• Identify the Age of Madame Alexander Dolls

• Discover Types of Madame Alexander Dolls

• Choose the Right Madame Alexander Doll

• Find Madame Alexander Dolls on eBay

• Buy Madame Alexander Dolls With Confidence

Identify the Age of Madame Alexander Dolls

Identify the Age of Madame Alexander Dolls

Before you purchase Madame Alexander dolls, it’s important to understand how they are classified by age and what each term means.

• Antique Madame Alexander dolls: Generally, Madame Alexander dolls made before the 1930s are considered to be antique Madame Alexander dolls.    

• Collectible Madame Alexander dolls: The word “collectible” can refer to many different things, but collectible Madame Alexander dolls are those that were made more than 25 but less than 75 years ago.     

• Modern Madame Alexander dolls: Dolls made within the last 25 years are considered to be modern Madame Alexander dolls.    

• Contemporary Madame Alexander dolls: Any dolls in current production are considered to be contemporary dolls.

Discover Types of Madame Alexander Dolls

Discover Types of Madame Alexander Dolls

As her doll-making enterprise evolved over the decades, Madame Alexander created a variety of dolls, including:

• Cloth Madame Alexander dolls: In the 1930s, Madame Alexander began her doll making with cloth dolls. One of the earliest Madame Alexander dolls is the Alice in Wonderland doll. The authenticated version has hand-painted features on a flat cloth face, a yellow yarn wig, and an organdy apron over a blue-and-white dress.    

• Composition Madame Alexander dolls: After introducing cloth dolls, Madame Alexander began making composition dolls. These are made up of a mixture of several compounds (such as sawdust, paper, glue, and plaster of paris). Examples of composition dolls include Tiny Betty and Little Betty, Betty, Wendy Ann, and Princess Elizabeth. Examples of “personality” composition dolls include Sonja Henie, Jane Withers, Juanita Quigley, the Dionne Quintuplets, and Margaret O’Brien.    

• Hard-plastic Madame Alexander dolls: Madame Alexander made the transition from composition to hard-plastic dolls in 1948. The first dolls were made of hard plastic painted in skin tones. Later dolls were made of rose-colored plastic, which added durability and eliminated the crazing, or fine cracking of the finish that used to occur. Hard-plastic dolls from the post-WWII era tend to have sharper, more defined features. Examples of this type of doll include Maggie, Margaret, Cissy, Lissy, and Elise.

Choose the Right Madame Alexander Doll

Choose the Right Madame Alexander Doll

Collectors seek out Madame Alexander dolls because of their unique characteristics, including composite bodies, painted features, and distinctive face molds. Some Madame Alexander dolls, such as the 1956/1957 Cissy doll, even wear haute couture.

In addition to dolls based on real-life figures, many Madame Alexander dolls are designed to bring favorite books, movies, or fairy tales to life. Examples of this include the Wizard of Oz dolls, Betty Boop dolls, Lucille Ball dolls, and the Little Women dolls.

But before selecting your Madame Alexander doll, consider the following:

• Era: Decide which doll or time period really interests you. Do you want an 8-inch Tiny Betty doll from the 1940s, or a Scarlett O’Hara doll from the 1930s?    

• Value:Learn how collectors value dolls. Prices vary greatly based on the popularity of a given doll. Ultimately, the doll’s condition and vintage will determine the price. Many books and magazines can help you better understand these criteria. If you’re collecting because you love dolls, that’s one thing. But if you’re thinking of making a purchase with an eye to its future resale value, do in-depth research before buying.     

• Usage: Remember that new dolls are more flexible in their use, and can be a child’s plaything as well as an item for display. Vintage dolls, which have much greater value, are not meant for play. Instead, they’re strictly collector’s items.     

• Accessories: Once you’ve chosen your Madame Alexander doll, consider doll accessories and clothing as well. Dolls such as Cissy, for example, have mix-and-match wardrobes that feature a variety of fabrics and accessories. You can even find doll shoes.

Find Madame Alexander Dolls on eBay

Find Madame Alexander Dolls on eBay

Once you know what type of Madame Alexander doll you want, go to the Dolls & Bears portal, click Dolls, select By Brand, Company, Character, then Madame Alexander and start searching for item listings on eBay.

• Categories: The Categories list on the left side of each page will help you narrow down your listings by age of product. You'll find links for both Modern (1970-Now) and Vintage (Pre-1973) Madame Alexander dolls here. As you dig deeper into the site you'll also be able to narrow down your choice by size and scale.  

• Keyword search: Search eBay title listings for specific words. For example, if you want to find Tiny Betty, type “Tiny Betty” (without quotation marks) into the Search box. Click "Search title and description" to expand your results. Visit eBay's Search Tips page for more tips on searching with keywords.

If you can't find exactly what you want, try shopping eBay Stores, tell the eBay Community what you want by creating a post on Want It Now, or save a search on My eBay and eBay will email you when a match becomes available.

Buy Madame Alexander Dolls With Confidence

Buy Madame Alexander Dolls With Confidence

Before making your purchase, make sure you know exactly what you're buying, research your seller, and understand how eBay and PayPal protect you.

Know your purchase

Carefully read the details in item listings.

• Figure delivery costs into your final price. If you spend a lot of money, make sure the seller will insure the item when it ships.

• If you want more information, ask by clicking the "Ask seller a question" link under the seller's profile.

• Always make sure to complete your transaction on eBay (with a bid, Buy It Now, or Best Offer). Transactions conducted outside of eBay are not covered by eBay protection programs.

• Never pay for your eBay item using instant cash wire transfer services through Western Union or MoneyGram. These payment methods are unsafe when paying someone you do not know.

Know your seller

Research your seller so you feel positive and secure about every transaction.

• What is the seller's Feedback rating? How many transactions have they completed? What percentage of positive responses do they have?

• What do buyers say in their Feedback? Did the seller receive praise?

• Most top eBay sellers operate like retail stores and have return policies. Do they offer a money-back guarantee? What are the terms and conditions?

Buyer protection

In the unlikely event that a problem arises during your transaction, eBay and PayPal are there for you.

• Pay safely with PayPal: PayPal enables you to pay without the seller ever seeing your bank account or credit card numbers. In fact, PayPal protects buyers 100% against unauthorized payments from their accounts. Plus, with PayPal Buyer Protection, your purchase can be covered up to $1,000.

• eBay Security & Resolution Center: Visit the Security & Resolution Center to learn how to protect your account and use eBay's quick and efficient resolution tools.