Perception of BJDs in other doll circles

I myself collect and customice other kinds of dolls (mainly fashion dolls like barbie and the like) and from what I see the doll collecting community seems pretty open minded about bjds. One of the other girls on here (Magictoadstool) has a mom who collects more traditional dolls like baby dolls (from what I see. She's got a HUGE china cabinet full of em >.<) and she seems to be quite excited about MT's hobby, especialy considering how many MT has now (lucky girl *sigh*). Of course there are people in both groups who don't like the other group's dolls, but hey, that happens in any hobby.

 

Good discussion topic. It's ok with me that people in my fashion doll club don't care for BJDs--as long as they aren't disrespectful/hostile towards my precious child Kameko, it's ok.

One member of my fashion doll club who has been vocal in her dislike of BJDs showed up at a ABJD meet up. She is a friend of one of the attendees. The fashion doll club member brought some of her non-ABJDs. It felt like she thought it was her mission to "enlighten" the ABJD lovers to the fashion doll world ("come over to the dark side!").

After the meet up, she's been even more vocal about her dislike of ABJDs. Too weird.

 

Working in a store that sells housewares makes me find that comment pretty funny. They're saying that sort of thing about a material that is also used to make $1.99 dinner places. If we wanted to talk about superior materials, why not just make a doll out of bone china? That thing would cost thousands of dollars but would be indestructible for decades. I've seen 300lb men stand on teacups made of that stuff.

As far as dolls go, the only other doll I owned was an American girl doll, and when I was younger, I thought $80 was a crazy price for a cloth doll with plastic limbs tied on. My grandmother collects porcelain dolls by the dozen, but I don't think she's ever spent more than $100 on one, and hers are much larger. Her first response to seeing my bjd's was "why so much for such a small doll?" When I made plans to buy a bjd, I knew what the price was and knew that I wanted one anyways. The price was something I couldn't get around and had to deal with. Some things just cost that much.
A student art teacher at my school was really into all things toys and was intrigued about my dolls the moment she saw a picture. She had heard about them in a class and thought they were the coolest thing ever.
I guess it depends on the person.

 

I've seen some nastiness directed at doll stores that sell ABJD stuff now - seen them chastised for focusing too much on ABJD and not enough on other doll products, even though the ABJD are increasingly popular and I think it's smart to provide new products that are in currently in demand. I imagine Haute Doll gets some flak like that too from people only interested in 16" vinyl fashion dolls. Seems like there are plenty of places to go to buy or get information on other dolls, so I don't have a problem with stores or magazines deciding to devote more space to ABJD.

Like some of the other people here, I've always collected dolls, and I wanted a BJD for a while, but they were so hard to get here. It's been wonderful that so many companies sell directly to the US customer or US doll store - between that and paypal, it has made it much easier to own them! The price was a big jump for me - especially the Volks SD sized - but there are certainly other dolls that are comparable or higher in price.

I still like my vinyl 16" fashion dolls, but it's all about the ABJD now for me!

There should still be room for both kinds of dolls to exist -

 

I am a member of a long established United Federation of Doll Clubs club that collects just about every type of doll imaginable. Only 3 of us in the group have bjd's and we're slowly exposing the rest of the group to them. One of mine comes to almost every meeting, and when I don't bring one, people ask me why not . Ella even made it into our club photo last weekend!
I think the most puzzling thing about bjd's to most other doll collectors is the customization aspect. Very few dolls are worth as much or more not mint-in-the-box. The taller boys tend to throw off many doll collectors I've met though, I think they are so different from what they're used to!

 

To be honest, I've always hated dolls, even as a kid. I was more of an action figure collector, still am really... but asian BJDs were just different, somehow. They portrayed a very anti-mainstream asthetic in a lot of cases, the hyper-androgenous, sultry looking boys for example... that's a rarity in any circle. I can't really compare them so much to fashion dolls like Barbie as I can to, say... something like a living dead doll. And yes, I know a good majority of BJDs aren't specifically intended to be spooky, but really, that's the only reason I got into them. They're like little rock stars!

 

I hope he's not declining too much. I just got an Il and he needs lots of Matt clothes.

The only real exposure to other doll collectors I get is through sewing groups and doll shows.

This means the next time someone tells me that sewing for my dolls will never help me learn to deal with "non-perfect" bodies is getting shown pictures of my boy's who seem to be all leg and no torso...

Besides that, everyone just is happy and plays with their own dolls.

 

hm,
well I'm one f the girls that has been a totall tomby for like ever.
I never played with dolls,maybe my sis barbies.

I have found the response of other doll collectors really nice,
most doll collectors around me are really old lady's.
And i though they would run away screaming for my dolls are a bit strange..but the old lady's always end up grooming my girls hair.
And asking if they can sew her a shirt ;3
~next time i visit them im gonna recieve about 20 scarfs/hats/shirts~

On doll fairs me and the other bjd owners have big problems shopping because we get questions from every stand owner and collector we get close too XD

 

Really interesting topic! ^^.

That's a rather silly thing to say. I used to collect porcelain dolls, and frankly- resin seems to be of much better quality than much of the porcelain. It's less breakable, its got a better texture and at least to me is easier to customize and paint.
Also, how can they say that no skill goes into casting resin dolls?! First of all, the prototypes for these dolls are sculpted by artist. Also, casting resin is an art in itself- it can be really tricky and only one of a few comes out perfect. I love my BJDs much more than my porcelain dolls- they have much more character imho, and I can play with them without being constantly worried about them breaking or chipping.


That said, it seems somewhat odd to me that a fellow doll collector will moan about BJDs gaining popularity- they have an equal chance at collecting BJDs, if they'd like! So there isn't really much to be jealous about, at least from where I see it.

 

As far as I'm concerned, I got re-infected with the doll virus, when I was selling some of my childhood Barbies- speaking here of Mod/Vintage dolls 1966/73) - and through this, somehow got involved in this dolly world again.
Then I discovered the larger Tonner dolls- better posability, size, material and- easier to sew for them, then for the 11" dolls.
After a while, the first AM (American Model 22") moved in and naturally she needed "friends" of her size.
Now, finally I'm looking forward to getting my first BJD- another doll dream comes true!
I still, and always will, love all of my dolls, if Barbie, Tonner, or what is yet to come and I can't understand why there should be any "fights" between fashion doll collectors and ABJD fans- let everyone have and enjoy the doll(s) they want.

 

I agree with Chris4u; I love all my dolls, not just the ABJD's. I have antique dolls, my childhood dolls, action figure dolls, and a bunch of others that I find appealing. Life is way too short to fight and argue about something as silly as doll preference. I think that unpleasant people who put down other people for their taste in collecting have personal problems. I avoid them whenever possible. Fortunately, most of the people I meet who collect dolls are wonderful and lots of fun.

 

My step-mom has collected barbies since she was a kid (she's now mid 40's) and has no problem spending $50-$100 on a doll that will sit in a box. I got my first BJD a couple years ago, thought she'd find it interesting....

Oh no.

She thinks its a "waste of money" to have something like that, since its "just a doll", when weeks before she was showing me her collection of 150+ barbies. My step-sister is in love with my dolls, and wants to save for one when she gets a job (she's 13 now), but my step-mom told her flat out she can't have one. Even if she paid for it herself. (But oh no, she's allowed to have collector barbies. WTF?!)

 

That's an interesting point.

Even as a Gene and Jenny and Barbie collector, I always had few dolls and more clothes accessories. People thought I was mad.

Now in BJBland no one thinks it odd Dennis has more clothes than I do and that I only have a few dolls.

I don't want a vast collection, I just want the faces I like.

Still I have to say I've seen far more hostility to "ew fashion dolls" than towards the bjds.

 

I belong to a fashion doll board where the members have absolutely no problem deboxing any doll and redressing or modding it.

Come to think of it that's probably why I like it there. :lol

They're focused on one particular type of Barbie (Fashion Fever), but they welcome discussion in the appropriate places of any and all dolls. And they seemed to be thrilled for me that I'd purchased a bjd and can't wait to see her.

It seems like for some Barbie collectors they think that if they leave it in the box for ever and ever they'll have the next #1 Ponytail worth millions and that just ain't the case. I say buy what you like and do what you like with it and don't critisize others when they do the same. :p

 

I've been collecting silkstone dolls for four years and then recently Tonner and Gene dolls. When I came upon the BJDs about three weeks ago I thought "this changes everything". I will still collect the others to some extent, but the beauty and individuality of the BJDs is going to divert my funds in a new direction.

Every type of doll moves us in its own particular way. Noone should get bent out of shape over something they don't collect or something that is unusual to them.

 

I've been in another doll forums and some of they like them ^^ a lot of them tell that they're scary O_o [don't understand it, they're so beautiful >.<(L)!] But that's not a popularity ranking that I've found, so much doll collectors say that, even if they're so beautiful, they're so expensive too ^^U that's the most told opinion that I've found on another communities owo

EDIT: I've forget to tell that people who collect another dolls are more open-minded with that thread and most of the people that I've known think that it's meravellous to find a doll that you can customize a lot !

 

*****n/a*****