A Rinkya Blog's New Feature Collector's Corner!

Welcome to our First Edition of Rinkya's Collector's Corner!

Our first interview is Blythe Collector, April.
Blythe Dolls are popular items in Japan and are sought after by collectors around the world.



How long have you been collecting?

I started collecting about three years ago when my daughter was born.

How did you get started collecting Blythes?

I started out collecting dolls that I had played with as a child. I wanted to be able to show my daughter some of the toys of my childhood.
I actually owned a blonde Kenner blythe doll (the original Blythe) as a child.
They were only produced for one year in 1972.
When I went to buy one on the resale market I was shocked to learn that they were fetching upwards of $1000 USD.
I learned of the resurgence of the Blythe doll's popularity after they began to be produced in Japan.
The story of Blythe's "rebirth" in Japan is fascinating. I bought one just to see what they were like and fell in love.


What is the “dream” item for you?

Ha! ha! It changes all the time! First it was the vintage Kenner dolls...then the limited edition Japanese Blythes. Now I have a passion for customized dolls. The Japanese are doing amazing work - they are preeminent customizers. This is one of the reasons that Rinkya is an indispensable service for me. It gives me access to a critical market I wouldn't otherwise have.


What is your favorite part of collecting Blythes?

Actually, you may find this surprising, but it is the creativity. Doll collectors are creative and talented people. They are painters, photographers and artists. Many sew all of their own outfits for their dolls. They create the most fantastic miniature worlds in minute detail. I learned photography so that I could share pictures of my dolls with other collectors. Now I have started customizing my own dolls now and I am really enjoying the creative process.

What is your favorite item you found thru Rinkya and why?

I have been a fan of the Japanese Blythe customizer known as Blastic.12 for a quite some time. He sells his beautiful creations on Yahoo Japan under the brand name Ragdoll Punch. I was lucky enough to recently acquire one of his custom dolls. She is a work of art and I am thrilled to have her!

Where can we see your treasures?

You can see many of the dolls in my collection on my flickr site at http://www.flickr.com/photos/blink_posse/

Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions and good luck with
your collection!!

Thanks for talking with me. It has been fun!

Check out the listings of Blythes on YJ!


Do you have a collection you want showcased on our blog?
Email us! laurelNOSPAM@rinkya.com

Image is property of owner.


[Japan][blythe dolls]
[kenner][japan collections]