Marina Bychkova's Resin Enchanted Dolls Discussion Part 1

Hello,
How much are her dolls in US dollars? What size are they and how do you order one? thanks!!

 

The dolls are about 13".

The last reported price was $1,200 for a blank doll and $2000 for a doll with faceup and blushing.

To get on the wait list, send an inquiry via email with "Resin Doll Order" or similar in the subject line to [email protected]. The wait list is quite long, though, at least a year, perhaps two.

 

Marina is holding her annual birthday contest. The prize is a resin Enchanted Doll. For more info, check her blog : http://www.enchanteddoll.com/blog/?p=3253

I'll definitely be entering.

 

Hi, here is a photo of one of Marina's resin Enchanted Dolls. I had to go all the way to Italy, where she was doing a show, to be able to get them.

 

Hi...I put mysellf on the resin list recently and at this point am hoping the list is less than three years. Anyone have any idea of how long it might be? I entered the birthday postcard contest too and subsequently stalk her site every day for news. Leiticia, you went to Italy to get one? That is awesome. Thank you so much for the photo of your gorgeous lady! I have known about Marina's dolls for years but missed the part about her castinng in resin and now am kicking myself that I didn't read more closely.

 

No one knows how long the resin waiting list is 'cause Marina hasn't even started to take orders. But I do think it's a couple of years long by now.

 

Looks like I was right : Marina is sending out order emails right now

 

This is the email we received :

 

I finally got my resin beauties. They're blank and I'll send them to a faceup artist soonish but for now, I'm happy to have them home.

 

Does anyone know if Marina offers layaway? Or do you have to pay it all in one go?

 

When I ordered my two, I had to pay for both within 7 days. I used my credit card. I never asked for a layaway but maybe she might if you paid a down payment and within a certain amount off time paid it off. I don't think anyone wanted to take the chance and just found the money somewhere. Thank goodness my credit card had enough credit for me to do it.

 

The order email stated that the entire amount has to be paid. As far as I know, she doesn't accept layaway on resin dolls. But it never hurts to ask her

My girl returned home after her beauty spa trip to TanyaStyle

 

She is gorgeous Eiko. I like her outfit too. Did you Make it?

 

No, I commissioned Natalia Sheppard to make it ^____^

 

I have to say that one thing I am loving about Marinas dolls is they dont have abnormally huge boobs. Their sizing is so appropriate for what they are. This is one thing that I think a lot of the doll companies have got completely wrong lately is that they have upsized the boobs making the clothing of the dolls out of sync with the size and look of the doll. It appears cheap to me, but thats just my view.

 

I am so over waiting to hear, waiting for a doll, no news, no place on the list news, just so over it.

 

Bridget, I know how you must feel. I did just receive two of these resin girls but I was feeling that way when I was waiting for a porcelain years ago. I was on the list but never did receive one and now they are out of my price range. When I was first on that porcelain list, they were expensive but I could have manged it. I guess we can't get everything we want. I am sure glad I got my resins. They are so delicate and like DJWard said, the boobs are just the right size. I dislike big boobed dolls as well.

 

When I first put my order in for a porcelain, the nude doll was $2,000 approx. That I could and would pay. But after being told by email I should get a doll soon, it never happened. All the dolls started selling by eBay or shows or maybe people she just knew. I really don't know. The one that sold for 22,000 Euros was not a regular nude though. It was special with the headpiece and tattoo. I wonder what a regular nude porcelain would be direct from her and not on the secondary market. I do know it would be much more than the $2,000 price I was quoted when I first filled out my order form on her website. It is too bad those orders hadn't been filled. I know there were lots of others like me who thought they were getting a doll and never did. It was very disappointing but not much we can do about it. I am glad I have my resins and very much love them but the porcelains are definitely superior.

 

I guess that is one thing that is worrying me a bit about Marina. Will she see more money by only selling dressed up dolls and lose her customer base because the more expensive they get the fewer buyers are out there, especially in this economic climate. Now that she is also making a larger doll which will be even more expensive and more exclusive this will be even more evident? The resins are lovely and I guess they are easier to produce because they are moulded strung and painted thats it but they are not the same as the porcelains. I would like to see her resell basic porcelains with basic faceups for say $5000 which would still be extremely expensive but not prohibitive to those people who really are serious collectors of her dolls. You don't want your stuff so exclusive that it loses exposure and makes people disinterested. Just my thoughts. I'm delighted to be on the list for one resin right now anyways, its a start.

 

Hey, I don't think porcelain EDs should be discussed here at all as they are Off-Topic for DoA :s

About the resins, I think that Marina has done a great service to her 'customer base' by offering a more affordable option for owning an Enchanted Doll. 'Enchanted Doll' is more a brand, or identity, rather than a company. Marina is not operating in the same way as the large BJD manufacturers. She is primarily an Artist, not a business and therefore I think it would be best to abandon the idea that she is somehow constrained by the desires of her 'customer base'. And so it should be, in my opinion, that she makes what she wants to make and when she wants to make it.

Congratulations to all those who've received their dolls recently. I really think they are wonderful in resin.

 

She is only one person making all these dolls with one assistant helping. Aneemal You are right she makes what she wants to make and when she wants to make it. That is why I am glad I already have my two resins. I think as an artist she gets tired of repeating herself too many times and moves on to something else where as a larger company keeps putting out doll after doll. I guess her resins are a little different to those other dolls she makes as she has an outside source make the resin parts but she does the assembling and painting. That takes quite a bit of time I imagine. I think she works long days a lot of the time.

 

I have a request: can this doll stay alone, is it well balanced?

Congrats to all, who was waiting and got theirs girls!

 

Yes, the resin dolls can stand on their own feet very well

 

Hi..can I jump in and add something to the previous conversation? I think she has gotten herself into an artistic quandary..if she sells a doll to the 'customer base', what would prevent the new owner from turning around and selling it for whateversomeoneonebaywouldpay and making the huge profit??? What would you do? I think I might sign an 'ownership agreement' that's says the new owner cannot sell the doll for X years. Stupid idea? non-enforceable? Why couldn't each doll have a provenance? They are special that way.

 

Hi Kathe. Are you worried that Marina will potentially lose out on this huge resale profit? Yes, there are lots of company dolls that are now selling for many times their original purchase price - maybe because the doll was limited, or a full-set, etc... - but it's usually outside the control of the manufacturer/company and also, I would imagine, of little consequence. Because, even if one buyer is willing to pay five times the original price, it does not reflect a guaranteed (higher) market value. I believe Marina has carefully valued and priced her work accordingly, so that she manages a price that is desirable for her and achievable for collectors. If at some point she felt that the resale prices were consistently and substantially higher than the amount she sells at, then she can justifiably raise her prices. This is how her porcelain dolls have risen in price - through testing the market.

Also, at the moment, these dolls aren't limited per se. Anyone who would like to buy one can sign up on the waiting list. I think the only reason that someone would pay a highly inflated price for a resin doll right now is if they wanted to effectively 'jump the queue'.

I don't think an ownership agreement is a bad idea, but, yes, very difficult to enforce. And, in the end, it's not a bad thing necessarily for Marina if the prices spike on the secondhand market.

 

I got two of the resins when I had the chance. At the time I thought if I wanted extra money I could possibly sell one at a profit to offset the price of the other. I got one of each mould but here they are sitting together and unless I am extremely desperate for money, I won't be selling either. They are mine and not going any where. If someone really loves their doll, I don't see how they can sell unless they really need the money. As for signing a contract, that would not work.

 

Yes, Shasay, then there are those of us who love their dolls so much they would sell their furniture first.
Aneemal, you are probably right...I wasn't afraid that Marina would miss out on making the big profit as much as that she does not appear to be shipping to those who she emailed for ready dolls and I was commenting (guessing) on other reasons why, besides exclusivity .....we will see how this all works out. Also, love your doll! Can't wait to see her all finished.

 

"aneemal" you make a very good point here. I love her dolls, all of them and I hope she doesn't change the sizing so they are prohibitive to us collectors. I guess right now she is very busy clearing the backlog of her resins and creating her gorgeous large porcelain which will be a wonderful surprise. It will be just lovely to have her resins and if thats all that is possible I for one will be very grateful for that opportunity. I can't wait to see more of the resin faces in photos. For those of us who have to wait at least we can have some eye candy in the interim.

 

"Shashy" which numbers did you get? Do you have photos somewhere?

 

DJ Ward, I have 10 and 18. Are you on the list? I posted pictures in the Resin Waiting room on the forum when I first got them but I need to post new pictures of them with the hair all smooth. One day I will take them outside now that the backyard is looking not bad and do a photo shoot and then post. I have Tiny Kitty clothes on them and they fit pretty good but just a little too short. One has a pair of Marinas shoes and the other is barefoot. I made a wig but I am not entirely happy with it and need to make it again. Summer is just such a busy time and I don't get to play dolls much when the weather is nice. I don't take pictures in the front yard. I don't want my neighbors to think I am crazy.

 

Wonderful, Yes I am on the list and I ordered a European 17 & Asian 19. I don't expect to get them for a year as thats apparently about the waiting list now but thats ok by me, I am willing to be patient very patient :-D. I rather be confirmed on the list and wait than not get any this time as I also enquired about the nudes a few years ago and nothing ever happened. In any case as my circumstances have changed drastically since that time, I need that time to fund these so I must get busy. Do'nt worry about the neighbours, the might get to learn something new. I look forward to your pictures when possible.

 

I only jumped on the list in early June- the wait was still one to two years. 12 - 24 months is really such a big difference- I do wonder why the variation. I was confirmed to be on the list- but am wondering - is there an actual numbered list somewhere? (Reading some of the comments it sounded like there was?)

I wonder what my doll collecting habits will be like in two years... I guess ordering an Enchanted Doll isn't for the impulsive. I can't help already looking for clothing. Maybe in these two years I should take some classes on jewelry making, so I can craft something that will do my doll justice, when and if she ever arrives...

 

Hi Galacticat! No, there's no numbered list, or anything like that. I think the estimate ranges from 1 to 2 years because there will be many outside factors affecting orders. Marina has other projects on the go at the same time as producing resins, so there may be periods when orders are paused while she works towards shows and other commitments. Also, when she contacts people, they have the option of deferring their spot on the list, or removing themselves altogether, which will also affect the length of the list and how long the wait is. Things like that mean it's harder to give an accurate estimate.

 

Oh, good to know, thanks for the additional information.

 

Thanks for the encouragement Shashy!! I think I was having a very grumpy day, but am happy to be on the list and maybe one day I too will get an email!!

 

I think when Marina can make time from her other commitments to sit down and make resin dolls, she will do them rather quickly. I don't think it will be that much longer before we see more dolls go out into the world...

 

I hope that you are right. What I fear, is that she has moved on and is bored of making the resin dolls now, since her porcelain creations are more celebrated and far more lucrative. But I can still hope...

 

For sure, it's very easy to make blank resin dolls. It doesn't take a lot of time.
Author do it not by itself.

 

I would assume that the resin dolls are slightly easier for Marina to handle. The resin dolls are cast by another company so she only makes the wigs and faceups for them. Tho I think painting them can be quite time-consuming. It seems most people order a doll with faceup.

 

yeah, but why blankdolls-wanted customers doesn't have priority?

 

I do find that strange- my guess is that they just don't want to make too many dolls, so they put a 2 year waiting list to discourage all but the most determined...

 

Yeah, cause then people would buy only blank dolls and it stop to be a rare one. And we all realized that this resin dolls are too pricey and don't cost or smth.
Now I see it.

 

Marina has stated on many occasions that she likes her dolls to be exclusive. She doesn't want her dolls to be mass-produced like BJDs or other dolls. Tho I do wonder if she will complete the resin waiting list. There haven't been any recent resin orders that I'm aware of.

 

I think they should close the waiting list if she doesn't intend to complete any more- but since that didn't happen with the porcelain dolls, it probably won't happen with the resin dolls either.

 

I doubted that it can be closed
(all this lists: Russian forum's advertisement is always open for new being list waiters - some person add new people in waiting line),

just a little bit boring, that there is only two molds for resin dolls,
and it will be so, while existed are so "exclusive".

 

I'm a fan of these dolls and I do have my name on the waiting list for a resin doll. But I find myself increasingly frustrated with the way in which the production of these dolls is handled and I think a lot of other fans of these dolls do too. The porcelain dolls go for more than the price of a small car and they are completely beyond the reach of almost all collectors; I suspect any that sell now go to museums.

I understand that Marina can run her business any way she chooses to do so, she might get tired of making the resin dolls, she wants to keep them exclusive, blah blah blah. But there is a fine line between doing that and running the risk of alienating your customer base. It seems like a grand total of about 6 people actually have resin dolls now and if this is the way it's going to be from now on, with only a few dolls coming out sporadically (and most likely prices raised too) then I think a lot of people are just going to give up and go away. I'm not sure I want to patronize someone who keeps people dangling forever. It's just not cool.

 

I understand what you are feeling. I love Marina's art very much and still want a doll, but I have pretty much given up. She told us she would be doing a batch of dolls each month. Over six months later and still only one batch of people have gotten their dolls. Most of them ordered two, so you are right, hardly anyone got one. I am far down the list. I have no chance.

I think Marina is just busy and has a tendency to take on too many projects. I wish she would at least sell blank dolls for us fans. That is all I want and it would not be much work for her. I don't even care if they come unassembled and with seams unsanded! They could be kits like Unoas and I would still be happy. This roller coaster of pretty photos, excitement, promises, and let-downs is just too much for me now. I gave up and am spending the money I saved for 2 resins on several other dolls I want.

 

Chad, Marina's partner recently posted this on the forum :

I think that when it comes to EDs, waiting for a long, long time is alas pretty normal :-/

 

I love that he says artists aren't known for making the best business decisions. That does definitely appear to be true of Marina. I don't expect her to become a one-woman factory; cranking out resin dolls nonstop. I also don't want to sounds as if I am one of those entitled fans who feels like Marina owes us all something. But the fact remains that if she doesn't create dolls that are affordable, and create enough of them that people keep coming back for more, she does run the very real risk of everyone losing interest and going away. I seldom visit the Enchanted Doll forum anymore as I'm not one to waste time on things that I cannot have.

 

I would also love to have a resin Enchanted doll -they are so delicate and fairylike. But I am definetely not ready to waite one to two years for a doll. And I do think that this price for a resin doll is just too high, especially since it is not artist cast, but is done by some company.
I much rather give my money to artist like Lillycat, who is more customer friendly and prices are reasonable.

 

I love the dolls of Marina! They are perfect and gorgeous! but I fully endorse all the opinions here - a very long time making puppets. I can not wait so long doll! I'm not sure I'd want this doll in 2 years ... so do not get up at all!

 

From what I was told she plans to get through about half the list this first year so it may be a long wait. She also only has one list for blank and painted resin dolls so the list will not move quicker for those wanting blank dolls. I didn't discover these beauties until about 18 months ago and I think the list was started in 2010 so I am sure to be near the end. From what I hear on the ED board, when your name comes up you will get an email with instructions for ordering your resin dolls. Until then you just have to decide on your sculpt and whether you want her to paint the doll(s).

Good Luck,
Dani

 

It is a very long wait for these dolls but well worth it. I have two resins, the European and Asian and both are painted by Marina. I was from the March group of dolls and totally caught me off guard as no one really knows where they are on the list. It just happens one day and then you must decide to order 1 or 2 or none, and of course come up with the money in one week. I was scrambling but managed. I don't regret it for one moment and look at them every day. Plus I always know if I want to sell there will be many people knocking at my door ready to buy. But as much as it would be nice to have that money I can't part with them. So for all of you out there waiting, just forget about it and don't stress out, you may get the email one day, we just don't know when that will happen. My email came from out of nowhere as I didn't follow Marina on her Blog or forum. I do now of course. I had actually given up on ever owning an Enchanted doll.

 

I too am on the list for a resin doll. I have no idea where I may be on the list as I thought I had sent my name in months ago only to find out I had not done that. I was so stressed out about the oversight! Occasionally there is a porcelain doll that surfaces for sale on the forum. Once I made an offer on a resin one being rehomed by the owner only to be informed (quite sternly in a pm) by the owner that my offer was far less what they would consider though it was a lot of money. I think she eventually decided to keep the doll anyway.

Now there is a porcelain one up for sale on the forum as of today. If I had no idea what to offer for a resin one, I certainly have no clue what to offer for a porcelain one. It is not my favorite mold but I still want one bad enough to offer for it. But have no idea where to start. I don't want my feelings hurt again. I understand if my offer is to low but goodness, there are polite ways to do so. maybe it is a cultural thing and I misunderstood the intent.

I DO have a Popovy Doll. She is the closest thing to heaven in my collection that includes two (soon to be three Angel Egg dolls) and a LillyCat Cerise. They are very much my treasures so if I can't add an ED to the collection I will just continue to wait. If it is meant to be then it will be.

 

Eiko every Resin doll we have seen for resale lately has been over $4,000 as you know. That seems to be the norm. In fact wasn't that last one going for 4.500 euros? And I think people are willing pay $4,000 plus for these dolls because there are just none being made. My two better behave or they may be leaving for those prices. It is really hard to not be tempted.

 

I must be nuts for even contemplating such a doll but then I recently paid $1675 USD for my first (and probably) only Popovy Sisters Magpie. I would have never thought I would be thinking of that. But since I purchase my first bjd at an anime con in about 2008 ( a ResinSoul Lian that I way overpaid for at $350) the price I am willing to pay for a doll I want has steadily climbed as has the price I am willing to pay for clothing and wigs for them. I would NEVER spend $180 on a skirt for myself but never gave a second thought to the one I recently purchased for Magpie.

I may have to draw the line at $5000 USD at my age. Retirement is within 5 years so I need to be more practical. But if not soon then never because I could not even contemplate such a thing as a pensioner.

I sure would like to bid on the upcoming Daphne but i think she will go for over $50,000.