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Collectible Dolls

About ball jointed dolls and other collectible dolls in San Francisco CA.

Of all the collectible dolls in San Francisco CA, or wherever you are at, one of my favorites is the ball jointed doll.  For these collectible dolls in San Francisco CA, there is such a great variety, so I can go back to the 1920s German bisque-headed, composition bodied doll or to the modern polyurethane resin bodies.

When searching for collectible dolls in San Francisco, CA, I’ve found a great resource and can recommend it if you are searching for expertise in doll collecting, repair, and restoration as well as accessories, furniture, clothing or patterns, or magazines.  Stella’s Treasures is quite the site and perfect for easy online shopping for collectible dolls in San Francisco CA or wherever you are located.

As for my favorite, I love its history.  A ball-jointed doll is any doll that is articulated with ball and socket joints.  To me, they seem more realistic.  The variety of ball-jointed collectible dolls is great, from the larger 40-inch collectible dolls to the mini 4-inch collectible dolls that have the ball joints.

For the older ball-jointed dolls, Europe and Egyptian articulated dolls were made of wood and other materials dating back hundreds of years.  The modern era ball-jointed doll began in Western Europe in the late 1800s.  French and German manufacturers made bisque dolls with strung bodies articulated with ball-joints made of composition (a mix of pulp, sawdust, glue mostly).

In the 1930s, some German dolls were used in surrealistic photography made most famous by Hans Bellmer.  Soon after, Japanese ball-jointed dolls were used in art, some standing four feet tall.

The first American company to produce a ball-jointed collectible doll (or BJD) with more of an American aesthetic influence was Goodreau Doll in 2007.

Most modern ball-jointed collectible dolls are anatomically correct and have proportionally large heads, big eyes and comparatively large feel allowing them to stand on their own – just one more reason why I enjoy this collectible doll.  While I don’t do this, there is a huge doll enthusiast group that customizes their ball-jointed dolls since they 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.  Their 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.  Faceups, even from large companies, are always painted by hand, and it takes considerable skill to do detailed, professional faceups.  That’s why so many like the Volks line of Dollfie dolls started in 1999 in the Asian market.

Another reason why I like the ball-jointed dolls for collectible dolls in San Francisco CA, is because the modern dolls can range from fantasy (including anime, gothic, punk, vampire and elfin) to realistic baby, toddler or teen, or historical figure dolls.  Doll collecting is so varied, it is wonder and, using the right online store makes it a wonderful experience in doll collecting.

Collectible dolls in San Francisco or anywhere else are more than a great investment

Collectible dolls in San Francisco CA, well, anywhere really, are worth the investment.  Of course, there are different strategies when choosing which collectible dolls in San Francisco CA.  You can focus on collecting more clothes and accessories for the dolls you have, assembling a wardrobe.  Or you can focus on collectible dolls in San Francisco CA that are antique that you stumble on for a great deal or that are modern with the expectation that they will increase in value.  Or you can buy collectible dolls in San Francisco CA just for the pure enchantment.

Here are some tips for collectible dolls in San Francisco, CA.  Collectible dolls still sell well at shows and on the Internet, but there seems to be an increased interest in clothes and accessories.  For the last decade, prices of old and new trunks continue to rise and the price of clothing in good condition has been rising, too.  Accessories like glasses, earrings, watches, gloves, socks and shoes are a great find.  Even when the doll manufacturer doesn’t make additional clothing for your collectible dolls, you can find clothing specially made through great websites.  One of those sites we, here at Better Everything, recommend.  You can purchase specialty clothing at Stella’s Treasures and even clothing patterns to sew your own.

Since dolls have been around, people have collected them.  So, when you stumble on those antique doll collections in mint condition, they are usually a considerable investment, but potentially worth it.  Buying modern dolls can be considered tomorrow’s investment, too.  Some modern collectible dolls do maintain or rise in value.  The more you collect, the more the value increases is a theory to combat those modern dolls for sale on e-bay or at near wholesale prices – both of which effects collectible doll values more than anything.

That’s where buying dolls for the pure enchantment is so important.  When you can walk into your room and enjoy your collectible dolls regardless of the value, you can be satisfied—whether you are transported back to your childhood or you can simply appreciate the beauty and quality of the modern collectible dolls with which you’ve surrounded yourself.

Again, we can recommend Stella’s Treasures where you can purchase some older and miscellaneous dolls, or a wide variety of modern dolls.  The modern dolls available include those from popular artists and doll manufacturers, whether you are looking for baby, theme, movie character, fantasy, paper, or other collectible dolls.

So, even if your budget is more restricted than it has been, you can enjoy the collection you already have, or add to it.  While you are adding to your doll collection in small ways, you can purchase a few well-thought out additions to round out or expand your collection.  That’s where Stella, at Stella’s Treasures, comes through once again.  With her expertise, she can guide you to a collectible doll that will fit it with your plans, whether you are searching for collectible dolls in San Francisco CA or those accessories or clothing.

Make it a “treasure” hunt when you are looking for collectible dolls in San Francisco, CA

When you find collectible dolls in San Francisco CA, it’s like finding a treasure.  And some times, finding collectible dolls in San Francisco CA is as difficult as a treasure hunt.  That hunt can be fun or frustrating.  That’s why searching online for collectible dolls in San Francisco CA may be just as exciting.

When I was young, I can remember going in to a doll hospital and there I stood amazed at the doll parts and doll wigs – and repaired dolls for sale that were left by their owners.  Dark and crowded, smelling of old, there were antique porcelain and bisque dolls, cloth dolls, and old Miss Muffie dolls…it was a treasure chest of dolls.

I didn’t know at the time, but the Miss Muffie dolls I so adored were made by the Nancy Ann Story Book Doll Company (1936-1964), founded by Nancy Ann Abbott in our very own San Francisco, CA.  The first Miss Muffie dolls were small, 8 inch, made of bisque, later they were made of hard plastic.  Now years later, in my search for collectible dolls in San Francisco, CA, every time I run across a Miss Muffie doll or her clothes, accessories or furniture I find myself going back to those many dolls tucked away, all but abandoned in that doll hospital frequented by my grandmother and I.

So, when searching for collectible dolls in San Francisco CA, it’s okay to start with a doll that has special meaning from your childhood.  You will then be surrounded by wonderful dolls that take you on a journey to cherished memories – and when they increase in value, well, that is just an added bonus.

Better Everything knows that it can be difficult to find collectible dolls in San Francisco CA and elsewhere, so recommend the perfect online collectible dolls shop, Stella’s Treasures.  Stella sure got it right:  collectible dolls are treasures indeed – and she has a wide variety you will enjoy and surely find one treasure that tugs on your heart strings like Miss Muffie does for me.  Stella’s Treasures even has Nancy Ann Story Book Dolls and an Encyclopedia of Nancy Ann Story Book Dolls to help identify the collectible dolls and their values – or to simply have to reminisce.

Collectible dolls in San Francisco CA or any other city is special no matter your reason for collecting.

 

Fine collectible dolls in San Francisco or anywhere else depend on your personal collecting choice.

For collectible dolls in San Francisco CA, a great choice might be an Ashton Drake doll.  The Ashton Drake doll manufacturer has a long history of making some of the most beautiful and collectible dolls you will find anywhere.  So, for anyone searching for high quality, meaningful collectible dolls in San Francisco CA and elsewhere, one of the Ashton Drake dolls is a good choice.

In your search for collectible dolls in San Francisco CA, you might like one of the Ashton Drake dolls by artist Dianna Effner.  As a child, Dianna created dolls from old socks and paper mache.  So, it seemed only natural she would study painting, sculpting and ceramics, graduating in 1967 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Bradley University.  She began making dolls in the early 1970s as a stay-at-home mom.  With her unique porcelain (and later vinyl) dolls depicting emotion and sensitivity, within a decade, the professional world took notice.  In the late 1980s, she began designing for Ashton Drake and other doll manufacturers.  In 1990, she moved into a studio in Missouri, began teaching doll making and related crafts, then founded the Doll Dreamers Guild for the purpose of training instructors to teach the realistic painting techniques developed in her studio.

For Ashton Drake, Dianna’s Storybook Dolls are the first fully poseable, ball-jointed collector-quality vinyl dolls inspired by beloved children’s book characters.  The first in the storybook series was Little Red Riding Hood.  Her modern look, with hand painted features, silky auburn ringlets, and contemporary twist on traditional European clothing carries a basket of goodies and flowers for Grandma.  Twenty-five years later, what a way to celebrate master doll artist Dianna Effner than to find a first in an Ashton Drake gallery.

And just in time for the movie to be released March 11.  Here at Better Everything, we have to recommend the perfect virtual store for collectible dolls in San Francisco CA, especially when we can direct you to this collectible doll – Ashton Drake’s Little Red Riding Hood by Dianna Effner.  Stella’s Treasures is a great place to get started on Dianna Effner’s storybook dolls and other collectible dolls.

Things to consider when looking for collectible dolls in San Francisco, CA

For those who are looking for collectible dolls in San Francisco CA, getting familiar with doll manufacturers and their types of dolls through the years is important.  But, also important is identifying why you are looking for collectible dolls in San Francisco.  Knowing whether your collectible dolls will be played with or pristinely set aside, purchased to relive a childhood memory of your own or to create a childhood memory for someone else, or purchased as an investment, then determining your budget is the best way to start when looking for collectible dolls in San Francisco CA.

Once your interests and budget is clear, getting to know doll manufacturers and their history is next.  Take for instance The Alexander Doll Company and Madame Alexander Dolls.  The company was founded by Madame Beatrice Alexander Behrman eighty years ago.  Her love for dolls started as a youth watching her father repair dolls in America’s first doll hospital.  As she later created her own line of fine quality, handcrafted dolls, she became known for her many innovations in the doll industry.  Those “firsts” include making dolls based on movie characters, living persons, baby dolls, and full figures.

Any Madame Alexander doll made before the 1930s in considered to be an ‘antique Madame Alexander doll’.  A ‘collectible Madame Alexander doll’ are those made more than 25 years ago, but less than 75 years ago.  A “modern Madame Alexander doll’ has been made within the last 25 years and a ‘contemporary Madame Alexander doll’ is any doll in current production.

In the 1930s, Madame Alexander began making cloth dolls—one of the earliest is the Alice in Wonderland doll.  Composition Madame Alexander dolls were then introduced.  These are made of a mixture of several compounds (sawdust, paper, glue, and plaster of Paris)—examples are the Sonja Henie, Dionne Quintuplets, and Princess Elizabeth dolls.  In 1948, hard plastic Madame Alexander dolls were created.  The first of these had painted skin tones with later dolls being made of rose-colored plastic which were more durable and eliminated the fine cracking (or crazing) of the finish.  These had sharper features.  Examples include Cissy, Lissy, and Elise.  There are many excellent doll manufacturers.  The Alexander Doll Company is just one of them.

And choosing the right collectible doll, whether it’s a Madame Alexander doll or another one like Aston Drake, the usage, the era, the value, and even accessories are all important factors when looking for collectible dolls in San Francisco, CA.  We, here at Better Everything, can recommend Stella’s Treasures for a little more Madame Alexander Doll history, a great selection of doll manufacturers and dolls, accessories, books, and great advice.

If you’re looking for Gene Marshall doll shops in Sacramento, CA you may choose to shop online instead

If you are looking in doll shops in Sacramento CA or elsewhere for the 25th anniversary Mel Odom Gene Marshall line, then Better Everything has the virtual doll shop for you.  And, if you are looking for a different collectible doll investment, virtual doll shops for Sacramento CA doll collectors can be trouble-free when you find the shop that offers a wide selection.

Take the Mel Odom dolls for the Gene Marshall line.  There’s the old and the new, so when you can find a doll shop that has both and has been at the Gene Marshall convention, you know you are in trusted hands.  That’s why we, here at Better Everything, recommend Stella’s Treasures for your doll shop in Sacramento CA and beyond.  Stella has quite the doll collection and much more for you.

Mel Odom's first Gene Marshall doll - Gene Marshall collectible dolls at doll shops for Sacramento CA

For doll shops in Sacramento CA, our choice is the virtual doll shop, Stella’s Treasures, where they have Mel Odom’s Gene Marshall dolls as well as other Aston Drake dolls.  And there are other notable doll manufacturers and artists, clothing, accessories, restoration and repair resources, and catalogs, books and doll ornaments.

Don’t get frustrated with local collectible dolls in Sacramento, CA – just expand your horizons and visit an online shop that treats you like a walk in customer!

It’s exciting when you find just what you are looking for – like collectible dolls in Sacramento CA.  There are dolls all right, but collectible dolls in Sacramento, well, that can be more of a challenge to find.

When you are having trouble finding those perfect collectible dolls in Sacramento CA, it helps to get a recommendation.  It’s a sure bet that you will find collectible dolls for Sacramento when you do your virtual shopping at Stella’s Treasures.  There is such a selection of collectible dolls and doll-related items that you are bound to find just what you are looking for at Stella’s.  And, if she doesn’t have it, she is sure to know where to find it.  Being in the business for years, she has developed an extensive knowledge of collectible dolls both old and new, doll manufacturers, resources and experts in related fields.

With so many doll manufacturers and artists’ dolls available in one place, you are sure to find just what you are looking for your doll collection.  If the collectible doll for Sacramento CA isn’t on this virtual shop recommended by Better Everything, or Stella can’t help you, well, we will be surprised.

Exquisite collectible dolls in Sacramento a virtual reality at your service!

Looking for collectible dolls in Sacramento CA, you know, exquisitely done, high quality dolls to start or add to your collection?  More and more often, you find the best selection by going ‘virtual’ when shopping for collectible dolls in Sacramento CA and elsewhere.  Virtual shopping can be a delight, especially when you get suggestions on which online site to go to.  That’s where we come in.  Better Everything can recommend Stella’s Treasures for your shopping for collectible doll in Sacramento.

Being able to look in one place at a multitude of doll manufacturers gives you a better idea of what’s available.  The types of collectible dolls is extensive, so having a wide selection available at one site is pretty handy.  And it’s even better when that one place is expert at what they do and friendly to boot.

You want to be able to ask questions, share stories, and get expert advice when you want to add that special doll to your collection whether it’s a baby, fantasy, theme, paper, ball jointed, vintage or new, exclusive or not.  Your special doll could be an Aston Drake, Gene Marshall, Vogue, or Madame Alexander.  It could be from one of he most sought after artists.  It could be a Barbie or a Wizard of Oz, Twilight, Brides of Dracula, Hannah Montana, or other doll.  These are just a small sample of what is available in this one place recommended for collectible dolls in Sacramento CA.

So, when you are shopping for collectible dolls in Sacramento CA opportunities are best when your virtual shop is one that has a variety, is knowledgeable, prompt, professional and friendly.

If you prefer to find shops that sell Collectible Dolls in Sacramento as opposed to generic toy stores check this out

Known for its Camelias, not collectible dolls – Sacramento CA is not only the capital of California it is the Camelia capital of the world. That may be one reason why the super pages only lists two entries when you Google for “collectible dolls – Sacramento CA”.  Collectible doll dealers in Sacramento CA listed are Ely Enterprises and Toys’RUs.  These are great resources when you want a manufacturer of stuffed toys and dolls or a wide variety of toys and such.  It is true, there might be a collectible doll there, but chances are, you are looking for a wide variety of collectible dolls to choose from in one place.

If you are looking for a place that specializes in dolls that are collectible, your search might get a little more difficult.  Sacramento, one of the largest cities in California, covers nearly 100 square miles of land with its businesses spread out.  So, not only are you hoping to have a wide variety of doll manufacturers in the store, but you have to travel to find the store.

That’s where virtual doll shops for collectible dolls – Sacramento CA comes in.  Handy to “travel” to and, when you go to the right virtual store, you have the selection you dreamed of.  So, in this case, Stella’s Treasures, is the virtual doll shop for you!   A small representation of the types of collectible dolls available

A multitude of doll manufacturers with a great selection of collectible dolls is there for your collectible doll shopping.  Browse through Aston Drake, Vogue, Gene Marshall… for your fantasy, baby, contemporary, classic, ball-jointed, miniature, paper…doll.  If you have questions, an expert, Stella, is there for you – making your shopping for collectible dolls in Sacramento California easy.

Your search for collectible dolls in Boston MA and elsewhere can be personable in this virtual store

We were searching for collectible dolls in Boston MA without much success, though there may have been some collectible dolls in Boston MA at the shops listed under doll repair.  And maybe there were some collectible dolls at the toy shop and teaching toys, but even they were not in Boston.

In our Google search for collectible dolls – Boston MA, any of the possible local shops were well outside Boston.  That’s when we decided to shop on the Internet!  We’ve purchased from reliable companies that are easily accessible and great at describing what you are getting.  The collectible dolls – Boston MA recommended by us here at Better Everything is Stella’s Treasures.  At this virtual store for collectible dolls, they even help you with your doll, doll clothes, or accessories search. A small representation of the types of collectible dolls available

Other reasons for choosing this virtual store for collectible dolls in Boston MA is that they carry a great selection of dolls from the high quality doll manufacturers like Aston Drake, Gene Marshall, Adora, and many others.  They offer expert advice and direct you to experts when you are looking for doll-related topics like restoration, clothing and patterns.  They even have some accessories and magazines.  Fantasy, specialty, old, new, baby, paper….there is a doll for everyone!

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