| Welcome to my Antique Doll Page for kids Page 1 1860's - 1920's |
I created this page a couple of years ago, and when AOL Hometown disappeared, my page went with it. I've
recreated it as closely to the original as I can remember, and have expanded it to two pages. I hope that you enjoy
your visit here! If you own a homeschooling website and this page was a link, please update your link pages, as
the URL has changed!
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To the kids: My intent is to give you a brief history of the dolls that kids played with in the past. If you are in the
third grade or up, you may be able to read this page yourself. Otherwise, you might need a grownup's help for
some of the words!
When I was a little girl, I loved dolls. But I really loved old dolls! When I was still in grammar school, I would get out
books from the library about old toys. When I was 14, I bought my first antique doll - a Shirley Temple doll. I would
sit and look at her and wonder where she had been all these years before I was even born. Whose was she?
What had her first owner looked like? I wanted to learn as much as I could about all the dolls that I could! I was
given one piece of advice by an antique doll seller, "Read as much as you can." So I did! And I searched antique
shops, garage sales and doll shows and even friends closets and attics. I researched every doll I found. Because
you see, it seems that you learn the most when you're learning about something you're interested in! So if you're
interested in what children played with before there was Barbie and Bratz, you'll learn something here!
recreated it as closely to the original as I can remember, and have expanded it to two pages. I hope that you enjoy
your visit here! If you own a homeschooling website and this page was a link, please update your link pages, as
the URL has changed!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To the kids: My intent is to give you a brief history of the dolls that kids played with in the past. If you are in the
third grade or up, you may be able to read this page yourself. Otherwise, you might need a grownup's help for
some of the words!
When I was a little girl, I loved dolls. But I really loved old dolls! When I was still in grammar school, I would get out
books from the library about old toys. When I was 14, I bought my first antique doll - a Shirley Temple doll. I would
sit and look at her and wonder where she had been all these years before I was even born. Whose was she?
What had her first owner looked like? I wanted to learn as much as I could about all the dolls that I could! I was
given one piece of advice by an antique doll seller, "Read as much as you can." So I did! And I searched antique
shops, garage sales and doll shows and even friends closets and attics. I researched every doll I found. Because
you see, it seems that you learn the most when you're learning about something you're interested in! So if you're
interested in what children played with before there was Barbie and Bratz, you'll learn something here!
The first dolls for children were carved from wood, or sometimes even something such as a corncob wrapped in
rags would be child's only doll friend. (If you've read Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder you
know about this.) Many children had dolls that were made by a mother or grandmother. Before the 1880's,
people had a different view of childhood. Children were seen as small adults, and were not only treated as such,
but were expected to behave as such. They were expected to spend more time working and being useful than
playing. There really weren't many factory-made toys before that time. Those that were made were supposed to
help the child learn something useful. Dolls were useful in helping a little girl with her sewing skills.
rags would be child's only doll friend. (If you've read Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder you
know about this.) Many children had dolls that were made by a mother or grandmother. Before the 1880's,
people had a different view of childhood. Children were seen as small adults, and were not only treated as such,
but were expected to behave as such. They were expected to spend more time working and being useful than
playing. There really weren't many factory-made toys before that time. Those that were made were supposed to
help the child learn something useful. Dolls were useful in helping a little girl with her sewing skills.
HINT: If you want to see bigger
photos, click your mouse on them!
photos, click your mouse on them!
By the 1860's, dolls began to be made
from materials such as china. They
were very breakable of course, and
they were not children, but young
ladies. Imagine playing with a toy like
one of the china head dolls shown
below! The china head itself was
usually sold separately, and the little
girl's mother or grandmother, or even
the girl herself, could make a body for
the doll. This group of china head
dolls show the popular hairstyles of the
time. Would you like to see your mom
with hair like this?
from materials such as china. They
were very breakable of course, and
they were not children, but young
ladies. Imagine playing with a toy like
one of the china head dolls shown
below! The china head itself was
usually sold separately, and the little
girl's mother or grandmother, or even
the girl herself, could make a body for
the doll. This group of china head
dolls show the popular hairstyles of the
time. Would you like to see your mom
with hair like this?
It might be surprising for you to learn that plastic wasn't used to make dolls until the 1940's. That might be around
the time your grandmother was young. Before then, plastic hadn't been invented! Therefore, doll makers used
other materials such as the china headed dolls shown above. Around the 1880's, there was a shift in the way
children were seen. People began to see that childhood was a special time. Doctors who studied children found
that play was something useful and necessary for children, and was now something to be encouraged. The dolls of
the time reflected this change. Dolls were no longer "practical" but something that parents were buying children to
play with and just "have" as possessions. They became fancier and prettier. No longer were they just young ladies,
but dolls were now children and babies.
It was during this time that "bisque" (pronounced "bisk") became a popular material for making doll heads. It had a
more natural and warmer look than shiny china. The bodies were now often made of composition (sort of a pressed
cardboard with many layers of paint and shellac over it). They were jointed so that they could move in more natural
positions. Some dolls had "kid" leather bodies, which was a soft kind of leather. These dolls were also jointed so for
more natural movement. Dolls now came dressed in very fancy clothing which reflected children's fashions of the
time.
the time your grandmother was young. Before then, plastic hadn't been invented! Therefore, doll makers used
other materials such as the china headed dolls shown above. Around the 1880's, there was a shift in the way
children were seen. People began to see that childhood was a special time. Doctors who studied children found
that play was something useful and necessary for children, and was now something to be encouraged. The dolls of
the time reflected this change. Dolls were no longer "practical" but something that parents were buying children to
play with and just "have" as possessions. They became fancier and prettier. No longer were they just young ladies,
but dolls were now children and babies.
It was during this time that "bisque" (pronounced "bisk") became a popular material for making doll heads. It had a
more natural and warmer look than shiny china. The bodies were now often made of composition (sort of a pressed
cardboard with many layers of paint and shellac over it). They were jointed so that they could move in more natural
positions. Some dolls had "kid" leather bodies, which was a soft kind of leather. These dolls were also jointed so for
more natural movement. Dolls now came dressed in very fancy clothing which reflected children's fashions of the
time.
Here is an example of a Raggedy Ann doll made by a mother or grandmother for
a little girl, probably in the 1940's. It was always cheaper to make one's own doll
than to buy one at the store! The very first Raggedy Ann dolls were made in
1914 and had brown hair like this one. Maybe you have a Raggedy Ann doll, and
if so, check for her little printed heart on her chest. They have always had them!
Raggedy Ann was first made by a man and his family, and they would buy candy
hearts at the store and put them into the dolls' bodies. Children who had them at
the time remembered even years later, sucking the candy heart through the
body! Later, they used wooden hearts, as candy hearts didn't wash well if the
doll needed a cleaning!
This Raggedy is very well loved and has a little hole in her toe!
a little girl, probably in the 1940's. It was always cheaper to make one's own doll
than to buy one at the store! The very first Raggedy Ann dolls were made in
1914 and had brown hair like this one. Maybe you have a Raggedy Ann doll, and
if so, check for her little printed heart on her chest. They have always had them!
Raggedy Ann was first made by a man and his family, and they would buy candy
hearts at the store and put them into the dolls' bodies. Children who had them at
the time remembered even years later, sucking the candy heart through the
body! Later, they used wooden hearts, as candy hearts didn't wash well if the
doll needed a cleaning!
This Raggedy is very well loved and has a little hole in her toe!
Above is an example of a large antique
bisque doll. Her name is Clara and she
lives here! You can read more of her
story on a different page once you're
done on this page!
bisque doll. Her name is Clara and she
lives here! You can read more of her
story on a different page once you're
done on this page!
Here is an old catalog from about 100 years ago. Offered here are both kid bodied dolls
and large jointed dolls. Even most childrens' clothing was home sewn at the time, so
these dolls are advertised as "ready for dressing".
and large jointed dolls. Even most childrens' clothing was home sewn at the time, so
these dolls are advertised as "ready for dressing".
Most dolls like the ones shown above were made in Germany or France. In 1914,
the United States went to war with the United States. Americans did not want to buy
German dolls or products. Many American companies saw opportunities to make
dolls. They began to work with materials that would not break. They invented
something called "composition". Composition is pressed together wood pulp and
glue, which is then molded into a mold and painted with many layers of paint. Some
bought molds from German companies and made "character" dolls. Now that you
know what a character doll is, you will recognize the faces below as character faces!
This group of early dolls was made by the Effanbee doll company in New York
around 1915. I bought the large boy in blue in an antique shop when I was 14.
the United States went to war with the United States. Americans did not want to buy
German dolls or products. Many American companies saw opportunities to make
dolls. They began to work with materials that would not break. They invented
something called "composition". Composition is pressed together wood pulp and
glue, which is then molded into a mold and painted with many layers of paint. Some
bought molds from German companies and made "character" dolls. Now that you
know what a character doll is, you will recognize the faces below as character faces!
This group of early dolls was made by the Effanbee doll company in New York
around 1915. I bought the large boy in blue in an antique shop when I was 14.
Here is an example of a German bisque doll on a kid leather body.
There is a piece of a label left that said "Our Darling" on it. Her
arms and legs can move. Of course, the leather is nearly 100
years old, but it is still in good condition. She has a bisque head
with glass eyes and a human hair wig. It might surprise you that
her hair is real human hair, but there was no "plastic" hair at the
time like the hair on dolls today (even your American Girl doll has
a kind of plastic hair). Young ladies and women would "sell" their
hair for money and it would be made into doll wigs!
There is a piece of a label left that said "Our Darling" on it. Her
arms and legs can move. Of course, the leather is nearly 100
years old, but it is still in good condition. She has a bisque head
with glass eyes and a human hair wig. It might surprise you that
her hair is real human hair, but there was no "plastic" hair at the
time like the hair on dolls today (even your American Girl doll has
a kind of plastic hair). Young ladies and women would "sell" their
hair for money and it would be made into doll wigs!
The kind of face on the bisque dolls shown above is called a "dolly face"
by collectors. That means it is just a blank sort of nice little face without
real expression. Around 1900, doll makers began to make "character"
faces, which were dolls with different expressions, some of which were
realistic looking. Some were happy, some were sad or pouty. Here is
an example of a "character" face German baby from around 1900. He is
holding on his lap a small laughing character baby from around the
same time period.
by collectors. That means it is just a blank sort of nice little face without
real expression. Around 1900, doll makers began to make "character"
faces, which were dolls with different expressions, some of which were
realistic looking. Some were happy, some were sad or pouty. Here is
an example of a "character" face German baby from around 1900. He is
holding on his lap a small laughing character baby from around the
same time period.
Composition was cheaper than bisque and the bodies were
made of cloth at this time. Below is a photo of some holes
in the hands and feet of one of these dolls. Can you guess
what they were stuffed with? (Click to enlarge)
made of cloth at this time. Below is a photo of some holes
in the hands and feet of one of these dolls. Can you guess
what they were stuffed with? (Click to enlarge)
If you guessed straw,
you are right!
Americans had lots of
grassy fields and
straw was a cheap
stuffing!
you are right!
Americans had lots of
grassy fields and
straw was a cheap
stuffing!
To parents: This page was created as an
overview for antique dolls and how they
relate to our history over the past 100 or
so years. Your child may be able to read
it him/herself or you may wish to read it
with them. Teachers or homeschoolers
can find teaching ideas at the end of page
2. :)
overview for antique dolls and how they
relate to our history over the past 100 or
so years. Your child may be able to read
it him/herself or you may wish to read it
with them. Teachers or homeschoolers
can find teaching ideas at the end of page
2. :)
Here is a photo that I have of a little girl with a large doll such as the
one shown above. The photo was most likely taken between 1900
and 1920. It is a snapshot and has some fading, but you can learn a
few things just by looking at the photo. First, the girl is all in white,
including her high buttoned shoes. It was most likely a Sunday or
special day such as a birthday. The photo is a "snapshot" taken on a
sidewalk. Her big bisque headed doll looks very much like her with
short, blonde hair. Behind her a boy clowns around, perhaps for
attention. Maybe he was her brother! Who was this little girl who
stood on a sunny sidewalk nearly 100 years ago? We will never
know. She's gone now, but the photo survives and maybe
somewhere her lovely doll survives in someone's collection.
one shown above. The photo was most likely taken between 1900
and 1920. It is a snapshot and has some fading, but you can learn a
few things just by looking at the photo. First, the girl is all in white,
including her high buttoned shoes. It was most likely a Sunday or
special day such as a birthday. The photo is a "snapshot" taken on a
sidewalk. Her big bisque headed doll looks very much like her with
short, blonde hair. Behind her a boy clowns around, perhaps for
attention. Maybe he was her brother! Who was this little girl who
stood on a sunny sidewalk nearly 100 years ago? We will never
know. She's gone now, but the photo survives and maybe
somewhere her lovely doll survives in someone's collection.