You’ve probably seen them at the back of an antique mall or buried in a plastic bin at a garage sale. A slightly cross-eyed Cheshire Cat. A Mad Hatter with paint chipping off his nose. Most people think alice in wonderland toys are just cheap plastic trinkets for kids who liked the Disney movie. They’re wrong. Honestly, the world of Lewis Carroll-inspired collectibles is a chaotic, beautiful mess that stretches back over 150 years. It’s not just about the 1951 animated classic, though that’s a huge part of it. We’re talking about everything from Victorian-era woodblocks to high-end Medicom Bearbricks that sell for hundreds of dollars on the secondary market.
Alice is weird. The book is weird. So, naturally, the toys are weird too.
If you’re looking to start a collection or just trying to figure out if that old doll in your attic is worth the gas money to drive it to a dealer, you have to understand the layers. There isn’t just one "Alice." There are dozens. There’s the original John Tenniel Alice, the soft-featured Disney Alice, the goth-lite Tim Burton Alice, and the nightmare-fuel American McGee’s Alice from the video games. Each one has its own rabid fanbase.
The obsession with vintage Alice in Wonderland toys
Collectors lose their minds over the early stuff. Before plastic was even a thing, companies were making Alice-themed sets. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, you had "The Game of Alice in Wonderland" by De La Rue. It used Tenniel’s original illustrations. If you find a complete deck of those cards today, you aren't looking at a toy; you're looking at a down payment on a car.
But most of us aren't finding 19th-century card games. We're finding the mid-century explosion. When Walt Disney released the animated film in 1951, the merchandising machine went into overdrive. Marx Toys produced a famous line of tin litho toys and small figures. These are the "holy grail" for many. They have this specific, grainy texture and a color palette that feels like a dusty technicolor dream.
Why do people care? It’s nostalgia, sure. But it’s also the craftsmanship. A vintage Alice doll from the 1950s—like the ones made by Madame Alexander—has hand-painted features and real fabric clothing. Modern toys are mostly molded PVC. There's a soul in the old stuff that's hard to replicate.
Spotting the real deal vs. the knockoffs
You’ve got to be careful. Because alice in wonderland toys are so popular, the market is flooded with reproductions.
Take the "Mad Hatter" tea sets. Thousands of these were made in the 90s and early 2000s by various giftware companies like Paul Cardew. They look "vintage" because they have that whimsical, distorted shape. But they aren't actually old. A real Cardew teapot might be worth $100 to $300 depending on the size and rarity, but a mass-produced knockoff from a big-box store is worth about five bucks.
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Check the bottom. Always. Real collectors look for marks from Beswick (England) or Schmid. If the bottom is blank and the paint looks "flat," it’s probably a modern decorative piece rather than a true collectible toy.
The modern collector’s market is actually insane
If you think Alice is just for old ladies who collect porcelain, you haven't seen the "Art Toy" scene. Brands like Funko, Medicom, and Super7 have turned Alice into a lifestyle brand for adults.
Funko Pops are the obvious entry point. Most are worth $15. But then you have the "Chase" versions or the Blacklight editions released for festivals like San Diego Comic-Con. Some of these tiny vinyl figures trade for over $500. It’s basically the stock market for people who like cartoons.
Then there are the "Blythe" dolls. If you aren't familiar, Blythe dolls have giant heads and eyes that change color when you pull a string. They’re creepy-cool. When a company does an Alice-themed Blythe, the prices skyrocket. Collectors spend thousands customizing these dolls with tiny handmade tea cups and miniature lace aprons. It’s a subculture within a subculture.
Why the 1951 Disney aesthetic still wins
Despite Tim Burton’s 2010 movie making over a billion dollars, the toys from that era don't hold value as well as the 1951-style merchandise. There’s something about that specific blue dress and white apron. It’s iconic.
Designers like Mary Blair, who did the concept art for the original Disney film, have a lasting influence. When a toy is released that captures Blair’s "mid-century modern" aesthetic—heavy on geometric shapes and bold, flat colors—it sells out instantly. Collectors want that "vintage Disney" vibe, even if the toy was made yesterday.
What you should actually be looking for
Stop buying the stuff everyone else has. If you want alice in wonderland toys that actually appreciate in value, you have to look for the "oddities."
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- Collaboration pieces. When a high-end fashion brand or an indie artist does a limited run of Alice figures, buy them. These aren't sold at Target. They're sold at boutiques in Tokyo or London.
- Japanese imports. Japan has a weirdly intense love for Alice. Companies like Takara and Kaiyodo produce "Gashapon" (capsule toys) that are incredibly detailed. Because they weren't widely distributed in the West, they’re rare here.
- Prototypes and errors. This is "Collecting 101." A Mad Hatter with the wrong color hat or a Queen of Hearts missing her scepter can be worth ten times more than a perfect one.
- Mighty Jaxx or Kidrobot releases. These are "designer toys." They often reinterpret Alice in a gritty or surreal way. They are produced in small batches (sometimes as few as 100 units). Once they're gone, the price on eBay doubles overnight.
Honestly, it's about the "vibe." Does the toy capture the nonsense of the book? A toy that is too "perfect" or too "pretty" usually fails the test. The best Alice toys are the ones that feel a little bit dangerous—like the Queen might actually shout "Off with her head!" at any moment.
The American McGee factor
We have to talk about the dark side. In 2000, a game designer named American McGee released a version of Alice where she’s in an asylum and Wonderland is a bloody, gothic nightmare.
The toys produced for this game (and its sequel, Alice: Madness Returns) are some of the most sought-after alice in wonderland toys in existence. They were made by a company called NECA. Alice carries a "Vorpal Blade" (a bloody butcher knife). The Cheshire Cat is a skeletal, tattooed freak.
At the time, they were $20. Today? Try $200 for a used one. $500 if it's still in the box. This is the "hidden" market. People who don't care about Disney or Lewis Carroll still want these toys because they’re incredible pieces of horror art. If you ever see a gaunt, angry-looking Alice doll with a knife at a thrift store, grab it. Don't think. Just grab it.
How to store and protect your collection
If you're going to spend money on this stuff, don't let it rot. Sunlight is the enemy. It kills the "Disney Blue."
- Avoid window displays. UV rays will bleach the color out of a vinyl figure in six months.
- Keep the boxes. For modern "Art Toys," the box is 50% of the value. If you throw the box away, you’re throwing money in the trash.
- Dusting matters. Use a soft makeup brush. Don't use Windex. Don't use water. Just a dry, soft brush to keep the "Mad Hatter's" coat from getting grimy.
Acknowledging the "China Cabinet" Trap
Look, there’s a trap here. A lot of people think their "Precious Moments" Alice or their "Franklin Mint" porcelain doll is going to pay for their retirement. It probably won't.
Those items were marketed as "instant collectibles." Usually, when something is marketed that way, it means so many people bought them and kept them in perfect condition that the market is flooded. There's no scarcity. If everyone has one, nobody wants to pay a premium for yours. The toys that become valuable are the ones kids actually played with—the ones that got lost, broken, or thrown away. That's what creates scarcity.
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The surprising value of "Paper Toys"
Don't overlook the ephemeral stuff. Victorian-era "paper dolls" or "theatre sets" based on Alice in Wonderland are incredibly delicate. Most didn't survive the 20th century.
Finding an original 1920s punch-out book where the pieces haven't been punched out is like finding a unicorn. These were meant to be destroyed by play. Because they weren't, they are now historical artifacts. Even 1951-era coloring books that are "un-colored" have a weirdly high market value among Disneyana enthusiasts.
Actionable Insights for Collectors:
Start by narrowing your focus. Do not try to "collect Alice." You will go broke and your house will be a mess. Pick a lane: maybe you only collect the White Rabbit, or maybe you only collect toys based on the 1951 film.
Check "Sold" listings on eBay, not "Asking" prices. Anyone can ask $1,000 for a plastic cat. It only matters if someone actually paid it. If you're hunting for vintage pieces, look for "lot" sales where people are cleaning out an estate. Often, the seller doesn't realize the "weird gothic doll" at the bottom of the box is a $300 NECA figure.
Finally, visit local toy shows rather than just relying on the internet. Alice collectors are a tight-knit group. The best deals often happen through word-of-mouth or in the back corners of a convention floor where a vendor is tired of hauling a heavy porcelain tea set around.
Get a display case with LED lighting that doesn't emit UV heat. It makes the collection look like a museum rather than a cluttered shelf. If you're buying as an investment, stick to "Designer Vinyl" or "Original 1950s Marx." Everything else is just for fun—which, honestly, is how Lewis Carroll would have wanted it anyway.