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Information on Porcelain Dolls

Dolls became popular as playthings during the 15th century in Germany and were commonly made of wood, some with moveable limbs. By the 17th century, dolls were dressed in elaborate copies of the day's fashion. Originally known as toy babies, the word doll was used as a diminutive form of the name Dorothy. Porcelain was used for dolls from the 19th century.

Early History
- Dolls were modelled on adults.
  
  First made from wood, clay, wax or sometimes ivory, dolls were usually modeled on adults, with fancy wigs, glass eyes and eyelashes made from human hair. In 17th century Germany, popular dolls had wax heads attached to wooden or cloth bodies. By 1850, the first wax dolls to be fashioned in the image of an infant were made in England.
Arrival of Porcelain
- English porcelain was called bone china.
  
  A form of porcelain called China-ware, or Chiney, arrived in Europe from Portugal in the 16th century. However, the first real western porcelain was made in Germany, in 1710. Standard English porcelain, known as bone china, was made in the 1750s by adding bone ash to the soft paste. The famous Wedgwood lead-glazed white earthenware was produced at this time.
Bisque, Unglazed Porcelain
- Dolls' heads were made of bisque.
  
  Unglazed porcelain was known as bisque, and a great variety of dolls' heads were made of this from the late 19th century to the 1930s, mainly in France and Germany. Some of the most famed, classic bisque dolls came from the French manufacturer, Pierre François Jumeau, who founded his factory in 1844. At first, he first imported the bisque heads from Germany; he eventually made his own, which were of superior quality.
Bébé Dolls
- Baby dolls had big glass eyes.
  
  At first, the elegant lady dolls dressed in the latest fashion of the period were the most popular, and they were sold along with their own wardrobe of clothes and accessories. Soon, the bébé dolls with big, lustrous glass eyes were produced, complete with mohair wigs. By 1870, Jumeau's son, Emile, was making the first swivel-head porcelain dolls.
Character Dolls
- Character dolls had different expressions.
  
  Some of the highest priced dolls, and those most sought after today, are the German bisque character dolls from the early 1900s, produced by Kammer and Reinhardt of Watterhausen. Their design was more advanced, and the baby and toddler dolls were modeled on real children, with varying facial expressions. Bisque porcelain made dolls look more realistic than the glazed china porcelain.
Oriental and Miniature Dolls
- Oriental dolls were exported around the world.
  
  Famous for their range of oriental dolls, the Armand Marseille factory from Kopplesdorf exported their dolls to many parts of the world. A specialty was a type of doll that had "flirting" eyes, which could give sideways glances, rather than the usual up and down movement. By 1860, the Kestner manufacturer was producing china and bisque-headed dolls in all sizes. One of their most successful enterprises was a new all-bisque miniature-sized doll that was produced in bigger numbers and sold cheaply to children.

Dolls