Porcelain doll: from the past to the present

Porcelain dolls have always been the envy and lust of not only experienced collectors, but also ordinary people. After all, the porcelain doll in the house is a sign of prosperity, respectability and some kind of chosenness. This is considered because this doll is probably the only existing type of dolls, the purpose of which is so ambiguous. On the one hand, the porcelain doll was once a children's toy. But over time it somehow lost this function and gradually migrated into the category of antiques, collector's items and interior accessories. Today, a porcelain doll is also a "toy", but in most cases only for adults.

Where and when the first dolls appeared

Porcelain doll, whose history began in the middle of the XVIII century, was first made in Europe, namely in countries such as Italy, France and Germany. The first specimens were born in 1730. The next 2 centuries became a period of flourishing and spreading around the world of fashion for such toys. Peak production (if you can say so, because the dolls first did only by hand) fell on the period from 1750 to 1930. Porcelain doll of these years is now considered a valuable antique item.

Distribution of porcelain dolls around the world

German and French masters were most active in puppets. Each of them was initially produced exclusively by hand and was thus exclusive. However, later, to meet the demand, the dolls began to be manufactured industrially. But even this did not deprive these beauties of their inherent charm. Such dolls became toys for children from many countries, and adults bought them for their collections. French and German dolls were in great demand, and were known far beyond their homeland. Puppet masters from France amazed with their creations, presenting them in expensive luxurious decorations. German colleagues, perhaps, in this regard were more restrained, but the strength, reliability and quality of their dolls fell in love with buyers more than the French immodest luxury.

History of dolls

With the help of porcelain dolls, the fashion for outfits and accessories in the general public was popularized. There were such specimens, to which, except for one decoration, several more replacements were attached, as well as cosmetics and other ornaments. Especially fashionable and popular were dolls, equipped with a whole "dowry": complete with a doll house with furniture, dishes, a replacement wardrobe, cosmetics, umbrellas, bags, etc. And these items were almost real, only a very small size . And the outfits from the wardrobe strictly corresponded to the fashion of those years. In addition, doll dresses were very different: for balls, for dinners and dinners, and even for the reception of guests - in short, for all occasions. The very "mistress" anatomically surprisingly resembled a real lady: porcelain made it possible to create quite naturalistic facial features, and decorate such material was not difficult. The effect was intensified by the eyes of the dolls: they were made of glass. And each young lady was different, because the color of the iris did not repeat.

Dolls in Russia

Dolls with dowry were toys not only for children from rich families. Often parents or even childless people bought doll houses for themselves. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, this phenomenon became unusually fashionable in Russia. Proof of this is the fact that porcelain dolls in Moscow were from many well-known representatives of the nobility, the merchants and the intelligentsia. And mostly they were men. Today, the demand for a porcelain doll returns. As before, manual work and naturalism of the image are valued. Such copies sometimes cost more than one thousand dollars. But there are also less expensive dolls. Regardless of the price, they will always be a wonderful gift or decoration of the interior.