It is a popular question… but a hard one to answer specifically. Many people will ask something like, "well I have this really old nesting doll that I acquired through my Russian grandmother and it sort of looks like this…" Unfortunately, with just a description, and even with more information like a date range and signature, it is still an almost impossible question to answer easily. One must seek the advice of an art appraiser who specializes in Russian art and/or history. If you would like just a general idea of how much your nesting doll is worth, read on…
The obvious:
- The more dolls in the set, the more expensive it will be.
- More detail in the hand painting = more money.
Things that may increase the value in a nesting doll:
- If it was made in Russia.
- If there is a signature anywhere on the doll.
- If it is over 20 years old.
Things that may decrease the value in a nesting doll:
- If one of the nesting dolls is missing or broken.
- Paint is faded and/or chipped.
- No beveled bottom edge (first doll in set is missing).
- The inside wood of the doll is discolored.
Using comparison as a way to determine value:
Browse through our inventory of over 500 nesting dolls with prices ranging from $5.99 to $5,000.00 and see if you have a very similar doll! (Narrow your search by the number of dolls in set, by price range, or by price-low-to-high option, to make searching through so many nested dolls a bit easier).
*Please keep in mind that this is only a guide and we are not currently in contact with any appraisers.