Art doll listings use a private language. This glossary covers the terms you will meet most often, in plain English.
A-C
- Armature - internal wire or jointed frame that lets a doll hold a pose.
- Articulated - able to bend at joints.
- Blank - an unpainted doll or head base.
- BJD - ball-jointed doll, strung with elastic and highly poseable.
- Certificate of authenticity - document tying a piece to its artist.
F-M
- Face-up - the hand-painted finish of a face.
- Full-set - a doll sold complete with outfit and accessories.
- Glass eyes - hand-set glass, valued for realism.
- Limited edition - a set number of copies, unlike OOAK.
- Mohair - soft natural fibre from Angora goats.
N-R
- OOAK - One Of A Kind: a single piece, never reproduced.
- Open edition - unlimited production of a design.
- Provenance - the documented history of who made and owned a piece.
- Resin - a cast material for smooth, durable sculpts.
S-Z
- Scale - size relative to a real person.
- Sculpt - the original modelled form.
- Seam line - the join left by moulding, often cleaned by hand.
- Wig cap - the base a doll's hair is attached to.
Words to be wary of: "handmade" with no artist name, "unique" used for a repeatable design, and "investment" used as a sales tactic.
Now put the vocabulary to use: browse Like Art — each piece is made by an independent artist and ships worldwide.