Your view on 'Grail Dolls'

Ha - writerm, that's Kun, the Volks doll I was talking about! My Grail doll is a whiteskin version of her on an SD-13 body - the one that should hopefully be here on Monday!

 

Have you ever had one, or not?
Yes, my SoulDoll Paris, he was my first BJD-love. I now dream of three more,
a custom Sephiroth that is as close to CC: FFVII's Sephiroth as possible, both facial sculpt & body.
A white urethane Limho Mano (<- that one is probably never happening) to replace
my current beige-urethane one, and a second (unmodified) beige-urethane Mano because mine
has been modified and I would love to own an unmodified version (if I got a white one I would modify it
to look like my beige one). Also dream of owning Egoips' Marius... *sigh* but I think that's just a silly dream... XD

If you have, have you finally managed to have it in your collection?
I do own a SoulDoll Paris (and the other &#8220;two&#8221; as well, but not exactly as I want them).

Do you treat it differently to your other dolls?
For a while I did, but now I sort of have neglected him for a freakishly long time.

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

Have you managed to buy your Grail doll, but then been disappointed in some way with it?
No. He was/is pretty much all I envisioned him to be (my SD Paris, that is).

- Enzyme ^ ^

 

Have you ever had one, or not?
Yes, I have a few.
If you have, have you finally managed to have it in your collection?
I was lucky, or unlucky as my wallet see's it, to win two of them in a lottery. But the other a Unoa Lusis is still out of my reach. I really don't know if I will ever get one
Do you treat it differently to your other dolls?
I'm not sure yet, they have not arrived. I will have to blush and paint one of them for the first time ever, so she may get abit more attention at first, but I love all of my girls.
Do you only consider the very expensive dolls as Grail dolls?
No, not necissarily. I do think its something that is just out of grasp, so price may be the issue. But a doll being limited can make it just as hard to get as an expensive doll.
Have you managed to buy your Grail doll, but then been disappointed in some way with it?
Not sure yet. But I doubt it is possible.

 

Hmmm... is that the definition of a Grail Doll??? What if all the dolls I've bought are dolls that I've instantly fallen in love with and had to have??? Because, that's the only reason for me buying a doll--I've fallen in love and must have it!

I've always thought there had to be something that made the doll almost impossible to get...??? And that you have to pretty much devote a lot of time and effort into trying to get it no matter how impossible it seems... You know, like going on a Quest for the Holy Grail!

Have you ever had one, or not?

Uh... I didn't think so... but if it's falling in love instantly and having to get a doll... I'd count every single doll I own...

But I don't think of any of them as Grail Dolls... since I was actually able to get them pretty easily. Well, some more easily than other... some took some work, but I knew I'd get them. It wasn't some Impossible Quest. You know, like the Don Quixote...

If it's a doll I wanted but never thought I'd get a chance to buy... I sort of had one, but it wasn't something that I'd been searching for and pining away for exclusively for ages... There was a doll that was limited and rare and very expensive on the secondary market so I'd given up on getting it (so I don't think it counts as a Grail Doll). And I got it years later.

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

Sort of, but I still don't think it's a Grail Doll... maybe a very minor sort of Grail Doll...

Do you treat it differently to your other dolls?

No.

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

No. (although it wasn't cheap...!)

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

Maybe. He's not my favorite, although I love him. But that's cool.

If I did have a Grail Doll, I'm sure I wouldn't be disappointed. And I wouldn't treat him any different. Because I treasure all the dolls I get...

 

Have you ever had one, or not?
Yep. I sort of drift in and out of being active on DoA and I was in one of my activity lulls when Soom released Sard. I quickly came to regret not paying closer attention to releases (which is why I now get daily updates on news threads)

If you have, have you finally managed to have it in your collection?
After (literally) dreaming about owning one for over a year, I finally decided I couldn't resist any longer and snatched up the first one I saw for sale on the MP.

Do you treat it differently to your other dolls?
I did at first. Now I suppose it's fair to say I stare at him more than some of the others, but I don't feel that I pay a disproportionate amount of attention to him.

Do you only consider the very expensive dolls as Grail dolls?
Not necessarily, but that just happened to be the case with the one I wanted.

Have you managed to buy your Grail doll, but then been disappointed in some way with it?
At first I was, a little. He came with the default face up and while I loved it on the website, it just wasn't working for me in person. But I re-did his face and all that doubt went away.

 

Have you ever had one, or not?
Dollshe Hound, the first BJD I ever saw, years ago. It was an instant enchantment, and for many years, an impossible dream.

If you have, have you finally managed to have it in your collection?
At one point it became an issue of sanity to have one, then two fell on my lap! Now I have two Hounds and a Husky.

Do you treat it differently to your other dolls?
They live behind a glass, wearing thoughtfully designed and hand-crafted outfits that are more or less permanent.

Do you only consider the very expensive dolls as Grail dolls?
The very notion of the Holy Grain involves something unique and precious, imbued with a sacred quality. Price may or may not be a reflection of that.

Have you managed to buy your Grail doll, but then been disappointed in some way with it?
Not at all! every time I look at them I feel surges of sublime happiness shooting though my heart. Seriously! Moreover, every time I see a Hound for sale, I want it.

 

To me a grail doll would be a doll that's highly desirable to you but very hard to attain because it's expensive, super limited, or rare. Basically something you'd have to "quest" to get like the holy grail. For me that doll was Volks Kohya (a rare AND unpopular doll) the first doll I really wanted when I joined the hobby in 2004 and finally got in 2009. He's my favorite doll other grail dolls for me are Volks Williams and Scarface Cecile.

 

Have you ever had one, or not?

I had and have several. My Williams, Madoka, SwD Lucas and my Gomidoll Iru-hs and currently I'm still searching for a Kanon Louis.

If you have, have you finally managed to have it in your collection?
Yes, four are in my posession, one (actually two) I'm still looking for.

Do you treat it differently to your other dolls?
No. I'm proud of ALL my dolls and think every one of them is special.

Do you only consider the very expensive dolls as Grail dolls?
No, money is not something that make a doll a Grail. The hard-to-get factor, however IS. My Iru wasn't really expensive, but there were only 15 made and they were already sold out when I decided one had to be mine.

A Grail doll has to be that doll you really want to have, but is outside your reach (either because of the price-tag or the availability). You have to work to get it, or like Nefla said, it's a quest to get one home.

Have you managed to buy your Grail doll, but then been disappointed in some way with it?
On the contrary even. Every time one of these dolls came home I was giggling like a little school girl. They were so much more beautiful than I had imagined. I haven't been disappointed in any way.

 

Have you ever had one, or not?
When I was first getting into the hobby I saw DoD's DoT E-an, and she hasn't left my mind since. I am hoping to ask my parents to get her for me for my 21st birthday present, but I don't think that they would be willing to spend that much money on her for me.
If you have, have you finally managed to have it in your collection?
Not yet, but I plan on getting her. (whether for my 21st or not)
Do you treat it differently to your other dolls?
n/a
Do you only consider the very expensive dolls as Grail dolls?
I don't think they have to be expensive. When I first saw E-an, I didn't know how expensive she was, so it wasn't a decision based on "Oh, she is expensive!". I think that any doll can be a grail doll.
Have you managed to buy your Grail doll, but then been disappointed in some way with it? n/a

 

Have you ever had one, or not?
- Definitely!!! Soom Sard!! I missed him the first time, then repeatedly was unable to win him in auctions or the Soom lottery.

If you have, have you finally managed to have it in your collection?
- After over 1 1/2 years of pining, seling and saving, I ended up with one of the eight normal skin Sards. I got lucky, someone bought/won him then decided he wasn't for them. Their loss was my gain

Do you treat it differently to your other dolls?
- Well unfortunately Soom never drilled through one of his hooves so he is still in his box until I get home and ask my dad to sort that out

Do you only consider the very expensive dolls as Grail dolls?
- No way! It can be any doll that you really want but find it difficult to get ahold of!

Have you managed to buy your Grail doll, but then been disappointed in some way with it?
- Well, yes because Soom didn't drill through one of his hooves but that's not the dolls fault!!

 

Have you ever had one, or not?
- Yep Luts Senior Delf Azure.

If you have, have you finally managed to have it in your collection?
- Nope, and I doubt I will for a good long while

Do you treat it differently to your other dolls?
- n/a, really, but he might be handled just a bit more carefully than the others if I had him. Otherwise, probably not. I'd play with him like any of my other boys.

Do you only consider the very expensive dolls as Grail dolls?
- Nope. To me, a grail doll is just that one doll that completely and thoroughly clicks in your brain, hits all the right buttons, and gives you those happy, giddy feelings that let you know you HAVE to have them. Doesn't have to be expensive, or even hard to get a hold of, just needs to be that one doll that makes you instantly happy when you see it.

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

 

Have you ever had one, or not?
Yup, Soom Beryl.
If you have, have you finally managed to have it in your collection?
I have, simply by pure luck. I managed to snag one of the Love me or Die re-release. I don't mind that she's not the original Never ending Dream Beryl, I just really loved that face so of course I leaped on the first opportunity I got to order her without having to pay the 3000$ price that the original release goes for on the MP.
Do you treat it differently to your other dolls?
A little, especially considering she's my most valuable doll right now. She gets the stand, she gets the carrier bag, etc etc.
Do you only consider the very expensive dolls as Grail dolls?
I consider any hard to get dolls as Grail dolls. But since usually hard to get = expensive then I guess yes.
Have you managed to buy your Grail doll, but then been disappointed in some way with it?
Her body. The super gem bodies are really nice and curvy, but you just can't do much with them when it comes to posing. Really if she would have a thigh joint I would be perfectly happy with her. That was a disappointment for me, but not enough to make me dislike my Beryl.

 

Have you ever had one, or not?
I've had a couple actually SDC Reneé for a start *sob* I don't have that kind of money to spend in less than 6 months T____T

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

My first 'grail' doll, yes He was a particular Angell-Studio Cain, belonging to a good friend of mine. However, patience won through and now he belongs to me >3

Do you treat it differently to your other dolls?

No, I don't think so. He gets equally neglected and takes his turn in the 'going out' rota However, I don't have many dolls that size and don't mind carrying around two bags (one for the bigs one for the littles) so I can usually take all my bigs out with me so... no then However, I think if I ever managed to get Reneé I would treat her differently because it's such a lot of money to drop on a doll only to be just a teeny bit careless and break her. I like to think that I'm super-careful with all my dolls, but just in case I think I'd treat Reneé with a little more respect

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

Not at all. The definition of a grail anything is something that's really hard to find or generally unobtainable. So whether it's that $3000 Volks special LE or that particular $100 FDoll tiny painted in the exact way you want, they're both valid grail dolls. If it's a doll you've pined for forever, or even just a short while, if it's the one you desperately want then it's your grail, regardless of the price However, I do think that because of the 'hard to find' aspect of graildom most grail dolls are very expensive, as price is usually affected by rarity, and in addition to that it's also a massive factor in how unobtainable a doll may be for a collector.

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

Nope! If anything, I'm more delighted by him than I ever thought I would be

 

Have you ever had one, or not?
On and off, and they change from time to time. My current heart's desire is a DD Anne Lotus Near, an adorably spooky little doll with bat ears and 8 arms. That and a MNF Woosoo Vampire Elf girl.
If you have, have you finally managed to have it in your collection?
If I ever manage to get my hands on him it would be a miracle. There are only about 15 of these dolls in existence and their normal retail was around $500. The price in the MP would be down right exorbitant.
Do you treat it differently to your other dolls?
I think he might end up being a case-baby, unless I found him unpainted/damaged face-up. The Nears were all full-sets and I'd be loathe to damage the default painting. I'm less picky with my other dolls simply because I do my own faceup work.
Do you only consider the very expensive dolls as Grail dolls?
No. Many of the dolls, like Batchix Machina (one of my earlier loves) are fairly easy to come by. The MNF Woosoo I dream of will likely just keep getting pushed back on my list, simply because she is readily available.
Have you managed to buy your Grail doll, but then been disappointed in some way with it?
Nope.

 

Have you ever had one, or not? Yes, I'd love to have a Dollshe Hound and a Limwha Mano Elf.
If you have, have you finally managed to have it in your collection? Not yet and probably not for a long time.
Do you treat it differently to your other dolls? i'd like to think I wouldn't. Maybe be a bit more careful, but dolls are made to be played with!
Do you only consider the very expensive dolls as Grail dolls? Not really, but they'd have to be hard to get in some way. Scarce doesn't always equate to expensive.
Have you managed to buy your Grail doll, but then been disappointed in some way with it? NA.

 

Have you ever had one, or not?
Yes, three. DOD Elf I-ra, DOD E-an, and SOOM Chalco

If you have, have you finally managed to have it in your collection?
Yes and no. I saved up and was so happy to bring home E-an as my first BJD....after staring at her for over a year. When SOOM Chalco came out, I convinced myself I did not need to buy any more dolls and totally missed out on buying him from SOOM. Ofcourse after he was no longer for sale I realised what a mistake that was. But thankfully the market place helpped me out and after weeks of searching and buying, I was able to peice him together. I am still waiting to buy an DOD Elf I-ra. Its just bad luck with this doll. Whenever one comes up for sale I always seem low on funds. So for now, I'm just still dreaming of her......but one day I hope to bring her home.

Do you treat it differently to your other dolls?
Yes...kinda. E-an more than any others. She has more clothes, I take more pictures of her. I'm just enchanted by her! Chalco is a joy to have and I like working with him but one must be careful with hooves.

Do you only consider the very expensive dolls as Grail dolls?
Nope, I've seen many expensive dolls that don't do a thing for me.

Have you managed to buy your Grail doll, but then been disappointed in some way with it?
All but one so far. Nope. I am VERY much in love with both. Chalco can be a touch difficult with posing sometimes but nothing near disappointment.

 

Have you ever had one, or not?
I've had three roughly? A Tan Musedoll Re-che, DM Glamour Eve Hosoo, and my DM Adam Maunier.
If you have, have you finally managed to have it in your collection?
I'm paying off my Re-che, I've got Hosoo on her way home (waiting to be shipped), and I bought my Maunier last year.
Do you treat it differently to your other dolls?
I'll admit, Cass is my favourite. I think it's because I pined for him for a year before I got him, and I just knew he was exactly what I wanted. I haven't got Hosoo or Re-che home yet, but I'm hoping it'll be love at first sight with them too. I love my other dolls, and don't want to part with them, but I'm totally in love with Cass (also because he's the first doll I bought off my wish-list.)
Do you only consider the very expensive dolls as Grail dolls?
Not necessarily- it just so happens that most of the dolls on my wishlist are expensive, but a grail doll could just be extremely rare or hard to find. (Although that pretty much guarantees that they'd be expensive.)
Have you managed to buy your Grail doll, but then been disappointed in some way with it?
I hope not!! I dunno how I'll feel about my boy yet, I was so excited to finally be buying him...

EDIT: Got both my other grail dolls home safely! I absolutely love them- Maxxie in particular (I'm still developing my Hosoo's character, but she's coming together.)

 

Have you ever had one, or not?
I suppose I have... My Leeke Mihael was love at first sight.
If you have, have you finally managed to have it in your collection?
Yeah it was the second doll I bought, I sold my first one because we never bonded.
Do you treat it differently to your other dolls?
Yeah. He's eventually (when I gave up trying to rename him because it felt wrong) kept his sculpt name. Although I don't buy him more things, he's my favourite doll by far, I play with him and talk to him/about him much more than the others. Leeke Mihael is my fave sculpt in the whole dollworld but I'll never buy another, because he's unique and special to me - as much as I love the sculpt I couldn't have two.
Do you only consider the very expensive dolls as Grail dolls?
Not at all, Leeke Mihael is basic (thank God) and is one of the more cheap dolls I've bought (limiteds do that to you >.>)
Have you managed to buy your Grail doll, but then been disappointed in some way with it?
I was a bit disappointed at first, but I always am. I got the default face-up and thought the blushing was too heavy. (My boyfriend just picked him up and handed him to me because apparently I keep looking at him ^^) Also, his joints didn't fit together perfectly and it took a lot of hot-gluing/restringing to get him to pose and stand properly. Still, those things don't matter to me or bother me at all anymore. He's awesome ^^

 

Have you ever had one, or not?
Yes...possibly two depending on how you define a grail doll....My grail doll is Luts Spica. He's a limited, he's sold out, and he's the reason I decided to buy a bjd and searched and searched until I found one that most closely resembled him in my mind. Iplehouse Tania became my second grail doll- I had to have her. She was expensive, but not limited or rare so I don't know if she really counts. Soom's centaur boy, Epidos I think his name was, almost had me. Almost.

If you have, have you finally managed to have it in your collection?
Not yet! Mind you, if I ever find one for sale I will do whatever it takes to get him. Even if it's just his head.

Do you treat it differently to your other dolls?
I would probably treat him different than my Tania, mostly in that I'd be more careful with him. I don't know though, obviously, since I don't have him.

Do you only consider the very expensive dolls as Grail dolls?
No, I don't think so. The more expensive ones are harder to get sure, but I think a cheaper doll could be "the doll" too.

Have you managed to buy your Grail doll, but then been disappointed in some way with it?
Haven't managed to find Spica yet...

 

I have to say that, up until I found this thread, I had never heard the term "Grail doll"...

Have you ever had one, or not?

If I had gotten the term meaning right, I believe all of my dolls are grail dolls, and there are still a few more on my wishlist. My first grail doll, though, was Dollzone Ivan. I saw his pictures on the DZ site and fell in love with him. He's the fourth doll I've ordered.

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


Yes! And still in the process of getting them all.

Do you treat it differently to your other dolls?

Not really, though my beloved Xionesse is a tad more spoiled than the rest... But that could be because she's the only one so far that it's not a default fullset.

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

I paid around $60 or so for my first grail doll. So, no. I think it doesn't depend on the price, but on what you feel when you see the doll.

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

The ones already on my power are even more gorgeous in person than they were in the site pictures. I actually thought I was going to be disappointed when I got Willow (DZ Ivan), because I made a mistake and ordered normal yellow instead of normal pink. A friend of me had some DZ dolls in normal pink, and I found that skin lovely, but I believed it was normal yellow. When I saw him, though, the color was so subtle, and the faceup so delicate, that I felt ashamed for a moment, just for thinking I may not like him in normal yellow O.o Up until now I haven't been disappointed, and hopefully I won't ever be.