Theriaults.com - Avant Glossary of Doll Terms

Glossary of Doll Terms
All Bisque	Refers to the entire body and head to be produced in the medium of bisque. Generally these dolls are under 12" and were produced in both Germany and France from 1870-1930.
Bare Feet	A collector term referring generally to all-bisque dolls or fashion dolls with modeled bisque feet having sculpted features, very rare.
Bisque	A type of porcelain which was the medium of choice from 1850-1930 in dolls produced in Germany and France.
Celebrity Doll	A doll portraying a well-known personality, figure or celebrity, be it historical or entertainment.
Celluoid	A distant cousin to plastic, albeit far less durable, popular during the period just following World War I and continuing through the 1920s. Eventually replaced by the far more durable composition.
Character Doll	A doll which possesses a highly stylized face which reflects more typical human features. Generally refers to German Bisque dolls produced during the Art Reform Movement of 1909-1925.
Composition Body	Type of body which is of a harder, more durable version of papier mache. Typically found on German and French dolls made of bisque.
Domed Head	Style of head which has no opening or cut at top.Found typically on early German dolls of the 1880 period.
Eight-ball Jointed Body	Style of body which is identified by eight balls at the joints and a straight wrist.Typically found on early German and French dolls circa 1880.
Eye Chip	A small damage to the rim above or below the eye. Rarely is an aesthetic issue; however, could affect value if large, many times ignored when minute.
Firing Line	A line which is original to the doll and occured during the manufacturing process. Rarely deters from value or becomes worse as it is part of the original process.
French Bisque	Dolls produced in France from approximately 1850-1940.
Frozen Charlotte	A doll collector term associated with all-porcelain dolls with molded hair and extended arms that are more correctly categorzied as "German bathing dolls." Surprisingly, these dolls were specially designed with the ability to float in water for playing at the seashore or in the tub.
Generally Excellent	Refers to the condition of being of a typically found state given the age and material of the doll.
German Bisque	Bisque dolls produced in Germany from 1850-1940.
Glass Eyes	Type of eyes typically found in French or German bisque and porcelain dolls from 1860-1940.
Hairline	A line which may or may not be original and generally constitutes a faint thin crack in the bisque.
Hard Plastic	Dolls which are made of a hard plastic material, either the head or more typically the entire doll. Popular from the 1950s to the current day.
Intaglio Eyes	Eyes which have been deeply sculpted in the case of wood or bisque dolls with painted eyes.
Look-a-like	Refers to a doll which was produced to look similar to another popular doll of the period. Often found portraying Shirley Temple and made by smaller companies who sold them for leser prices. While trademarking issues forbade the use of exact names, new similar names were given, or none at all.
MIB	An abbreviation used by collectors to identify those dolls which are "mint in box."
Parian	A doll collector term associated with German Bisque lady dolls with modeled hair and accessories. No appropriate historic term is apt, thus the descriptive Parian term was adapted for collectors to properly identify this category.
Shoulderplate	Refers to the shoulder being made of bisque as a continuation of the head. Can either be jointed as a separate piece or attached to the head as a one piece construction.
Straight or Solid Neck	Head is modeled on shoulderplate with no ability to turn or swivel.
Straight Wrists	A term referring to the hands and arms joined together as one piece with no ball joint or moving part. Often found in association with an eight-ball jointed body.