Some of the most beautiful antique dolls were made by Heinrich and Minna Handwerck in Gotha, Germany in 1876. The most distinguishable feature of their models is that they have a pair of large almond-shaped eyes. In 1902, the company was acquired by Kammer and Reinhardt after Heinrich’s death. The Kammer and Reinhardt Company continued to manufacture dolls until 1932, when most of the dolls were marked “oHG”.
His “109” mold had a French-type appearance and was also made of a bisque head and a body composed of ball joints. The doll heads were designed by Handwerck and manufactured by Simon and Halbig. The handcrafted dolls were of great quality and the company is best known for its baby dolls, infant dolls, and bisque-faced Bebe doll heads. However, the company also produced celluloid dolls over the years.
Some of the molds have other numbers on the head indicating their design, which may also have been manufactured by other doll companies and these were molds W, 69, 79, 89, 99, 119, 139, 189. Some other molds They have names and letters symbols like Bebe de Recalme, Baby Cut, Bebe Cosmopolite, Bebe Superior, H, HH, HcH H, HHW, HW, La Bonita, Lotti and HANDWERCK LaBElle.
The line may not have names that identify it as the third-party series. However, these markings on the doll’s head and also on their bodies can determine the approximate year it was made. However, it should also be noted that even if the body of the doll does not have these markings or the same composition as the head, it does not necessarily mean that the doll is fake. Remember that some doll manufacturers order parts of their dolls from other manufacturers. Therefore, the markings may be different or they may not have any markings.
There was also a doll called Daisy that was made for the Ladies Home Journal in 1911. A total of 26,000 daisy dolls were made and 5,000 of which were made by JD Kestner. However, Simon and Halbig also created some of the orders that were marked Heinrich Handwerck Germany 1. This is just one example of how various doll makers can make a doll model.
Today, a Heinrich Handwerck doll can fetch as much as $ 1,000, like one of his 31-inch dolls displayed in an online auction. A well-maintained doll really can go a long way, as some may have been around for a hundred years. Anyone considering collecting Heinrich Handwerck dolls should be able to find one at auctions or at doll conventions.