Seeing other collectors out in the wild?

I haven’t but I’d like to! More often, I have my dolls out somewhere for photos and a few times people have approached me to tell me they know other collectors!

 

Not exactly out in the wild, since this is a pretty likely place to see collectors, but! Conventions for sure (animanga, comic con), and I believe I saw at least two different collectors with dolls at Renaissance festivals. It's been a hot minute though since I haven't been to any of those places in at least 4 years. Other than that, I once saw a girl at a local mall carrying an old Dollshe sculpt but I was too shy/awkward to approach her lol Perhaps she felt the vibes I was giving off and knew somehow I was interested though and not just creepily staring at her

 

Yep! I had brought my doll to Joann fabrics and my now close friend asked if she could see my Bjd. Use of the correct terminology gave away that she probably owned or at least knew of them and we became friends ever since! It was pretty awesome!

 

When I lived in Texas, I took a doll to the Ren Faire twice. A LOT of the vendors called me over just to chat about dolls. It was a ton of fun.

 

Back in like... 2006/7 or so? When I was walking with my friends at the Dallas (or maybe Fort Worth?) Botanical Garden, I remember seeing a young woman with a BJD and a camera. She was rushing to her next shooting location, and was obviously avoiding meeting anyone's gaze, I assume to avoid having to answer questions from curious onlookers. But I remember mentally I was like, 'Nooo, I'm like you!!' because I'd just gotten my first Blythe doll that Christmas. But she was a woman on a mission, and I was a socially anxious 13 year old. That's the only time I've met a collector ~ in the wild ~

 

Thanks so much! I have two local bjd friends though one lives further out in Illinois, I'm always happy to see them! I hope you find another local friend too!

 

Not really - lots opf people approaching to ask about the dolls but not unexpectedly run into other collectors other than at The World Science Fiction Convention in Glasgow (back in 2005) when I took my very first BJD and had someone come runnic=g across the convention center squeening about seeing a CP Luts Delf Chiwoo in person

Then at Costume Con in San Jose back around 2008, a couple of others turned up with BJD as well as me.

And again at the DiscWorld convention the same year where someone else's BJD joined me for a broomstick ride over the Ramtop Mountains:


After that, of course, it wasn't a surprise to run into them at those events.

Teddy

 

@Teddy
Is that you!! My boyfriend is a huge DiscWorld fan, too. Lol! He really enjoyed your con pic.

I have never personally met another doll fan, even though my doll room is becoming a museum, lol.
My family has always found me to be 'a little different', *wink*
I'm enjoying the stories in this thread. Maybe I can add my first experience of doll buddies here after our
Portland Meet-up (listed in meet-up forum) on 9/11.

 

A few years back, I decided to take my little fairy doll out to RenFest to take some photos of her in the Fairy Forest area. I approached a few of the actors back there to take photos with her, and most of them were very obliging but awkward about handling her.

Then there was this lovely faun:



She immediately took a guess at company (and got it right), said she had some of her own (Soom Teenie Gems, iirc), and spent time posing Akane to interact with her for several photos. While she obviously didn't have any of her own there, it was fun to chat with her, and the photos with her turned out the best of all of them.

 

.It was me, 13 years ago.

I hope you enjoy that first meet.

Teddy

 

If you can get with a local group, it’s more comfortable going out since you’re not the only one with a doll. But I’ll sometimes take mine alone too, since my house and yard are pretty boring for photos.

 

I'm glad you met some and yes it's sad when they leave the area! I'm in Illinois myself and always miss my doll pals even if they're in the same state! One of my closest friends is in Arkansas and I wish she lived closer!

 

Y'all are inspiring me to take a doll to the Ren Faire...though I am not sure where they would pose for photos.

@Teddy There are Discworld conventions?! I clearly need to read more of the series and find out more about the fan base! I think I read the very first story but neve progressed past that.

But to answer the question, I haven't met anyone else recently. I have some friends who collect but they live in different states and I know I saw them at anime conventions over a decade ago. I should really see if there is a meet up anytime soon but I fear the FB Group for my area went quiet. The one local dealer used to have little meetups in her store but COVID-19 put an end to those.

 

Fellow Terry Pratchet fan here! A Discworld con sounds like a lot of fun. Was the doll a Discworld character? (My screen is small and can't make out details that well)

 

I live in a small town and a few years ago while I was standing in line for a Marvel midnight showing, a guy walked past me holding a Dollfie Dream or another anime type doll. I wish I would have said something but I was so caught off guard that there was another collector in town. Haven’t seen them since.

 

@Epicari The witches of DiscWorld come from the Ramtop Mountains, if I have that right, @Teddy.
Ps, Teddy, I would have sent about your tons of fun pic by message, but your inbox is full.

 

When I was in high school I went to Disney World with a friend. We both were newly into BJDs but utterly obsessed.
We went to the Japan Pavillion in EPCOT, and there was a girl there with her BJD. I could not tell you now what the sculpt was, but it was surely a surprise to see! She was kind and talked with us for a while. It was one of the first encounters I had with the community