Hello!
I’ve written this post for the purpose of guiding new or otherwise, blythe collectors who need some information on how to enter or move around the hobby. In essence, this is a compilation of the top most questions I get asked often.
A little about me
I’ve been in blythes since 2009-2010 and go by “Happyblythes or “Happy Blythes” in the hobby. I like like like to talk about blythes and enjoy getting to know and meeting new blythe collectors. I started a local FB group called Singapore Blythe Collectors and was a committee member of the Blythe Carnival Singapore (BCSG) 2017 event. I also like to make blythe clothes, which you can see at my Happyblythes Boutique FB page.
Hi hi Blythe Friends!
I’ve asked and been asked various questions such as “How much is a blythe?” and “where do I get/buy a blythe?” to “how do I sell my blythe?” “what are fake blythes?” and more….and this post was born to help fellow blythen (what I call other blythe owners) with their questions.
It’s now 2023! – eight years since I first penned this post! How time flies. Many different things have happened in blytheworld, even for Singapore, where we’ve had the first Singapore blythecon, the “Blythe Carnival Singapore” and where we are now seeing blythe being produced by a new company (more later).
I’ve been in the hobby for about 12 years but I’m by far an expert. There are definitely things I’ve still yet to explore.
I hope you find this valuable. If you have any additional information or suggestions please let me know!
If you want to discuss or share your blythe pictures and you live in Singapore please join our local FB group, Singapore Blythe Doll Collectors (please note you must respond to the questions when prompted after you request to join as well as click “agree” to the rules).
Disclaimer: Please remember that all the information in this post is my personal opinion provided for your personal knowledge to help you get started with blythes and is not authoritative of the matter/hobby or how you should treat your blythes – use your personal discretion. The pictures in this post are all taken by me. please do not use my pictures without permission.
Introduction
What is a blythe doll?
I would think you would know this if you came to my blog and have read this far ;p, but just in case, my definition is that blythe is a collector’s doll, with a big head and eyes.
What’s the appeal of blythe?
I think her appeal is that she is very photogenic and highly customisable, and many people enjoy making their own unique and handmade items such as dresses to fit her. There are also many communities to share the hobby.
Why are blythes so expensive?
People might be taken aback by the price of blythe dolls as they are not on the scale of most barbie dolls. This is because she is not a child’s toy but a collector’s item.
Barbies (or other toys) that are very collectable could also be as costly more or less. Although they are just made of plastic, I do not know how much one costs to produce but I would say costs include advertising, licensing, design, etc. and so on and so forth (and of course market demand on the secondhand market).
As mentioned, blythes are not for children and not that many pieces are made of each release. But ultimately, what collectors come to understand is that she costs so much because she can and people are willing to pay. 🙂
Buying and selling
How can I get a blythe?
Stock neo blythe and middie blythe in their stock boxes.
Stock blythes
Stock mrs retro mamma with all her lovely stock items
You can buy stock blythes directly as they are released from authorised dealers as you would any branded item or you can buy them secondhand from people who have bought from authorised dealers or other people.
Stock blythes are releases made by the Good Smile Company that are off the shelf (exactly like how you would go purchase a barbie from the mall). This is important to note because there are also custom blythes (which i’ll talk a bit more about) that are altered by blythe customisers. Preorders are essentially a “booking” of the doll before it is released, usually accompanied by part or full payment to hold the doll. The doll will only be sent after the release date. Preorders can be announced a few weeks ahead depending on the individual retailers, usually on their fb or web pages.
You can usually put in a pre-order via email or other avenues provided by the retailers/suppliers. If the release is very popular, preorders can run out within minutes with some retailers. Thus, to catch a popular one you would have to be alert and check often for their updates. There are also some dolls, like the Sanrio “My Melody” and “Rilakkuma” middie releases that were only sold retail in some countries, causing the price to increase as demand was high in other countries.
To check the latest releases, go to www.blythedoll.com. To get older releases, you will probably have to delve into the secondhand market.
Stock Qpot with her stock items
Marabelle and her stock
EBL Tea for Two
RBL translucent Nostalgic Pop
RBL Gentle River
Stock blythes come with :
- Doll
- Clothes, hats, and accessories (called stock items) – differs for each doll, some have umbrellas, coats, etc.
- Stand
- Collectors’ card only for some older releases
- Some cardboard props for some releases
- Cardboard backdrop, e.g. for Mrs Retro Mamma
- Shipper (brown hard cardboard box that says “Takara Tomy” or “Good Smile Company” on it. This might not be present if you are buying a secondhand doll as some owners throw it away or never got it with their dolls.)
How are stock blythes (unaltered releases) different from one another?
The different stock blythe releases may differ in the following:
- Clothes – sometimes referred to as “stock clothes” or “stock” in short
- Face moulds (basically referring to the different shapes of the face) – BL, EBL, SBL, RBL, RBL+, RBL Renew – in somewhat chronological order… (since much has been written about these face moulds and i’m not expert please visit – Beginner’s guide on blythelife and Dr Blythenstein’s flickr on face moulds).
- Hair style and color
- Face finish (matte or shiny)
- Face material (normal or translucent)
- Face color (fair to tanned)
- Earring holes or none
- Bodies (older BL blythes have licca type bodies)
- Size: From small to big – petite, middie, neo blythe. There are also blind boxes and a special edition blythe x Molly (between a petite and a middie) made by popmart.
- Pull rings
- Eye chips
- Eyelashes
- Whether she can keep her eyes closed – sometimes called “sleep eyes”
For Never Removed From the Box (short form NRFB) condition, the blythe should have:
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- Hair, neck and feet attached to the stock card
- Most accessories in plastic and attached to the stock card (some clothes may not be in plastic).
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marshmellow middie with her shipper box
Happy Blythes 