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How to tell the age of a Volks doll?

Jan 3, 2025

    1. I have an old Volks Mimi that I'm curious about. She's on the original body with the massive ball joints like this one
      https://order.mandarake.co.jp/order...274757431&ref=list&keyword=volks mimi&lang=en

      She is also too old to have a headplate- which I know they started adding to their dolls in 2002. I'm confident she's legit and not a recast- I bought her from the Japanese second hand market place and she has her original faceup and came with her original box.
      I don't have a great photo of her faceup right now, so here's the best I've got.
      https://mermaidgrey.neocities.org/images/Dolls/WEB mimi laying on wall closeup.jpg

      I was trying to pin down an exact year she's from. So far I've got it between 1999 and 2002.

      Does anyone know what year Volks introduced the Mimi sculpt to help me narrow it down further? (Also documented as F-09) Neo Angel Den - Volks FCS - 60cm SD FCS - Head Molds
       
      #1 Mermaidgrey, Jan 3, 2025
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    2. I would think it’s nearly impossible to pin a standard doll down to an exact year without any known provenance. Even when I ordered a doll direct from Volks Japan in 2005 the head plate indicated it was manufactured about 6 months prior to me receiving it
       
      #2 CherryStreet~Sera, Jan 3, 2025
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    3. According to this, standard Mimi was released in 2001.
       
      #3 cobaltconduct, Jan 3, 2025
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    4. I have a Mimi, and she has a headplate that indicated she was made in 2005.
      (It was bought from another DoA member here. Since I don't have photos of her right now, I'll link you to the listing: https://denofangels.com/threads/270-–-volks-sd13-old-f09-f13-full-doll-ns.853386/ You can see the headplate in the last photo.)

      So there are Mimi dolls with and without head plates. Volks started to put head plates on their dolls around 2002. That means your head plate-less Mimi would've been made somewhere between 2001 and 2002.

      Hope this helps!
       
      #4 SPhosphate, Jan 4, 2025
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    5. Thanks for your insight everyone :)

      I've figured out that she's from 2002- as that's when she was released with the version of the faceup I've got and any later than 2002, she would have a headplate.

      The photos show up on google, but sadly not on the site, but here's the page that I found

      Where Angels Lie - A Super Dollfie Database - SD
       
      #5 Mermaidgrey, Jan 4, 2025
    6. @Mermaidgrey The images on that site work when you remove the s from https:// (to http://)
       
      #6 nyaaain, Jan 4, 2025
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    7. So I actually think she may be a super old one-off. In the early 2000s, they came in a plain red box just like the one pictured. Additionally, those lower applied eyelashes in combination with the hot glued glass eyes would also lend to her being an ancient one off.

      Unfortunately, without the certificate, it's impossible to confirm for sure. But I'm quite positive that is what she is! A super cute little treasure.

      Here is a Four Sisters I snagged, also off of Mandarake. She too came in a plain red box, with glued eyes and applied lower lashes. I also believe her to be an old one off from between 2000-2002.
       
      #7 I<3MySD, Jan 7, 2025
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    8. @I<3MySD If she is an early one-off, could she possibly be pictured in Perfect Catalog? I don't have access to my copy of Perfect Catalog 1, but it might be worth checking out of someone has it in hand.
       
      #8 nyaaain, Jan 7, 2025
    9. Its possible, though usually I find the photos from the earliest Dolpas lacking. In the second Volks News for example, there's like the tiniest far away shot of some of the dolls that were available, but no details or closer photos. I really do wish earlier Volks history was better captured!
       
      #9 I<3MySD, Jan 7, 2025
    10. Interesting development to share, but someone in the Dollfie discord shared a Mimi with nearly the same exact faceup with the applied lower lashes! Now I'm wondering if there was a brief period where they applied the lower lashes this way
       
      #10 I<3MySD, Jan 10, 2025
    11. I have an old f-12 with those massive joints...

      No answers, just love to see a thread about the OGs.
       
      #11 orphansparrow, Jan 10, 2025
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    12. I DO have the 1st Perfect Collection book in an easy-to-reach place, and it does have pics of some real early one-offs, as well as of the shop edition Mimi makeup. The shop versions have painted lower lashes. There are two Mimi one-offs pictured here, and both look like they have painted lower lashes. There IS a one-off 05 head from Dolpa 6 that definitely has applied ones! I think it's reasonable to conclude they did that for SOME one-offs and not others. I can take pics and upload 'em somewhere if that's helpful.

      I can confirm it says Mimi was introduced at Dolpa 5, in spring 2001, then with renewed makeup in Sept 2002 (very likely when yours is from, one suspects?), plus a Christmas release that December (with Nono and Syo; also with painted lashes).
       
      #12 Ayaka, Jan 11, 2025
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