Composition Doll. Spanish doll, papier-mâché body and paste head. This doll arrived with some flaking on the fingers and the feet have been reconstructed to be impeccable. The rubber bands have been changed and a new wig put on. The eyes are fixed and made of glass. Custom made clothes. It measures about 65 cm.

The Composition Dolls

In many cases, when talking about composition dolls, dolls made of different materials such as papier- maiché, or celluloid and other materials were included.

But experts will create the actual classification of Composition Dolls in those dolls where the head was made of a mixture of glue and wood paste; as a result a material of great durability.

Also called “composition” dolls are those whose body is made of papier- maiché . Composition Doll

Papier maché or stone cardboard has been used in dolls since the early 18th century. Much information has been found in the patent documents of the various manufacturing workshops.

Each doll maker had their own “secret” formula for composition. Very few “recipes” have successfully overcome the ravages of time. Surely its basis was the use of papier-mâché or cloths. Composition Doll

The Stone papier-maché Dolls

The manufacture of dolls in Spain was created in the first workshop in 1878 by Ramon Mira Vides. These industrial workshops were centralized in the town of Onil. Its terrisaire tradition allowed the creation of the first dolls, of artisan character, began to be conceived as an industrial product.

These first dolls created by Ramon Mira were made of baked clay. Due to the fragility of the material an improvement process was started in search of other materials.

Novelties will be created such as movable eyes, instead of painted, the incorporation of the weeper, which allowed to make a sound that was identified with the cry or the words “Mama” and also the stylization of arms and legs.

Over time, the materials changed to the use of the so-called stone cardboard. Composition Doll

The wrists had joints in their limbs, which were joined with elastic cords. This procedure of the cardboard, worked with the bulk was vital for the increase of the production.

During the 1940s in Spain it was the great absolute empire of the stone cardboard doll. Not only the popular Pepona that was made of this material, although its appearance was rougher, because it was less worked and polished; but also the most luxurious dolls. The stone cardboard doll lasted its manufacture until the arrival of plastic during the second half of the fifties. The use of plastic was introduced regularly from the sixties.

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