Doll Collecting Habits: Large Family or Constantly Swapping?

I told myself one and only one when I started, then #2,3 and 4 arrived

 

I'm going to need a bigger house.....

I am the kind of a collector that tends to explode in whatever direction they are newly fascinated in. I've got 30 resin bjd, and really seem to -like OP- have lost all interest in collecting more of those dolls, but can't really part with them at all. With DD I don't I have 1 yet but I'm pretty sure I will have a large family when they do start coming in.

 

just sitting and planning I had started with 3 ideas for girls now that I'm up to 6. :3

i really need a cabinet for my girls too. they get dusty so fast

With DD I don't I have 1 yet but I'm pretty sure I will have a large family when they do start coming in. Just sitting and planning I had started with 3 ideas for girls now that I'm up to 6. :3

 

Well hurry up and start so my girls will have similar girls to hang out with and play with at meets!

 

 

 

Billy

I never thought I'd want a Dollfie at all, until Mari that is~ She stole my heart and it kind of snowballed from there. For some reason SirNarwhal and I are unable to part with any of our girls, though it'd be nice to have the money. XD There's really only one doll we've "struggled" with: Akira, who no matter what outfit & wig we put her in looks kind of like a giraffe because of her long neck. Since neither of us is very fond of her we've contemplated selling her, but instead are just going to send her off for some new faceup and a makeover! I understand how people can part with dolls, but personally I get too attached to every one of my girls to consider letting them go.

 

It's funny, because this sometimes mean that I miss out on dolls that I really want. Like, we could have sold Akira to go for Miki (a unicorn of mine ;~;) and I'm sure I'd love having Miki more than I do Akira. BUT Akira is part of the family now and it would just be very strange not having her around. My little ugly duckling, as it were.

For me, I really don't know if a girl is meant to be here until she gets here.

 

Example: I used to own Neris and Yoko... and I *love* them, think they're cute as heck, adore the little buggers... but not as much as I adore Alna... and they looked really weird to me with Alna, since Alna has such narrow, small head features, and they have such big/round head features... same with Option Head 4... she's never looked right next to Alna...

 

So I've learned that I go for smaller head DD girls, or ones with bigger noses.

 

I've thought every DD girl that has lived here has been beautiful, but I weigh them all against Alna, and if I don't adore them as much as I do her, I know they should probably move on, because I just won't have as much interest in them.

 

Pidge (my Mariko) and Jun (my Rise) aren't going anywhere though, I finally got two girls who rival Alna for my affection, LOL... I'm not sure that makes Alna happy, especially with all the clothes Jun has gotten to model lately. XD

I don't think I've ever steadily collected anything in my life so I'm planning on getting just one girl and customising her to my heart's content. Besides, my previous hobbies are too expensive already so can't really afford to let dolls become a major money pit, haha.

 

I think it's a bit sad that most anime/japan related collection hobbies turn into some kind of buying contests - you always need to have a package or two incoming from Japan or you're not a good hobbyist at all, and then when people get bored of the thing they've got their house full of stuff they don't care about, seen that happen a lot of times.

I think it's a bit sad that most anime/japan related collection hobbies turn into some kind of buying contests - you always need to have a package or two incoming from Japan or you're not a good hobbyist at all, and then when people get bored of the thing they've got their house full of stuff they don't care about, seen that happen a lot of times.

 

 

I know what you mean. I used to have that same feeling of "I need something coming in the mail or it doesn't feel right" type thing. But I don't really get that feeling from the DD hobby. There might be people in the hobby that *do* feel that way but I don't know many that do.

 

And I also know about having loads of collectibles around that you don't really care about anymore... I had that happen with Star Wars. I collected the vintage toys for years and finally got to a point where it didn't feel good anymore and it was no longer fun. It was a chore to try and add things to the collection instead of a joy. That's when I sold off all my expensive stuff to fund a vacation to Japan. That was the best thing I could have done too because it freed me form the old hobby and opened up the DD world to me.

 

Overall I think the feelings you describe happen to us all in one way or another but with DD's, it isn't as prevalent due to us being more emotionally attached to the girls than to the figures/statues/anime shows.

 

 

 

Billy

To me, it wouldn't matter if I had one or one hundred DDs or if they were uber rare/expensive or a fixer-up...it is about how I feel about them. There is no contest or competition of me.

Overall I think the feelings you describe happen to us all in one way or another but with DD's, it isn't as prevalent due to us being more emotionally attached to the girls than to the figures/statues/anime shows.

 

Yeah, that is definitely a thing! An anime figure you just take out of the package (..if you do ) and put on a shelf for display while with a doll you might actually build her from scratch so there's definitely a completely different level of attachment than collectibles that you just collect.

 

I know that well - I've spent well over the value of my car on modifying it and couldn't imagine parting with it anymore, so hopefully the same will apply to dolls too, haha!

I can't imagine getting a doll just because "Oh, it's this character I like" and then just keep her sitting on a shelf all pristine and pretty and never touching her. I feel that way about most collectibles. I never understood the people who bought Star Wars or Transformers action figures and kept them in the box. When I bought them, I got them to play with. Sure eventually they break, get dirty, etc, but I enjoyed the heck out of them while they lasted. Not to say the other people are wrong, I just can't enjoy simply "collecting" in the same way.

I kind of fall into that I guess; I've chosen the vast majority of my Dollfies for the characters they represent, and whilst I wouldn't say I leave them untouched and pristine (I've got a pretty huge desk that the family all live on and get regularly moved about on), I do tend to prefer to leave them in their character outfits or alternate outfits. That's not to say that I don't occasionally dress them up differently, but for the most part to me they are their characters, and appearing as their characters is a big part of what I enjoy about them.

I think I'll end up collecting similiarly to Ara. BJDs that I (we) own and intend to add to are mature

with back stories of careers. I'm also looking to add some male BJDs to be compatible with the women's stories.

 

The DDs are a decidedly younger group. I already have the one I originally wanted (Kotori) to start the

hobby. Miko was a Christmas present to myself. These two will hopefully be joined by Aozaki Aoko.

I'm thinking we'll end up with with 4 or maybe 5 DDs ( that is dependent on whether my wife evolves from mild enjoyment to real involvement in the hobby) . It would be nice to add a DD male, but I see nothing reported about Volks delving into that untapped market.

 

In my case, I believe the bonding process starts before the dolls arrive, and I feel the bond as something of an obligation. So, although I do have favorites, I'd find it very difficult to contemplate parting with any - especially after I've taken pains to bring them into our home. If taken together as BJDs & DDs, we'll likely end up with 12 to 14. After seeing it written here, it seems a bit verwhelming. We do have other hobbies and involvements to be attended to.

I'm a bit sad that some who are "in the hobby" sells other dolls instantly I mean this happened to some "Pullip collectors" which are like buy and sell dolls But then unlike with DD, people who sells them finds a good and loving owner I think either way it's a win-win for bought the seller and buyer the buyer gets a nice deal and then you have the money to buy another new doll + knowing that your previous doll is with a loving owner

I can't imagine getting a doll just because "Oh, it's this character I like" and then just keep her sitting on a shelf all pristine and pretty and never touching her. I feel that way about most collectibles. I never understood the people who bought Star Wars or Transformers action figures and kept them in the box. When I bought them, I got them to play with. Sure eventually they break, get dirty, etc, but I enjoyed the heck out of them while they lasted. Not to say the other people are wrong, I just can't enjoy simply "collecting" in the same way.

 

I absolutely agree. A figurine, doll, toy, etc doesn't really feel like it's real, or mine, if I don't handle it, play with it , display it and so on. To my way of looking at it, people who purchase something and just leave it in the box aren't collectors, they're investors. Nothing wrong with that either, but there's no way that they can truly identify with something if that's all they do with it.

 

Well hurry up and start so my girls will have similar girls to hang out with and play with at meets!

 

 

 

Billy

 

I'm actually closing in on my first girl, I won't have her by this meet, but i'm hoping to have her by the one after that

I'm actually closing in on my first girl, I won't have her by this meet, but i'm hoping to have her by the one after that

 

Excellent! I'm so very happy that a few of you are diving into the DD world. It will be so cool to have more vinyl girls at meetups!

 

 

Billy

I fall under the "large family" category... while I only own a single DD and waiting on my second as of now I have quite a few resin dolls of all sizes; and for the love of my life I really can't sell any. I've flipped and contemplated selling a couple every so often but I can't do that... I want to play with them, I want to see them completed... I want to make their characters shine one way or another. And I know that I can't do that if I sell them and even if I buy them again down the line it won't quite be the same anymore.

 

On the other hand a really "big" family scares me. I've set a ultimate 'ceiling' at 25 dolls at this point and I can't see myself going over it for the longest while. I've slowed down doll acquisition to almost a halt and this year is only going to be seeing two additions to the family and that's it. Maybe one day in the not so near future I'll feel confident handling more dolls, until then I'll be happy with what I have.

I pick Large Family also. I don't think I could have a LOT of dolls, but if it comes to that, I'll most probably be rottating them in and out of their boxes in my closet. XD I would prefer living alone by that time though

I know what you mean. I used to have that same feeling of "I need something coming in the mail or it doesn't feel right" type thing. But I don't really get that feeling from the DD hobby. There might be people in the hobby that *do* feel that way but I don't know many that do.

Well, I had the need of clothings coming in the mail but the strange thing they come in trimester waves xDD I can be two months holding but then at the next month, 3 wigs come and 5 outfits more xDD

I have yet to one full DD XD

but I have 12 Other BJD's and I love and adore them. I am someone who is easily attached to things and wouldn't let go.

that being said I am selling off my first BJD so I can make money for my Dollfie Dream Body.

So I like large family's and seeing them all the time makes me very happy.

Like many here, I only ever planned to have one doll (a resin bjd). Now I have "several", more DDs than resin.

 

I have a hard time selling stuff, but I also don't tend to impulse buy expensive items. I do a lot of research etc. I've only sold DD parts (head / body), but never a complete doll. I don't think I ever will either unless I'm in serious dire straits. Considering the limited nature of this hobby, I'm much more hesitant to let go of items.

 

As for family size, I don't really think I'll get to the size of some people. My funding doesn't allow me to acquire a lot of girls, which is a good thing in a way. Each one is special that way since I usually have to work much harder to get one, which also increases their personal value to me.

Large family...I could not get rid of my girls.

I am definately in the large family boat. All the girls I've gotten are ones that I really wanted and I've never had the desire to sell any of them. Currently it's been a bit challening trying to keep them all dressed as I tend not to keep them in their default outfits. Trying to find clothes that have low to no stain potential makes it even harder.