Kewpie Bisque
The Kewpie Bisque Doll
The Kewpie Bisque or Kewpies are a popular kind of dolls that first had their beginnings in the early 1900’s. They were based on the illustrations made by artist Rose O’Neill as first seen in Ladies’ Home Journal in 1909. It was after three years however, that the first Kewpie dolls were manufactured in Ohrdurf, Germany. The early dolls were made out of bisque and so were also called Kewpie bisque dolls. Bisque unglazed porcelain, a material that is different from the glazed porcelain usually used to make dolls during the 1800’s. The use of bisque gave the Kewpie doll a more realistic skin tone because of its skin-like matte finish. The use of bisque first became popular in the 1860’s and was seen in French and German made dolls. Since the first Kewpie dolls were made in Germany, they also ended up being made out of bisque.
Kewpie bisque that was made fully of bisque is usually small because of the fragility and heaviness of the material. For larger Kewpies they only used the bisque material on the head. On the rest of the doll a different, lighter material for the body and the limbs such as cloth or composition. Today, bisque dolls are only made directly for the collector’s market because they can fetch a higher price than most other dolls made of different material. As a plaything, bisque Kewpie Dolls aren’t as popular because other, less fragile materials are now being used to make Kewpies such as vinyl, plastic, and composition.
The Antique Kewpie made of bisque may fetch over a hundred dollars or more, but this all depends on the general condition of the bisque and its time of production. Any collectors of antique Kewpies should take not of the condition of the Kewpie bisque before buying by checking for hairline cracks, restorations that may have been done on the item. Also check for other damages that may have been inflicted on the doll. Checking for hairline cracks usually involve shining a light on the head, which is the best way to see clearly for any cracks or openings. Another thing to verify is if the Kewpie bisque on hand is an antique or a reproduction. This is usually done by testing the texture of then bisque used. Reproductions of Kewpies made out of bisque are usually smoother to the touch than Vintage Kewpie doll constructed of bisque.
Whatever form, size, and material they may come in; there is no doubt that Kewpie dolls have placed their marks in the history of doll making and their popularity continues to live on.
