In love with a discontinued sculpt

Aw Merlin was so sweet. I also was trying to decide, but it took me too long and...now we're here! I like how this thread was created years ago, but we still come here whenever we think we've found a great doll, and then that "out of stock" sign flashes in our faces.

 

The Sailor Moon Dollfie dream selection- the second hand market is so crazy for them right now to the point Mars and Jupiter are almost impossible to find…

 

I feel you . I have the same problems . The most of the dolls which I wanted were discontinued. So I had to search for them so much until I got them . Still trying to find some shoes for almost one year and I can not find them . It’s really big pain.

 

The only thing I can advise you is... never give up. I know it can be annoying, and painful, and you never know when or how they'll turn up secondhand. Sometimes the odds can feel so little you might be tempted to give up the ghost... My grail was an old sculpt from a nearly entirely unknown company so the chances of actually finding him were next to none. And yet, after 10 years of pining for him, he is finally in my collection... I literally sobbed for joy when I opened his box. I don't think I've ever had this reaction with another doll, he's just that special. So though the process may be grueling, it's all worth it, in my experience...

 

I've been drooling over certain dolls for years, but I just recently started actually buying them. There were some I had loved so much it breaks my heart they are no longer available (Dollzone Robot Ji Cyborg and Spiritdoll Little Mermaid) and I'm kicking myself for not just buying them. And since I'm just now starting to shop for real, now I'm seeing all these other amazing dolls I missed out on. I'm just really hoping they just fall magically into my lap some day.

 

I managed to get my hands on a head of a duo sculpt I wanted from Dream of Doll (Tender Too and Bee).
I still kick myself for not ordering them when I had the chance. Finding them 2nd hand is so hard but I at least have one of the heads.

 

Yes for sure, falling for a discontinued and htf sculpt has happened to me. I have just resigned myself to keeping an eye on secondary markets and hoping someday I find one.

 

A discontinued sculpt I'm in love with is Doll Chateau Carol. The event period to get her was going on back when I was ordering my first doll in 2015, but I wasn't able to afford to get her at the time. It's been in the back of my mind to get her for years now, and I recently started putting more effort into seeking her out, but I've had no luck so far. I would expect more people to have her up for sale considering how many people were selling her after the dolls from that event began coming in, but nope.

I have a few other discontinued sculpts I want (Doll Leaves Noir, Coralreef Opal and Amber, Iplehouse fantasy Stella and Doria, etc.), but Carol is the one I want the most.

 

minifee erda, and dream of doll si...i managed to get my hands on Si finally and hopefully erda is next...its hard finding some discontinued sculpts...

 

Dream of Doll E-an haunts my dreams. I used to sit on the computer in high school scribbling pictures of how I would do up her face.

 

Honestly I fell hard for the older soom fantasy sculpts while I know they do rereleases it’s just not the same as the new heliot and chalco don’t catch my eye as much as the older version not including wanting the full sets.

 

So, veteran discontinued doll hunters, what are your go-to spots for second hand shopping? I really don't know where to start other than the usual ebay (which I try not to use because it's a great place to get scammed/ hacked) and Facebook groups.

 

If you don’t mind using a proxy xianyu has some discontinued or rare sculpts on their however you need an account to even view the links.
Also common same tips apply watch out for blank profiles look for positive rated sellers and if they mention the condition and your having doubts especially if it’s just the company photos you can always ask them to send you pictures.

 

I've got about 8 dolls on my list that are discontinued, some that are more recent like Coralreef's mantis girls Amber and Opal, and others that have been gone for awhile like Dream of Doll Petsha and Ringdoll March Hare, but one day I hope to see them around on the second hand market and get lucky. Ringdoll March Hare is particularly painful for me since I had her sitting in my basket for awhile and had finally saved up enough to get her and then discovered they had stopped making her about a week an a half before and I didn't even notice their post about it.

 

Instagram has a very active marketplace under the #bjdsale tag. There’s also Mandarake (massive secondhand store chain in Japan that sells all kinds of great hobby things) and tbtbros (used to be on yahoo Japan, now I think they have their own site).

 

I fell in love with Doll Chateau Alberta (who i was able to find) and DC Ada (who i can not find)... I just recently saw the 31cm doll from 白零 White and REALLY want him, though there is a chance he will be re-released soon and I have to say I am on the edge of my seat.

It definitely is a little panic inducing to realize the sculpts I love may never be findable, but it is also sort of a fun challenge! I do try to be careful about looking up dolls older than the last few years though to try and keep my wishlist under control.

 

I will forever lament missing Sartoria J Jude elf in the misty gray skin. He would've been a perfect shell for an oc
I do my best not to look back at older sculpts because I am not very good at hunting 2nd hand so the chance of me getting a limited sculpt/one that isn't made anymore is very close to 0.

 

Minifee Ruth… Will simply never rest until I’ll be able to find him on a secondhand market. With his sculpt the face just looks so kind and soft, with a positive and gentle smile. Have been wanting to purchase him since 2013, but had no money at the time he was still listed. It is my dream doll indeed.

 

Pretty sure about 3/4 of my extensive wish list is discontinued Never expected a lot of them to "disappear" but i did just return to the hobby after several years and it was a shock. Nevermind all the 'new' dolls that came & went while I was gone. MNF Erda is a big one rn, and several other FL sculpts - incl one of my absolute grails, a MC7 (which was one of the only discontinued dolls I wished for pre-hiatus - my other was an AA Er) A couple Cocoriang cuties, that Muhan's Doll Shark. Ugh, the list goes on (& on) Hopefully I'll be able to add at least a few of them to my crew thru the 2nd market some day.

 

Yeah this happened to me. I have like two from what I remember. They are Dollzone Clovera and Little Monica Yuria. I wanted LM dolls so much and got upset when they are announcing the discontinuation of the dolls.
I just look for some sculpts that has the same aesthetic or kinda has same ring to it. It's challenging but whatever floats my boat I guess.