Hi Margaret,

Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry.

Grace Storey Putnam (1877–1947) was an American artist and doll designer, best known for creating the "Bye-Lo Baby" doll, which became one of the most iconic and beloved dolls of the early 20th century. The Bye-Lo Baby was revolutionary for its time because it was designed to resemble a real infant. Putnam modeled the doll's head after a three-day-old newborn, giving it lifelike proportions and expressions.

The Bye-Lo Baby dolls were primarily made in Germany and the United States, depending on the production component. The bisque heads for the Bye-Lo Babies were produced by renowned German porcelain manufacturers, primarily Kämmer & Reinhardt and sometimes Hertwig & Co. These companies were well-regarded for their fine-quality bisque doll heads. Later, some heads were made of celluloid or composition materials, which were lighter and less fragile. These were also typically manufactured in Germany. The doll bodies, made of soft cloth or composition materials, were often manufactured in the United States. The stuffed cloth bodies were designed to replicate the feel of a real infant.

The final assembly and distribution of the Bye-Lo Baby dolls were managed in the United States, under Putnam's oversight. She ensured the dolls met her design standards for realism and quality.

Released in 1922, the doll was marketed as the “Millions Dollar Baby.”
It became a bestseller and was cherished by children and collectors alike.
These dolls are not particularly rare and can be comparatively easy to find if one is looking to buy one. Online retailers often price their Bye-Lo baby dolls between $250-350 but when they are sold at auction, they usually sell for the fair-market price of between $125-$225

Based on the photos and information provided, and subject to examination, this is:

An antique Bye-Lo Baby doll
made by Grace Storey Putnam, circa early 1920s
With painted bisque porcelain head with sleeping eyes marked on the back, attached to a cloth body with celluloid hands.
12 inches long
CONDITION: This doll appears to be in good condition
PROVENANCE: Inherited
$ 125-225*
*represents a fair-market value for auction purposes; retail or asking price may vary.

Please let us know if you have additional items to appraise, or questions/concerns, and thank you again for using Mearto.
~ Delia