Your view on 'Grail Dolls'

Have you ever had one, or not?
Yep! Luts Senior Delf Dion, the first edition.

If you have, have you finally managed to have it in your collection?
Pretty much! I was lucky enough to grab one (a head, anyway - the body went to someone else) in the second release in the, oh, three minutes it took for them to sell out. His current faceup (not the second edition's default) is perfect for the character I had in mind, though it's not the first edition default that I fell in love with.

Do you treat it differently to your other dolls?
A little bit. He's the one I'd grab first to save even though he's not the most expensive, but I still take him places and the like.

Do you only consider the very expensive dolls as Grail dolls?
Not at all.

Have you managed to buy your Grail doll, but then been disappointed in some way with it?
He wasn't the prettiest thing when blank, that's for sure! I wouldn't say I was disappointed, though, and I adore him.

 

Well, my story all happened rather quickly I guess. A couple months ago I found Roke on Fairyland's site. Then I saw that his costume was out of stock. If you haven't seen him, he's a dragon with a really elaborate outfit. His chest is hot as heck and the costume is made to show that off, which is 99.9% of his appeal to me. So without the outfit I wasn't sure whether or not I would spring for him. I'd even contacted Fairyland and they said they would never reproduce the costume, so I was super disappointed. Then after some Googling I found a site that had one full set left, and I ordered him! I'm so excited there just aren't words. When I saw that doll I thought he was just the most amazing thing ever, and I was dying to have him, but without the full set I wasn't sure about him. Now I feel like if I never find a doll even half so beautiful, I won't care, because he's the most incredible one I've ever seen.

 

I don't know if I've really had a grail doll at all. There are a handfull I think are lovely and that I want, but none really stand on a pedestal above all others for me. Maybe the closest was my Candy. I first saw a DollLove Yoyo by chance while browsing, and I just fell in love with her cute little face and long, pink hair. I've never been crazy about 1/6 dolls, but I just knew I had to have her! And she really is the sweetest little thing. I couldn't be happier with her.

 

Have you ever had one, or not?
Having been in this hobby for as long as I have, I'd be lying if I said no. lol

If you have, have you finally managed to have it in your collection?
Yes, in a series of fortunate accidents really.

Do you treat it differently to your other dolls?
Oh yes, I find myself being much more mindful of how I pose her, where I put her, etc.

Do you only consider the very expensive dolls as Grail dolls?
No. In my case my grail was the MD version of Amber, fantasy parts only. I ended up being able to piece one together from the marketplace for what I think was a very fair price. She just sort of worked out. I had just sold something to a person considering selling off her Amber head/lower body set, I mentioned that if she did decide to sell I would be interested. Clearly she decided to sell...and I was indeed interested. lol But I don't think a doll has to be expensive to be a grail. Personally Volks Kun is a bit of a grail to me, but as I want to hybrid her and thus only need the head she's been a bit of a pain. It seems that when heads come up it's either a horrible time for me to buy something, or it has an incredible custom faceup that it would be a shame to wipe, and I just can't make myself ruin someone else's amazing work, even if it's completely wrong for the girl I have in mind. lol I'll snag her eventually though, it's just a matter of time.

Have you managed to buy your Grail doll, but then been disappointed in some way with it?
Yes and yes actually. I HATE that Soom didn't do any sort of real joint locks on Amber's legs. She literally just balances on her ball joints, it makes her unstable and prone to wanting to keel over. But still, I love her. lol

 

Have you ever had one, or not?
Yes, DollZone Asure

If you have, have you finally managed to have it in your collection?
I was able to lay him away and get my hot little hands on him.

Do you treat it differently to your other dolls?
Not really. Love them all.

Do you only consider the very expensive dolls as Grail dolls?
No. I only consider what I want.

Have you managed to buy your Grail doll, but then been disappointed in some way with it?
Yes! I wanted Asura so bad. I fell for the manufacturer's photos. But when he came there was another whole large box of his armor. He was too complicated to assemble. I put on his first layer of clothes and his shoes and wig. Never finished unboxing him.

Final note: Though I had never seen her until wandering the forum, I spotted the IpleHouse Luna Tamer. My heart at first leaped for joy then fell into despair when I realized she was long sold out. But a kind person on the forum offered me hers. And miracle of miracles, I found someone who wanted to buy my Asura! So just this week I have obtained my true Grail souldoll...my Luna Tamer!! So now two of us have our Grail Dolls!

 

My only grail doll was my first doll (puki pipi), and she has never disappointed me. I definitely treat her differently than the others- she alone will NEVER be for sale, no matter what. She wasn't very expensive (I have other dolls now that cost way more than she did), but because she was my first she was the hardest to get. That's part of the reason why she's so treasured- she was the first and she was the hardest to save for.

 

Have you ever had one, or not?
Yes I have several, Pipos Baha, DIM Ace, Fairyland Minifee Shiwoo & LUTS Delf boy EL. So nothing too special about my 'grail doll' but I just have to have them one day.

If you have, have you finally managed to have it in your collection?
No not yet, but I will some day...

Do you treat if differently to your other dolls?
I don't think I would treat if differently from my other dolls if I had him...but that's hypothetical since I have yet to get my first doll :P

Do you only consider the very expensive dolls as Grail dolls?
I don't think so. One of my grail dolls is a Pipos Baha, so its relativity cheap in terms of BJD's out there. In fact most of my Grail dolls are average priced, however I'm sure their are beautiful dolls out there that cost a small fortune, but its not for me.

Have you managed to buy your Grail doll, but then been disappointed in some way with it?
I haven't been fortunate enough to buy my 'Grail doll' yet, but I will one day...

 

Have you ever had one, or not?
Yes I have a few that I assume are rare since they are out of production and I rarely or never see owner pictures. I'd love to have a Leeke Juwel Ent with her fantasy parts someday and a pair of Story of a Fairy Latis with their fantasy parts. I have seen an owner pic or two of the ice one but never of the fire one.

If you have, have you finally managed to have it in your collection?
I haven't even managed to acquire my first doll

Do you treat if differently to your other dolls?
I think if I had any BJD I wouldn't treat it any different.

Do you only consider the very expensive dolls as Grail dolls?
I consider a grail hard to find and they don't need to be extremely expensive since an unpopular doll can also be hard to find. Like Leeke Juwel Ent with her fantasy parts is probably going to be impossible to find since a lot of people were bothered that she didn't match up with the art even tho that didn't bother me. But since she wasn't that popular I don't expect her price to increase that much beyond what she originally sold for which was around what your average similarly sized doll with fantasy parts would go for.

Have you managed to buy your Grail doll, but then been disappointed in some way with it?
I hope one day to be able to get a doll but when I do it will either be one of my grails or something new that has tickled my fancy. Tho if I miss that doll then it will become another grail.

 

Have you ever had one, or not?
Yes, it was a volks yosd hinata

If you have, have you finally managed to have it in your collection?
Yes, unfortunately at the time it was possible to get a new one from other collectors but because I didn't have enough funds I wasn't able to get it until quite recently.

Do you treat it differently to your other dolls?

Yes, I'm more careful with her because she is more expensive.

Do you only consider the very expensive dolls as Grail dolls?
Not at all just happens that she is the most expensive at the moment.

Have you managed to buy your Grail doll, but then been disappointed in some way with it?
Not at all.

 

I guess my idea of a Grail doll is backwards - I have a couple CHARACTERS that I am having a very hard time fitting to a doll sculpt - now if I find a sculpt that fits one of those, only to have no $$$ or have it be some Limited/out of stock sculpt, I'd cry. & consider it a Grail doll...
Some of the Soom dolls ~sigh~ fit that category somewhat but luckily for me none of the sold out Sooms are perfect fits for the couple of characters I can't match to a doll!
Now, there IS a Unoa faceplate that I'd love - that might qualify LOL

 

Have you ever had one, or not?
I've had three: My original grail doll was the Volks SD 4-Sisters.

Then it was also the Volks SD Chii. I kind of still want her but it's not the same as when I originally found out about her.

My third one is an interesting one since I wanted it before it existed: I had gotten a Volks SD 4-Sisters and I found that the SD size was just not for me. I often wished they had a smaller version of her and at times tried looking for a doll with a similar face...

And then the YOSD 4-Sisters came out. That became my true grail doll.

If you have, have you finally managed to have it in your collection?
I did get the Volks SD 4-Sisters, but it didn't work out. I wound up selling her.

The Chii I never got...

But I did get my hands on the YOSD 4-Sisters!

Do you treat it differently to your other dolls?
Yes, she is my favorite and my angel. No matter what, she will always be in my collection.

Do you only consider the very expensive dolls as Grail dolls?
No, my original grail doll is a "basic" doll and could get her at any time if I ever decided I wanted her again.

Have you managed to buy your Grail doll, but then been disappointed in some way with it?
The issue I had with my original grail doll was that she was too big for me. She wound up not really being my grail doll at all.

My only issue with my true grail doll was that she came with the "origin" body. I wound up buying a two-part torso body for her; however, so now she's perfect.

 

Have you ever had one, or not?
Yep! The Dream of Doll D.O.I. Kellan. It was love at first site.

If you have, have you finally managed to have it in your collection?
Of course! I had a bunch of refund money from my scholarship so I bought him with that.
I waited until I got my tracking notice to tell my parents, though. They weren't too happy about that. xD

Do you treat it differently to your other dolls?
Hahaha, I'm not ashamed to say I do. At the moment, my only other doll is a BBB Elfkin, and I love her.
The thing is, The D.O.I. Kellan was the first doll I had ever seen. He's the one that got me into the hobby. The minute I saw him I already started working on his name and history. He's also the only one of my original characters that I put this much thought into. I think I know more about him than I do about myself!

Do you only consider the very expensive dolls as Grail dolls?
Definitely not! Everybody has their own tastes and their tastes could lead them to a less expensive doll. Haha, I wish Fitzwilliam had been a bit less expensive.

Have you managed to buy your Grail doll, but then been disappointed in some way with it?
I am not disappointed in him at all! If you ask me, he's absolutely perfect.
Dream of Doll was amazing when it came to the face-up I wanted. I'm not sure if anyone could have gotten his freckles or his beauty mark as perfect.

 

Have you ever had one, or not?

I've had (and still have) many! But I am somewhat a tenacious person with such things&know if I wait long enough the oppertunity to grab what I want will arise. Even if it means what feels like an eternity between first sight and that moment of obtaining it.

If you have, have you finally managed to have it in your collection?

Some I do, or will do soon. Others not so much.

Do you treat it differently to your other dolls?

Not applicable. Each and every doll recevies their own form of time and attention. Some will be great to drag around the house&play with and dress up, others are more there to be admired from a distance due to seeming more aloof.

Do you only consider the very expensive dolls as Grail dolls?

No, it's a matter of perspective, not of money.

Have you managed to buy your Grail doll, but then been disappointed in some way with it?

Yes...swapped a body out to make him fit better with what I wanted! Another I received in a...less than pristine state, with mods I wasn't aware of. That was somewhat irritating. I've modded him back to how he should be now, though!

 

Have you ever had one, or not?
Oh yes...
If you have, have you finally managed to have it in your collection?
I am working on it...
Do you treat it differently to your other dolls?
Well, given that my Grail doll is the one i finally decided to buy, after years of looking and wanting...
Do you only consider the very expensive dolls as Grail dolls?
No, a Grail doll is the one that strikes you the minute you see if, price is not even a factor.
Have you managed to buy your Grail doll, but then been disappointed in some way with it?
not yet..but soon....
It might be strange that my first doll is my Grail doll, but mind you, i have looked off an on at BJD's for YEARS, and never saw one i could really...justify....the price to myself....but i woudl pay twice as much for her....

 

Have you ever had one, or not?
I had. I wanted a YoTenshi Yuki to be a blonde angel.
If you have, have you finally managed to have it in your collection?
Yes I did! Although she is a read head girl LOL
Do you treat it differently to your other dolls?
No, she is just one more of the crew.
Do you only consider the very expensive dolls as Grail dolls?
Hummm not totally. My Yotenshi Yuki was expensive when I joined the hobby, but it was because she was like imposible to get. There were only a few in Yahoo Japan. And also, she is my favourite headmold. This factors made me decide she was my "grail doll"
Have you managed to buy your Grail doll, but then been disappointed in some way with it?
Not at all. She is the cutest and most wonderful doll ever. I was a bit dissapointed with the make up, but now she has a new one it is great

 

Have you ever had one, or not?Yes! It's a Volks SD9 Christmas LE Mimi BOY.

If you have, have you finally managed to have it in your collection?
Yes, definitely.

Do you treat it differently to your other dolls?
It does get a lot more attention from me than the others, since this is the only doll that fits my "fun" type of doll.
Some of my other dolls have a somewhat "boring" story arcs or characters, and my Mimi is just the perfect one to just screw around with. XD

Do you only consider the very expensive dolls as Grail dolls?
No. My Mimi, although he was a LE, wasn't expensive at all either. I think any doll can be a Grail doll, regardless the company, size, price, or type. For example, even if I had another SD9 Mimi I don't think that Mimi would be my another Grail doll... D:

Have you managed to buy your Grail doll, but then been disappointed in some way with it?
Not really, but he is of Volks old skin which I wasn't thinking too much about, and now I can never get him exchanged via Volks if it ever becomes damaged. And I also prefer the newer pureskin over the old skin. :/ So I think it's also important to understand the fragility and other physical qualities of the one doll you really treasure.

 

Have you ever had one, or not?
Yeap. Dollmore Kara klum. And Volks Minoru.

If you have, have you finally managed to have it in your collection?
From the moment I saw him, I knew I *MUST* have him. But at that time, I wasn't so sure to spend $500+ on a "doll"! But then, I caved in the next day cuz he really made my heart

For Minoru, I guess I am just lucky that he wasn't so "popular". Therefore I can still adopt him at his original price after he's been out for over 6 months.

Do you treat it differently to your other dolls?
I guess so. Kara Klum gets to try on the new cloths first.:p Then Minoru...

Do you only consider the very expensive dolls as Grail dolls?
Kind of. All the other Grail dolls I like are the ones I know I will never going to have due to their prices....

Have you managed to buy your Grail doll, but then been disappointed in some way with it?
No and yes. I love Kara's face to death but a bit disappointed to his body. He's way too skinny than the other SD sized boy.
And Minoru... He is a little different than I expected. But after I started modifying him, I began to love him.

 

Have you ever had one, or not?
Defintly yes. A Luts SDF Cian first version. It was madly deep love at the first sight but he was already sold out....

If you have, have you finally managed to have it in your collection?
I luckily got a Cian head from the MP. I think it is from the second edition.

Do you treat it differently to your other dolls?
In some ways.... when I spend my time on them. He is the one who I handle in a diffrent manner than the other ones... just because his character is veery special to me.

Do you only consider the very expensive dolls as Grail dolls?
Not at all.

Have you managed to buy your Grail doll, but then been disappointed in some way with it?
I saw the diffence between version 1 and 2... and I was so totally fixed on ver1 that I see the difference between him and the one I own. But I got used to it and I think it fits his character quite well..... but if I ever find a 1st version Cian head for sale, I will defintly do everything to get him.

 

Oh, I love this thread. It's so much fun to read through! I didn't know anyone called them "Grail dolls," but it's definitely fitting.

Have you ever had one, or not?
I have one now. It's a CeriseDolls Eugenie. I missed the preorder by one friggin' month and I'll most likely never find it again. Arghhh

If you have, have you finally managed to have it in your collection?
No! I have a feeling I'll have to look for it for a long time... if I find it at all. It was released with another doll, and between the two of them, there were only 53 produced. God only knows how many Eugenies were actually made... 30? 20? 5?

Do you treat it differently to your other dolls?
Probably not. I treat my current doll with kid gloves as it is. I'd treat this doll the same way.

Do you only consider the very expensive dolls as Grail dolls?
That's a hard question. I guess I'd consider a Grail doll hard to come by and rare... so unless a previous owner ran over it with a car or set it on fire, I'd guess it would be expensive by default.

 

Don't give up on your search. Though not a bjd, my favorite doll when I was a kid in the early 1960's was a Vogue Dolls "Love Me Linda". She was adorable. Huge eyes with a tear on her cheek dressed in a blue schoolgirl like outfit with a floppy felt hat. My mom sold her at a garage sale after I moved out when I was 19. I mourned her loss for decades. Then, in 2000, I found out about eBay and joined to search for a replacement. Ten years later I found her! She is not laving me again! She is sitting with her little teary face among her abjd sisters and brothers.

Good luck!

LostKitten