Questions would you buy if you saw BJDs at a Thrift Store?

I have never had the thrill of finding a ball jointed doll at a thrift store - but I did find wicker furniture!
I suppose I would buy it if I liked it? And if I didn't, I'd leave it for someone else to buy!

 

From a thriftstore, absolutely. Even if in the end it's a recast (which it most likely is). I can use it for patternmaking or experiments.

Few reasons:
1) The thriftstores here collect money for good causes. So even if it is a recast, I'd happily purchase from them without risking sending money to a recaster or a seller who will just buy new recasts, and instead send my money to a place where it will be used for good.
2) I know the risks etc of recasts, so buying it from the thriftstore avoids having it be bought by someone who doesn't know and will more likely buy more online.
3) It still gives the doll a bit more time away from the landfill. (we have enough trash already...)

And as others said, if it does happen to be a stolen doll I have enough connections to find the original owner.

 

Absolutely, if it was a doll I liked! I'm rather picky about BJDs and dolls in general, and at least one of my favorites has never been recasted. Others that have wouldn't tempt me for various reasons (eg. I love Lilycat dolls, but the posing isn't great, so I have no desire to get one again), so it's possible being picky could save me an accidental recast experience. And even if it WAS a recast, I could simply enjoy it without sharing it online, secure in the knowledge that I didn't give money to counterfeiters or their supporters.

My local thrift stores don't even have dolls, though, generally. So sadly I doubt it's a question I'd have to deal with.

 

If it was truly a proper thrift store price and it was a model I saw any sort of potential in (and if it wasn't an obvious fake) I would definitely grab it just in case! I wouldn't want to risk the FOMO from leaving it there to go home and research first.

Best case scenario, it's legit and I got it for a steal (and if I don't love it, I'll consider it a rescue mission and find someone who will). Worst case scenario, it's a bootleg, but at least it can be used for Science and my money isn't going to be supporting the bad folks. Great opportunity to test out a dye job or other big modification that I wouldn't want to attempt for the first time on a doll that actually means something to me.

 

I can't imagine anyone who stole a doll would bother to donate it. I'd bet on it being thrown in a dumpster if it wasn't sold. But might as well check the lost/stolen dolls threads just in case! It's not too much effort.

It doesn't matter to me if I want the doll or not. It's pretty unlikely I would want it because I'm very picky. The likelihood that some picker who knows nothing about dolls and will list it on ebay for 3x the going price is higher than someone who truly wants it finding it. It's even possible it won't be bought within its time limit and will end up in the landfill anyway. I would definitely be checking WTBs for it and possibly even offering it for what I paid + shipping. Or maybe even a newbie would enjoy it if no one is seeking it out! It would be wonderful for the doll to go to a home where it is valued

 

Not gonna lie - ever since I saw someone post pictures of finding a Yo-Sd in a plastic bag on a toy wall at a second hand store, I search the toy section of the second hand stores. Even if it was a sculpt I did not care for I would snatch it up.
There is nothing more fun to me in this hobby than a project doll.

 

I probably would purchase a doll from a thrift store depending on the price. I figure if it is one I own or thinking of buying in the future, it would be good to have extra body parts or even an inexpensive head to practice face ups on. If nothing else it would give me a manequin of sorts to try elaborate outfits on to prevent me from damaging a doll I actually care for. I know it takes me a few tries to get some outfits on the dolls I currently possess, (I seem to like the more elaborate outfits)

 

It is my dream to find a BJD at a thrift/secondhand store LOL. Even if it was not a style I collect I don’t think I could pass up the chance to take it home unless the price made it not worth it. Buy first, then dig into the details later of company, sculpt, etc later!

 

I would only buy it if I was confident enough in my knowledge of the doll to feel certain it wasn't counterfeit. I don't want fakes in my collection no matter what, and I wouldn't want to pass on a fake to another person just for the sake of grabbing a bjd in the wild. But if I was confident it was legit, I probably couldn't resist adopting them even if the doll wasn't totally my taste. Meeting in such a way would make my heart melt

 

kinda on topic did yall see the bjds on goodwill's website? one of thems a super dollfie. i dont trust goodwill to make sure they're legit for the prices they're going for, and im a bit sad for whoever owned them before that they'd and up at goodwill

 

I see what you mean now. Keep in mind that boxes can be swapped as well, especially by people who have no idea what they're dealing with. I would say this is not the doll Goodwill claims him to be. Do your research hard for prices that are similar to secondhand prices already. I hope whoever makes the winning bid recognizes this because that would really suck to get in the mail if they don't.

 

I wasn't sure when this thread started... but if it was in person, I now think I'd buy first and ask questions later, which maybe isn't the best impulse! But I think that "rescue" urge would be too strong. I don't think BJDs would ever wind up in a thrift store except under sad conditions. One of my IRL doll friends passed away a few years ago, and that's where hers would've wound up if the person dealing with her estate hadn't cared enough to hold on to them even though he was really overwhelmed. If a family member or friend wound up donating someone's BJDs, I'm sure they didn't feel they had another choice. But if I saw one at a thrift store or estate sale, I'd think of my friend, and what she'd have wanted. I likely wouldn't keep them, but I'd don't think I'd be able to get past wanting to fix them up and make sure they went to a better place for their former owner's sake.

I did look on ShopGoodwill as I was curious, and certainly hope everyone bidding there does know, as nyaaain said... (that sculpt is not what they assumed, but he does look familiar, and it's bugging me!). It's good to know someone's dolls will be going somewhere they'll bring someone new joy, at least.

 

Re: the goodwill doll, I've seen mixed up boxes appear second hand a few times - sometimes the contents are better than the packaging, sometimes vice versa. Maybe somewhere there's a... Beath in this doll's box. At least the jacket seems to belong with the packaging!

Regardless of the the mixed up situation, it's still very special to encounter bjds in the wild line this!