The Five Secrets to Getting the Best Price When Buying an Antique Doll Or Collectible Barbie Doll

The absolute best way to get a great deal when buying a collectible antique doll or Barbie doll is to be armed with information. There' no substitute for knowledge when it comes to buying or investing in dolls.

There are usually only two things you, as a doll collector, are looking for when considering antique dolls:

#1. You are looking for a very specific doll. You know the designer, when and where the doll was made and you know a lot of other things about the exact doll you're looking for.

#2. You are looking for a bargain. You are looking for any antique doll or collectible doll that is available way below it's actual value.

Here's how to get the best value for both types of dolls.

You have to approach each of these situations differently. The first situation is easier, but there are still some things that many collectors overlook. You need to do your homework and find out what dolls like you are looking for are actually selling for. And you need to know what they have sold for recently.

The market may have changed.  A particular doll that was in high demand and expensive not long ago, may be a lot less expensive now (or it may be even more expensive). Either way, don't rely on your previous knowledge. Find out what the value of the doll is NOW.

By all means it's important that you don't let your emotions get in the way of logic. Of course, that's easier to say than to do. If you love antique dolls like I do, it's easy to fall in love with a doll. But remember that you will have a better chance to get the best doll at the best price, if you can remain logical and not let your emotions rule.

Of course, the condition of the doll you're looking for has a lot to do with the price. This means that there could be (and probably will be) a wide range of prices that the particular doll you're looking for will be selling for.

In the second situation where you are looking for any doll that you can get at a great price, your job is even harder. You need to know the value of many dolls in order to find bargains. Of course, you can't know the value of all dolls, but there are probably a wide range of dolls that you're interested in and have some idea about the the price range they should be selling in.

One of the best ways to find a bargain in an antique doll is to realize that a lot of people start out collecting dolls and then lose interest. Also realize that in many cases the person selling the doll wants to sell it a lot more than you want to buy the doll. Regardless of how high (or even how reasonable) the initial asking price is, make a low-ball offer and work from there.

The Internet has a wealth of information about dolls. One of the best places to find out about antique doll prices is on eBay. Be sure to check completed auctions to see what antique, collectible or Barbie dolls like the one you're looking for really sold for. You can use this information in your negotiating.

CraigsList is another good place to search for antique dolls or Barbie dolls. But remember that the prices shown on CraigsList are the asking prices and not what the doll will or did sell for.

When you're armed with all of the above information, your final step is to use the five negotiating techniques shown below and don't be in a hurry -- be the reluctant buyer.

Five  Secrets to Getting the Best Price When Buying Any Antique, Collectible, or Barbie Doll:

1.    Offer way less than you expect to have to pay. 

2.    Always act shocked and surprised at the other side's first price.

3.    Say, "You've got to do better than that." 

4.   Walk away (or pretend to walk away) sometime during the negotiation.

5.    Arm yourself with information.  The more you're prepared with facts and information, the better deal you can negotiate.  For example, say, "I have checked eBay and other Internet sources, and dolls like this one never sell for more than $200."

Use these techniques and you will come out with the best deal possible on an antique doll. Don't forget that there are a lot of collectible dolls out there, so always be willing to walk away from any negotiation. 

Bottom line: Do your homework, check prices on eBay, negotiate, be patient and walk away (or pretend to  walk away) from any negotiation if necessary.

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Purchasing Antique Dolls For Your Collection

Collectors can purchase a variety of antique dolls to add to there collection from a variety of sources. Collectors may find that on-line retailers are an excellent source for locating original dolls from the 1980s and before.

By using on-line retailers, collectors may also find forums that are specially dedicated to collecting dolls, which can be of some help to them in collecting these antique dolls. Searching for dolls on-line is really simple and will enable collectors to search for dolls that are actually located all over the world. Of course, collectors do prefer to examine dolls prior to purchasing them and may prefer looking at garage sales, flea markets, or antique store for antique dolls instead. However, this may be a much more difficult process of searching for these items, but it does allow the collector the chance to carefully examine the item for authenticity before making any type of purchase.

Proper care is important in helping dolls to maintain their appearance as well as their value. It is greatly important that a collector store their collection of antique dolls in a dust free display case, and that it does not get exposed to direct sunlight. The display case should provide an environment that is constantly cool and dry, which will help to keep the collection of dolls clean and will prevent any fading. The fading can be also be cause from excessive exposure to the sunlight as well as damage from exposure to humidity. Collectors should also know that when antique dolls are placed sheets of acid free tissue paper between the dolls clothes and body will prevent the colors of the clothing from staining the body of the doll. Also, collectors should inspect their collections of dolls that they have stored regularly to ensure that no damage has occurred.

Cleaning antique dolls greatly depends on the type of dolls you have within your collection, because wooden dolls should never get wet due to the fact that they will stain. Collectors should clean antique cloth dolls with corn starch or talcum powder by gently rubbing into the body and leaving it over night. Loose powder can simply be brushed free or cloth dolls can be vacuumed through by placing inside of a pair of nylon pantyhose.

Some collectors will specialize their collections on particular dolls such as Strawberry Shortcake Dolls or Barbie Dolls. Barbie collectors are really fortunate, because they have conventions that are available they can network with other collectors for the purpose of buying, selling, and trading dolls within their collections. These types of conventions are held annually in a variety of different locations and interested collectors can attend these conventions by signing up through the website at Mattel.

Collectors may want to have one or more of their antique dolls appraised to determine the value. To do this the collector should take with them to the appraiser and items that can with the doll such as boxes, letter of authenticity, tags, or any other supporting materials. If a collector is unsure how to find an experienced doll appraisers, then they may contact the National Antique Doll Dealers Association for information on local appraisers who are more than qualified to determine the value of any antique doll within their collection. However, if a collector is simply interested in determining the approximate value of certain dolls within their collection for personal use, then they might want to consult the use of price guides to get the value of their antique dolls. Collectors may also want to consult other collectors who might be more knowledgeable to a certain degree than you on the value of your antique dolls.

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