Doll Collecting: The Metal Head Dolls

The popularity of the metal head or tin head doll is growing among collectors. These dolls once took a back seat in the doll-collecting world but are now being recognized for the collectibles they are.

Metal head dolls became common in the mid 1800's. They were among the popular dolls sold until the late 1920's.

These dolls were made of a wide array of metals, including silver, aluminum, tin and brass.

"Minerva" is one of the most common manufacturer's mark found on the metal head dolls. These dolls were made by various companies and widely distributed in the United States. Buschow & Beck, Alfred Heller, manufactured dolls marked "Diana". "Juno" was the mark used by Karl Standfuss. Some metal heads are marked only with the size and the country of origin. There are many that are not marked at all.

The metal head doll was marketed as being indestructible. This was a great improvement over the breakable porcelain dolls that were so popular. They would not disintegrate when they were exposed to moisture like the popular composition doll of that time. The main drawback was the metal would more readily absorb the surrounding temperature leaving the doll too hot to handle or too cold to snuggle.

Metal head dolls can be found with bodies made of cloth, leather, or metal bodies. Of these body types the metal-bodied doll is the hardest to find.

Often metal heads, like the popular china doll heads of that time, were sold separately. For this reason it is not uncommon to find the metal head doll on a homemade cloth body. The limbs on these dolls were often made of china, cloth or composition, rarely metal.

The majority of the metal head dolls have molded hair and painted eyes. The more elaborate dolls had wigs of mohair or human hair and glass eyes. Some had tin eyes that opened and closed.

An open mouth with teeth, a wig, glass eyes, or eyes that open and close all add to the value of the doll.

Finding a metal doll in original unscathed condition is almost unheard of; after all they were manufactured and sold as children's play things. The paint may be chipped, the metal rusted or dented. The upside is they are easier to repair and restore than most other doll types. Expert minor restoration will not take away from the value of this type of doll. For this reason metal head dolls may be the perfect choice for the collector on a budget.