'Cabinet Babies' or Playthings?

Just because some hobbyists keep dolls behind glass doesn't mean they do not heavily customize them.

 

I remember the Beanie Baby boom in the late '90s, when everyone wanted them. I had about twenty (actually, I still have them somewhere). I took the tags off, I played with them, I loved them to bits. I learnt to sew really neatly when bits of them started falling off, and to get good with a dye sponge when they faded. There was a girl in the year above me at school who repeatedly informed me that I was playing with them wrong - They were supposed to be kept in pristine condition, in plastic boxes, and out of the sunlight. That was how her Mummy had told her to play with them, and that was right and i was being a stupid little girl for wanting to cuddle them. She was giong to be rich in ten years because they'd all be worth a fortune by then. Ocassionally, she would confide that it was more fun to play like I did, but it was irresponsible and silly.

Of course, now I keep seeing "rare", "production error", "mint condition" Beany Babies in charity shops. I bought Patti the Platypus (Who was worth several thousand pounds at one point, which I remember because the platypus is my favourite animal and I'd always wanted one and couldn't work out why she was so expensive at the time) for forty five pence. She'd barely been played with.

What's the moral of the story? If anything, I suppose; Play with your dolls how you want, but don't get too hung up on how much they'll sell for when you "leave the hobby" - If you've played hard with them, and they're only worth five quid and a Kit-Kat, just be happy that you got a few hundred pounds of enjoyment out of them. On the other hand, if you primarily get your enjoyment from them by keeping them pristine and looking at them once in a while, you can be glad that you enjoyed them how you wanted to, and if one day you decide to sell, some other collector will get a nearly-new doll.

 

Well, I feel that they "should" be played with... While that is, I also see why people would keep them in cabinets. hell, if I had some nice cabinets, if I had a doll, I'd probably put him in there for safekeeping! But it's really up to the owner, if they want to keep them in a cabinet, that's their prerogative. As is having them out all the time. 8)

 

Good topic, humanmind!
Myself, I would keep my dolls out and about my apartment but take note of the obvious risks - washing my hands before playing, making sure they're out of sunlight, etc etc.
I think it's a little sad that some people would keep them in cabinets - in my opinion, having a doll is a way to get in touch with yourself and unlock creativity. I don't think that can be achieved by looking at a doll through glass.

In the end, though, you're the one shelling out a month's rent on a doll. You have every right to decide what to do with it!

 

I respectfully disagree with statements like this - and please pardon my quoting you, Armony. I'm not responding to you directly but rather quoting as an example (as I've seen multiple statements throughout this thread similar to yours).

Just because a doll is kept in a cabinet does not mean the owner cannot unlock creativity through the doll. What about owners who draw their dolls? Write about their characters? Design their personalities, give them traits, etc.? Cannot all that be achieved without physically touching a doll? Aren't those all forms of "creative" expression?

Yes, for the most part my dolls sit and look pretty in a cabinet. But they do more than just "sit" there for me. They inspire me to pick up a pencil and sketch them, to scribble down ideas about them, to plan a brief photoshoot or two. While to some it is sad to see owners keep dolls in cabinets, I think it is just as sad to assume hobbyists who prefer to keep BJDs behind glass can't use them to express themselves.

"Playing" with a doll is not limited by physically handling it. Of course, that's just my two cents.

 

They are both, they are dolls (which are toys) but they are made of resin (which is expensive and fragile). You can play with them but you need to be careful with them too. You have to find the balance.

 

Hm, reminds me of the discussion about model trains. Should they (especially the limited editions) be put on a rail and "be played with" (i.e. exposed to dust, driven on a diorama, even customized).

Or should they be kept in an air-conditioned glass cabinet, only taken out with gloves, dusted, and then put back?

Well, each to his/her own. These two worlds both have to exist beside each other. And why not?

The same goes in my opinion for model horses, or Asian ball-jointed dolls. You can keep all of these objects in a glass cabinet, admire them and imagine adventures for them. Or you take them physically, and create stables/whole rooms for them, but risk they get scratched or damaged in another way (and believe me, if a horse's painted coat by a famous artist gets scratched, it is also a catastrophe).

Same as with all these question: It's yours. You can do whatever you please with the item.

 

Alright if I had a limited doll I might not play with it as much, I myself don't like to buy limited cause I would feel guilty about it being damaged and then one out of how many were made would be gone forever. This is why I just don't buy limiteds I would keep them in their boxes and let them out when I felt like looking at them. But considering I own 'cheeper' and ready to be made molds I play with my girl all the time. I take her everywhere with me. I told myself that she was going to yellow one day and that day will not be sad, I will be happy that she is being used and loved. It's up to each person on how they play with their dolls, I just play with my girl all the time.

 

I'm trying to get into the habit of doing more with my doll, than just dress it occasionally and sit it on the shelf, but I'm afraid I'll damage her. I did play with her a lot at first, but while I was standing her once, she faceplanted, and damaged her default faceup. I've yet to repair it, as the damage is minor, but also, I fear that a new faceup will make he seem like someone else, so now, I sort of just enjoy her from afar. I do, at times, wish I'd get over my shyness, and fear of playing with her, but also, one fall can be a costly mistake, so I'm torn.

 

Mine are definite cabinet babies I dress them pose them and leave them until its time to change them into a different style and then do so and leave them. The absolute truth is I would not know how to play with them. To me they are essentially ornaments to be admired.

I completely agree with you PeppermintPocky I draw inspiration merely from looking at them

 

Taking your doll(s) out is a nice thing to do if you have occasions to do so. I merely have Fionn sitting on my sehlf most of the time because there are no real meetups or conventions near where I live. And with our weather being so bad, it might still be a while until we can go outside and take some pics.

 

I think I treat mine like a semiprecious play thing. I don't mind handling them with my bare hand, but I kind of don't want them near the sunlight. I understand that they are expensive and why some people would want to keep them in a glass box. Bjd are beautiful and some of them look like they Belong in a Glass Case.

But, to me, they're still dolls and I'm not a collector, so I prefer to play with them rather than put them up for display. And since, the reason I have bjd is so I can photograph them and use them to pose for me, if I just kept them in a glass case, it would be such a waste!

 

I don't think it matters what people do or don't do with their own dolls or even possessions for that matter. If people aren't into playing with them as much and keep them in cabinets or display cases, that's their decision and I'm not going to judge them for that, because it shouldn't matter.

We all enjoy this hobby in different ways, you know?

 

Personally, I think of them as both. Being as beautiful and expensive of course they should be taken proper care of, cleaned often and kept dust and dirt free but they're not literally 'cabinet' displays in any shape or form for me, as the farthest they go into being put 'on display' is when I don't play with them therefore I leave them posed doing whatever in some place in my room like a shelf or table or the doll-sized armchair and couches I've made.

However I do play with my dolls a lot, and I mean a whole lot. There's almost always one of them by my side when I'm at home and I tend to reach out to them, touch them, hold them, pose them even when I'm not giving them all my attention. Otherwise I take them around for photos, I sew for them and even take them to University with me either to do paintings and sketches of them along the other things on display in our workshops or model costumes of play characters for Scenography. I've even went as far as to use one of my boys as my introduced element for a devised, site-specific performance we did the other day.

Now, of course, that is the way that I specifically treat my dolls and the way I enjoy them most. It doesn't mean that because another may keep them in their boxes or in display cases they love their dolls any less or anything like that. After all, we all have our own way to enjoy the hobby and if one is more comfortable doing one thing or the other they should be allowed to and feel free to despite what others may be doing.

 

My dolls get fussed over They could never be cabinet babies! Im a action figure collector, and I usually stick to the whole "Dont take it out, itll be worth loads in a few years!" but with dolls, i think they are there to be loved and appreciated. Sure they are art, but I see it as playable art. Sure they are not like Barbies (e.g. throw them accross the room and stand on them, and theyll be fine) but they are there to be loved. I cuddle one of my dolls so much, seriously he comes everywhere. I get people asking "why do you bring your rare, SD doll outside when you have a pocket sized Pukifee at home?!" well...sure he is rare (as is another one of mine, who really doesnt get out much, bless her) and large but I feel more secure with him, Id be scared to take my Puki outside, shes so small id be afraid Id loose her!

I dont like them just "sitting there and looking pretty" I feel it disconnects me from their character a little.
They are portable art which can be loved and modded to you.

Mine will never be cabinate babies ;-)

 

I just came here to say how much I enjoyed Ratty's post:

Part of me suspects our cabinet babies (and mine do spend most of their time in boxes and tissue) will indeed be worth 5 quid and a Kit-kat someday. I am, however, very fond of Kit Kat bars.

 

Playthings for sure (MY playthings, with my rules and washed hands so no oil transference...*shoos away the visiting kiddies*)

 

Both. I like to keep my dolls open on display (in my room of course, so as to not upset the rest of the family), I don't even own a glass cabinet. My dolls sit/stand/kneel/whatever on side tables, shelves and a desk. However I don't really physically interact with them all that often, unless I get that spark of inspiration to photograph or customize them. Just looking at them and knowing that I could grab them whenever without worry is enough for me. And I own both limiteds and standard models.

 

As many have stated, I think they can be kind of both. I shall definitely be playing with my dollies once I get them, and I shall probably be carrying them all over the place. But when they're not being played with, I have a couple of doll shelves in my room put up specifically for the purpose of showing them off.

 

In a hundred years, these dolls will be worth what French BeBes are now, whether kept pristine in a box/cabinet or lugged all over the place. I daresay the limited ones w/limited clothing in cabinets will be worth more, but the well-loved ones will still be in pretty good condition - because resin is not so fragile.
That said, I don't 'play' w/my dolls as such (hey, I'm an old broad...) but I mess about w/them, posing them, sewing stuff, photographing them, carting them off to places to show them off. I am careful about the faceups but they can get redone. I do however plan on getting a fancy glazed cabinet for several to live in (which I will fuss about with constantly, to repose them LOL)
I want to SEE my dolls, & do things w/them - that's why I'm willing to pay $$$$ for them LOL