Antiques Roadshow

GUEST

My grandmother was born in 1890 and she had a half sister quite older than her, and she married a Frenchman, and was living in Paris. And when my grandmother was about five, she sent her this doll directly from Paris.

APPRAISER

What year would that have been? GUESTL 1895. Okay. Did you think it was a French doll since it came...?

GUEST

I assumed so, yes.

APPRAISER

Okay. She played with it, you can tell that.

GUEST

Yeah.

APPRAISER

She must have played with it very gently, because this doll is in absolutely perfect condition.

GUEST

I know I didn't play with it and my daughter didn't either. I've kept it in my cedar chest since I've had it.

APPRAISER

It's made by one of the most prominent makers of dolls in France.

GUEST

Very good.

APPRAISER

Jumeau. They started making dolls in 1842. These examples were made anywhere between 1890 and 1900.

GUEST

Okay.

APPRAISER

It's really in good condition-- original wig, original clothes. You can see the silk is molting.

GUEST

Yeah.

APPRAISER

Just a little bit, but it's just a part of the aging of it all.

GUEST

Well, just age, yes.

APPRAISER

And if we take the wig off... We can see the marking on the back.

GUEST

Oh, okay, I never did look, I guess.

APPRAISER

You can see that it's marked, "Dpos Tte Jumeau." And you also, you see, number eight, which is a size number, this one is about 20 inches.

GUEST

Yeah.

APPRAISER

You can see what "1x".

GUEST

Yeah, I saw that...

APPRAISER

That was the artist's mark that painted the dolls. And if you look at her closely, not only is her head marked, but her shoes are marked also.

GUEST

Oh, okay. Yeah.

APPRAISER

It also has the original earrings.

GUEST

Oh, I know, yes.

APPRAISER

The painting on the face, the quality of the bisque is good. Even the quality of the clothes. At auction today, this doll would bring between $4,500 and $7,000.

GUEST

Very good.

APPRAISER

The parasol I'll value separately. It's of the same time period as your doll, but the scale was a little bit larger than what the doll would have. The parasol would bring between $250 and $400 at auction.

GUEST

Very good. I'll bet... I have a granddaughter it'll be passed down to.