Collectible Edition Dolls

Q: I have two dolls that belonged to my mother when she was very young. She was born in 1916. The dolls have porcelain faces and hands. One of the dolls is musical. It’s marked “Authentic Heritage Doll Collection.” It’s 18 inches tall, has blonde hair, and is in its original dress. The other doll is marked “B Brinn’s” on the back of her neck. She’s 15 inches tall. What can you tell me about them and what are they worth?

A: These are not antique dolls and your mother could not have played with them when she was young. Heritage and Brinn’s both made “collectible edition” dolls that look like antique dolls in the 1980s and 1990s. The faces are very modern looking. Compare this to a 19th-century porcelain doll head. Many are pictured online. The clothes are not authentic patterns either. Heritage Signature Collection dolls were made in China. Brinn’s, a company in Pittsburgh, sold musical and non-musical dolls, as well as ceramic figurines, head vases and giftware. Brinn’s dolls were made in Taiwan and Korea and sell for less than $25 today.