Helen Kish is not just your typical mother--or sculptor and doll designer. She began sculpting dolls when she was pregnant with her first child in the late 1970s. She worked consistently on perfecting her craft by taking classes in porcelain. It wasn't until 1994, however, that her first mass-produced vinyl dolls were on the market.

Due to the widespread success of her little creations, she had to take on extra help so that she could manage the workload. Her dolls are generally limited editions, as usually only 500 or 700 of each Kish doll is released, although as few as 250 are produced on occasion. Kish contends that this allows her to remain active in the process of creating dolls.

Kish tends to unconsciously incorporate features of family members and friends as she sculpts a new doll, even across ethnic boundaries. Though she tried to squelch the tendency to use loved ones as inspiration, it still remains the essence of most of her creations. The meticulous crafting that goes into the design of each doll is obvious in the hands, eyes, and mouth. These characteristics make Kish dolls stand out in a crowded market.

Compared to some other doll designers, Kish dolls are reasonably priced. They generally don't exceed $1,000. Collectible just by the sheer fact that they are so precious, Kish dolls could be a good investment. Given their limited edition numbers, dolls of such high quality usually do well on the open market.