Q: My sister had this little lady in her sewing basket in 1969. She has a white porcelain upper body and porcelain legs attached to the base, which is filled with wood shavings. There are no cracks or chips in the porcelain. Her gold silk dress is shredded and her shoes may have been gold at one time. She is 3 1/2 inches tall. How old is she and what might she be worth?
A: This is a “half-doll” or “pincushion doll.” The porcelain top half of the doll has several small holes around the bottom edge of the torso so thread can run through the holes to stitch the porcelain to a fabric base. The big puffy skirt hides the base or is sometimes used to cover a teapot, powder box, or something else. Most pincushion dolls were made between the early 1900s and the 1950s. They are often sold without the fabric skirt because it has deteriorated. These figures are popular with doll and sewing collectors. Your lady could bring $100 in an advertised sale.
Your best bet for the money is Ebay. If not wanting to put in the time then look for a local auction house in your area, They are not a hi-end item so they would probably do a box lot sale or 10 in a lot. Good luck
I have over 100 pin cushion dolls of various sizes and styles. The majority of them are only half dolls but I have a dozen plus dolls with their bases. What is the best way to advertise them with a view to selling them