Rude to Ask to Touch Other's Dolls?

I would be offended if soneone DIDN'T ask. It's like when people come up and start grabbing onto my dog without asking.

I'm not really a stickler for clean hands or anything...obviously i wouldn't want mud or sticky hands on my doll but I'm not going to be like "your hands must be cleeeean" or anything like that. I do ask that people be aware of the faceup...I touch the faceups of my dolls but that's for me to do Hana's I try to really be aware of as she's a very limited doll.

I've even let kids touch them...as long as the kid is respectful that is

 

ah, I think if someone would ask me I would be okey with them asking.. BUT.. I am not sure if I would let them touch or handle my doll just mainly because I put a lot of money in my dolls and if they would fall or break I would be so heartbroken.. but it is also depending on who is asking! If it's someone who has handled bjd's before (in a proper way) I do not mind.. or someone that seems to be careful and interested in the bjd hobby.

As for asking someone else, I would and have asked in the past if I could make a photo or hold their doll for a bit and never really had any people not willing, but even if they would tell me no I would understand after all I think many people feel a tad scared of other people handeling their dolls especially if it would be their grail doll or just favorite doll they own!

also.. at a big public place like a convention I would probably not allow people to hold my dolls since im scared they get stolen! I dont want to sound like a snob at all.. I guess im just super scared of their faceup getting smudged or dirty.

 

If the person seems responsible and is clean and polite, I'll usually say yes. If they're a child, then no. I've had too many bad experiences with rough children, but if they seem mature I may lower the doll so they can have a better look.

If you're worried about the person taking the doll and running, take a leash! Attach one end around the doll's waist and the other around your wrist. It's pretty unlikely they'll try to run off with the doll AND you!

 

I'd love to let people hold my doll, as long as they aren't hyper/dirty/careless/whatever. I'd be nervous AF though since altogether he cost me $1000 and isn't available anymore.

 

I'd say that, much like basically anything else, simply *asking* politely is fine. Demanding, yelling, or outright grabbing is not.

It's more about permission and common courtesy than anything else.

 

I don't know how I'd feel about a stranger touching my girls. I took one of my Bjd to a convention and every time someone commented and tried to reach for my dolly my fiancé would tense and move my arm/ doll away. I guess when you pay top dollars for a dolly it's a bit offensive when a stranger tries to touch without even asking.

 

It all depends on the situation.
I would never let complete strangers touch my dolls without asking, ever, either. Mostly because I just don't know if their hands are dirty or greasy or what they touched before... I'd hate to end up having smudges on the doll's face, or dirt on their clothes or wig...ugh.
I'd not let children (in my family) handle them either because I can't be sure they won't drop them, and again children often have dirty hands.
Outsiders have no idea how expensive a BJD is, and how much additional money, effort and love was put into personalizing them!
When they see a doll they think "Barbie" and think it's a cheap thing made of plastic that can be played with.

However if it was a BJD meeting, or a friend coming over or something, and I can be sure they washed their hands, and I know that they know about BJDs and how to handle them (at least basics like being careful, dropping them may break them, not touching their face all over, etc) or I know they will listen if I explain it to them, then there's no problem with letting them hold my dolls, pose them, dress them, etc.

 

I agree with you!! My dolls mean the world to me & if you want to touch ASK 1st or I will become a man possessed

 

Hahaha yes, same here! My dolls feel like my little fairies that I created and it just would be heartbreaking if they would break or damaged

 

Good grief - why would anyone think it's rude to ask?

Touching or grabbing without asking - yes I can understand that being seen as rude, but if you have your dolls in a public or semi public place (like a convention or a doll meet) and they aren't behind glass, then you are inviting interest so you should expect curious/interested people to ask if they can hold/touch them.

Teddy

 

Asking is of course fine. I really like it when people asking to touch or hold my boys - I will nearly always say yes, and I particularly enjoy it when children are interested, because it's a nice opportunity to teach them to be gentle and respectful of precious things. Children aren't always hyper muckbeasts! The children I've had the privilege of interacting with in doll contexts have always been delighted, gentle and very respectful.

 

I even ask my wife before I handle her dolls, even though we both collect and take tremendous care when touching them. It's a respect sort of thing. Her boys are very precious to her, and so are mine. I know that she would never damage mine, but just outwardly grabbing something that's not yours can be viewed as rude, even in families.

We have a four-year-old daughter who is actually very, very good with the BJDs. We showed her extremely early in our collecting that it is not okay to pick up or touch one of the dolls without asking first, because generally her hands are extremely dirty, and she can be very rough with her own dolls. When she does ask, I always tell her to go wash her hands and then come back and ask me again. I don't let her play with them outright, but occasionally I will ask her to go fetch Zenith for me, and I will let her hold Frankie, who is much older and already well loved, just so long as she promises not to yank on his joints or snuggle him too roughly.

When it comes to other people who ask to touch and hold, I make sure to tell them just how much work and money went into the dolls first, so they understand that they are not just frivolous "Ken dolls."

"Please don't touch the faces, be gentle with the joints if you'd like to pose them, and by the gods... please don't pull their clothes off."

 

I don't see how it could possibly be rude to ask. You have to abide by their answer, of course.

 

It's by far worst if someone just start touching the dolls without ask my before. I don't mind to let someone touch after ask it to me, but I always alert to never touch the face.

 

I'm not too fussed with people touching my dolls. I am very proud of them and I wish for others to see how amazing they are. I have ever experieced anyone just grabbing my dolls before, every time strangers have touched them, I have been asked beforehand. Because of this I am not too sure of how I'd react if someone randomly grabbed my dolls, but I guess I'd fear they'd grab and run. I mean why else would they grab it without having contacted me beforehand?

 

I find really much similar things between dolls and dogs owners) this topic is often discussed at dog owners forums and people also divide.

As for me, i'm a crazy toucher of everything i like, but i _always_ ask first. I feel sad when i'm not allowed to though, but i never do if the owner doesn't let. Even though bjd don't bite)

 

It is definitely not rude to ask but be prepared for the answer. One suggestion, you could have with you a box of vinyl exam gloves to offer. The person asking should not be offended. This is what they do at quilt shows (although they let you borrow cloth gloves). As for children it depends on how they are acting. When I was young, I was very careful with mine and others' dolls while my niece was horrible with them.