Antiques Roadshow

GUEST

It was my great-aunt's doll. My aunt was born in Oakland on Fruitvale Avenue in, I believe, 1909.

APPRAISER

Uh-huh.

GUEST

And she was the youngest of seven sisters, and my grandfather was the oldest in the family. This doll came to me in the '80s. The dress is the dress she came in, and she's got pantaloons underneath, and a petticoat. And unfortunately, her leather high-top shoes have fallen apart, but the socks are original.

APPRAISER

The doll was made by Kmmer & Reinhardt. The company is German. It was made about 1917.

GUEST

Okay. That's a little later than I thought.

APPRAISER

It would be marked on the back of the head with a number. And that number signified the model or the style of the face. And this is a number 117. It was a very popular doll because it... It was a pretty doll, it wasn't... It was not a scary-looking doll. She's known for her very serene face, and her mouth is closed instead of open with teeth. That makes her very special. The body is made of composition and wood. And composition is a recipe of sawdust and glue and other materials that becomes liquid and they pour it in molds. She's in wonderful condition. Usually you find dolls of this age with fingers missing or unstrung. It's her original wig, it's mohair, and it's got kind of matted, but it, that can all be fixed and rearranged.

GUEST

Okay. I don't know if it's a significant family heirloom that I should be passing it on. I don't think it's ever really been played with.

Hm. GUEST

Obviously, I didn't play, play with it.

APPRAISER

Right.

GUEST

I don't even have a name for her. (chuckles) That's how unattached...

APPRAISER

Right.

GUEST

...the relationship is.

APPRAISER

Well, this doll came in many sizes. It came from as small as a ten- inch doll up to, like, 35 inches. I, I believe this doll is about 26 inches, if we measure it.

GUEST

Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER

The value of the doll in a retail setting would be between $3,500 and $4,500.

GUEST

That's nice. (chuckling) Yeah, good.

APPRAISER

I think you have a treasure here.

GUEST

Thank you.

APPRAISER

You might, you might want to keep it.

GUEST

So I should keep it.

APPRAISER

I think so.

GUEST

Maybe I'll get a great-granddaughter one day.

APPRAISER

One day.

GUEST

(laughs) Now the whole family is going to go, "Oh, my gosh. (both

laugh) GUEST

How did she get the doll?"

APPRAISER

Right.