Parian doll

These shoulder head dolls have a body made from fabrics and a head created from very lightly tinted or untinted white porcelain. Unlike the china doll however, the bisque doll's head is not dipped in glaze before firing and as such has a matte finish, giving it a markedly different appearance. The UFDC (United Federation of Doll Clubs) still perpetuates the incorrect definition of these dolls is as follows: "Parian doll: doll made of fine white bisque (unglazed porcelain) without tinting. The features, hair and cheeks may be painted." Many collectors now are discarding the term parian in favor of untinted bisque versus tinted bisque. Bisque dolls usually have molded blond hair. Brown and black haired versions are less common. These dolls are often elaborately decorated with colored feathers, flowers, scarves, ribbons, combs, jewels, and luster ruffs (single, double, occasionally triple) about the bottom of the yoke. The hair was arranged in interesting and elaborate ways. The eyes were painted or glass. The glass-eyed dolls are sought after by collectors. Companies manufacturing these untinted bisque dolls include Alt Beck & Gottschalck, C.F.Kling, and Simon & Halbig, among others.