Blythe Dolls, New To Me

While on Swap-bot.com I went to look at what swaps are being offered and one at the top of the list was a Blythe photography swap. I didn’t know what that was so I read it. People were swapping photos of their Blythe dolls. Their what?

I read a bit on the Internet and see these dolls were sold in 1972 and were short lived. Like the Japanese manga, these dolls have huge eyes. The dolls had a cord that was pulled and then the eyes would close and when they reopened they were a different color and looking in a different direction. The dolls have three or four eye colors!

I then went to a Blythe site and see a large photo gallery of Blythe dolls. Some people are dressing them up and taking artistic photographs of the dolls, posing them like models in special clothing doing poses.

(Note there is the original size and a three or four inch tall mini size called “Petite Blythe” that sells for much less and if you ask me they have less character.)

I read that the original dolls can resell for thousands of dollars. Hasbro is selling some new ones now, and I found some for $80 online.

Additionally I found lots of people making outfits for the Blythe dolls and selling those on the Internet.

This is interesting and quirky at the same time. Is it me or is the world getting more and more hobby obsessed?

Links

This is Blythe site

History of Blythe dolls on This is Blythe site

Gina Garan photography exhibit press release featuring Blythe dolls

About Gina Garan, Blythe’s official photographer

Gina Garan’s Blythe photo gallery on the Blythe doll site

Blythe doll official site

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