Have you ever found a doll at a thrift store?

Oh, I would love to see that! What make is it?

 

I have literal dreams about this at least twice a week. I've been an avid thrifter since childhood and I've found some amazing dolls. Vintage, antique, once a Zwergnase!!! (If you don't collect OT dolls that means nothing but I was very excited) But never a BJD. There was a post on Reddit I saw recently where someone found a "creepy" doll at their local Goodwill and was posting about it for funnies. It was a Doll Chateau Elizabeth with a spider body. I about lost my mind. The hunt continues!

 

Not a thrift store but I went to Tuesday Morning and found a pretty cute J-doll, but sadly they closed before I could buy another.

 

I’ve seen a lot of people posting about props they found at thrift store. I’m always super envious because I’ve never found anything doll related in the ones I’ve been to. Perhaps it just wasn’t meant to be for me. Or perhaps because I reside in NYC? I would be estactic if I ever find anything.

 

OMG, I can still hardly believe it, but...

... less than an hour ago I got a Kid Delf Coco (In her original box (just no cushions) and three quarters of the Luts outfit she’s wearing on their page, and with a Luts faceup) for $35AU - which is about $25US!!!

This was from a St Vincent de Paul op shop (which is what we call ‘thrift’ or ‘charity’ stores in Australia - it’s short for ‘opportunity’ shop).

Needless to say her name is going to have to be... Charity!

 

I'm so jealous! The St Vinnie's here is... well the people who volunteer get "first pick" of anything that is donated so everything that is put out tends to be pretty meh (other than the first gen Keurig my Mom found.)

The best thing I've found is some chairs and a bench that fit my girls.

 

I honestly never thought that I would actually find a doll. (I mean, it’s quite unbelievable, isn’t it...). And she was in such an odd spot, too - with the sort of souvenir / religious items. Because she has the ‘anime’ eyes, I was even sure what she was at first, and then when I WAS sure I just scooped the box up in disbelief.
The volunteer at the counter correctly called her a ball jointed doll, but thought she was probably from the 70s. I explained about the wait time for such a doll, and that she was from South Korea - but I didn’t mention how much she was worth!

The only thing ‘wrong’ with her was that her wig, which was like one from a cheap porcelain doll, had been glued on - which I find really odd given that the original owner had got her with her original Luts outfit and everything! But I’ve already got the wig off and cleaned her head cap, and she’s like new.

I suppose the real point of this story / post is that... amazingly... it is possible to find a doll in an op shop! (So never stop looking!)

 

I know that Tuesday Morning doesn't count as a thrift shop, but sometimes they have Pullips, Ai bjd, and Pang-jdolls. I love going there and finding them sometimes.

 

Sooooooo I became one of these mystical beings recently when I found an Iplehouse Violet in tan skin at a charity shop She's pristine. For $2.99

I am absolutely blown over but also super curious as to where she came from. Did someone willingly donate her? Or was she given away by accident etc? Either way she's going to get repainted and stay here with us.

 

@Tashayarna I find that this kind of stuff end up in charity shops most often when someone passes away and their family doesn't know it's worth, or it didn't sell at an estate sale so it's send in bulk to a donation site. I've heard of more than once someone going to an estate sale now and finding gems. On one occasion older dolls who's companies are no longer in business (although the name eludes me atm)

 

Nah, never. Second hand deals using twitter or other SNS is much more popular at korea.

 

I always dream of walking into a physical thrift shop and finding one. But I think this still counts- I did manage to get an Iplehouse Tania from the Goodwill auction site at about half cost! There were 3 Iplehouse dolls up but Tania has been on my wishlist and being that she's discontinued... I kept nudging my bids up until the other person gave up (if that person is reading this, sorry not sorry! She's being well loved here )

I also named my thrift shop doll Charity.

 

I've found 3 Ai BJD dolls at an antique mall before

 

I heard about someone who found a Volks doll at a yard sale. But I would probably ask the seller a bunch of questions. If he/she was the original owner, where they got the doll, etc. I’d be horrified to discover that a mother/father was selling their kids BJD while they were away at college or something. I would never want to do that to someone.

 

OMG I have never found one. Hope I can find one in future！

 

I never thought it would happen to me, but today it did! An old girlfriend who I haven't spoken to me in years messaged me on Facebook. She remembered I collected BJDs and spotted one at the thrift store she was working at! So I ran down there right as they opened this morning and found a Batchix Dark Elf in purple skin for $22! I didn't know what sculpt he was at first so I posted him on Instagram. A lot of people helped me figure it out, and then Batchix herself commented saying that he was likely the same doll that had gotten lost in the mail earlier this year. He wasn't stolen thankfully, just sent to a clearing house in an unclaimed package and the thrift store opted to sell him. Now his long journey is over and he finally has a home

 

In 2018 when i was just inching into the hobby I found a bunch of tinies bagged together at a goodwill. Only 3 of the 8 were legit in the end (I confirmed it with a mod here too) but those 3 were LUTS tiny delfs, Tyltyl, Jack, and Gretel, all with intact faceups and eyes. (I've been a fan of LUTS ever since!) it ultimately pushed me 100% into the hobby, so it was a very sentimental thing for me! They're my lucky babies!!

I can't help but still look when I'm out thrifting now (since I'm always hunting for props and clothes and such), but honestly the anxiety of it all is so stressful...

 

This is my dream and main goal on visiting thrift shops. Never have been lucky though.

My local thrift stores sell literally everything though, and I once found a pullip box with card (each sold seperatly). The pullip was nowhere to be seen though.

Other then finding a cute Chinese tea set that works for MSD and a sturdy, hard-covered bag that was perfect as carrier for 2 YO-SD that can stand in there and be carried arround like that, I have not been lucky on the BJD finds.

I once have found a ball jointed fashion doll in this plastic/vynil like material. She looked a lot like a Barbie they made way to big! I didn't buy her because she had no interchangable eyes or wig and I know some kid will be more happier then me to find her there and buy her. I didn't like the Barbie feels this doll gave me.

Still love thrift stores though! For finding other stuff. I can only wish to be this lucky one day.

 

There's a giant antique mall that I occasionally check out, but no dollfies yet. The only cool find I bought was a Jenny doll, which is like a Japanese barbie from the 80's.