Just For Fun Just for Fun: 15 Year Old Dolls!

It's lovely to see that DoA is still around and going strong after 15 years~

This is Micchi (Mitchell), my 15-year-old Volks MSD F-10! He was ordered in August 2004, way back when Volks allowed Tenshi-no-Sato FCS orders via an agent here in Singapore. He's now technically older than his character's age. XD; I don't treat him any differently than my newer dolls, though perhaps he could use a clean-up to remove his yellowed coat of Mr Super Clear. ^_^;



(Credits: Hat by eliot-rambles on Tumblr, hoodie by 5deng, shirt by me, wig and eyes by Volks.)

 

This is my 15-year-old Volks Dollfie Dream I. I am not exactly sure about the date I got her, but she was purchased around a year before I was able to get head I intended to go on that body, so probably in fall or winter of 2003 (I want to say I got her for Christmas, but now my memory fails me, how sad).

 

Pen (Customhouse Gene) will turn 15 on August 17! August 17, 2004 is the day he arrived from CH in Korea -- my first BJD, and still my Best Boy after all these years.



Nope, I don't treat him any differently from the newer dolls; he's had a couple of new faceups along the way and is due for a restringing before long, but otherwise he just hangs out with his girlfriend and the rest of my old CH crew, and lives his resin life.

 

Orly is somewhere around 15, could be older to be honest. He's been with me for 12 of those years and was at least fourth hand when he came to me, so I'm going to say he's applicable here.


He's treated differently to the others because he's a queen and gorgeous, but not because he's old! He's had a plethora of faceups over the years, he's travelled with me, moved twice, seen countless photoshoots, sewing sessions and all kinds of weather from 3 foot snow drifts to blazing 38C heat, but he's still here, looking more beautiful than I could ever capture in a photograph. I don't think I've ever done him justice with a lens, really. He's an original Delf Lishe and he will never leave our collection. If anything, he's probably the keystone of it and has resulted in several books and a level of world building I'd never thought I'd do. To call him special would be drastically underplaying his influence on my free time!

 

I love seeing these dolls!!! Yes, Customhouse--I wanted them, but way back when they were selling a lot of one-offs and they were snapped up right away, and not easy to get a hold of, what with non-English sites and no Paypal... Orly is amazing, too. Also--15 year old DD! And despite yellowed MSC, the Mitchell looks fantastic. I think my dolls from that period all have yellowed MSC more than actual resin yellowing. It looks better on normal skin, though. My white skins are looking more obviously yellowed. (but not enough for me to mess with their faceups so far!)

Here's my first bjd: Cerberus Project Delf Elf El, bw (I purchased not from Luts, but from CP through Liria). Original CP faceup (with some touch up)--so MSC has yellowed, but resin was always a bit on the creamy-white side. Release date July 2004. I received in October--but got wrong order, so re-shipped and arrived in November.
11-06-Elurin-Fairy_8156a by aprilllee, on Flickr

And Delf Elf El Vampire, bw. Head came blank with with Elf El. Faceup by me, years later, so MSC not yellowed... but resin was always a bit greenish-white.
09-08-april-elelfvampB221 by aprilllee, on Flickr

 

My Luts Kid Delf Jeong, Mokuba. I have another body that is as old as her but no more heads. These dolls age so well, it really amazes me. Only real difference in my opinion is the posability...though I hate how her head cap attaches. I'm glad they got rid of that method, lol.

 

To those who own dolls that old, I wonder how many are the first owner, and if so, was bought in person in japan, or online? ^^

 

I am the first owner of my dolls. Luts had JUST started their website (one of the first bjd sites in English) and sold Delfs by Cerberus Project, among other dolls... but I didn't buy through Luts. Liria was the English-speaking rep/agent for Cerberus Project in those days. She had a basic web-page with ordering info on it. We had to wire money from a bank directly to CP. No cc, paypal or layaways then!

I don't treat my older dolls any differently than my newer ones. I keep them all out and sprawled around the house, take them to cons and meetups, etc. I haven't ever treated any for yellowing.

 

Just amazing! Not only is she adorable, but I really don't see any mellowing at all. Is it the photo, or is her color really still that flawless after so many years??

 

All these fifteen-year-old dolls are so beautiful! I remember when El was the "it" doll to have, I contemplated getting one as well but the vampire version was LE and sold out as I recall, when I first learned of him (all I ever wanted was a single male vampire doll). I forgot to answer the part about treating my 15-year-old differently; I don't. I barely play with her anymore, but it's not due to age, it's because I prefer male dolls. She's a DD, so she's not resin but I still keep her in my closet with the rest of my resin dolls.

Vakarian, I purchased my Volks DDI via a Florida based online shop, because it saved me paying EMS shipping from Japan (I was still in college back then, and broke half the time). I think the shop doesn't exist anymore, but I vaguely remember they also had a brick and mortar front. I'm the fist owner of all the dolls I own (with the exception of two floating Minimee head sculpts).

 

As someone whose first BJD hasn't been around for full 24 hours yet, I love seeing these old treasures. I'm glad they're in such a good shape, I was worried about how is my doll going to age, so I'm relieved to see that with just a little bit of effort, it's not really a problem. Thanks for sharing pictures, everyone!

 

Here are my two oldest. On the left is an ancient (hence his name: Methuselah, but just call him Matt, he's sensitive about his age) IpleHouse Soo Ri from 2005 or earlier. Got him second hand in 2010.
And on the right is Ian, a Volks Isao. The very first doll I fell in love with, but no way I could even contemplate $$$ the full doll back then. So, this particular guy came up for sale in the marketplace, but again, I couldn't afford the full doll. So I waited, fretted, and hoped, and watched obsessively as first, his body sold, then wig, and eyes... When he was just the head with faceup, I still couldn't really afford him, but couldn't bear to miss out on that head! My chance to get that gorgeous little face that melts my heart every time I see him!
Only took a few months to find and get him a proper Volks body, but in the meantime, he did a stint on a female body, and even tried a cloth one for a bit.
He's a teal trooper, and has put up with everything with style! (And amazingly, hasn't run away from home yet!)

O is for Old-school! by aernath, on Flickr

 

Natsume is over 15 years old, and I am his first and only owner. He's a very spoiled boy. He also really doesn't look his age. He could probably use a restringing since he is very floppy but that makes him very nice to hold.



I am not sure exactly how old Yvie is, but since she's an oldskin F04, she's definitely older than 15. I bought her as a junk head, but all she really needed was a good scrub and a new faceup to make her look brand new.

 

Ahhhh, I've always admired your crew so much! Especially your Gene! Such a gorgeous sculpt, one of CH's best! Is that still his original faceup too?!

Your f-04 is so gorgeous! I've dreamed of getting one for so long, I've always loved that sculpt so much!

I'll have to take my oldies out for a photo now…

 

Asa’s the oldest around here; he’s a CP/Luts Vampire Shiwoo from…. 2004? I think? I got him off the marketplace here, I have no idea how many owners he’s had or when he picked up the faceup (I’m 80% sure it’s angeltoast) but he’s mellowed out nicely. There’s something to be said for old-school engineering – he’s a solid piece of work and despite the fact that he’s basically strung with limp noodles at this point, he can hold a pose with more reliance then some of my newer dolls with their fancy double joints.

 

I admit it, I have a bunch of dolls who would be 14 years old (so many 2005 releases...) but only one who could probably be 15 or older, and that's Sirona, a modded Dreaming Lishe that I have personally had for at least 11 years.


All my old dolls are treated like the ones who are 11-10 years old and younger. It's equal opportunity here!

 

@nakitama, awwwwww, thank you so much for the compliment! That picture is really old and does show Pen's original faceup, but his current faceup is a close match to it -- the faceup in between, while gorgeous, just wasn't him at all. After that failed experiment, I was lucky that ravendolls enjoyed working on CH faceups and had a great feel for the CH house style.

Yes, let's see your oldies!!

 

Oh, I'm sure she's mellowed some! I honestly don't remember what colour she was when I got her, lol. Luts NS is much lighter now than it was back then. I wish the weather was better because I've wanted to take some more pictures of her for awhile now but...

Here is another photo of her from a small doll meet up a few years ago. XD


And here is one a dear friend took right after doing her new faceup. And yes, this is the same doll! I don't know why she's so pale in this image other than my friend is a professional photographer, lol. Fun fact, she's only had two faceups...this one and company default before.

 

Such incredible dolls and costuming! Thank you for sharing them! - feeling inspired- :-)

 

I am actually not sure how old Reino is. I bought him in 2011 3rd hand off the Marketplace and received none of his paperwork. This was also before Doll-Zone started sending CoA's with their dolls. He is probably close to 15 though because he has the old school head cap with the S-hook that hooks onto his head cap. Even though he was my 3rd doll he is the oldest in terms of when he was made. He is a Doll-Zone Shoyo.

 

So cool to see all these Oldies! Thank you all for posting. It's so good to see that all these dolls are still loved and played with.
I do have a lot of oldschool dolls myself, but none is older than 14 years … I think. Dollshe Hound and Luts El might actually be older mold-wise, but I dont think these particular dolls are.

 

I'll join. ^_~ This girl was my very first, I got her in 2005 I believe. She is a Dream of Doll DoC Si girl. Eventually I could no longer deal with the blockiness and poor poseability of the DoC body, and put her on a Dollmore kid body instead (with Unoa hands). So she's a hybrid now, but her head is still that of the first BJD I ever held in my hands.

This is an older photo from when she got her new body. Old wig and such, and a very old faceup, haha. At least she's dressed well. This poor little girl had to endure all my stages of poor BJD fashion choices.

 

Wow he really is beautiful! I am so glad that you still love and treat your boy so well! I can't wait until I can get a doll!

 

@Melichrysos Thank you so much, he genuinely is very much loved! Good luck with your doll when they arrive

 

Oh my, I might cry from all the nostalgia I love seeing all these photos and remembering how desperate it was trying to buy a doll then. Here is one of my old photos of Customhouse Petite Ai Gabriel (Joscelyn) and Uriel (Edmund). I rescued this photo among others from The Soul Within site before photobucket died.


Back in those days I was so confident in making mods to make my dolls the way I wanted them. These two have both been wired and sueded. I took them everywhere with me, and did photos in all kinds of weather and situations. They have yellowed over the years, and I mostly keep them in storage. Unfortunately Jocelyn needs a new face-up, which gives me anxiety. She has such a personality to me that it feels like she isn't the same with her new one. Edmund is still the same as ever. Though I had a Volks SD10 Megu first (ordered from Frank in Florida), My love didn't start until Joscelyn came home!

 

I am loving this thread, especially to see some Luts dolls and how gracefully they have aged. Quite honestly, you can hardly tell that they aren't newly out of their boxes, really. I am happy to know that the dolls I quickly became to love will stand up against the time very well, with proper handling. My girls aren't even 6 months old yet Lol.

 

I currently have a second hand Luts Kid Delf Elf Ani and she has that awful s-hook to the back of the headcap. Let's just say I won't be changing her body anytime soon (I hybridized her with an off topic body). That was a pain! But I honestly have no clue how old she is. When did Luts change their head cap system?

It's so nice to see the dolls that started it all!

 

Here's some of my oldest ones, all from 2004-2005 when I started collecting. All began with one Luts Angel Elf Soo.

Tebryn and Rose by Azurielle, on Flickr

Angel Elf Soo and Shiwoo Elf

Lyren by Azurielle, on Flickr

Customhouse Uriel

Xan by Azurielle, on Flickr

Luts El (modded by Armeleia)

Flameborne Twins Adriel and Adrien by Azurielle, on Flickr

And El and Lishe

 

Picture387

My French Resin Tan Narae from Narin Creative when she first came home, I love my Tisa very much, just can't replace this one.

 

Happy 15th, DoA! I'm happy to be here at your "quinceañera." Here are a couple of my 15 year-olds to join the party:


Gage is a Volks old F-28 SD-13 boy, customized by Heavybomb (an artist who worked with Custom House extensively). According to his head plate, he was ordered in Tenshi no Sumika Korea (R.I.P.) in March 2004. Heavybomb had dubbed him "Morris the Gentleman" in his eBay listing. He used to live with @Cynthia in FlintHills, until I adopted him in May 2011. I love his hybrid appeal of old school Volks paired with an older Custom House faceup! This gentleman is treated with a little more care than my other dolls since he's got full-body blushing, and he is certainly treasured.


Babette is a Volks Anais (2nd release), who premiered during Dolpa 11 (August 1, 2004), making her 15 years old as of the beginning of this month! (Well, her head anyway -- many years ago her body was "upgraded" to a Spring Stroll Liz, which is 13 years old.) Here she is photographed with fellow August baby, Madonna (a Madame Tussauds wax figure of her, anyway!). Babette used to live with @ravendolls before she arrived on my doorstep on August 19, 2005. We'll be celebrating her 14th arrival anniversary next Monday! Babette's faceup was done by the talented @tasha_neko not long after I got her, and it's still in fabulous shape. She also has been wearing the same Masterpiece eyes for going-on 14 years now! Babette has been called "Dark Anais" by Volks President Hideyuki Shigeta himself, lol! (And mistaken for a boy, but Babette didn't mind.) While she's certainly got a "dark" aesthetic, she brightens my world, and I hope to always have her around.

 

Ah, yes, the days when the major options were all Delf, Dollshe, DOD, and for a change of initials, Narae and Narin, Volks, and Unoa's.

My El, Traveller, came with provenance from his prior owner indicating he arrived to his first owner in July 2004. He was heavily yellowed when he arrived to me on 2008, but still gorgeous as can be:



My own first ordered doll from a company, Bluefairy Kyle, was only made in 2006, but I later acquired a big-head (compared to later BFs!) Jerome that predates him by a year or two, from back when BF had the same yellowish normal tone as the Angel Region dolls whose bodies they also made at that time.

 

Leif, my old F-10 SD boy.

My oldest in age, Leif is a discontinued WS F-10, from way back when Volks sold the original F heads separately. This was pre-headplate, and his head only has the year 1999 engraved in the resin. I estimate he's from between 1999-2003, though he's lived with me since approx 2006. I purchased his head from Ravendolls, and he still has her wonderful faceup. I was lucky enough to find a white oldskin SD10 boy body, so he definitely feels like a valuable piece of history. I adore his inscrutable expression, and his large eyes mean he can wear high paperweight glass eyes so they look really luminous and full of depth. He also looks so pretty in feminine styles, I love dressing him in lolita.

Wish I could add to the CH love(my boy is just shy of 14) but I so adore seeing them!

 

Here are my 15 year old babies


Customhouse Petite Ai Anael, Anael, and the oldest, Raphael.
The first Anael has only been with me about 2 years. Her previous owner removed half her faceup and she has a hand that is about 5 years newer and doesn't match, so I am least careful with her. Middle Anael has been with me almost 10 years now. She has her original faceup still, so I am extra careful not to touch it. I have had Raphael about 4 years now. She is the only one of my dolls to ever have been repainted (being old got her to the top of the list~).

All were acquired from yahoo Japan. I was a kid in 2004 and wouldn't have been able to afford dolls (especially limiteds). When CH's reputation started getting really bad before they closed, I started checking Y!J every day for their older dolls because the prices dropped. In the past 3 years, the secondhand prices have gone back up to the point where I can't afford them anymore.


My Hypermaniac Dreaming Kakiva. I have had her almost 3 years now. She was listed as junk on Y!J I didn't know what she was but thought she was beautiful.

I don't worry about any of my dolls yellowing anymore. The normal skin dolls yellow into nice colors and my whiteskin dolls are already super yellowed! They lived in boxes until earlier this year but now everyone is in a glass cabinet. They are all on stands because I didn't want them to break anymore fingers (Raphael is missing a toe!).

 

@kitten - and like a lot of very yellowed dolls, your dolls photograph beautifully. Wouldn't have known they were yellowed if you hadn't mentioned it!

 

The two oldest dolls in my collection are from 2003, although I haven't owned them that long; both are secondary market purchases. And they're both Dollshe


On the left is an original 77 Bermann, down to his Dollshe face-up! On the right is April Agacci, one of Dollshe's first 3 girl sculpts, issued just before Bermann.

In my world, he is a 4,300 year old vampire, and she is 13 year old Antigone Sinclair. She says I owe her big time for making her pose with a vampire

 

Here is my Himiko, she's 15 this year as well! (at least her head is) she's a Volks Show and while she had her original Volks body for a long time she now has a very old Hypermaniac body instead. I was just looking through her stuff the other day and giggled at the fact that I still had her Dollfie pin in with the rest of her papers.

 

I love seeing everyone's old dolls!

My oldest first-hand doll is Shiwoo (MnF Shiwoo) who's from fall 2006, so he'll be 13 in November.
My oldest 2nd-hand doll is Haruko (Dollshe Haute Hound) from July 2005, so he's currently 14 (but I've only had him about a year).

 

I just ordered my very first doll--a fifteen year old Bobobie Sprite! She is arriving to me in a very yellowed condition but I am thrilled, I've been bouncing off the walls planning things and trying to find supplies for her that i can afford!!

 

Wow, I didn't know that Bobobie existed in 2004 -- I thought the company opened in 2006 and then JunkySpot started carrying their dolls in 2007! Congratulations on getting her, and the yellowing might even surprise you. A lot of dolls look beautiful with the "aged" color.