The Doll Collectors' Tag [2019 Update]


1. How long have you been collecting? I've been collecting action figures since around 2005, dolls since around 2010, and bears since 2016.

2. What do you collect? Well, action figures, dolls, and bears are my big three collections, though I'd say dolls likely the main ones. That being said, for figures I stick to Marvel Legends, Figuarts and Figma. Bears tend to be Charlie Bears. For dolls? Oh, there's a lot. It's a varied collection: Azone, Barbies, BeGoths, BJDs, Disney, Ever After High, Hot Toys, Hujoos, Momoko, Monster High, Pullip, Tonner... Like I said, it's quite varied.


3. How many dolls do you have? I am honestly not sure. I try not to keep an exact number in my head because I know the second I do that, I'll likely start to feel overwhelmed and get rid of things that I cannot easily get back. I do regularly go through my collection and see if it's time to move anything on, as I'm not appreciating it in the way I should do, so that's an on-going thing. Though it tends to be for each item that leaves, something new comes in. So... honestly, the answer is probably more than I should have. 

4. Which of your collections are you the most proud of? Why? Okay, so there's a few different answers here and I'll do my best to explain why for each of them.
First off would be my BeGoths, as I didn't really get into the line until after it had been discontinued. As such, pretty much every doll from the line I own has been a case of searching and trying to find for a good price.
Another collection I'm proud of are my Azones, as they were a type I had been coveting for years. My BJDs stand out as they're each a case of working on crafting the character and finding items that fit them and their personality well.
Lastly would have to be the more recent addition: Hot Toys. I've just been very fortunate to find fantastic deals for the three that I have, and I will consider myself forever fortunate to have done so.


5. Which single doll cost you the most money? My Obitsu 65 vinyl BJD, named Jack Dawson. If I hadn't sold my PS4 when I did, I would have never been able to afford him, and even with that monetary help, the customs charge was still fairly hefty.
Following that would be the Hot Toys Wonder Woman, Rey and Kylo. Even with the fantastic deals, they were still a bit more costly than I usually spend on a single item. My ResinSoul was also a bit more than I would generally prefer to spend on a single item.

6. Which doll line is your favorite to collect and why? Not so long ago, the answer would have easily been Monster High. The line was so creative, and each new wave felt like something special to see on the shelves, and it was fun - if a bit frustrating - looking for them, and trying to find the ideal one. Azones are probably the next most fun due to the quality level and the sheer variety that's out there. Mandarake has been a saving grace there.
 
7. What made you want to collect dolls? Time for another bout of honesty. Back in 2010, when I first started collecting, I really was looking for some kind of alternative to fill the space of not really finding any decent female action figures. Thankfully, things have improved in that area a lot, but I don't think I'd suddenly leave dolls because of it. I've been finding a lot of stuff I like in this collecting area, and I think I'd miss it if I left again. 

8. Which is your most wanted doll right now? ResinSoul 0036 - ordered and waiting on it arriving, since I ordered at the end of August and there's generally a three month turnaround for ResinSoul, it should be November/December that I see my little one.
Hot Toys The Last Jedi Kylo Jedi - received at the beginning of September as I managed to both save up the money in a short amount of time, and got fortunate enough to land a discount on the one website in the UK he was in stock.
Azone Alvastaria Milo Reticent Barefoot Technician - due to the really high prices this commands on the secondary market, and the fact that I would need to import it, which would add a hefty customs charge... probably unlikely to find.
 
9. Which of your previously most wanted dolls do you have now? Well, I now proudly own three Hot Toys figures! No, seriously, fantastic deals. The first one was at a comic convention and they were heavily discounting a lot of stuff because they didn't want to drag it back home, and the second was a case of one of those lucky right time flukes on eBay.
I would also say Ms Marvel/Kamala Khan from the Marvel Rising line. See, it's not been released outside of the US, so getting hold of her was a bit more difficult than I had anticipated. Thanks to a good friend, she was able to make her way here.

10. What is the most dolls you have gotten at once? Three bought together on one day because the store I was in was having a very good sale which meant that getting those then was more logical than getting them later. I think I've had a few come in the mail on the same day, even though they were all stated with different delivery times, but the mail can be an odd sort of beast.
 
11. Which is your least favorite doll? I don't actually think I have a least favourite as such? Due to my tendency to regularly clear through, any doll I don't really have much affection for tends to find their way to a new home where they will gain that affection. Hm, would being annoyed with the Mattel dolls that are showing glue head count here? 

12. Which of your dolls has the best story (in your life and in theirs?) My 1/6 Wednesday Addams Obitsu 27 custom. A gift from a friend who had heard me say what a shame it was there was never anything beyond the few 'collectors' edition Addams Family dolls - and even then they were only Morticia and Gomez. It's a simple story, really, but that a friend took the time to do that for me means so much. As for why her story is the best in her own life... she's an Addams.
 


13. What do you do with your dolls? I pose and display them, I take pictures which I make into little stories, I sew for them... A few things, really. They're fun to use as subjects for a lot of things.

14. Are there any other collections that you want to start? Doll wise? I should probably say no here, as I do collect a lot, but... I don't know, I find myself thinking it would be cool to try to find a Living Dead Doll that I like. I don't know if it would be a collection, or just that one singular one, but there we go.
Beyond that... I don't think there's anything actually. Dolls I would like to find, but not necessarily collections I would want to start. Example: I would love to find the perfect doll to be my Elphaba, but that does not necessarily mean I would make a collection of that range.

15. Which of your dolls would you most like to be? Why? Well, the most obvious answer here is Wednesday Addams with a stare when you ask why. If I can't be her though, hm. Perhaps I'd quite like to be Olivia 'Sable' Basil, my Obitsu 60 vinyl BJD. She's quite sure in herself, has quite a cool grunge-like style, and also has the very best boots. She would be good to be like. 

16. Do people know that you collect dolls/toys? They do, yes, as it tends to come up at some point or other. I think people who look at my instagram now are largely looking for doll pictures. My immediate family are well aware. Actually, they've bought me some dolls for my collection over the years.
 


17. Does your family support your collection? I would say that my immediate family does, yes. They tend to help me look for ones I have mentioned to be looking for, have helped out on the rare occasion I've needed some help. (Said help, if money, always gets paid back asap. I don't like owing them anything.)
The extended family... it's a bit hit and miss, if I'm honest, but I'm not around them as much so it doesn't really matter as much. As it's been pointed out to them: there are far worse habits I could have than putting any spare money towards a new doll or bear. 

18. What was your first doll/toy collection that you can remember? Do you still have them? TY Beanie Babies were the first that I actively collected. I have a collection of porcelain dolls that I was never really an active participant in, people just kept giving them to me on special occasions. I also had a lot of Polly Pockets, the proper old ones that were tiny and actually fit in a pocket. And My Little Pony, but I think a lot of people around my general age group had some sort of pony collection growing up - they were a big force in the toy sections.


19. Which doll started each of your collections? Okay, going to be a little list here:
Azone: Ex-Cute Sera PureNeemo Majokko Little Witch of the Wisdom. Funnily enough, she was a birthday from my parents. Mum had found her on eBay and she was relatively inexpensive, and she thought that it would be a nice addition to my collection.
BeGoth: Malice
BJD: Olivia (Obitsu 60 with Haruka head sculpt)
Disney: As an adult? Merida
Ever After High: Apple White, as a birthday gift from a friend.
Hot Toys: Justice League Wonder Woman
Hujoo: Nano Freya Grape JunkySpot Exclusive
Momoko: Black Riding Hood
Monster High: First release Frankie Stein
Pullip: Regeneration Fantastic Alice
Tonner: Maudlynne Macabre. 

20. What is your favorite place to shop for dolls? Online. There's not really many places near me that sell dolls. I also check local charity/thrift stores a lot as a result, and tend to look in Smyths Toys whenever I can, though the doll section there is largely just LOLs now. Primarily web shopping though. Conventions have been an odd source of finding an interesting doll or two, now I come to think on it. Often ones that you don't expect as well, which is all kinds of interesting to me.

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