Reliable Toy Co. of Canada had a long history in the doll business beginning in 1920. They made composition, hard plastic and vinyl dolls, including some knockoffs of popular American models. The company was more recently sold to Allied Plastic Products of Toronto and in 1995 doll production was discontinued.
Here are just a few of the many, many dolls made by Reliable over the years. Their dolls are generally well marked. Click on the small photo to see a larger version.
Composition
A variety of compo dolls were made including babies, toddlers, children and characters. Some were all composition and some had cloth bodies.
Shirley Temple
Reliable had the Canadian license to sell composition Shirley Temple dolls in the 1930s. Some appear to have been made using the Ideal molds, or perhaps they were made by Ideal and sold nude to Reliable, where they were dressed. The clothing has Reliable tags, but the dolls are just marked Shirley Temple. They were made in a variety of sizes.
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This 20″ girl doll may be Sally Ann or Gloria. She has a composition shoulder head and limbs with a cloth body, tin sleep eyes, blonde mohair wig and open mouth with teeth. |
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Baby Bubbles was made in a few different versions. In addition to the one pictured, who has a compo head, arms and legs on a cloth body and sleep eyes, there was also one with painted eyes and cloth legs. In the 1950s, there was a vinyl Baby Bubbles made. Photo courtesy of Cathy Chase. |
Babykins
12″ tall with bent baby legs, all composition, made with blue painted eyes or sleep eyes, brown molded hair, closed mouth. The name was also used for later vinyl dolls.
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Wettums is an all compo drink and wet baby, open mouth nurser. Visit the Wettums page for more info. |
Koweeka (Smilie)
14″ composition Eskimo doll with painted brown eyes and molded hair, wears a white and black faux fur outfit with boots. Interesting box has an arctic design on the lid featuring an igloo. The same doll was also used by Clicquot Club as an advertising premium.
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Maggie Muggins was a character in a popular children’s TV and radio show, created by Mary Grannan. The doll was produced in 1947 and is 14″ tall, all composition, with red mohair wig in braids, and painted freckles. Photo courtesy of eBay seller hug*a*pug. |
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Standing dolls are 8″ tall, jointed only at the shoulders, with large side-glancing eyes and mohair wig. May be dressed as a girl, in Indian costume, or military uniform |
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The Royal Canadian Mounted Police doll wears his official uniform. Go to the Mountie page for more info. |
Hard Plastic
Dress Me Doll
7.5″ tall, hard plastic with wig of various colors, jointed at neck and shoulders only, sleep eyes, molded shoes, sold nude in plastic bag. Probably made in other sizes as well.
Toni
Another Ideal doll licensed by Reliable to sell in Canada. She is unmarked, but otherwise closely resembles the Ideal Toni.
Saucy Walker
Yet another Ideal license, she is marked Reliable, but otherwise resembles the Ideal version, including her flirty eyes. They also made Saucy with a vinyl head and hard plastic body.
Susie Stepps
This walking girl doll is all hard plastic, jointed at neck, shoulders and hips, with sleep eyes and synthetic wig. She has an open mouth with teeth and tongue and was made in several sizes.
Vinyl
Licenses from Ideal continued with Bonnie Braids, Betsy Wetsy and Patty Sue Playmate (Patti Playpal).
Sally Ann
17″ toddler doll with flexible, all-vinyl body jointed only at the neck, sleep eyes, curly strawberry blonde hair pulled back from her face. She wears a royal blue taffeta dress with attached apron in coordinating checked fabric, trimmed with lace, socks and white mary janes.
Scottish Lassie
16″ blonde doll with vinyl head, plastic body, sleep eyes, wears a Scottish ensemble including lace-trimmed white blouse, dark jacket, plaid kilt and scarf, tam with plaid trim, red socks, mary jane shoes. A ribbon attached to the jacket proclaims her a Souvenir of Canada.
Sleeping Beauty
This is a 10″ all-vinyl Little Miss Revlon type glamour doll. She has dark blond hair in curls with bangs, and wears a pale purple gown with darker bodice.
Miss Canada (1960)
Miss Canada is an 18″ vinyl glamour doll with curly auburn hair and a lacy sleeveless dress. She is jointed at the hips, shoulders and neck, and is marked “RELIABLE (in script)/CANADA” on her body.
Bride (1960)
This doll is 17″ tall and has a one-piece Rigidsol body with vinyl head. Her brown eyes match her short brown hair and set her apart from the blue-eyed pack. She is marked “RELIABLE” on her head and “H-17″ on her back.
Copyright 2006-2013 by Zendelle Bouchard
I have an 1960 mitzi fashion doll that is 18″ tall still in original package.
Wow – I have not heard of an 18″ Mitzi by Reliable, just the Barbie-size one. Does she have a slim teen body like the smaller version? Does she have painted or sleep eyes? Very cool!
Hi I have a realiable doll that is stamped on the back of the head made in Canada and it says realibale above that. I was wondering about a price I could put on it to sell. Could you let me know how to price it. I can send you a picture also. Thank you, Cathy Schumaker
Cathy, Reliable made LOTS of different dolls, and they are not all worth the same amount. Can you give a detailed description of the doll?
I have a 36 inch toddler doll that bears the name “Reliable” on her shoulders. She is made of what appears to be hard plastic. She has a very pretty face but is too large and “cumbersome” to be a cuddly doll.
Hair is brown and curly .
She does not look like Shirley Temple or anyone else but I would love to find out more about her.
Are you able to point me in the right direction, please?
My thanks
Mary (UK)
Hi Mary,
after the success of Ideal’s 36″ Patti Playpal doll in 1960, many other doll companies made similar size dolls (called “companion dolls”) that could wear real children’s clothing. The first doll of this size Reliable made was Patty Sue Playmate in 1960. She appears to have been made from the Patti Playpal molds. However, this doll is not marked, so it’s more likely yours is either Saucy Walker (a name licensed from Ideal) or Mary Anne, who were both produced in 1961. These are the same doll, they have long hair and bangs. Mary Anne was reissued a few years later with shorter curly hair. There may have been others that Reliable made as well.
Thank you so much for your helpful and speedy reply.
I have Googled all your suggestions and, sadly. my doll does not appear to be any of them.
Is it possible to send along images for you to see, please? I have seen a head produced by Ideal that seems identical to my doll’s head. The body is clearly marked Reliable.Is it possible that my doll is a hybrid? :O)
Thanks again
Mary(UK)
Mary, check your email and attach pics to your reply.
I have my mother in laws reliable doll porcelin head, arms and legs opensand shuts eyes and cloth boday. I know she is VERY old..just not sure how old she is..clothes are original but not in very good condition. I know Reliable made tons of dolls but curious about this one.I know you may need a picture and this can be arranged.
thank you ahead for your time
Lynn, the earliest dolls Reliable sold had bisque (porcelain) heads, but they would have had composition arms and legs. They imported the heads from Germany and the limbs from the U.S. If you have one of these dolls, she would date to the early 1920s. Would love to see a photo. check your email and attach pics to your reply.
My wife, who will turn 70 this year, just received a box from her cousin in Canada that contains various dolls from my wifes childhood in Canada where she was born. I would like to send a few photos to you to try to track their history if I may. Thank you.
Rene, check your email and attach pics to your reply. I will see if I can match them up with any in the book.
Hi there,
I have a reliable doll. She is still in the box. Stands about 17 inches and has blond hair. Her eyes open and close. She has a blue outfit. There is a number stamped on the back of the box- 690149. Do you know anything about this doll?
Joanne, it’s impossible to identify a doll by the numbers on the box. I have emailed you – if you can attach some photos to your reply, I will try to identify her.
Just to say THANK YOU for identifying my Mary Anne doll. It’s nice to know she has a name and that someone cared enough to find out about her for me.
Mary (UK)
Hi,
I have obtained this old doll 15″ looks like a boy, looks like porcelain head attached to cloth body, on the back of the head it is stamped, reliable made in canada.. When you press in the back it cries. Face is in the bad condition, mainly peeling of the porcelain material, so are the hands. Is it worth repairing, is it worth anything.
thank you for your help.
Lucy
Lucy, porcelain does not peel, so your doll’s head is probably made of composition, a material that was widely used in the first half of the 20th century. Many composition dolls have condition issues now, as it is sensitive to temperature and humidity changes. Composition can be restored, but it is a labor intensive process and expensive. If your doll has sentimental value it might be worth it to you to restore, but if you are just looking to increase the value, it would likely cost more than the doll is worth.
Hi Zendelle – we have a Reliable doll, which looks a lot like a Wettum, but it isn’t. Could you help us narrow down which model and the age? The head and arms up to the bicep are made out of a hard plastic like substance. The head has eyes which open as you lift, and the mouth is fixed open. The body is all cloth. Inside the body is like a squeaky toy. We can send pictures if that would help.
Thank you for helping us narrow down history.
Nicola,
the only doll in my reference book that fits that description is Baby Bunting, but there may have been others. It says Baby Bunting was made from 1935 at least through 1948. The head and arms are made of composition (like Wettums).