Playing Vs. Collector Mentality

I don't own any artist or LE bjds but I know from personal experience with other dolls I've owned that I don't want one - it's not the sticker price per se, I've got plenty of pricey dolls I do play with, but whenever I've acquired a doll that is especially rare or I've discovered has insane resale value, I get too terrified to play with it and then it ends up living alone in a box and I don't bond with it as much as my other dolls.

Buying for-display-purposes-only doesn't interest me either - personally, it seems to turn them into expensive, quirky knick-knacks and that's not at all what I buy bjds for. I like to play!

As far as truly unique one-of-kind artist dolls go, I don't think I would buy one because I'm afraid I might ruin the doll - not just for me, but for everyone else who might have seen or enjoyed it's beauty and rarity. Does that make any sense?? I guess I feel that art belongs in a gallery where everyone can see it and appreciate it, and my dolls deserved to be played with by me.

There is a lovely sentence in my edition of Miller's Collecting Dolls and Teddy Bears guide, about how toys in mint condition are obviously worth more money, but that there is also something sad about a toy that was never played with by a child. Craftsmanship gives them beauty and value, but it's play that brings them to life and makes them lovable. I always try to think of that when I feel my dolls are "too good" to be played with. Doesn't really work though...

 

My guys all sit on the hutch in my dining room when they're not jaunting off somewhere with me. Although, when I say hutch, it's a pretty informal piece of furniture. The upper shelf is where all my Windstone dragons and similar breakables sit. And the 'bottom shelf' which is actually the top of the cabinet part of it, is setup for the dolls. There's chairs and a small table, etc. Also, my 'dining room' is that in name only. Its primary purpose is to separate the kitchen from the living room and to hold the hutch and the sewing table. XD

I play with my guys. No doubt. In fact, when I buy a doll, I weigh a variety of factors. First I'm looking for a mold, a look that appeals to me. Second, how does that doll fit in with both my existing dolls and the characters I want to incarnate with a doll. Last, the doll has to be at a price point that I'm comfortable with. Does want balance cost? Is the cost something that I am comfortable spending? I'm well-paid, I could save up just about any amount I wanted to, but there *are* limits to what I am willing to spend. And that includes the fact that I don't buy things that are meant to stay in boxes.

So, while I could save up and buy a $2000 limited, I wouldn't. Simply because at that point I would feel obligated to protect that investment. And that's not what my dolls are about for me. I would far rather spend less on something I really like, and then spend more on customizing that doll to suit my tastes, and dressing it to suit my fancies.

 

I've always collected "stuff" that interests me, but I've never been one for maintaining the MIB status. My barbies and breyer horses were well played with and loved. Right now I'm collecting BJDs, but I know that eventually my interest will move on.

The majority of my dolls have company or easily replaced face-ups, but I do have some LE and expensive dolls/face-ups. My daughter and I "play" with all of them. Capt Cecile Scarface was one of our most expensive for a long time. He is very well loved and as a result has had his face-up redone twice due to parts of his paint rubbing off. It hasn't changed our love for him, nor has it changed his character in our minds, merely explored another facet of his "personality" His first face-up was Volks, his second was done by Hazedoll and his current was done by SDink. Each has been very different, but all are him.

Although I have a couple of dolls with face-ups by "famous" face-up artists, I don't generally seek this type of doll. My thought being that face-ups are not permanent so why spend the extra cash. Because I am afraid to play/interact as much with these dolls, they generally end up in the "beautiful knic knack" category, which is not where my interest lies, and they ultimately end up for sale.

I do not consider Volks LEs to be in this category, but that is a perspective that has changed with time. With my first dolls I was afraid to mar their face-ups in any way. Over time, I've gained confidence in my own face-up skills and also made friends with various face-up artists, so redoing an LE's face-up is no longer seems a terrible thing.

All of our dolls are on display in various areas around the house. The majority on a wall shelf in our computer room. For us the enjoyment is interacting with the dolls, dressing them up, photographing them, just looking at them, etc.

 

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

 

I’m also wondering about one-offs when their clothes are separated and sold. Do you think the value is less for each part when compared to the original doll complete with all its original components? This question might apply to fullsets.

Oh, forgot to comment on that -
It actually makes me sad when the original components such as outfit, are separated from a one of kind bjd. I'm not sure of devaluation, I would guess that would be the case, but its the lost of its historical completeness that I'm thinking of - that it may be forgotten a few years down the road what this unique item looked like when it was originally offerred. I do try to pick up complete sets of limited or unique outfits when they sometimes go up for sale, because these items can be amazing. But I understand that the owner may have just wanted the doll, or couldnt afford the set unless they sold off pieces. I'm hoping that someone takes a good photo of the item before the parts are separated. Some websites used to show archives of their one-offs and uniques (and even limiteds)but that isn't much the case anymore....Alex

 

My SO (a Transformers collector) and I are not MIB kind of people. We love to play with our toys. I'm fairly new to BJD ownership (versus the years I've spent drooling on the computer monitor), but I buy what I love and would be horrified at the thought of selling my boy and girls, no matter how rare and coveted they might be at some point.

 

I don't play with my dolls as much as others maybe, but I am definately not precious with them. No white gloves for me. They also get stuffed in knitting bags and dragged off really uncerimoniously. Poor things. I stick my hands all over thier faceups changing thier eyes. I think it's because I know I can't sell any of them. So they are just mine.

 

I feel guilty if I dont play with my dolls.
For some reason,totally opposite to some other members that posted here,I feel like if I'm going to spend a large amount of money on something I should play with it.
I think if I had a doll that cost 6000 dollars I would still play with it as much as I do with my 400 dollar ones. I just cant keep my hands off them.
Yes there are days that I hardly play with them,but those are quite rare.I still ''wake them up'' and dress them up every morning,and ''put them to bed'' at night.

About limiteds and one offs.I would not separate a set.Even if the doll came with an outfit I hated I would not sell it.Just because it is a set.It would feel the same to me like getting rid of some pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.It would just seem ''wrong'' in my brain.
That of course doesnt mean I dont approve of other people doing it.

 

well... I only have one doll and one on the way, the other one i want is no way a limit ^^ u see over a 100 Els on this forum

there are loads of dolls i want that are limited like Reisner, Tony and the Delf-Arts but for me i would be afraid to have a limited. If i did then i wouldn't feel right to change them out of their outfits and they would come with a personality attached.

I'm too much of a perfectionist, when i have a limited something i wouldn't play with them, like a delf-art if i ever get one it will sit on a shelf looking pretty.

If i get a volks or CP limited i would play with them but not as much as a standard.

i'm more of a playing mentality than a collector i suppose. I used to play all my w-inds. cds day in day out until i found some people burn a copy of their cds and put them in bubble wrap to preserve the cd... now mine are gathering dust on my shelf as i copy them onto my ipod. i don't really want that to happen to dolls.

 

I love touching my dolls -I'm very tactile, especially little resin hands. I feel like if I don't touch them, I'm not appreciating them, and sometimes when I'm on the computer or hanging out listening to music I'll perch them somewhere on me, like say my knee or if I'm laying down, on my stomach.

If start feeling bad if I haven't played with them enough, because I feel like I payed for them and that I should. I don't take a lot of pictures of dolls (tho that seems to be changing) so it's nice to just be able to enjoy them. I'm definetely not a cotton gloves person.

 

I personally don't collect dolls. I believe in playing with them. It's like keeping fine china in the cupboard....if you are too afraid to use it, what value does it truly have? So you die and someone can say...gee she had nice china. lol.

I would rather love a doll until it shows signs of use than to keep it as an untouchable locked in a display case. To me, the only true value a doll has is in how much it is loved.

 

I have a collection of Barbie's and some other dolls. They mostly stay MIB, just.. Because I like to look at them, not to play with them.. With my other "expensive" dolls, like Blythe & Pullip, I tend to tear them from their boxes and play with them. lol.. The first thing usually to go is the stock outfits and they get re-dressed.

Is it wrong of me to let my little 4 year old cousin to play with my Blythe & Pullips? Dunno.. I'd prolly let her play with my BJD when it gets here, but.. We'll see. It depends on how I feel about it when she gets here.. I'm actually more worried about adults handling my dolls than kids..

 

for me playing i guess than collectors mentality...the little guy i have isnt the most expensive bjd but when i do see others with thousand dollar ones i do the same (like i play around with thiers >< if they say ok of course)but mind my manners XD My little guy, hmm i play to an extent, i have my limits though mainly I like to use him as a guide in drawing and practicing photography. Id actually feel bad to just leave my little guy in a case on display XD same with the other owners ive met. i really admire the faceups of bjds and b/c of that im very carful whenever i play with him.

 

None of my dolls are rare or have face-ups by high demand artists. So, no worries on that front.

To me, they are not just dolls. So, I believe in playing with them. Not in the playground action figures sense, but in carrying them around, hugging them, or taking pictures. Why have a $500 bookend? :P

 

One of the ways I play with my dolls is to re-do their faceups xD

Also, I really enjoy taking them out to doll meet ups. So they are going to get a bit of rough and tumble - but I'dl like to think that most of them are here for a long haul.

 

I don't really play with my dolls per se. I occasionally change their clothes and take their picture, but other than that, they remain artfully arranged in my room. I don't take them out on trips unless I have to for reference purposes and I definitely never cuddle or hug them. I do consider myself more a collector of these dolls as I acquire and customize the group that I want than as someone who plays with them. I am not more worried about any of my limiteds being messed up than I am my standard dolls, I treat them all properly and safely. Since to me the most important thing is that they always look good, I wouldn't mind having a nice glass case to keep them in.

I have a large collection of MITB box Barbies and Breyers, and several of my favourite Breyers I have one that I could play with more, one mint in box, and one show quality out of box. I have always been very meticulous about the things I do collect and even my play Barbies were always kept as close to mint and original as I could keep them. It always horrified me when my younger sister would cut the hair or use markers to change the makeup on her Barbies. Playing with something doesn't mean love, as the care that some put in keeping their toys perfect or not taking something tempting out of a box shows just as much devotion as the person dragging it everywhere and getting it dirty.

 

Well I guess I have more of the collector attitude when it comes to these dolls...but I do change out eyes, wigs and pose for pics or just for an aesthetic atmosphere in my home.

I did have a limited..BB Alice, that I just loved, but I didn't do much with her, I did take her outside ones and poses her for pictures but I was so worried she would topple over and ruin her face up or break something..that I didn't do much with her...it actually took me nearly a year to take her out of her default outfit and dress her in something else with a different wig and eyes.
That's why I sold her, as much as I loved her look....what is the sense of having her and not thoroughly enjoying her?

My hound still has original face up from Tensiya..even though I bought him second hand..I plan on changing it..just lazy right now..

My SD Gena has the default faceup and though I love it, eventually I know I may have to change it if it every becomes chipped...hopefully by that time though I will be good enough with my airbrush to come close to duplicating it.

But I don't take my dolls anywhere, I 've only been to one meetup..though last weekend I took my Kyrie, petdoll Ant, and Horny the little devil to my mom's, to show some relatives what they were like...I found out it was a surprise birthday party for me! and everyone sat in a circle with me in the middle...showing off my dolls....it was a little embarrassing...I thought I would only show them to a couple or relatives..

so I don't do much with them..so I am more of a collector.

 

I'm a player.

There's only doll that I would curl up and die if anything happened to his faceup, and that's my beloved Heath. I love that guy so so much, and part of what makes me love him is his supurb faceup.

I worry about taking him out, but my love of bringing him to meetups and spending time with him outweighs my fear of ruining his faceup. That's not to say that I'm not very careful when I take him out! I'm REALLY careful with him, all the time.

 

I think what first attracted me to this hobby was the fact that these dolls, despite the cost, still get played with. I don't plan on letting mine sit on a shelf, either.

As far as LE dolls go- it'd have to be a really amazing doll for me to shell out the extra cash. When I was shopping for my first I fell in love with Dollmore's "Abyss of Baikal Bonnie." I loved her, her faceup, the hair, but I didn't want to spend/didn't have the extra $300 for the outfit. There was actually a member here who was looking to buy just the outfit, but really, what is the point of an LE if you're going to break it up and sell it off? As much as I would have still played with her, I did still consider the resale value, which would have dropped sharply, because Dollmore can make as many white skinned Bonnie dolls as they want. It seems to be the little details that make these dolls special.