Theme The Old School is in Session! (community gallery for old-school BJDs)

Oh, wait! I have another submission! The Supia original 58 body with an older Dollmore Ipsae head, and a full Aquarius Doll Mia! (Aquarius Doll counts, right?)

Plays with dolls

 

I love this one! Almost looks like an antique doll!

 

Oh my, a Saiki! I was grail-hunting for this doll at one point (and picking Cynthia in Flint Hills' brain about it XD)... I'm so glad to see more owner pics of this rare sculpt!

 

@MaleficentMrsofEvil I love your girls! I have an Ipsae too and it's so cool to see her on a smaller body. She is ROCKING those Supia curves! And thank you so much @lutke and @aihre, she is very special to me.

I'm getting a little braver with taking and sharing photos (still trying to figure out natural light!) so I'll bring you two more today, CustomHouse St. Mina and her little brother, Souldoll Tiffee.

 

@Sandwich - woah, those are definitely siblings! You've picked the sculpts well

 

The one from Doll Master! I watched it a couple days ago with my doll, whose name is... Mina. A bit spooky

 

@Sandwich
@Mire Lapin

Notdolls, Customhouse, Souldoll... I feel like a spoilt child in a bonbon shop here Thank you so much.

@MaleficentMrsofEvil ...and Supia. I'm swooning.

 

@Sandwich - I love how they are dressed in matching, somber outfits with matching somber expressions. Very Edward Gory in the best possible way.
I am loving this thread, since I'm still relatively new to collecting. I appreciate seeing OG dolls. The sculpts seem more - versatile? Is that the word I'm looking for? Newer sculpts have gorgeous detail, but sometimes, too much detail can be limiting. A smoother canvas allows for more creativity.
Or am I just babbling? Does any of this make sense?

 

Please, please bear with me, the pics were taken by someone who knows what they're doing, but I have no clue on how to process them...

Anyone remember her?


Domadoll Okja, 2008 link

But someone surely remembers her?


Elfdoll Lovely Yumi, 2012 link
And to think what Rainman has made since... long way.

 

@cobaltconduct thank you! I have a few dolls from other companies that I think look very much like siblings despite having different sculptors.

@MaleficentMrsofEvil I really wanted them to have that pseudo-Victorian, Series of Unfortunate Events kinda vibe. My friends all call my Tiffee "Baby Snape" LOL. What you said about the older sculpts makes sense to me; they often have broader, more stylized features that can work in a variety of ways. I don't know if that's necessarily why I love them so much, I think nostalgia certainly plays a large part for me. The engineering may have been borderline terrible on some of those early sculpts but we were all just so excited back then for the possibilities!

@lutke your Mina is gorgeous! I have no Maskcat dolls but love their aesthetic. And of course I had to buy a copy of Dollmaster for myself too ^^;

@Mandagore yay, Domadoll and Elfdoll! I always wanted a Cooki in particular (will 100% buy one if I ever see one for sale) and I don't have a Yumi, but I do have a Dami! Okja has such a mischievous smirk, she's definitely toeing the line of cute/evil for me LOL. And Yumi, she's definitely silently judging me. Those dolls have such the personality!

 

Makes sense to me. I personally think oldschool BJDs were more idiosyncratic in style. They didn't always hew to typical beauty standards, or they did but one or two features were a little wonky. They were also largely hand-sculpted, and the unevenness of human handiwork makes them a little bit off-balance in a way that I find very interesting to look at. Whereas many contemporary BJDs are digitally sculpted (which allows for perfection) and stick closely to typical beauty standards. It's funny how contemporary BJDs are the ones who are rather "conservative" and conventional in looks, while the old BJDs are more odd and not really catering to the mainstream.

Anyway, here's my oldschool doll tax even though I've posted him before. Some days Justinian (Dollstown Mui) looks very young, other days he's a grumpy old man.

 

This too! 3D sculpting is an amazing tool, but people aren't perfectly symmetrical.
I also appreciate idiosyncratic, not necessarily "perfect" or typically beautiful, faces. I do with these features would make a comeback.

 

It totally makes sense @MaleficentMrsofEvil ! Traditional sculpting tends to preserve a bit less detail after all the sanding and priming is done before making moulds, too, so I guess that also contributes to the smoother faces. If you only work with one master you gotta make sure it casts easily enough! Can't print extras! Same for bodies, the ones I have that are obviously 3D modelled are super engineered and symmetrical which obviously doesn't have as much character as a wonky single jointed bod... for better and for worse

 

Cookie Domadoll was an outlier even then, I think. I followed her for quite a while, but it seems she never returned to ABJDs again. There were more I would have loved to adopt. Do you remember how Okja's story was about her being a superheroine saving women from toxic body images? Loved that!
And lovely Dami... Yumi's less judgy twin I had a hard time deciding, but that attitude won me over...
Do you have a pic of your Dami?

Completely agree with the points you're making. I do think this tendency to a more conventional aesthetic could be due to the fact that the hobby has gone more mainstream since it started to happen in the socials on such a scale. I also think a lot of Asian makers are trying to give people what they want, to stay afloat. I'm glad there are still niche doll makers out there though.

Oh dear, you're so right. Thing is, half my collection is old school at this point and A LOT of the old single jointed bods pose and feel way more solid than the engineering masterpieces of today, and I still do have a soft spot for that, I admit.

 

@aihre your Mui is fantastic! Dollstown was the first company I really and truly fell for in this hobby and I am working hard to get bodies for my two girls (very early Triste and Susie, before they got their redesign). Mui has such a lovely, pouty face!

@Mandagore I had totally forgotten Okja's backstory but that kind of jogged a memory when you mentioned it! Didn't Domadoll have a little comic of it too, or am I misremembering that?! I always loved that chubby body and man was that ever at a time when a pudgy BJD was really off the rails! I don't have a photo of my Dami yet as she's blank; I just bought her a body (Blue Fairy Blossom) a year or two ago. I'm a very negligent doll owner, I'm afraid, and my rate of "completing" dolls is very slow!

Y'all, I just love this thread SO MUCH. Thank you all for the discourse and the sharing! A lot of my dolls are incomplete but knowing I have a place to show them where people may actually want to see them is pretty motivating! These asymmetrical faces and heavy (sometimes very heavy!) bodies are truly my joy, and I'm so happy I'm not alone.

EDIT: Here is my Serendipity Sharmin! One of the early pioneers of the slim mini, once ubiquitous, now fairly scarce it seems.

 

@Sandwich Sharmin! Isn't she a beauty. You do have lots of treasures. I remember her, and didn't she have another slim mini sister?
I love old style slim minis, like Narin and Unoa. I think back then the three companies made up the spearhead of the slim mini revolution? Limhwa also was fairly early, and then Supia - beautiful mini girls (and one boy). Boys were even rarer... Luts launched their Minifee then and suddenly you had clothes options!

 

Super late but I adore your Kaede! I had one myself and miss her terribly.

 

That's my story too, Dollstown was the first company I really fell in love with and they single-handedly defined a lot of my tastes in dolls. Mui especially set the gold standard for male sculpts... he ruined me for a while and I couldn't find any other male BJD who came close to him in handsomeness. I've since gotten more boys but they all had to be as good-looking as him or better! And nobody does grumpy like Mui. I really love my boy ^^

Serendipity Sharmin is a name and doll I haven't seen for ages - also a blast from the past! Your girl is very cute.

 

Back for more! I think the early Souldoll style is unmistakable, even if this sculpt has really fallen by the wayside. This is my male Olivia, one of the first four Soulkids. I deeply regret not having his upper lip reconstructed from a mod done by a previous owner, but I love this faceup too much now to change it! Also including one of the original Olivia promo photos so you can see how the sculpt looked originally, as I have no other evidence to show of it. My boy has certainly gotten very buttery over the years!

 

I think I've accidentally summoned the year 2006 or 7 onto my desk


(L to R Unoa Sist hybrid, Volks Myu, SDC Arashi, DZ Shoyo hybrid)

 

@cobaltconduct These were good years... Thank you!

 

Adding Glorydoll Goth Lucy on the Dollstown Elf body. I am sorry it is a link. Google would not allow me to share it any other way.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/dSHPH4tE2s79VMCp7

 

What a beautiful doll! The sculpt reminds me a bit of Dollmore Mio whom I also love!

I might be wrong since I wasn't there, but I think it's because as with every other market, tastes weren't so established back then so sculptors would make what they personally liked rather than what they knew would sell. Very old story but I'm glad there's still so much variety today.

My goodness I love Dollstown. After I got Nadia I can't think of any other dolls.

 

My newest doll happens to be also old-school!

Volks SD-F-26 - according to Tenshi no Kichi, the head was released in 2004, and it was recently discontinued from FCS. I ordered my girl from Volks FCS before the discontinuation, and also got her with one of their recommended makeup, so she's an old sculpt with a contemporary faceup. She wears 9-10inch (23cm) wigs and 18/9mm eyes -- the largest eyes in my crew, even the other old-school ones wear smaller eyes.

It's not often that Volks makes a narrow-eyed sculpt, especially a female-coded one. I think F-26's long droopy eyes are so distinctive and I thoroughly fell for this girl's foxy, squinty look!

 

Aihre, she's absolutely gorgeous!

 

Thanks @Rabbit-moon, I'm very delighted with Zhara and how she turned out

 

@aihre Oh wow, she really is gorgeous, congrats!

 

Can't believe I've never posted here before, but here are my two Angel Region Rens, Crow and Raven:



He's from 2007, she's probably from slightly later. She's also on a Volks body.

 

@BlackSheep Angel Region Rens are so underrepresented, thank you so much for sharing your charismatic beauties. So great you still enjoy them.

@aihre Zhara is a real looker! Volks is not my hometurf, but I don't think I ever really saw that mold before.

 

@mikki @Mandagore Thank you for your comments on Zhara

Mandagore - I also didn't notice F-26 at first, even though I once trawled through Tenshi no Kichi looking at every FCS sculpt. I think it's because she's a pretty old sculpt so she doesn't show up much in owner pics nowadays, also Volks' conventional faceups on her are mostly sweet and gentle, which I don't find inspiring. It was a F-26 with a custom faceup on Dollyteria that showcased her foxy, frowny potential. (That Dollyteria doll literally arrested me in my tracks -- I was scrolling very fast through doll listings, blew past her, went "wait wait HOLD UP who did I just see? Volks made a squinty-eyed girl??? I need to know who she is!!!" and scrolled back to find out.) That doll got sold, but she did her job ... I fell in love and wanted my own frowny F-26 too! I have a real soft spot for tareme (droopy, downturned) eyes, half my dolls have this eye shape, so ugh I love F-26's eyes

 

Oh wow, I can’t believe I missed this thread! I have so many old sculpts.


Kieran - RaOn Dream Kirin (2011)


Ashrian - Domuya Faith (2008)


Einar - DollsheCraft 'old' Husky (2006)

And that's not all

 

Oh @dharmaniac your Ashrian is absolutely beautiful I have Domuya Ida but she is nowhere near as gorgeous as your Faith.

 

thank you @mikki I think all Domuya girls are truly precious! It’s such a shame we don’t have many of their photos anymore.

 

Volks Nono, Schulze, Sakura, Maggie and dreamy Myu by Melissa, on Flickr

 

I've been sadly neglecting this thread! It's been slow-going this year getting my girls (and some boys) display-ready. I have so many more to go!

@BlackSheep, I love AngelRegions SO MUCH, especially your sleepy-eyed girl! Rare to come across and that much more delightful to see!

@dharmaniac, they are all amazing but I think Ashrian is my favorite. Domuya really was underrated as a company, and Faith is such a gentle yet mature sculpt.

@midolls*melissa, love the Volks clan! Truly some old-school girls (and one boy). The framing of Schulze with that window behind him makes for an awesome photo!

I had some extra doll money earlier this year so I invested it in finishing the second of my Notdoll/Dream of Doll hybrids. This is Persephone (Lady Aletheia), finally painted and dressed! Her artist is the ever-amazing @mx_95. One of these days I'm going to get a nicer phone/camera and lighting set-up.

 

@midolls*melissa - your Sakura, Myu and Maggie are so precious! Seeing several of the f-01 cuties together makes me want to get a twin for my own Myu, too

@Sandwich - Notdolls really shine with a dramatic faceup, she's such a beautiful vampire!

Also, paying some doll tax! My Myu, Shoyo, Arashi and Kaede are all old enough to drive a car probably.




I also have an Everpurple Iris! Her original resin eyes did not age gracefully but she certainly did!

 

Luna is my oldest Angel Region Little Fair, she came with her original balsa wood box and original faceup, I believe her to be one of 30 produced around 2003. Her headcap is etched Little Fair Luna, she has the first iteration of the classic AR/BF body that had a one piece forearm/wrist ball, thigh with hip ball part glued on and knee ball part of the thigh. AR would later change to the separate wrist ball like BF and the one pc thigh however they kept the knee ball with the thigh pc.


Angel Region Luna by Melissa, on Flickr

Emilie is the oldest BF that I own, she came to me second hand from Mandarake, and is my only BF with the inside headcap etched Tinyfairy Emilie just like the AR little Fairs, she does have the BF classic body with the one piece thigh, separate wrist ball and ball part of the knee/calf which is a change that BF made to the body they shared with AR Little Fairs.

Bluefairy Emilie by Melissa, on Flickr

 

Here’s Souren! Customhouse Anniversary boys Rock

 

I've been pouring over this thread all morning looking at all of the lovely dolls! I really love the old school aesthetic. When I got my first doll in 2018, I would comb through the internet looking at everything I could find about BJD's most of what I came across, and if you search hard enough, it is still out there are older posts with the older dolls.

Sometimes I feel as if I was too late to join the hobby, because a lot of the dolls that appeal most to me are no longer being made. I think even though a lot of my dolls are more modern, I still style them in a way that reflects the old school look. I know that I could make my dolls look very realistic if I wanted to do so. I make reborn dolls as well, and although I have practiced with a realistic look, I find that BJD's have a more appealing appearance to me when they look like dolls.

Lately, I have added more of the older dolls to my collection. They are what held my interest in this hobby, and what inspired me to collect, even if I was too late to get them before some of them were no longer being made.

Just as I was getting into the hobby a store called Mint on Card was closing. Some of the last things they were selling were their display doll that had been in the store for quite a while . I bought one of them . Nina, she came out in 2008, and had everything on as she had been put on display all those years ago.


IMG_2759 by Rabbid Bunnies, on Flickr

 

Coming back to this thread I realize how many great companies and sculpts I had almost forgotten …
@dharmaniac I have seen your Kieran on IG and I'm fascinated by this sculpt. Really cool character. I don't think I remember RaOn at all …
@Sandwich Your girl looks so good in this style! The Notdolls style was really unique. Haven't seen any photos of them in a while …
@cobaltconduct Love your Everpurple Iris - another company I forgot existed … Your girls are all really sweet btw.

I also reimagined on of my ancient heads recently - Luts Summery 09. I had made up my mind to sell him, but then I noticed that he looks a lot like a new MSD head I like.
Newschool or Oldschool? by Evie ex Machina, on Flickr
Used to be a girl, now starting a new life as a boy. Smaller iris eyes really change everything … Instant newschool.

 

Thank you so much! This thread really had too little Customhouse in it, seriously He is such a beautiful sculpt.

 

Rock really is such a great sculpt! I plan to add some more Customhouse in this thread, so stay tuned

 

I will, please do! I have the honour of housing a Customhouse Gene/ Jin, Choa and Choa Prayer myself, so consider me a fan

 

@RabbidBunnies I still miss Mint-on-Card... A lot of my dolls came through them. I always wondered what became of their display dolls, so I'm happy to see one after all this time. Looks like she went to a great home!

 

@VoidOfNothing Souren is adorable!

@evie the kid It's a good feeling when you fall in love with your own doll all over again - love your new-old boy

 

Some more Customhouse! Anyone know who this is?

 

I think this is a Jin! Had a huge crush on him in 2005.

Speaking of Customhouse, I've just picked up this cutie from Mandarake. Does anyone know what model he is?
https://order.mandarake.co.jp/order/detailPage/item?itemCode=1302619863&lang=en

 

I agree with Tenshi no Korin, Looks like a Jin, a friend has one and just compared photos

Edit, here is a pic (though on closer inspection the lips are slightly different perhaps?)

 

@tenshi_no_korin @kyukyukyu Not Jin! He’s actually an Event ai Jung! Compared to Jin, Jung’s face is a more angular while Jin has softer features ^^ I love Jin though

 

So close nice to see more of the old sculpts

 

Gentlepersons, this is a Jin/ Gene (came to me in 2004)
Please meet Del Moon.


link

 

He’s gorgeous! Love his little moles

 

Thank you! I'm a sucker for moles and beauty spots, I'm afraid... and it shows.

 

Here I'm adding my Volks Heath! I have a collection of photos of the many stages he's been through clothing-wise

Volks Heath Various Stages of Look

 

Hi everyone! I have just returned to the hobby after about a decade and I'd love to show off my old school dolls!

DoD Homme Ducan (Old Body)
Released 2006 - Bought in 2008






All those photos are over exposed sadly. I took them in 2008 when I got him.



Here he is today at 17 years old, showing off his bobble head and sticky out ears in all their glory! I removed his velcro after this and gave him a detailed clean. His resin on his hands and face had become a warmer colour. The default skintone on old school DoTs has held.up well and where it is yellowed it is quite pleasant.

Domuya Venturo D1 Flexi Perennial
Released 2007 - Bought in 2009




He is wearing a gorgeous LUTS outfit here. He is shoeless because his feet and calves are tiny.


Here he is at 16 years old and waiting for a clean. Domuya's default skintone seems to be holding up well in terms of yellowing!
​

Overall, I've noticed that even my Venturo from 2007 has a slightly more human proportioned build, but his feet and hands are so small! He's taller and slimmer than Ducan but his head and hands/feet are so much smaller!

​

 

@Jellehbean Welcome back, and: Hello there, beautiful boys! Isn't it the best feeling to give the older dolls a fresh start?

 

Thank you so much! Yes, it's really good to get in touch with them again

 

I think he might be Mars, if you still haven't id'd him. I have picked up a few Little Juniors the past couple of years, and I know the sculpts of 3 of them but my 4th I don't know... and now I can't find a photo of him.

But for some eye candy for the thread...this is my Lati Blue Shaina from Back in the Day... you don't see many of these around nowadays - at one point I had three, but sold them off when I was reorganising my collection - only to fall in love again when I saw this girlie on Ebay a couple of years back...

 

my Momoko Ryugasaki doll, she was released in 2004

 

Notdoll Lab Aletheia ❤️