Before plastic became commonplace in the 1950's dolls were typically made of this material which comprised a "combination" of sawdust and wood dust and glue which was then moulded in the required shape then painted and varnished. The head, arms and legs are made of this material. The body is stuffing covered in a cotton fabric.This doll has eyes that open and close and her teeth are visible and has a crying mechanism in the back. Her hair is possibly mohair and shoes are a synthetic material with metal buckles. The main enemy of composite material is water.It was a common practice for a girl to be given a doll and numerous outfits would be home made by mothers and grandmothers. This doll came to us with the name "Shirley" so possibly a Shirley Temple doll which were popular at the time.Dolls were a common child's toy and as such has strong social significance. This is a composition doll from the 1940's. It has composite arms and legs and face. Facial features are painted on and the teeth are moulded and white. Eyes are blue and open and close on moving the doll. The hair is light brown with curls and she wears pink Mary Jane style shoes. A crying mechanism is inserted in the body of the doll. The face has multiple crazed markings. composition doll, shirley doll, warrnambool, 1940's doll

This dressed doll was owned by the daughter of Dr William Roy Angus and his wife Gladys when the family came to Warrnambool in the late 1930s. It is part of the W.R. Angus collection, donated by the family of Dr W R Angus, surgeon and oculist. The doll was donated with another dress and a blanket. The doll has features similar to, but an earlier model than, Reliable's 1940s model Cuddlekins doll, which has an entirely composite body. ReliableToy Company was founded in Toronto, Canada, by Solomon Samuels in 1920. Samuels was later joined by his two brothers. The company had a reputation for products of good quality. In 1922 the company began making their own dolls from composition, where previously the parts were made elsewhere and assembled by Reliable. The company stopped making Reliable dolls in 1995. The W R Angus Collection spans from 1885 to the mid-1900s and includes historical medical and surgical equipment and instruments from the doctors Edward and Thomas Ryan of Nhill, Victoria. Dr Angus married Gladys in 1927 at Ballarat, the nearest big city to Nhill where he began as a Medical Assistant. He was also Acting House surgeon at the Nhill hospital where their two daughters were born. Dr Angus and his family moved to Warrnambool in 1939, where Dr Angus operated his own medical practice. He later added the part-time Port Medical Officer responsibility and was the last person appointed to that position. Dr Angus and his wife were very involved in the local community, including the planning stages of the new Flagstaff Hill and the layout of the gardens there. Dr Angus passed away in March 1970.This doll is connected to the history of Warrnambool, as it was owned by the daughter of Dr W. R. Angus and his wife Gladys, and is part of the W.R. Angus Collection, which is important for still being located at the site connected to Doctor Angus, Warrnambool’s last Port Medical Officer. Dr Angus and his wife brought their young family to Warrnambool in 1939 and he remained a resident until his death in 1970. Early in his profession in the town of Nhill, Dr Angus assisted Dr Tom Ryan in his pioneering use of X-rays and in ocular surgery, and Dr Angus later inherited these items. The W.R. Angus Collection includes these medical instruments and other related equipment and is culturally and historically significant as an example of the medical practice of the late 19th to the mid-20th century. Other items in the collection relate to Dr Angus’ service in the Flying Doctor Service and the Army. The doll is also significant as an example of toys imported into Australia in the 1930s and 1940s and used by children in the Warrnambool community.Doll with moulded composition head, neck, arms and legs, all attached to a fabric body. The doll’s head has brown moulded curls. The facial features include an open mouth showing two top teeth, green eyes, and sleeping, closing eyelids with eyelashes. The doll has a crier inside that makes a sound when the doll is turned over. It is clothed in a knitted pink singlet, modern pink underwear, and a cream flannel short-sleeved dress with pink smocking and embroidery, and ties at the rear. There is a moulded inscription on the back of the doll’s head. The doll was made by Reliable Toy Company Ltd, Canada. The doll is part of the W.R. Angus Collection.On the back of the head “RELIABLE / CANADA”flagstaff hill, warrnambool, maritime village, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, great ocean road, dr w r angus, dr roy angus, dr ryan, warrnambool oculist, port medical officer, mira hospital nhill, toy, nhill hospital, doll, baby doll, composition doll, reliable toy company, canada, solomon samuels, child's toy, w.r. angus collection

Doll with composition body, no manufacturers mark, dressed in very old lace bonnet and cloth nappie, moveable limbs, sleeping doll with opening blue eyes, has been a ma ma doll, no longer working.toys, dolls, composition

Marseille My Dream Baby doll, 8-22" tall, bisque head, lightly painted hair, painted or sleep eyes, doll mold 351 has an open mouth with two upper teeth, cloth body with bisque or composition hands or composition jointed body, came as either a white doll or black doll. Doll face shown is a socket bisque head with sleep eyes on a composition jointed body. Armand Marseille of Sonneberg and Koppelsdorf, Thüringia, Germany was one of the worlds largest and best known bisque doll head manufacturers. The founder was born in 1856 in St. Petersburg, Russia the son of an architect and immigrated to Germany with his family after 1860. In 1884 he bought the toy factory of Mathias Lambert in Sonneberg and in 1885 acquired the porcelain factory of Liebermann & Wegescher in Koppelsdorf . . and his empire in the doll world began. Made 1924 - 1930 and later Bisque heads made by AM represented a new born infant. They came in white, brown and black versions. Mold 351 with open mouth and two lower teeth. The bodies were either cloth or composition AM doll. China haed, sleep eyes, painted lashes, two bottom teeth. Doll’s head has been repaired (badly) Composition body in good condition Embroidered lawn dress with pink embroidery. Appears to be original clothes Doll purchased from Harrods in London in 1926

This doll belonged to member Allan Blain's sister. It was donated to WDHS and then recently returned after an extended loan. The doll has been re-dressed. Dollmaker Carl Trautmann founded his doll factory in Finsterbergen, Germany, in 1884. The firm made high quality ball jointed dolls and also pull-the-string mechanical and speaking dolls. In 1906 the factory moved to Catterfelder, Germany, and the company name was changed to Catterfelder Puppenfabrik. The firm JD Kestner supplied the bisque heads.This doll is significant as an example of the toys available in the early 20th century. It shows the manner in which dolls were jointed to allow movement of the limbs and head.12 inch (30cm) doll with fully jointed composition body and bisque head with open mouth containing two tiny teeth, and sleep eyes. She has a hair wig stitched down the centre of the head and has tiny pearl earrings. The doll is dressed in a lace trimmed pink nylon dress with puffed sleeves and matching hat, and cream shoes.Catterfelder Puppenfabrikblain, children's toys, dolls, warrnambool, catterfelder puppenfabrik

See aboveExample of 1940's child's doll with clothes. Doll, whose name was Janet was given to Rosalie Schwerkolt Whalen as a child in 1945 with a lemon voile dress and matching bonnet and a patterned voile dress.Baby doll bought to Rosalie Schwerkolt by Santa Claus in 1945. The doll has a cloth body with a composition hard material for head, arms and hands and legs and feet. Face has blue eyes that close and red lips slightly parted to show teeth. Moulded brown curls for hair. Formerly a crying doll - mechanism under material on back and isn't working. A pair of pale blue and pink elastic edging. See Dress and bonnet NA5165 and Dress NA5166 for clothes also used on doll.Pliable doll Made (indistinguishable) Canada?child's baby doll with voice & closing eyes

Doll Kid Body and Limbs. Composition hands and feet. Treasured Possession of Margaret Telford who was born in Stawell 21.9.1882 and died 19.5.1975stawell

This doll belonged to member Allan Blain's sister. It was donated to WDHS and then recently returned after an extended loan. She has been re-dressed in cotton dress pantaloons with tucks and lace trim.This doll is an example of the toys available .......Doll with wax over composition head and straw stuffed body and hair wig. She has blue glass eyes and red painted mouth. Her hair has been elaborately plaited into four braids which join halfway down the back of the head with the remainder hanging free. Her black shoes are painted onto her legs.dolls, toys, wax head dolls, blain

Heubach German porcelain doll. Head badly cracked and taped together. The face is OK. Doll’s eyes are loose. Eyes need to be reset. All parts are separate. Composition body in need of repair. Open mouth. One tooth. Pierced nostrils. Clothed in red cotton drawers with long legs. Not original. Knitted singlet – badly moth eaten. White lawn dress with lace. Tied together with mourning ribbon. Crocheted bonnet lined with silk. Ernst Heubach was a company in Köppelsdorf, Thuringia, Germany, that manufactured porcelain-headed bisque dolls from 1885 onwardsHeubach