Here is a
presentation given by a collector and enthusiast of Ball Jointed Dolls
herself P. Stroud.
All About Ball Jointed Dolls
By P. Stroud
For those of you who have no familiarity
with this type of doll....I’d like to talk about their history and the
things about them that make them unique in the doll world...
You may have heard of this type of doll
referred to as a dollfie, it’s a contraction of the two words doll and
figure...dollfie
The common term for this type of doll is
BJD or Ball joint doll....and their design is modeled after antique ball
jointed strung dolls...
Volks Co of Japan is credited with the
introduction of the modern ball joint doll, they have been in business
manufacturing model and figure kits primarily for the male oriented
model kit market for over 30 yrs...They 1st entered the world of doll
manufacturing around 1998 when the wife of the company’s owner suggested
that they develop a product line that would appeal to females...the
common term dollfie is actually the brand name for dolls from Volks co
The 1st dollfie were approx 12' in
ht...about the size of Barbie...made of vinyl and intended to be
customizable...They are sold in a wide range of body styles and head
types… some realistic...some in Japanese anime style....some with rooted
hair...some bald so that you can wig or root them yourself...and in male
and female versions.
From the beginning idea of these small
jointed dolls...Volks developed the resin strung doll that came to be
known as Super Dollfie...
The soaring popularity of these dolls not
only in Asia ...but around the world have led to many other companies
designing and manufacturing ball jointed dolls as well...
The modern ball joint doll is typically
made in Japan or Korea...and the primary types are made of cast resin
but some others are also available in vinyl. They are designed to be
fully poseable with articulation at the ankle, knee, hips, waistline,
wrist, elbow, shoulder and where the head joins the neck.
They are made in a variety of sizes
ranging from 4 inches to ..over 2 ft...
The dolls also vary in their age
representation ..You will find them intended to be a small child as
young as 3 or 4....up to young adults of around 18 to 21and the majority
of them are anatomically correct....
Most company’s offer their basic doll
with or with out the face already painted on. This is called a face
up.... like I said before...one of the main attraction of this type of
doll is the invitation to customize and make the doll your own one of a
kind...but for anyone who doesn’t feel like their artistic abilities are
up to the challenge...You can pay an extra fee and the factory will have
one of their many talented in house artists paint your dolls face to
your specification!
There is large community of doll artists
active in the forums and groups online who offer their services to face
up your doll and also offer body customization such as body sanding,
blushing, wiring, suedeing.
Wiring a suedeing are techniques to help
the doll retain a pose without stressing the joints. Another interesting
feature of these dolls ..is that they have glass eyes...with a removable
head cap so that you can change them to match an outfit or a mood...
many different styles are available....
even in metallics or unusual colors like red or orange or purple..or
with fantasy style iris like those of a cat...for instance....
They are bald...designed to wear wigs....
change the wig...change the
clothes...change the eyes....and it’s like having a completely new doll!
Some companies offer additional face
plates...for instances you can remove the dolls face...snap in
another...and now your doll is sleeping...or angry...or serious...or
smiling.
There are also interchangeable bust
plates to change the look of the dolls physique....and hands sculpted in
different positions
The modern ball joint doll is intended
for the adult collector....particularly in Asia where they have great
popularity among young adults male and female...
Their clothing tends to reflect current
trends in this age group and is often gothic or punk or taking its cues
from the cosplay movement….a popular hobby in Asia where large
gatherings of people in costumes based on video game and comic book
characters…..come together and admire each other and take picture and
have costume contests.
One of the major things that first
attracted me to this type of doll is the edgy and fantastic clothing and
shoes available for them....and the creativity they inspire because they
are designed to reflect whatever the owner wants them to be....
There are basic sizes in the BJD
world…but they do vary quite a bit from one company to another they
range from the biggest.. commonly referred to for sizing purposes as SD
or super dollfie…again that’s about 60cm or 23 inches..
For the most part these dolls are
designed to look like young adults…
Next come what is referred to as MSD or
mini super dollfie…. they are generally around 16 inches tall…about the
size of Tyler….they have a much younger appearance than the SD…more like
a 10 to 12 yr old child…with several exceptions that have a mature body
like the SD…
At the bottom of the spectrum are what
are known as Tinys…this is anything under 10 inches tall…some of the
smallest being the Elfdolls…who are about 5 inches tall…
Fairly recent..in the already rather new
world of resin.
This doll is really special to me and is
known as a Sybarite…they are made in China for Superdoll company of
England…They were 1st produced in England by hand by the company
founders as one of a kinds…This is Sureal…produced in a limited edition
of 100 dolls as an exclusive for haute doll magazine…She was the 1st
of the mass production dolls made in china.
There
will be two new entries into this category in the coming months…1st
from the Goodreau Doll company…a 16inch doll similar in look to the mini
super dollfie…but available in resin or a lower priced vinyl version…
with a complete wardrobe of clothing shoes and wigs will accompany
them…they are being marketed as the American BJD…and I’m pretty excited
about those..the fashions look great…
They are available by clicking
HERE.
Last but not least will be Evangaline
Ghastly produced by Wilde Imagination…the same company who brought use
Ellowyne Wilde…..and like Ellowyne she is sculpted by Robert Tonner
She will be a bit bigger than the Angels
and Sybarites ..at 19 inches tall..and is designed as a Goth type
girl…if the popularity of Ellowyne is any indication…I think this doll
is going to be a big hit.
Coming this year (2008) there will be new
16 Ball jointed dolls from Tonner Dolls, Fashion Royalty, and many new
manufacturers I am sure, as the doll market seems to be moving more and
more towards the direction of these lovely dolls every day.
