German entrepreneur J. D. Kestner began making a variety of toys around 1805, and the company continued by his descendents remained operating until 1938. Better known for the bisque dolly-face dolls of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Kestner also produced papier-m퀌�ch퀌� dolls, dolls of wax over composition, and china doll heads such as this one. By 1846 Kestner's enterprises employed 1,264 laborers, 423 of which were children younger than 14 years, and the dolls they produced were considered of the finest quality available from German manufacturers.