Caoutchouc, India rubber or gum was used for centuries to make dolls or parts of dolls, among other items. Caoutchouc, rubber or gum was mixed with other materials such as gutta-percha from the Para rubber tree of South America, the material is then colored and heated (vulcanized), to produce a material that would hold it's shape. 

The history and invention of vulcanizing rubber belongs to Robert Haering with Charles Goodyear (founder of Goodyear Rubber Company 1835-1890), both of New haven, Connecticut, USA.  Goodyear / New York Rubber Company, rubber doll heads paper box label states; Charles Goodyear's Patent April 25, 1848 and extended 1862.  Vulcanized rubber head dolls have been found with paper labels stating; Charles Goodyear, Pat. May 6, 1851 EXT. 1865.  A patent was also issued; No. 9,668 on April 12, 1853 in the USA and a British patent filed in 1855 for molded toys made of India rubber and gutta-percha.

Early antique gutta-percha doll makers include 1849 John Edward Payne (UK), 1855 John Henry Johnson of Glasgow, Scotland made India rubber and gutta percha dolls and other items, 1865 the Lang & Company (US) and 1852-1880 Jean L. H. Arnaud (FR), obtained patents of fashion Lady wood bodied dolls, covered in vulcanized rubber and rubber joints.

Early antique rubber vulcanized doll makers; Goodyear Rubber Company (US), India Rubber Comb Company, Benjamin F. Lee Company, New York Rubber Company (used Goodyear Patent March 28, 1854), Newark India Rubber Company, English doll makers; Metropolitan India Rubber Company and the Vulcanite Company.

1856-1925 Phoenix of Germany made rubber dolls.  1860-1876 Baculard (1870s Favier joined the firm) of Paris, France, patented using gutta-percha for making doll heads.  In 1875 both Ansil W. Monroe and Wesley Miller (USA) obtained patents for making rubber dolls. In the late 1870s Jne, Bru & Cie, Jules Nicholas Steiner and Derolland were all making rubber bébés in France.

Doll makers in Austria, England, France, Germany, Hungary and other European countries, also made rubber dolls. 

In the 1950s rubber resurfaces in a strong way as a doll makers material for; dolls, squeak toys and more, made by Arrow Rubber & Plastics, Dreamland Creations, Irwin & Company, Rempel Manufacturing of Canada, Sanitoy, Sun Rubber Company, Tilco International (Tilly Toy of Canada), Viceroy Manufacturing of Canada (copies of Sun Rubber dolls) - plus others.

1933-1950s Effanbee Dy-Dee Baby doll, 9-24" tall, earliest dolls are made with a hard rubber head, later dolls were made of hard plastic, blue, brown or green sleep eyes, real upper lashes, single stroke brow, painted lower lashes, open mouth, applied soft rubber ears, molded painted hair, soft rubber body jointed at the neck, arms and hips, First drink and wet baby doll, came dressed in cotton flannel diaper, doll marked on back  DyDee Baby U.S. Pat. 1-857-485 England-880-060 France-723-980 Germany-585-647 Other Pat. Pending.

1933+ F & B Dy-Dee Baby doll 11"

1936 Ideal Suzette an I-De-Lite Doll or Lifetime Doll, 12, 14, 16" tall, Shirley Temple look a like doll without the dimples, all Idenite a hard rubber material (much heavier than composition) jointed at the neck, shoulders and hips, celluloid sleep eyes, open mouth with two upper teeth, has molded hair under the mohair wig, doll is unmarked.

1936 Ideal Suzette, I-De-Lite, or Lifetime Doll, 16"

1936-1938 American Character Sally Jane doll or Paratex Girl doll, 15, 17, 19 & 22" tall, a Shirley Temple look-a-like, all paratex rubber and composition jointed body, curly human hair wig, sleep hazel eyes, open smiling mouth with six upper teeth, dimples, wore an organdy dress, doll is unmarked.

Photo courtesy of Nativelady

1936 AC Sally Jane doll, 15"

1940s Arrow Rubber & Plastics Playful Baby doll, 11" tall all rubber with molded curly short hair, painted eyes, open nurser mouth, rubber arms with bent elbows, doll mark 42 backwards.

Photo N/A

Playful Baby Doll, 11"

1949 Irwin & Company Baby doll, 14" tall, jointed rubber body and limbs with lots of detail; wrinkles and folds, softer rubber head with molded painted hair, painted or sleep eyes, open nurser mouth.  Irwin is probably best know for their small or doll house sized, hard plastic dolls, so this one is quite interesting.  Doll mark on back of neck NON-INFLAM. Doll mark on back Made by IRWIN in USA (in a circle).

1949 Irwin Baby doll, 14"