Reliable Dolls 1920-1940s Canada

1947 Reliable Maggie Muggins doll

The Reliable Toy Company Limited of Toronto, Canada was founded in 1920 by Solomon Frank Samuels, later joined by his brothers Alex Samuels and Ben Samuels, had a long history of making quality doll products.

In the beginning Reliable imported bisque doll heads from Germany,  put it on a body made from a USA company and assembled these into their own dolls.  From 1922 until 1955 they began producing their own dolls, first made of composition, later of hard plastic and vinyl.

Reliable is best known for their Canadian style Indians and Mounties dolls, they also licensed doll molds from other well known American doll manufacturer's, like Ideal Toy Company - Shirley Temple dolls, which they produced their own version, that was not licensed for export to the USA. 

In 1959, Mr. S. F. Samuels founded the Regal Toy Company of Toronto who made plastic and vinyl dolls.  By 1985 Allied (Plastic Products) Group acquired Reliable Toys and in 1995 Reliable ceased doll production.

1933 Reliable Tousle Head doll, 17" tall, composition head, arms and straight legs, cloth body, blue tin sleep eyes, lashes, brown caracul wig, open mouth showing two teeth and tongue. Mark on head: A RELIABLE DOLL MADE IN CANADA

1933 Tousle head doll, 17"

1934 Reliable Mama doll, 16" tall, composition head, arms and straight legs, cloth body with crier, blue tin sleep eyes, lashes, closed mouth, doll marked: RELIABLE DOLL MADE IN CANADA

1934 Mama doll, 16"

1935 Chubby doll, 17"

1935 Hairbow Peggy doll, 18"

1936 Reliable Royal Canadian Mounted Police doll, 17" tall, composition head and arms, excelsior stuffed body and legs, brown painted eyes, brown molded hair, closed mouth, wears his scarlet red tunic jacket with initials R.C.M.P. shoulder badge, brass buttons, blue breeches with yellow outside stripe, brown oilcloth boots, cross strap and belt, tan felt Stetson hat, doll mark on head RELIABLE MADE IN CANADA  

Same head mold Dollcraft Novelty USA used on their Lone Ranger doll

1936 Royal Canadian Mounted Police doll or a Mountie doll, 17" 

1939 Clicquot Soda Eskimo doll, 14"

1939 Reliable Highland Laddie doll, 12-13" tall, all composition, jointed hips and shoulders, blue painted eyes, black line over eye, molded hair, closed mouth, dressed in his Scottish plaid attire of a; kilt, shirt, jacket, scarf, socks, shoes and hat, doll marked on back: RELIABLE MADE IN CANADA.  There is also a companion doll named Highland Lassie.

1939 Highland Laddie doll, 12-13"

ca. 1939 Reliable Wetums doll, 12" tall, all composition, blue sleep eyes, molded hair, open mouth for bottle, drink/wet doll, wore a white organdy dress with blue trim, matching bonnet, her accessories were; glass baby bottle, three nappies, four nappy pins on card, three wooden pegs and instructions for caring for your new doll, came as shown all original, doll marked  Reliable MADE IN CANADA

See photo on left

1940 Cuddlekins doll,  19"

1940 Dopey doll, 12"

1940-1941 Reliable Eaton Beauty doll, 18" tall, all composition, straight limbed, jointed hips, shoulders and neck, blue lithographed metal sleep eyes, lashes, brown mohair wig, open mouth showing teeth, doll mark on head: RELIABLE MADE IN CANADA.

Photo courtesy of Heather

1940-1941 Eaton Beauty doll, 18" 

1940 Reliable Topsy doll, 17" all composition, dark brown, jointed hips and shoulders, crier, black painted side-glancing eyes, painted upper lashes, black molded hair with three inset wool braids, open- closed mouth with two painted teeth, doll mark A RELIABLE DOLL MADE IN CANADA

1940 Topsy doll, 17"

1941 Babykins doll, 20"

1941 Nurse doll, 24"

1942 Reliable Army doll, 13" tall, composition shoulder plate head and arms, excelsior stuffed body and legs, blue painted eyes, light brown molded hair, closed mouth, dressed in kaki jumpsuit, belt and hat, socks and shoes. Doll marked on shoulder plate: RELIABLE DOLL MADE IN CANADA.

1942 Army Doll, 13"

1943 Novelty Army doll, 8"

1945 Reliable Miss Curity doll, 18" tall, all composition jointed doll, sleep eyes, closed mouth, mohair wig, wearing a nurses uniform with her name on the front.

1945 Miss Curity doll, 18"

1947 Reliable Maggie Muggins doll, (storybook character by Mary Evelyn Grannan), 14" tall, all composition, red mohair braided wig, blue sleep eyes, painted freckles, open mouth, wore a turquoise cotton printed dress with white pinafore, shoes and socks, doll mark on back of head RELIABLE MADE IN CANADA.

Photo on left courtesy of Jazzyjewls, photo on right is courtesy of Margaret.

1947 Maggie Muggins doll, 14"

1947 Raggedy Ann doll, 16"

1947 Reliable Scottish Girl novelty doll, 8" tall, all composition, jointed at the shoulders, stationary legs, black painted side glancing eyes, painted upper lashes, short curly blond mohair wig, closed mouth, dressed in her Scottish plaid attire, doll marked on head RELIABLE MADE IN CANADA.  A Chubby Kid, cherub or carnival type doll with stationary legs. There is also a companion novelty boy doll named Laddie.  This same doll also came dressed as a Nurse, native American Indian girl, girl dressed in striped dress, Army & Air Force dolls.

Photo courtesy of Sheryl Schmidt

1947 Scottish Girl doll, 8"

1948 Reliable Hiawatha doll, 12"  tall, all composition, jointed hips and shoulders, brown painted eyes, black line over eye, black wig in braids, closed mouth. Doll mark on back RELIABLE MADE IN CANADA

1948 Hiawatha doll, 12"

1949 Reliable Bride doll, 15" tall, all composition, jointed hips, shoulders and neck. Blue plastic sleep eyes, lashes, painted lower lashes, blond mohair wig, open mouth. Doll marked on head RELIABLE MADE IN CANADA

1949 Bride Doll, 15"