Dolls!

  • March 14, 2009 – 5:59 pm

I’m not a doll collector by any means.  I have a single antique 1890 bisque doll I’ve named Mildred, however, it doesn’t calm my dollie fever.
Here are some of the shops I look at.

Iplehouse Doll Shop

D.I.M. – Doll In Mind

LUTS

Illness-Illusion

Joyce’s Dolls

Dream of Doll

Doll Peddlar

Den Of Angels

Les Reves D’Un Garcon – Dreams Of A Boy

Monique Gold BJD

Sweetheart’s Dolls

ABOUT BALL JOINTED DOLLS AND DOLL COLLECTING

Ball-jointed doll

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A ball-jointed doll is any doll that is articulated with ball and socket joints. In contemporary usage when referring to modern dolls, and particularly when using the acronyms BJD or ABJD, it usually refers to modern Asian ball-jointed dolls.[1] These are cast in polyurethane resin, a hard, dense plastic, and the parts strung together with a thick elastic. They are predominantly produced in Japan, South Korea and China. The BJD style has been described as both realistic and influenced by anime.[2][3][4] They commonly range in size from about 60 cm (2 feet) for the larger dolls, 40 cm (16 in) for the mini dolls, and all the way down to 10 cm (4 in) or so for the tiniest of the tiny BJDs. BJDs are made to be easy to customize, by painting, changing the eyes and wig, and so forth.

The modern BJD market began with Volks line of Super Dollfie in 1999. Super Dollfie and Dollfie are registered trademarks but are sometimes erroneously used as generic blanket terms to refer to all Asian BJDs regardless of manufacturer.

[edit] History

European and Egyptian articulated dolls made of wood and other materials date back hundreds of years. The modern era ball-jointed doll history began in Western Europe in the late 1800s. From the late 1800s through the early 1900s French and German, manufacturers made ball-jointed dolls with bisque heads and strung bodies made of composition: a mix of pulp, sawdust, glue and similar materials.[5] These dolls were between 50 and 100cm (20 and 40 inches) and are now collectible antiques.[6][7]

During the 1930s the German artist Hans Bellmer created dolls with ball-joints and used them in photography and other surrealistic artwork. Bellmer introduced the idea of artful doll photography, which continues today with Japanese doll artists, as well as BJD hobbyists.

Influenced by Bellmer and the rich Japanese doll tradition, Japanese artists began creating strung ball-jointed art dolls. These are commonly made entirely of bisque and often very tall, sometimes as tall as 120cm (4 feet). These dolls are purely intended as art, and not for play or even the hobby level of collecting usually associated with dolls. They cost several thousand dollars, up to several hundred thousand dollars for older collectible dolls from famous artists. The art doll community is still active in Japan and artists regularly release artbooks with photographs of their dolls.[8][9]

The history of commercially produced Asian resin BJDs began in 1999 when the Japanese company Volks created the Super Dollfie line of dolls. The first Super Dollfie were 57 cm tall, strung with elastic, ball-jointed, and made of polyurethane resin; similar to garage kits, which were Volks main product at the time. Super Dollfie were made to be highly customizable and to create a female market for Volks products. See further: Super Dollfie History.

The earliest Asian BJDs were influenced by the anime aesthetic.[3][4] The early, prominent BJD companies Volks, Cerberus Project[10] with the Delf line, as well as the Japanese artist Gentaro Araki with the U-noa line[9], all have backgrounds in anime-style resin figure kits.

Around 2002-2003, South Korean companies started creating and producing BJDs. Customhouse[11] and Cerberus Project were among the first Korean BJDs companies, and since then the Korean market has expanded with many more.

The earliest Chinese produced BJDs were knockoffs. Some were direct recasts, while others were slight modifications of Super Dollfie or Korean BJDs. These knockoffs were made of plaster, low quality resin or polystone — a mix of resin and a filler material like sand. They were low in price, but not very durable.[12]

The first Chinese company to release original BJD sculpts in high quality polyurethane resin was Dollzone in 2005. Their dolls hit the market in late 2005/early 2006.[13] Since then, several other Chinese companies followed suit, putting their own BJD creations on the international market.

The first American company to produce a BJD with more of an American aesthetic influence was Goodreau Doll[14] in 2007.[15]

[edit] Modern Asian BJDs

A modified Cerberus Project Delf BJD.

Modern Asian BJDs are intended for adult collectors and customizers and range in price from US$100 to over US$1000. Their body elements are cast in polyurethane resin and held together by thick elastic cords, making them fully articulated and highly poseable. BJDs tend to follow a distinctly Asian view in their aesthetics, but the designs are diverse and range from highly anime-inspired to hyper-realistic.[2][3][4] Most are anatomically correct and have proportionally large heads, big eyes and comparatively large feet, contrasted with fashion dolls like Barbie, and are capable of standing on their own, without a stand or other support.

[edit] Customization

BJDs are readily customizable. Wigs and eyes are easy to remove and replace, as well as heads, hands, and feet. A doll may even be a hybrid of parts from different companies. Some BJD owners or customizers even re-shape existing parts by sanding them or applying epoxy putty to them.

The resin material is easier to paint than the softer and more slick vinyl often used for other types of dolls. BJD face paint is referred to as a faceup, to note that it’s not just make-up, but all the facial features that are painted and customized, including eyebrows, lips and blushing to enhance features. Faceups and body blushing are most often done with acrylic paint — applied with a regular brush or an airbrush — or soft pastels, and coated with a sprayed-on layer of clear matte sealant for protection. BJD faceups, even from large companies, are always painted by hand, and it takes considerable skill to do detailed, professional faceups.

[edit] Culture

There is a sizeable international community dedicated to BJDs. The largest English BJD forum on the internet has over 20,000 members as of November 2008.[16] Enthusiasts also have offline BJD meetups and in the US they organize conventions, like BJDC[17] in Austin, Texas and Dollectable[18] in San Francisco. In Japan Dolls Party conventions are organized by Volks, and some enthusiasts meet and take pictures of their dolls at doll-friendly maid cafes.[19]

BJDs owners usually customize the look of their dolls, and they are often named, and sometimes assigned individual characteristics and personality traits. The dolls are often used as subjects of artistic work, such as photography[20] or drawing, which is shared on the internet. Some use their dolls and characters for roleplaying. A small minority makes further emotional investment, going so far as to talk to their dolls as if they were alive.[21]

Some BJDs are collectible; limited editions and skillfully customized dolls can fetch prices much higher than the original in the second hand market, sometimes as much as US $5000.[22] However, the customization and personalization aspects are usually more emphasized in the BJD world. Even collectible limited-edition BJDs are played with and used as props in photoshoots, and even dolls that are no longer in mint condition can command high prices in the second hand market.

Many BJD owners have other interests such as anime, Gothic lolita and cosplaying, and some dress their dolls in related styles.[23] BJDs can often be seen dressed in contemporary and casual youth fashions like punk or goth.[24] Other dolls may display fantasy elements like elf ears or vampire fangs.

Doll manufacturers sometimes base BJDs on characters from anime, manga, other works of fiction, or even historical figures. Some BJD owners similarly customize their dolls to create one-off representations of existing characters or celebrities.

Asian BJDs have been featured in movies and other works. The Korean horror movie Doll Master from 2004[25] and the Taiwanese drama film Spider Lilies from 2007 feature BJDs. The virtual band Mistula is composed of customized BJDs, Super Dollfie and Delf dolls. The main characters in the manga and anime Rozen Maiden are ball-jointed living dolls.

[edit] Sizes and types

The earliest BJDs were all around 60cm or 2 feet tall, but as the market expanded they have been produced in many different types and sizes. There are roughly three main size categories for BJDs: full size, mini and tiny. Compare with Super Dollfie models.

Large full size dolls, sometimes referred to as SD size from the Super Dollfie size range, are around 60cm. Roughly 1/3 scale, they usually represent fully grown teenagers or adult body types. There is also a range of even larger full size BJD, from about 70-90cm tall.

Mini size dolls, sometimes referred to as MSD size from to Mini Super Dollfie size range, are about 40cm tall. There are two major categories of minis: those that are roughly in the same 1/3 scale as full size dolls and are meant to look like children, and mature minis which are meant to represent fully grown adults and are closer to 1/4 scale.

Tiny BJDs are under 30cm tall. They are available in many different types and scales.[26] Some tiny BJD are made look like toddlers or babies next to full size dolls, these are about 25 cm (10 in) tall. Even smaller childlike dolls, tiny tinies, are usually not made to be in scale with any larger BJDs. A few tiny BJDs have mature bodies and are in the same 1/6 scale as fashion dolls like Barbie, about 21-30 cm tall. Humanoid anthro animal BJDs are usually in the tiny size scale.

[edit] Production

Ball-jointed dolls are initially modeled in a substance such as clay. The hardened clay body parts are used to form molds for multiple parts to be cast in synthetic polyurethane resin. Cured resin has a hard, smooth, porcelain-like feel, but is less brittle. Unlike porcelain however, polyurethane tends to turn yellow and decay over time depending on exposure to UV light and heat. The resin casting process allows for molds to be produced with a relatively low initial investment, compared to the injection molding commonly used for mass produced vinyl dolls.

Most regular edition BJDs come assembled and painted but without clothes, while full set BJDs, which are often limited, include clothes. A few BJDs are sold as bare unassembled parts in a kit, similar to a garage kit.

[edit] Lines and companies

BJDs are produced by anything from single-person outfits on a hobby level, to incorporated multinationals. Hobby artists in Asia, particularly Japan, and the West, particularly USA and Australia, create and sell their own dolls. In Asia there is a wide variety of companies making BJDs, most based in South Korea. The BJD Orbyrarium book lists 49 different BJD companies[27] and one fan-run BJD database includes 125 companies as of February 2009.[28] A few of the most notable BJD lines and companies can be found below.

[edit] Japan

Super Dollfie from Volks

Super Dollfie[22][27] from Volks was the first line of modern Asian BJD. They set the range of sizes used by most companies. Volks have released a vast variety of different dolls, most of them limited editions, some in collaboration with Lolita fashion designers like Baby, The Stars Shine Bright or anime series like Rozen Maiden. Volks has a number of stores in Japan and Korea, as well as one in Los Angeles.[29] They also run the Super Dollfie museum, Tenshi-no-Sato in Kyoto, Japan.

U-noa

The Japanese artist Gentaro Araki first started in BJDs with the Andolrea U-Noss[30] line in collaboration with Volks. He later went on to create his own company called Alchemic Labo with a line of mature minis called the U-noa Quluts,[22][27] but has recently branched out to other sizes.

[edit] Korea

Delf from Luts and Cerberus Project

The Delf[22][27] dolls were one of the earliest lines from Korea, dating back to 2003. They are slightly taller and slimmer than Super Dollfie and there is a variety of doll types available, including dolls with elf ears and vampire teeth. Delf were originally designed by Japanese resin kit designers Cerberus Project[10] and made and distributed by the Korean company Luts,[31] who also own the rights to use the Delf name. These dolls are often referred to by the acronym CP, or as Luts dolls, after the distributor; dolls produced after 2007 are correctly known only as Luts dolls due to a split between Cerberus Project and Luts, who now trade separately. Minifee are mini-sized versions of the Delf dolls, distributed by Korean company Fairyland.[32]

Custom House

Custom House[27][33] is one of the oldest Korean BJD companies. Their dolls were featured in the Korean horror movie Doll Master from 2004.[34]

Doll in Mind

D.I.M (Doll in Mind)[22] produces, among other dolls, the Minimee, completely customized heads created from customer photos or drawings. Some people commission heads from them in the likeness of celebrities.[35]

Dollshe

Dollshe[27][36] introduced a line of tall, slim, double jointed mature boy dolls in 2003[37] These are slightly larger full size BJD, about 68cm tall. Their Bermann doll was strictly limited and is one of the most sought after collectible BJDs.

Dream of Doll

D.O.D. (Dream of Doll)[27][38] was one of the earliest Korean companies to make a large line of child like minis, D.O.C. (Dream of Children). They have since expanded and now make, among others, the D.O.T. (Dream of Teen) line and D.O.I. (Dream of Idol) line.

Elfdoll

Elfdoll[22][27][39] is a subsidiary of the Korean company Artmaze. Elfdoll are created by the sculptor Rainman and a team of artisans. In addition to a range of fullsize human dolls, Elfdoll have released many types of tiny anthro BJDs, beginning with Catsy. They opened a showroom in Glendale, California in August 2007. They regularly have parties and meetups for BJD enthusiasts.[40][41]

[edit] China

Dollzone

Dollzone[42][43] was one of the first Chinese BJD doll brands, developed and manufactured by Shenzhen Red Social Toys Ltd. Dollzone make male and female dolls, 1/3 and 1/4 dolls, and BB dolls in 26cm size.

[edit] Ball-jointed fashion dolls

Resin ball-jointed fashion dolls like the Sybarite differ from the typical Asian BJD in several ways. Their main influence is from the collectible American 16 inch vinyl fashion dolls, like Gene Marshall by Ashton-Drake Galleries and Tyler Wentworth by Tonner. Ball-jointed fashion dolls are usually around 16 inches tall, closer to 1/4 scale than the typical 1/3 scale of Asian BJDs. They have more life-like proportions, smaller heads and eyes, and less child-like, more distinctive facial features.

[edit] Vinyl dolls

There are several types of larger 60cm vinyl dolls in Japan. They are in the same scale as fullsize BJDs, with similar proportions. The two most common types are Dollfie Dream (ja:ドルフィー・ドリーム) from Volks and Obitsu (ja:オビツボディ). The first Dollfie Dream body type was strung and had classic ball and socket joints, but the current body has an internal skeleton of hard plastic,[44][45] as do the Obitsu dolls. The vinyl bodies can, sometimes with some modifications, be combined with a resin BJD head.

Vinyl dolls usually have facial features that are more highly stylized after anime and less realistic than the typical resin BJDs. Vinyl dolls are easier to manufacture, machine-made and injection-molded in soft vinyl, and thus lighter and often less expensive than their Japanese resin counterparts.[46]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ About.com Glossary of Doll Collecting Terms – Ball Jointed
  2. ^ a b Ohanesian, Liz (October 28 2008). “Elfdoll: Don’t Call It A Toy Company”. LA Weekly. http://blogs.laweekly.com/ladaily/arts-news/elfdoll-dont-call-them-a-toy-c/. Retrieved on December 26 2008. “The shockingly realistic, remarkably flexible BJDs” 
  3. ^ a b c Holton, Avery (July 18, 2004). “Anime Girls”. Time. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101040726-665031,00.html. Retrieved on December 26 2008. “Japanese-made Super Dollfies … with … exaggerated features inspired by Japanese animation” 
  4. ^ a b c Gonzalez, Lauren (June 2008). “The Future Looks Bright for Ball-jointed Dolls”. Shojo Beat. p. 332. “Super Dollfie, like Narin and Narae, have a distinct anime look, with cool glassy expressions on their faces. Although highly customizable, the dolls are offered in a range of styles that stay true to a Japanese aesthetic.” 
  5. ^ About.com Glossary of Doll Collecting Terms – Composition
  6. ^ HGTV At Home : Appraisals : Pricing a Doll
  7. ^ Civilization.ca – Before e-commerce – The Eaton Beauty Doll (via archive.org
  8. ^ Den of Angels – (Some Thoughts about ABJD…and a brief History Lesson Rant.. (not the best source, but has pointers to others)
  9. ^ a b Japattack – Figure+Doll=U-noa (Unoa Doll)
  10. ^ a b Cerberusproject official site
  11. ^ Custom House official site – company history “2002 December : Ball Jointed Doll company started.”
  12. ^ Super Dollfie FAQ – Yumia (Forever)
  13. ^ Den of Angels – Dollzone returns?
  14. ^ Goodreau Doll Official Site
  15. ^ Interview With Doll Artist Paulette Goodreau
  16. ^ Den of Angels Forum
  17. ^ BJDC Ball Jointed Doll Convention
  18. ^ Dollectable Northern California ABJD Convention
  19. ^ Galbraith, Patrick W. “Plastic fantastic: Japan’s doll industry booming”. Metropolis magazine. http://www.japantoday.com/category/lifestyle/view/plastic-fantastic-japans-doll-industry-booming. Retrieved on 2009-02-22. “Dragon is friends with many other users, but prefers to keep his avocation a secret and so only meets them at St Grace’s Court, a doll user-friendly costume café outside Akihabara, and dolpas, or doll parties where fans can get together … the owner allows them to organize exchange parties and take pictures of their dolls. There is even a “doll set” (700 yen) of miniature tea and sweets on the menu for users to order for use in posing their dolls or offering them refreshments.” 
  20. ^ Galbraith, Patrick W. “Plastic fantastic: Japan’s doll industry booming”. Metropolis magazine. http://www.japantoday.com/category/lifestyle/view/plastic-fantastic-japans-doll-industry-booming. Retrieved on 2009-02-22. “…the inclusion of ball joints, which make it possible to pose the dolls for pictures, a favorite pastime among users.” 
  21. ^ Galbraith, Patrick W. “Plastic fantastic: Japan’s doll industry booming”. Metropolis magazine. http://www.japantoday.com/category/lifestyle/view/plastic-fantastic-japans-doll-industry-booming. Retrieved on 2009-02-22. “…the minority “wet users,” or those who make an emotional investment in their dolls, sometimes even publicly carrying, caressing and talking with them … [some] attend doll “exchange parties” to talk and play with dolls among invited guests … “People can’t hear my friends [dolls] because they don’t believe,” says Mai, a 23-year-old college student from Hiroshima who has been talking to dolls since she was a child. “You can’t approach them like objects.”” 
  22. ^ a b c d e f Gonzalez, Lauren (June 2008). “The Future Looks Bright for Ball-jointed Dolls”. Shojo Beat. 
  23. ^ Gonzalez, Lauren (June 2008). “The Future Looks Bright for Ball-jointed Dolls”. Shojo Beat. p. 330,332. “Den founder Aimee Steinberg believes there is a surge in this BJD’s [sic] popularity due to conventions and magazine coverage. Fans of anime, Gothic Lolita [and] cosplayers are discovering these BJDs,” she says. Cosplayers and Gothic Lolita fans, Steinberg explains, ‘enjoy dressing their dolls and sometimes themselves in matching outfits.’” 
  24. ^ Ohanesian, Liz (October 28 2008). “Elfdoll: Don’t Call It A Toy Company”. LA Weekly. http://blogs.laweekly.com/ladaily/arts-news/elfdoll-dont-call-them-a-toy-c/. Retrieved on December 26 2008. “At the showroom’s October 25 party, hobbyists arrived with arms filled with pieces from their own collections reconfigured to fit Halloween images of comic book heroes, steampunks, fairies, Japanese-styled Lolitas and goth boys in drag.” 
  25. ^ Custom House official site – company history “2004 July : Movie [Doll Master™] Main character Mina doll released”
  26. ^ Google Docs – Tiny BJD Sizes reference sheet
  27. ^ a b c d e f g h Aimee Steinberger, Mia Peterson, ed (2006). BJD Orbyrarium. Murat Caviale Inc.. 
  28. ^ SD-like Ball Jointed Dolls
  29. ^ Volks USA Inc.
  30. ^ Where Angels Lie – Andolrea U-Noss
  31. ^ Luts
  32. ^ FairyLand
  33. ^ aiNai.com
  34. ^ Custom House official site – company history “2004 July : Movie [Doll Master™] Main character Mina doll released”
  35. ^ http://www.dimdoll.com/shop/step1.php?number=215
  36. ^ TensiYa.com
  37. ^ Resinality – Dollshe – the company
  38. ^ Dream Of Doll
  39. ^ Elfdoll
  40. ^ http://blogs.laweekly.com/ladaily/arts-news/elfdoll-dont-call-them-a-toy-c/
  41. ^ http://www.elfdoll.com/default/img/gallery_001asdf/gallery_001.swf
  42. ^ World Journal
  43. ^ Doll-zone.com
  44. ^ Volks – DD Basic Body/Dollfie Dream
  45. ^ Volks – DD Base Body2/Dollfie Dream
  46. ^ http://www.hlj.com/product/OBT03602 Obitsu body for US $200

Super Dollfie

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Super Dollfie (スーパードルフィー Sūpā Dorufī?), often abbreviated SD, is a brand of ball-jointed doll, or BJD, made by the Japanese company Volks. They are cast in polyurethane resin, a porcelain-like, hard, dense plastic.[1] The most common standard models are about 60cm, or 2 feet, tall, taller and heavier than most comparable Western dolls. They are designed in a style which is both realistic and influenced by anime[2], and most models are anatomically correct. The various body parts have ball joints for articulation, and are strung together with a thick elastic cord.

The term “dollfie” is a contraction of the words “doll” and “figure”.[3] The original Dollfie dolls are Barbie sized vinyl figures, and the term “Super Dollfie” was introduced to distinguish the larger resin dolls. Super Dollfie, or even just Dollfie, are sometimes erroneously used as a generic terms to refer to BJDs made by other companies. However, both Super Dollfie and Dollfie are registered trademarks and should only be used for Volks products.

[edit] Overview

Nono, an early Super Dollfie model, first released in 2000.[4]

Super Dollfie dolls are made to be easy to customize. The hair is a wig that can easily be changed. The head can be opened to change the eyes and adjust the stringing. The face paint can be removed and the head repainted. Optional hands and feet are available, and heads and other body parts are removable and interchangeable. The resin parts themselves can be carved or sanded to reshape them.

Super Dollfie are not widely distributed, and, with a few exceptions[5], new dolls are only available directly through Volks own events or stores, either online[6][7], or through their brick and mortar stores called Tenshi no Sumika (angel’s nest), located throughout Japan [8], in South Korea [9] and Los Angeles, California.[10]

Super Dollfie are collectible, customizable dolls marketed to adults. They vary in price from about 30 000 yen (about US $300) for the smallest, unassembled standard models[11], up to about 150 000 yen (about US $1400) for the most exclusive larger limited dolls that come with outfits and accessories.[12]

On the secondary market, limited and skillfully customized Super Dollfie often fetch a price far higher than the original. There is a thriving second hand market online, where dolls are bought and sold on auction sites[13][14][15], as well as forums.

New models are regularly released at Dolls Party, or Dolpa, (ja:ドールズパーティー) promotional convention-like events organized by Volks several times a year in locations around Japan.[16] Here fans can buy and sell limited and customized dolls, accessories and clothes. Dolpas have grown in scale over the years and the Dolls Party held at Tokyo Big Sight regularly has 15 000 attendees.[17][18]

Tenshi no Sato[19] (angel’s home) in Kyoto is Volks headquarters and Super Dollfie museum. Here exclusive doll models are sold, and events are held where special limited editions are released. Doll repair services are also available and classes are held teaching various customization methods. Tenshi no Sato is surrounded by a traditional Japanese garden where visitors can photograph their dolls.[20] To gain entrance visitors have to book reservations in advance.[21]

Following the introduction of Super Dollfie an increasing number of Asian ball-jointed doll companies have been established, most of them based in South Korea.

[edit] History

See also: Ball-jointed doll#History

In the late 1990s Volks produced a line of 1:6 scale articulated vinyl figures for hobbyist customers to finish to their own taste. Volks named these figures Dollfie, a portmanteau of doll and figure.

The first Super Dollfie was designed in 1999 by the sculptor Akihiro Enku. Enku sculpted a one-off doll for his wife, 57 cm tall, in what would become the Super Dollfie size and style. An executive director at Volks noticed the doll and wondered if they would be made in larger numbers.

The first Super Dollfie release was four different models, Kira, Nana, Sara and Megu, which all shared the same head mold, the standard SD Four Sisters head.[22][23]

At this time Volks was a producer of resin figure kits, and the early Super Dollfie were made and sold similarly to resin kits, in very small quantities (almost build to order), and in parts, for the customer to assemble. Volks has stated that they were trying to create a female market for resin kits, which were male dominated up to that point.

The first generation SD bodies were highly detailed, but had some difficulty remaining standing, and their ball joints were very prominent.

All Super Dollfie dolls were female, until 2001 when the first boy doll, Licht, was released. The first release was a limited run of only 50 dolls, but sales were so successful that the doll was rereleased two times, and many other male dolls followed.[24]

In 2003, Volks released a new ’skin type’ (resin mixture) of the dolls called “Pure Skin”.[25] Pure skin has a less plastic and more skin-like, translucent look and feel. The Super Dollfie body was improved with better poseability and less conspicuous ball joints. During the change, Volks gradually phased out production of “old skin” dolls in favor of pure skin.

Old skin body parts were available separately,[25] so buyers could easily get pieces and assemble their own custom doll. After the change to pure skin, only certain hands and feet are available to buy as optional parts, and only a few pure skin head molds and body types are readily available as completed standard models.[26] The majority of Super Dollfie models are now only available as limited editions, already assembled, painted, and fully clothed.

Following the 2003 changes of the dolls, Volks expanded their business internationally. The same year they held the first Dolpa in South Korea, and also opened the first Korean store.[27] In 2004 the Super Dollfie museum Tenshi no Sato was opened in Kyoto.[28] In November 2005 Volks USA opened their first American Tenshi no Sumika store in Los Angeles, California,[29] and they have been holding Dolpa events in New York City every summer since 2006.[30]

In 2008 Japan Today reported that Volks annual sales were $50 million and that they have about 30 shops worldwide.[18]

[edit] Culture

There is a sizeable community dedicated to Super Dollfie and other ball-jointed dolls. The largest English BJD forum has over 22 000 members as of February 2009.[31] Doll owners customize their dolls and share photos and photo stories online.[18] The dolls are usually named by their owner, and sometimes assigned individual characteristics and personality traits. In the West, enthusiasts organize offline doll meetups and conventions, which include other BJDs along with Super Dollfie. In Japan, Volks hold Dolpa conventions and Tenshi no Sumika store meetups. These are exclusively Super Dollfie events, and other BJD brands are not allowed.

Super Dollfie is associated with the Gothic Lolita and Lolita fashion subcultures in Japan, as well as the Cosplay subculture, with some dressing their Super Dollfie up as famous characters. Volks have a history of collaborating with Lolita fashion designers going back to 2002, when they released limited edition Super Dollfie with clothes designed by Baby, The Stars Shine Bright, Black Peace Now and Atelier-Pierrot.[32][25][33][34][35][36]

The character Momoko from the Lolita fashion themed movie Kamikaze Girls was released as a limited Super Dollfie, wearing a Baby, The Stars Shine Bright outfit, coinciding with the release of the movie in Japan in 2004.[26][37]. Baby, The Stars Shine Bright have created several other Super Dollfie outfits as well. Some sold separately, some with limited edition dolls. They have also made matching human and doll sized outfits, like the outfits worn by the limited edition Toppi and Luna released in early 2007.[38][39]

The Gothic Lolita fashion designer H. Naoto created an exclusive outfit for a limited Super Dollfie in 2006[40][41], and have since created several other Super Dollfie outfits.

Super Dollfie are influenced by the anime style, but they also have some more direct ties with anime and manga. In 2003, the android character Chi from the manga and anime Chobits, as well as Yumi and Sachiko from Maria-sama ga Miteru were produced as limited edition Super Dollfie.[25][42][43][44] The main characters in the manga and anime Rozen Maiden are all BJD-like “living dolls”, and five of them were released as limited Super Dollfie dolls in 2005 and 2007.[45][46][47][48]

Super Dollfie have also been featured in various work. A fashion shoot with Super Dollfie was featured in the November 2007 issue of Vogue Nippon. The virtual band Mistula is composed of customized ball-jointed dolls, several of which are Super Dollfie. The 2006 Kawaii episode of the British TV series Japanorama featured a segment on Super Dollfie.[49]

[edit] Super Dollfie models

A limited SD13 ball-jointed doll: Heath. Dressed with all original items.

Super Dollfie, or SD, was the first model, introduced in 1999.[25] The current pure skin models are about 55 cm tall, while the original version was slightly taller at 57 cm.[40] Sometimes referred to as Super Dollfie 10 or SD10 to specifically refer to the size versus the whole line of dolls.

Super Dollfie 13, or SD13, are more mature and slightly taller than the plain Super Dollfie, SD13 boys are 60cm, and girls 57 cm. When they were released in December 2001[25] they were an improvement on the original SD body, with less prominent ball joints.[40]

Mini Super Dollfie, or MSD, are more child-like and shorter, about 42cm tall. They were introduced in September 2001[25][40]

The standard names SD, SD13 and MSD, or just “mini”, are sometimes used to describe the size of BJDs from other companies as well, compare with Ball-jointed doll sizes and types.

Yo-SD, from the Japanese infant (幼 yō?), are only available as limited editions, but they have been released several times. Younger looking than MSD, they are 26.5 cm tall, and were first released in 2004.[50][26]

In addition to these models, there are also the limited edition SD16 and SD17, which are more mature than SD13 and about 65 cm tall, and SDCute, which are about as tall as MSD, but more mature. The regular SD versions are anatomically correct, but there are also limited genderless Tenshi, or angel, editions.[51][25][26][40] Sei-Tenshi and Rei-Tenshi are smaller than Yo-SD and not for sale, but only given out at promotional events.[52][53]

Super Dollfie buyers can also create a customized doll with the Full Choice System, or FCS. Through FCS, the buyer selects from various options including body type, head mold, eye color, wig style, and cosmetics style, and the doll is then assembled by Volks.[54] Different FCS head molds are distinguished by numbers, not names like the pre-assembled models, with for example F-16 being a popular mold.[55] FCS is not available online, but only through Volks physical Tenshi no Sumika stores or through Tenshi no Sato,[56] where the FCS service has additional options.

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes and references

  1. ^ http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101040726-665031,00.html Time Magazine, AVERY HOLTON, “Anime Girls”, Sunday, Jul. 18, 2004 “a tough polyurethane-resin mix that gives them the look of porcelain”
  2. ^ http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101040726-665031,00.html Time Magazine, AVERY HOLTON, “Anime Girls”, Sunday, Jul. 18, 2004 “exaggerated features inspired by Japanese animation”
  3. ^ Super Dollfie Catalog 2 p. 81
  4. ^ Where Angels Lie – A Super Dollfie Database – SD10
  5. ^ http://www.volks.co.jp/en/volks/index_volks.aspx there is one overseas agent and two authorized retailers
  6. ^ ボークスウェブサイト ｜ 株式会社ボークス ( VOLKS INC. )
  7. ^ VOLKS USA, INC. / Tenshi no Sumika
  8. ^ About Tenshi-no-Sumika/VOLKS INC
  9. ^ info
  10. ^ VOLKS USA, INC. / Tenshi no Sumika | About Volks USA, INC
  11. ^ http://www.volks.co.jp/en/goods/index_goods.aspx?sbct=50&parts=24 retrieved 2008-06-22, MSD model kits for 31,290 yen
  12. ^ http://www.superdollfie.net/archive/sd17/reisner2/reisner2.html retrieved 2008-06-22, SD17 limited edition Reisner, with clothes and accessories for 155,400 yen
  13. ^ CCTV – Japan´s doll fans get crazy about Superdollfie
  14. ^ eBay category “Dollfie”, also a good example of the colloquial Western conflation of “Dollfie” with “Super Dollfie”.
  15. ^ http://list4.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/2084052783-category.html Yahoo! Japan auctions category Super Dollfie.
  16. ^ http://www.superdollfie.net/en/10th_sd/history/y2001.html
  17. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkXODboqQms a subtitled Japanese TV news report on Dolpa 15
  18. ^ a b c Plastic fantastic: Japan’s doll industry booming › Japan Today: Japan News and Discussion
  19. ^ VOLKS INC. – Tenshi-no-Sato/ Kachu-an
  20. ^ Tenshi no Sato – Resinality
  21. ^ VOLKS INC. – Tenshi-no-Sato kachu-an – Visited Reservation
  22. ^ 1998 | SD 10 Year History of Super Dollfie | Super Dollfie 10th Anniversary Special Web Site | VOLKS INC
  23. ^ 1999 | SD 10 Year History of Super Dollfie | Super Dollfie 10th Anniversary Special Web Site | VOLKS INC
  24. ^ Where Angels Lie – A Super Dollfie Database – SD10
  25. ^ a b c d e f g h Super Dollfie Catalog 1
  26. ^ a b c d Super Dollfie Catalog 2
  27. ^ http://www.superdollfie.net/en/10th_sd/history/y2003.html
  28. ^ http://www.superdollfie.net/en/10th_sd/history/y2004.html
  29. ^ VOLKS INC. – Tenshi-no-Sumika in LA Opening Reception
  30. ^ Tenshi-no-Sumika in LA Blog » Dolpa in NYC
  31. ^ Den of Angels
  32. ^ http://www.superdollfie.net/en/10th_sd/history/y2002.html
  33. ^ http://www.angelden.net/volks/sd10/kira-btssb.php Kira x Baby, The Stars Shine Bright
  34. ^ http://www.angelden.net/volks/sd10/kira-atelier.php Kira x Atelier-Pierrot
  35. ^ http://www.angelden.net/volks/sd10/sara-bpn.php Sara x Black Peace Now
  36. ^ http://www.angelden.net/volks/sd10/nana-bpn.php Nana x Black Peace Now
  37. ^ Where Angels Lie – A Super Dollfie Database – SD10
  38. ^ http://www.angelden.net/volks/msd/toppi2nd.php Toppi – Huis Ten Bosch Stroll Version, released February 22 2007
  39. ^ http://www.angelden.net/volks/sd10/luna.php Luna, released March 18 2007
  40. ^ a b c d e Super Dollfie Catalog 3
  41. ^ Where Angels Lie – A Super Dollfie Database – SD10
  42. ^ Where Angels Lie – A Super Dollfie Database – SD10
  43. ^ Where Angels Lie – A Super Dollfie Database – SD10
  44. ^ Where Angels Lie – A Super Dollfie Database – SD13
  45. ^ TBS ishop ローゼンメイデン
  46. ^ PEACH-PIT完全監修 「Rozen Maiden」オフィシャルドール第2弾 Super Dollfie 『翠星石』『蒼星石』
  47. ^ PEACH-PIT完全監修 「Rozen Maiden」オフィシャルドール第3弾Super Dollfie 『水銀燈』『雛苺＆くんくん』
  48. ^ PEACH-PIT完全監修 「Rozen Maiden」オフィシャルドール第3弾Super Dollfie 『水銀燈』『雛苺＆くんくん』
  49. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZ15YTuR7yI the Super Dollfie segment from Japanorama
  50. ^ Super Dollfie Catalog 3 pp. 129-134
  51. ^ Where Angels Lie – A Super Dollfie Database – Tenshi
  52. ^ Where Angels Lie – A Super Dollfie Database – Tenshi
  53. ^ Where Angels Lie – A Super Dollfie Database – Tenshi
  54. ^ Creating Dreams – Volks FCS
  55. ^ Creating Dreams – Volks FCS – SD10 and SD13 FCS – Head Molds
  56. ^ Super Dollfie Full Choice/Volks Website

Dollfie

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Dollfie is a playscale (27 cm or 11 inches tall) vinyl doll that is produced by Volks, located in Japan.

Dollfie is a highly-poseable hybrid of fashion doll and action figure, first created in 1997. They are about the size of a Barbie, 1/6 or playscale, though there are many variations in height in that scale, generally ranging from 23-29 cm.

Dollfie are often confused with Super Dollfie, a larger 1/3 scale 60cm/2 feet range of resin dolls, also made by Volks, or even similar larger Asian ball-jointed dolls from other companies. The name “Dollfie” should accurately only be used for Volks’s line of 1/6 dolls though.

Dollfie dolls generally come blank, ie, their heads are not painted. When an artist paints a Dollfie, the technique is referred to as a “face-up” or “make-up”. This is usually done using acrylic paints and special sealer to keep the color from coming off with play. The finished dolls are usually collected for customization and photography shoots.

Dollfie dolls are much more flexible than standard Barbie- western fashion dolls of the same size, because of the much larger number of joints in the body.

27 cm Dollfie Neo GO boy by C Shepard

[edit] Types of Playscale Dollfies

 This article resembles a fansite. Please help improve this article by removing excessive trivia and irrelevant praise, criticism, lists and collections of links. (May 2007)

Volks Inc. manufactures several types of playscale customizable bodies with doll-crafters and artists in mind. Unlike other popular fashion doll lines where only the outfits could be changed, Dollfie dolls were made to be customized from the base on up, beginning with basics like hair and eye color. For those with less skill, doll-crafting short-cuts were introduced, such as pre-rooted hair and stick-on eye decals. Later, complete dolls were issued but the custom doll bodies still remain the largest, most varied line and are favored by OOAK artists around the world.

There are various body types, male and female, with several forms and skin tones for both as well as a line of child-sized dolls. They make different heads, some with hair and some without for custom rooting; there are even head types that have the hair molded on for those that like to paint. The Dollfie custom base body comes unpainted so that it can be used by hobbyists and artists for creating original dolls of their own design. The company makes tools and materials to customize and maintain dolls with but in many instances less costly substitutes work just as well.

[edit] Excellent Base Body

A very flexible doll, the Excellent Base body is the Dollfie standard line. It comes with an unpainted head that has no hair – the artist must either root hair or find a wig that will fit the doll. There are a large variety of sizes and skin colors in this line, with a choice between different types of male and female forms. Due to the designs, this line is generally favored by artists for making dolls that have an anime appearance.

[edit] Elegant Collection

Articulated doll with full poseability under a vinyl seamless ’skin’ that looks more “real” in swimsuits and other skin-baring outfits. Because of their special outer “skin” these dolls cost more than the standard Dollfie but are still far more affordable to collect than the 60cm (2 foot) tall dolls.

[edit] Dollfie Plus

Poseable doll with a resin head made to put custom eyes in and wigs on. Fully articulated, this doll is very similar to Super Dollfie, only scaled down. Despite their more affordable price-tag, these dolls are still not nearly as popular as the Super Dollfies.

[edit] EB Beauty Model

Similar to Dollfie Plus but that the waist is not jointed and the articulation parts are smaller. There are no screw holes on the body (unlike Dollfie Plus). The head attachment is made with easy clothes changes in mind. There is a particular doll in this base line that has a “soft bust” – a bust that isn’t solid.

[edit] NEO

More life-like in details. Fully articulated. Comes in male and female, with more than one choice of body for each. Head has to be purchased separately for some bases. This line has a male body that is similar to G.I. Joe action figures.

[edit] Customize Doll

Like the Excellent Base Model, only this doll is accompanied by one of several vinyl head types that are crafted with a molded-on hair. The doll features a “swing” body that the company touts as being perfect for models for illustrators, in addition to its use as a customized doll.

[edit] Who’s That Girl?

Stylish fashion dolls with an anime styled appearance. The dolls are sold complete with make-up, hair, and clothes. The name also supports a line of fashions that fit most playscale dolls made by Volks Inc.

[edit] Century Model

Pre-painted, costumed Dollfies designed to look like high fashion models. Very similar to vintage Barbie dolls in many respects, though fully articulated.

[edit] Lost Angels Story

Costumed, painted dolls with an original anime theme. Volks Inc. created a whole collection of this popular series of dolls, with an ongoing story to back them. They have its own series of graphic novels based on the dolls.

[edit] Der Ring Des Niebelungen

Another line of anime- dolls from Volks Inc., with an original story behind them.

Sybarite (fashion doll)

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The Sybarite is a 16 inch resin artist-doll created by London artists Desmond Lingard and Charles Fegen in 2005. Sybarite dolls are fully articulated mannequin-like dolls and have appeared in several fashion trades (French Revue des Modes, Style.com, Women’s Wear Daily). HauteDoll features Sybarites on the Covers of their magazines.

The designers work under the “Superdoll” moniker and produce the dolls for a collector market. Previous to artist dolls, Fegen worked in the fashion industry as a clothing designer.

Early dolls were handmade in London by Lingard and Fegen in their workshop. As the dolls went into the mainstream market, manufacturing moved to China.

The dolls have 17 points of articulation, and have strung bodies similar to the Super Dollfie dolls from Japan. The Sybarite doll was introduced shortly after Asian ball-jointed dolls were gaining popularity, but differ in that they are high fashion mannequins versus the Asian ball-jointed dolls’ anime inspired childlike quality.

In 2007, a Sybarite doll appeared in the audience at a Dior Couture fashion show. A seat had been purchased for the doll to sit in. Lingard and Fegen are known for their lavish publicity stunts. The dolls were also exhibited at Jeffrey New York in an “all white collection”, including a “razor blade dress”, suggesting a very controversial cocaine theme.

In March 2008, the BBC aired a segment on Fegen and Lingard claiming the duo’s handmade creations are treated with “the reverence normally reserved for catwalk fashion”. BBC’s David Harper accompanied Fegen and Lingard to Paris where the 2008 Collection, entitled “War+Peace”, was shown at a private 16th century residence. Fegen explained some of the ideas behind his collections such as red and white polka dot shoes representing “magic mushrooms for breakfast”, and showed costumes featuring tiny bullets which were actually miniature lipsticks. At the end of the BBC segment, David Harper stated that one of a kind handmade studio Sybarites have been purchased for up to $20,000 to $40,000 USD. Collectors were interviewed but would not discuss pricing with the BBC. At the Paris showing, the purchase of a two doll set required a signed contract stipulating owners could not discuss pricing or sell their dolls for 3 years.

Sybarite Video: [1] BBC London: Inside Out Feature on Sybarites (March 28, 2008)]

[edit] References

EVERYBODY LOVES DOLLS!

The 2004 Korean film “Doll Master” centres its story around ball-jointed Asian dolls who have souls, and one in particular who wants revenge.

Kerli, a lovely singer, features a BDJ in her video, “Walking On Air.”

One Comment

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