Composition, Vinyl, Latex Dolls
Composition, Latex, Vinyl, and Plastic
Composition is a general term for any material made of multiple ingredients usually including glue, wood and paper
by products and sometimes cloth or rag. Formulas for composition are varied but are usually listed in the patents
for each manufacturer. Hence, composition dolls have a long history and include dolls from papier-mache through
wood pulp dolls of the 20th century.
Composition dolls can be classified based upon the method of manufacture i.e. cold or hot pressed. Cold pressed
methods were used prior to WWI. The masse (a hot, cooked semi liquid composition mixture) was poured into
molds. A positive mold was pressed into the masse that had been poured into the negative mold. The molds were
allowed to cool for 24 hours and then the molds were removed. The heads were ready to be finished by sanding
and painting. Looking inside the doll’s head can identify this procedure. The inside of the head will have a circular
imprint at the top with 6-10 vertical lines extending from it.
Hot pressed procedures were similar to cold pressed in pouring the hot masse into the molds but include 3 separate
“firings” or heatings in ovens to speed and make the drying process more uniform. Each oven firing dried, first the
glue sizing, then the first enamel painting and finally the second enamel painting. Finally, the painting of the eyes,
lips, hair and cheeks was completed by hand. This heating procedure sped the finishing process from days to
hours. Looking inside the doll’s head can identify this procedure. Heads produced with the hot press method have
a single vertical seam around the head. This method was commonplace after WWI.
Beside the shift in manufacturing techniques, World War I produced a shift in the supply and demand of dolls
favoring the rise of the American composition doll over the difficulty of importing the European bisque dolls,
especially German dolls. Prolific American composition doll companies included Madame Alexander, Effanbee, and
Ideal.
As World War I created changes in the technology available to the Industrial Revolution, World War II made
contributions of its own. After WWII, manufacture of dolls shifted from composition to materials such as latex,
rubber, vinyl and plastic.
Each material used to make dolls has its advantages and disadvantages. Composition was less breakable then
china and bisque but reacted poorly to water, either from a bath or humidity. Latex and rubber are less breakable
then composition and not prone to crazing/cracking/pealing. But latex and rubber do not tolerate heat well. Vinyl
and plastic, equally less breakable then latex or rubber, tolerated both heat and water better than vinyl or rubber.
They were also cheaper to use to produce dolls. Vinyl tended to discolor, fading, over time resulting in a shift to the
more stable plastic. Dewees Cochran produced her artist dolls in latex, while Effanbee produced her designs in
composition. Effanbee, as well as other 20th century companies such as Madame Alexander, Ideal and Mattel now
produce dolls in plastic.
Composition is a general term for any material made of multiple ingredients usually including glue, wood and paper
by products and sometimes cloth or rag. Formulas for composition are varied but are usually listed in the patents
for each manufacturer. Hence, composition dolls have a long history and include dolls from papier-mache through
wood pulp dolls of the 20th century.
Composition dolls can be classified based upon the method of manufacture i.e. cold or hot pressed. Cold pressed
methods were used prior to WWI. The masse (a hot, cooked semi liquid composition mixture) was poured into
molds. A positive mold was pressed into the masse that had been poured into the negative mold. The molds were
allowed to cool for 24 hours and then the molds were removed. The heads were ready to be finished by sanding
and painting. Looking inside the doll’s head can identify this procedure. The inside of the head will have a circular
imprint at the top with 6-10 vertical lines extending from it.
Hot pressed procedures were similar to cold pressed in pouring the hot masse into the molds but include 3 separate
“firings” or heatings in ovens to speed and make the drying process more uniform. Each oven firing dried, first the
glue sizing, then the first enamel painting and finally the second enamel painting. Finally, the painting of the eyes,
lips, hair and cheeks was completed by hand. This heating procedure sped the finishing process from days to
hours. Looking inside the doll’s head can identify this procedure. Heads produced with the hot press method have
a single vertical seam around the head. This method was commonplace after WWI.
Beside the shift in manufacturing techniques, World War I produced a shift in the supply and demand of dolls
favoring the rise of the American composition doll over the difficulty of importing the European bisque dolls,
especially German dolls. Prolific American composition doll companies included Madame Alexander, Effanbee, and
Ideal.
As World War I created changes in the technology available to the Industrial Revolution, World War II made
contributions of its own. After WWII, manufacture of dolls shifted from composition to materials such as latex,
rubber, vinyl and plastic.
Each material used to make dolls has its advantages and disadvantages. Composition was less breakable then
china and bisque but reacted poorly to water, either from a bath or humidity. Latex and rubber are less breakable
then composition and not prone to crazing/cracking/pealing. But latex and rubber do not tolerate heat well. Vinyl
and plastic, equally less breakable then latex or rubber, tolerated both heat and water better than vinyl or rubber.
They were also cheaper to use to produce dolls. Vinyl tended to discolor, fading, over time resulting in a shift to the
more stable plastic. Dewees Cochran produced her artist dolls in latex, while Effanbee produced her designs in
composition. Effanbee, as well as other 20th century companies such as Madame Alexander, Ideal and Mattel now
produce dolls in plastic.