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Bisque dolls can be made of all bisque or just bisque heads with composition bodies or kid bodies. Bisque dolls are one of the most highly collected dolls. Bisque dolls have often been preserved better than wax dolls.
Bisque, sometimes known as biscuit, is an unglazed porcelain or earthenware which has been fired only twice. During the refiring, the features are tinted and refired at a lower temperature. This technique resulted in very realistic faces. Porcelain or bisque doll kits can still be purchased and some are still made from the old molds. These kits are ideal for doll artists who wish to recreate the beautiful dolls of the past. These can be tinted or left white for the doll artist to paint themselves. Bisque dolls were extremely popular from the mid 19th century and into the 20th. Bisque dolls are still made but are now for collectors and not for children.
Miniature all-bisque doll with pram under glass dome
With fixed blue glass eyes, closed mouth and blonde wig, swivel head and jointed at shoulders and hips, painted black heeled boots and wearing blue silk dress with lace, underclothes and straw bonnet, 10cm (4in) tall, together with soft metal filigree white and gold pram with blue hood. dome 19cm (7 1/2in) tall. Sold for £625 at Bonhams
A fine pressed bisque fashionable doll
with rigid neck, unpierced ears, closed mouth, sleeping eye mechanism, pale brows and lashes, original blonde mohair wig with cork pate and kid over wood jointed body with bisque arms and legs –17½in. (45cm.) high (left thumb missing, eye mechanism possibly an addition), wearing boned stays edged in blue, rare hoop with train and front lifting band, matching petticoat with deep gathered hem flounce edged with lace, socks, pantalettes and elaborate cream, grey and green striped silk afternoon frock with full train, the jacket, skirt and belt decorated with black lace, green silk ribbons and white glass beads, with matching kid slippers; additional clothes comprise another striped silk day dress in grey and black, the jacket and full skirt decorated with black ribbons, lace, an elaborate braid and black and white glass beads; a similar shaped full length petticoat edged with lace; a white plush jacket simulating ermine with capelet decorated with a silk tassle and silk edged pockets, a lace cap, a red silk snood, an initialled handkerchief, a pair of kid gloves, two and a half pairs of stockings, a pair of mauve and blue silk slippers with gilt buckles and blue ribbon binding (heels missing); a pair of heeled lace-up boots (one heel missing), a pierced bone brisé fan simulating a Chinese feather fan, the scalloped green fabric ‘feather’ painted with blue and pink flowers; and a home-made fine pink and cream checked silk gauze evening dress, the jacket and skirt edged with turquoise silk ribbons with similar rosettes and lace edging (needs attention). Sold for GBP 5,040 at Christies
Bisque Doll – Vivienne
copyright Victoria and Albert Museum
A fine pressed bisque fashionable doll
with rigid neck, unpierced ears, closed mouth, sleeping eye mechanism, pale brows and lashes, original blonde mohair wig with cork pate and kid over wood jointed body with bisque arms and legs –17½in. (45cm.) high (left thumb missing, eye mechanism possibly an addition), wearing boned stays edged in blue, rare hoop with train and front lifting band, matching petticoat with deep gathered hem flounce edged with lace, socks, pantalettes and elaborate cream, grey and green striped silk afternoon frock with full train, the jacket, skirt and belt decorated with black lace, green silk ribbons and white glass beads, with matching kid slippers; additional clothes comprise another striped silk day dress in grey and black, the jacket and full skirt decorated with black ribbons, lace, an elaborate braid and black and white glass beads; a similar shaped full length petticoat edged with lace; a white plush jacket simulating ermine with capelet decorated with a silk tassle and silk edged pockets, a lace cap, a red silk snood, an initialled handkerchief, a pair of kid gloves, two and a half pairs of stockings, a pair of mauve and blue silk slippers with gilt buckles and blue ribbon binding (heels missing); a pair of heeled lace-up boots (one heel missing), a pierced bone brisé fan simulating a Chinese feather fan, the scalloped green fabric ‘feather’ painted with blue and pink flowers; and a home-made fine pink and cream checked silk gauze evening dress, the jacket and skirt edged with turquoise silk ribbons with similar rosettes and lace edging (needs attention). Sold for GBP 5,040 at Christies
Bru JNE R bisque head Bebe doll. France circa 1890. Pressed bisque socket head incised “BRU JNE R 9.” Blue glass eyes with multi stroke brows and lashes. Open mouth with molded upper teeth. Pierced ears. Jointed composition body with mama voice box. Blonde mohair wig with cork pate. In later white dress with red trim, red hat and shoes. MEASUREMENTS: 22″ tall. CONDITION: Small rub to right cheek. Wig is detached. Two repaired fingers to left hand. Toning to paint on body. Sold For: $1,900 at Cordier Auctions & Appraisals
A French Bisque and Wood Fashion Doll
Late 19th Century
Together with various costumes. Approximately 27 pieces.
height 17 1/4 in.
43.8 cm. Sold for 3,000 USD at Sothebys
The most beautiful antique bisque dolls were those made in France. Some of the most desirable of French doll makers were Juneau, Bru, Gaultier and Steiner.
A popular type of doll made in France was the “bebe”. Although their name of “bebes”, or “bébés”, tended to mean baby doll, “bebes” were actually dolls which represented infants to children of around 8 years old.
Germany also produced many bisque dolls and although many of these are excellent and very collectible, they are not as exquisite as the French dolls. However, the German dolls were cheaper than the French dolls and thus, provided competition for the French doll market.
Popular German doll makers included Simon & Halbig who made many porcelain doll heads, many of these were on doll bodies made by Kammer & Reinhardt. These two companies eventually merged. Armand Marseille made many bisque dolls.
Due to the German doll competition, the French doll makers formed a consortium, the Société Francaise de Fabrication des Bébés et Jouets (SFBJ).
