For most items (paintings, furniture, etc.) to be an antique an item must be 100 years or older. However, in the world of dolls this definition is slightly different, not only is the time period relevant but so is the material. Dolls that were made prior to the early 1930s are considered antique and those after that time period, through the 1960s, are modern collectibles. The reason for this difference rests mainly in the materials that were used as a result of technological advancements, the desire for an "unbreakable doll" that would last, and the toll that world wars took on economies. At the critical era of the 1930s a shift from bisque head dolls to all composition dolls and celluloid dolls (the early predecessor of the plastic that was soon to come) began. Though celluloid had been around since the prior century and used to produce all sorts of everyday items, it came into favor as a use for doll and toy making at this time.

A dolls material is identified by what the head is made of. So, if a doll has a bisque head and composition body it is referred to as a "bisque doll".