Photograph the Mark Before Guessing the Maker

A clear neck, shoulder, back, foot, or body mark usually beats a vague face comparison.

The practical lesson

• Record every character exactly.
• Photograph the mark in raking light.
• Do not expand initials until other evidence agrees.

What to do next

Photograph the doll and every associated object, convert the description into measurable traits, and compare only genuinely similar examples.

Preserve context

Keep marks, clothing, accessories, boxes, tags, receipts, and collector notes together. Context can solve an identification that the face alone cannot.