I confess I have sold a doll or two over the years. It was never an easy decision. Right now I am trying to sell a doll and a floating head because of medical bills. But I have sold two dolls in the past for rather odd reasons. I sold a doll several years ago because its hands were too big for its sculpt. It was a YOSD, and its hands were huge. In the company photos her hands looked perfect for her body. But when she arrived I was shocked to see that her hands were different and way out of proportion. The company informed me that those were the hands shown in the company photos, and would not replace them. So I tried to find replacement hands myself, but the way her hands were attached, they could not be removed. I tried really hard to like that doll, but it bugged me how huge her hands were. I couldn't bear it any longer, and sadly sold her. Another time I sold an SD doll (from the same company which shall remain nameless). In that case, it was her feet which were too big. She was a normal size SD at 60 cm. But her feet measured 9.5 cm long. At that time there were no 65 or 70 cm dolls, so I could not buy shoes to fit her. I even tried making shoes for her, but I don't have that talent, so they looked terrible. I ended up selling her to someone who understood the problem and was willing to overlook the big feet. I often regret it however. She was a nice doll, and should have gotten a better chance with me. SO. . . what are some of the odd or unusual reasons you've sold or traded away dolls? I would love to read your stories.
Lets see..... I sold an SD before because her elbows annoyed me with how pointy they were. I really get how sometimes one issue can really bug you to no end. Also, many years ago I traded away my first full doll because she was one of those in between sizes (30cm and overly curvy). As a newbie at the time, I was not prepared for how difficult she was to sew or buy things for. I still don't really like those in between sizes but at least now I'm better at gauging what they can wear. But I'm also that person that has sold and traded a LOT so I've had all kinda of reasons for rehoming dolls.
I did sell one Tiny 10cm Woong by Pipos and my only reasoning behind it was because he was “too cute” lol which is so silly. Maybe it was just an excuse my brain created because it was a on the whim and very sudden purchase I didn’t think through ^_^’’
I sold a doll because the way the eyes fit in the eyewell, they reminded me of the way a chihuahua's eyes look...and I am not a fan of that. Due to the way her eyes were sculpted/shaped, that would have been the same with every pair of eyes. I had been trying to bond with her and my friend made the comparison remark off hand and I couldn't un-see it, so for sale she went.
Selling a doll for having wacky feet is totally valid. I have decided I have gotten too annoyed with Dollshe 26F's flat feet. It's longer than most girl feet but less wide than boy feet so it is terrible to put shoes on. And many people who sell 26F shoes only sell for the heel feet. >_< Making shoes is the hardest thing to do for me and none of my characters are fairies in the woods who own no shoes lol TBH, I have kind of accepted the fact I am a revolving-door doll owner rather than a collector-collector. The majority of my dolls seem to only stay for a few years. I have a much smaller permanent crew. Thoroughly Petty Reasons for selling a doll: was going to make an ocean diorama for them, decided I didn't like making diorama feet too stupid a size (also I kind of hate Dollshe right now) Doll represented a character for a fandom I am not longer active in Bought doll just to wear an outfit, buying a doll to be a coathanger doesn't work for me. Finally found a vampire head I liked (I don't like the ones that are like tiny pointy teeth slapped on top of the lips) decided it wasn't as fun as I thought I hate sewing for 26cm bodies Head size didn't match the doll that would be his boyfriend. Can't take almost-kissy photos, not keeping him. lol the nipples protruded too much and were very unrealistic
I sold a doll because I loved the body of so much, I didn't want to put her in clothes! Part of the problem was her skin tone was too warm. I had planned to make clothes for her from my sewing scraps, but I have cool toned skin so nothing really worked for her. I just loved her figure, her sculpting was lovely. But a big part of having a doll for me is the sewing, so I let her go. I've since decided to try again in white, and just clothe her in flowers!
This is such a fun thread I sold a boy because he was too square. His body was just so rectangular and it was so unappealing to me when I looked at him straight on. Another doll I didn't want her anymore before she shipped but tried to make it work. I opened the packaging, saw her right out of the box, then put her away because she looked so alien and weird. I just couldn't see myself loving her head shape no matter what I did.
I've sold dolls before because they "made" me buy other dolls to "complete" them (they just weren't themselves without friends/family/lovers/etc.). I love giant family trees, but it's A Lot of space/money in doll form. Now my collection is Lonely Hearts Club members only.
I've mostly sold dolls because they don't fit proportionally with others I have in their scale. The biggest offender is head size. I can forgive some difference, but my dolls can't look like two different species. This is also probably my biggest reason for not buying dolls I otherwise really like.
Too small (Puki Puki size) Too chubby (I fell in love with Soom tinies. My first 1/6 size were from DollZone, the complete opposite end of the spectrum size/proportion wise. I didn't want to own two groups of 1/6 clothing) It was an SD with the same head size as my YoSDs and it just weirded me out too much (Souldoll Vito Freya)
Usually I sold because I found a better shell for a character or fell out of love with the aesthetic. Then there is also "you know what, finishing you will just be more trouble than it's worth". Rolling heads that were too particular to find bodies for come to mind. Dolls that would require other dolls to be there too. I'd say the worst one was a head and concept though that I really liked, but every step of the way seemed cursed. Wig artist declined, seamstress declined, second options declined, no body to be found and I gave up. I just took it as a sign that he was not meant to be
Honestly 'proportions' tends to be my reason for selling a doll too, it seems. I sold one doll because his head was weirdly small compared with the other Yosd sized dolls I had and somewhat odd on his body too. The second because his head was just way too big (most things for the size are tight on or don't fit him) and he also was sculpted um...quite generously, shall we say? in the buttocks region. It was very hard to dress him. I still want to shell the character he was, just not from that company again.
I sold a few dolls that I really loved when I first got in the hobby. I didn’t want to have too much money tied up in dolls. Now I wished I still had them, so now my crew keeps growing and I’m reluctant to ever sell another doll again because I’m afraid I’ll regret it. I just realize the other day I could have bought a brand new car with all the money I have in dolls I’ve collected over 10 years, oh well, I’m still not selling them and have one more on the way! lol
I sold my April Story boy because I hated his clavicles! Objectively there was probably nothing wrong with them, but I just could not stand looking at him. Even tried to make sure they were covers up with different shirt styles, but just knowing they were there bothered me.
I sold off my Angel Studio Gabriel because she looked too much like a doll. (That is to say, her sculptural style really didn't match her would-be partner doll; my first Volks Amakusa. Gabriel is a cute sculpt on her own... but it turned out she just looked way too stylized and anime-toy like in comparison to Hideo. It was really jarring. So... off she went, post haste.)
I traded off a doll once because the hands had like, no detail. Honestly, I lowkey hated the entire body, but didn't have to see any of it except the hands.
My very first bjd was a doll I didn’t choose…she was chosen for me by someone who wanted to get me into the hobby. But I eagerly went all in with my vision for her…faceup, wig, and complete outfit, all done by me. And I must say she came out perfect as my initial vision…TOO perfect! When I was done, I just stood there looking at her and instantly knew I would never be able to change anything about her…EVER! And that was not what I was looking for in this hobby. So I quickly sold her as a fullset, learned my lesson about expanding my vision to be more character-driven than single-look, used the money to invest in another doll of my own choosing, and grew my collection from there.
I sell or trade doll often so I have plenty of petty reasons: Her ‘brown skin’ seemed more like normal skin with a drop of brown tone to it. (Maybe not really that petty) His hands were just too small, like baby hands on a grown man. Her inner labia was fully sculpted and was visible through panties. The bottoms of his feet weren’t sculpted at all! Sanded flat like an action figure. The face was too flat from the side. The doll was fine but the company lied to me multiple times, even sending me a fake tracking number when they hadn’t shipped at all! I couldn’t find artists to make the very specific, very detailed wardrobe he needed to be complete and wasn’t capable of doing it myself. I didn’t like her default faceup and didn’t know how to change it (in 2008, long before info was easy to find and before I joined DoA!) On the other hand, she had a gorgeous artist faceup but didn’t feel like my character but the faceup was too pretty to wipe. Two different dolls: their heads were tiny in comparison to the rest of my dolls and they just looked silly.
