link below the appraiser's picture. Our Appraiser Index also contains a complete list of active ROADSHOW appraisers and their contact details and biographies.

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