September 2006

By Jan Foulke

REVALO

Q: I would appreciate any information you can give me about a doll that is at least 75 years old. She is 21 inches tall with a porcelain head, and she has glass eyes that open and close with real inset eyelashes. Her body is hard composition and is jointed at the shoulders, elbows, wrist, hips, and knees. On the back of her head is inscribed “REVALO – 3 GERMANY.” I hope you can help me and give her value.

A: Your antique doll was produced in the doll factory of Gebrüder Ohlhaver in Sonneberg, Germany. 

The Ohlhaver brothers were late-comers to the doll industry, not starting until 1912. A 1925 report stated that they had the largest doll factory in Sonneberg with a production of 6,000 dolls per week. Ohlhaver did not make the bisque heads, however, just bodies, wigs, and clothes. Heads were purchased from various porcelain factories, including Ernst Heubach, Gebrüder Heubach, and Porzellanfabrik Mengersgereuth.

Revalo was Olhlaver’s trademark. It was made from the name Ohlhaver spelled backward with the omission of the h’s. The Revalo was advertised as “the queen of dolls.” The trademark was used for both “dolly faces” like yours and character dolls, including toddlers and babies. The Revalo girl dolls have very distinctive faces. They are longer and thinner than the usual dolly face, which makes them favorites with collectors of the German girl dolls. 

Because you did not send information about her condition or clothing, I will give several values, all of which assume that the head is perfect with no cracks, chips, repairs, or large color abrasions.

All-original wig, clothing, underwear, shoes and socks, good body: $500.

Naked but with original wig: $300.

Naked, no wig, body needs some repair: $200.

It is wonderful that you have this lovely family heirloom. I hope that you have a granddaughter or niece who will appreciate receiving her. Since you did not send a photo, I am using one from my files.

ADOLF WISLIZENUS BODY

Q: I recently purchased an antique 12-inch bisque head doll marked with a “44” and what appears to be the letter “S.” Her body is the oddest thing I have ever seen. I do not know if the head belongs to the body because the neck is smaller than the body opening. In your book “Simon & Halbig Dolls,” I saw what appears to be the exact body on page 77. Since writing the book, have you found out any more about this body type?

A: Yes, I do have some additional information on this type of body, and I agree it is quite strange! I have seen only a handful of these in all my 34 years of studying dolls, so you can assume that it is quite rare. Facts on this body are given in Jurgen & Marianne Cieslik’s “German Doll Encyclopedia.”

It was an invention of the doll factory of Adolf Wislizenus in Waltershausen, Germany. He deposed this model in 1896 as DRGM 68035 and described it as a jointed doll body “with the upper legs ending in hemispheres, rotatable, jointed to the body by metal hooks fixed to rubber thread.” A comment about the body in a trade journal says: “The new Taufling [doll dressed in a shift] has no ugly ball joints as the old Taufling had. The movable upper body of the new construction permits any position … is able to sit and stand excellently.”

The papier-mâché torso has a lot of anatomical detail, with a slightly molded bust and well-defined ribs on the front. The back shows the backbone and shoulder blades. The papier-mâché upper legs also have molding detail at the inner thigh and around the knee, which has a high ball joint. The tops of the thighs are rounded and fit into the bottom of the torso like a ball joint, allowing the legs to turn quite easily. It poses beautifully and is certainly a marvel!

Wislizenus was always interested in perfecting doll bodies and held numerous patents for his designs. He brought a Jumeau ball-jointed composition and wood body from France to Waltershausen. Jumeau made one of the first jointed bodies in the late 1870s, and soon the German trade was copying it.

As for the head, Wislizenus did not make bisque heads. He purchased models from various porcelain factories, including Bähr & Pröschild and Simon & Halbig, and after 1910, Ernst Heubach. The few of these DRGM 68035 bodies that I have seen have had B&P or S&H heads. I think the head on your body has been replaced, as it is too small. I would look for one of the proper size by B&P or S&H. I am not sure who the maker of your head really is. I think the number may be 448 instead of 44 S. I have in my records a 444, 457, and 478. All are very good quality bisque like yours, and I think that these are related to yours, but I do not at this point know the manufacturer. It’s a mystery to be solved in the future. Thank you for sharing this unusual doll with us.