|
A
Collection of the Famous Shirley Temple Dolls
Composition-Plastic
Dolls
Composition is a
catch-all term that
describes a variety of materials used to make
dolls. Composition material could include wood
pulp, sawdust, old gloves, rags, and so forth,
mixed with glue. Each doll maker had a "secret"
composition formula.
Composition materials
frequently were used to make doll bodies as well
as doll heads. Often, bisque, china, or wax head
dolls had composition bodies. Although composition
dolls frequently were advertised as
"indestructible," in reality they damaged quite
easily.
Composition dolls date from the
middle of the 19th century (1800s) in the United
States. They became especially popular during
World War I when it was difficult to import dolls
made of other materials.
As late as 1947, one doll
expert described composition as "the principal
material for doll manufacture" in the country. The
use of composition has given way to modern
plastics.
Popular
dolls in this genre included Arranbee, Barbie, Deweese Cochran,
Effanbee, Grace Story Putnam, Horsman, Ideal, Lenci, Madame Alexander,
Martha Chase, Nancy Ann Storybook, Mattel, Peggy Nesbit, Sasha and
many movie star dolls.
Yes, we have them all!
|
|
