What to Do With a Paper Doll Collection
Over the years, I’ve been asked this question many times. Sometimes it’s from a collector who is downsizing. Sometimes it’s from a family member sorting through a loved one’s belongings. And occasionally it’s from someone who simply wonders what will happen to their collection someday.
Unfortunately, there is no simple answer.
Unlike some collectibles, there is no central paper doll brokerage service waiting to step in and handle everything. Finding the right solution usually takes some research, some legwork, and a lot of patience. Every collection is different, and every collector’s priorities are different.
Before making any decisions, I encourage people to ask themselves a simple question: What matters most?
Are you hoping to maximize financial return? Find appreciative new owners? Keep the collection within the paper doll community? Preserve historically important material? Clear space quickly and efficiently? Honor the memory of a loved one?
There are no wrong answers. In fact, many people find themselves balancing several of these goals at once. Understanding what matters most will help determine the best path forward.
Before selling, donating, or giving anything away, spend a little time getting familiar with the collection. You don’t need a detailed inventory, but it helps to know what you’re dealing with. What era are the paper dolls from? Early antiques (late 1800s-1920s), mid-century (1930s-1960s), late 20th century (1970s-1990s) or contemporary (2000s-today)? If they are books, are the cut or uncut? Are they loose sheets cut or torn from magazines? Are they artist self-published sets? Or perhaps convention souvenirs, reference books or other related paper ephemera?
Take photographs. Make a few notes. Set aside anything that seems especially important. You may discover that some items deserve special consideration while others can be grouped together.
And if you’re dealing with a loved one’s collection, don’t feel pressured to make immediate decisions. Sometimes the best thing you can do is put the boxes in a safe place and revisit the project several months later. Paper dolls are patient.
Think about keeping a small portion of the collection. A favorite artist, a childhood paper doll, a signed piece, or a memorable convention souvenir may be worth saving. Family members who aren’t collectors themselves often find comfort in keeping a representative handful of items.
A collection doesn’t lose its meaning simply because it becomes smaller.
For those interested in selling, there are several possibilities. Selling paper dolls yourself generally offers the greatest potential financial return. eBay, Etsy, Facebook Marketplace, local on-line sales groups, and collector groups can all be useful tools. The tradeoff, of course, is time. Items need to be identified, photographed, researched, described, priced, packed, and shipped. Depending on the size of the collection, this can become a significant project.
Before pricing anything, spend some time on eBay looking at actual sales rather than asking prices. What people hope to get and what buyers are actually paying can be two very different things. Unfortunately, there is no shortcut. Whether you’re selling paper dolls, books, artwork, or collectibles of any kind, a little research goes a long way.
Some collectors and families decide that convenience is more important than maximizing profit. In those cases, a local collector, antique dealer, auction company, or paper doll enthusiast may be interested in purchasing all or part of the collection. This approach usually requires less work but often results in a much lower financial return. For many families, however, the simplicity is worth the tradeoff.
Auction houses and estate sales agents can also be an option, particularly for collections containing rare or unusual material. Results vary widely, and paper dolls are not always a specialty area, so it’s worth asking questions, understanding fees and commissions, and researching the auction house’s experience with paper dolls and related collectibles before proceeding.
For some collectors, where the collection goes matters. They don’t simply want to sell their paper dolls; they want them to be appreciated, enjoyed and loved.
Collector groups, paper doll events, and hobby organizations can sometimes help connect collections with people who will genuinely enjoy them. There is a certain satisfaction in knowing that favorite pieces will continue to be collected, studied, displayed and loved.
Not every collection needs to be sold. Museums, historical societies, libraries, university special collections, educational institutions and paper doll organizations may all be potential homes for paper doll material. Before donating, contact the organization and discuss the collection. Depending on the size and nature of the donation, there may also be tax considerations. If this is important to you, consult a qualified tax professional or financial advisor before proceeding.
Paper dolls are more than toys or collectibles. They can provide insight into fashion, advertising, pop culture, childhood, gender roles, race, social class, illustration, printing history and changing cultural values. For this reason, many colleges and universities have presented exhibitions, lectures and scholarly research involving paper dolls and related paper ephemera.
I know of a few significant paper doll collections that have found homes in museums and university special collections, where they remain available to researchers and future generations. For collections with strong historical, artistic, or research value, this can be an especially meaningful option.
Over the years, Paperdoll Review has received donations from collectors and their families. Some items become valuable reference material for our magazine. Others help support ongoing projects, including research and preservation efforts. Past Paper Doll Conventions, as well as the Pennsylvania Paper Doll Luncheon, have likewise benefited from donations used for raffles, auctions and other fundraising activities. There are many ways for a collection to continue contributing to the paper doll community.
Some collectors take great comfort in knowing that their paper dolls will continue to educate, inspire and be enjoyed long after they have left their shelves.
One lesson I’ve learned is that every option involves tradeoffs. Generally speaking, the highest financial return requires the most effort. The quickest solution usually brings the lowest return. Preservation and profit do not always go hand in hand.
There is no perfect answer.
The best choice depends on the collection, the circumstances and the goals of the person making the decision.
Paper doll collections are rarely just collections. They can represent years of searching, friendships, discoveries, favorite artists, convention memories and countless hours of enjoyment. Whether a collection is sold, donated, shared with family or passed along to another collector, the goal is not simply to find a way to dispose of it. The goal is to find the choice that feels right for the collection, the circumstances and the people involved.
If you’ve found an approach that worked well for your own collection or a loved one’s, I’d be glad to hear about it. Every story adds to our shared understanding of how best to care for paper dolls and the memories they hold.
