What is confusing, is a super dollfie size doll, and a super dollfie are really referring to two different items. One is any BJD that is in the 25 inche size range, and the other is specifically the Volks Inc Super Dollfie Doll. Think of it like the word Kleenex. People often call a tissue- a Kleenex, when in fact, a Kleenex is made by only one company. To more confuse the issue, people call it a super dollfie if it fits in that size group no matter what company makes it, but that is technically not true.

ome terms referring to the
      size of these dolls include the following:


SuperDollfie size (SD for short) refers to sizes in the range 56-70 cm sizes or roughly 22-28 inches tall.

Mini Super Dollfie size (MSD) are approx. 40-43 cm (15- 17 inches)

Dollfie size 22 -27 cms

Tiny smaller dolls ranging from 14- 27 cms (5- 11 inches).
There are even BJDs that are smaller than 14 cm!

Please notice.. Super Dollfie and Super Dollfie size are two different terms!

Even Ebay is guilty of adding to this confusion. Their catagory for ball jointed dolls is listed as -Category: Dollfies.

Measurements of these foreign dolls are metric
so keep this conversion calculator bookmarked!

o illustrate:

Cerebus Project, a company located in South Korea, makes a doll called Delf -Kid who is 42.5cm tall.
And while Delf Kid is not a Dollfie (Dollfies are made by Volks, remember?) it is Mini Super Dollfie (MSD) size.

e're getting it now, aren't we!!?

If we look at the Volks Inc. site, we can see they produce ball jointed dolls that are 1/6^th scale (22-27 cm - the original official dollfies).

They are Barbie/Fashion Royalty size. These have more of a the "fashion doll" body many of us are used to. You can customize these yourself by painting and some models even have tiny glass or acrylic eyes to insert.

If you prefer the work done for you they also offer Dollfies called Who's That Girl.

Here is Fashion Royalty
Traveler by Nature(L)
Shown next to a Volks Dollfie(R) body

ecause of my many isconceptions,
              at first glance I had dismissed them.
                    The turning point for me
                        was seeing one in person.
                           Once I saw the lowing complexions
                                     their soulful lifelike eyes,
                                                 I was intrigued.

hen I found out they wear wigs. (Oh the possibilities!)
         What?..
              You can change those beautiful eyes to any color
                    and style you can ream of.. Oh my!
                         And wait..they can stand alone,
                                and pose in a billion positions?

        ait have I reached doll heaven?

Well..yes
                          and a tiny touch of no.....

s a general rule of thumb the prices increase with the size.*
We are talking about prices which can exceed 1,000 dollars for the largest or most sought after.
Perhaps even much more for a very limited or desirable doll. Prices on the secondary market are usually not lower than original prices.
Limited Edition sizes and limited availability cause them to on the whole, retain their value.
Most dolls come nude with a pair of eyes ( these are called default eyes). So in addition to the price of the doll there are other costs to consider.

• custom 'faceup' (which is what the face paint/makeup is called) done before shipping will cost extra.
  If you wish the faceup to be done by a popular artist after you get the doll, it will certainly cost more.
  Many, many collectors opt for trying their hand at painting, which is another alternative.
  
  
• o you want those 'special' pair of dreamy eyes? You will pay extra for those as well.
  They can be ordered at the time of purchase from some companies, or you can buy them later
  
  
• ow how about that naked doll you just got?
  Clothing costs are not much higher than most collectors are used to.
  However, remember, these companies are in Japan and Korea which means shipping costs to be considered.
  Ebay is becoming a popular source for people looking for local shipping.
  **Something to be aware of - although heights are similar from company to company, body types vary greatly.
  Often clothing made for a particular doll cannot be easily worn by other types. Even ones in the same height range.
  
  
• hoes can be pricey, but boy are they cool! Platforms, mary janes and boots abound and are often made of real leather.
  
  
• he MSD and SD size are much easier to sew for, if you're so inclined. But...and this is a big but...
  there aren't a lot of readily available patterns out there. This may take creating your own patterns,
  commissioning someone to do the work for you, or tweaking patterns already out there for your specific doll.
  
  *Just a general guideline, as with all dolls limited availability or particularly popular editions drive some prices higher

ow before you go running for the door and say no way, let’s talk about it… from one obsessed doll collector to another.
It isn't unusual to spend hundreds of dollars on our dolls, be it giftset, limited editions or rare items.
The price of these dolls, isn't much more than the total of a few purchases of other types of dolls.
And I have heard it said that just one of these dolls is enough for many collectors. They are THAT satisfying.

also feel a special camaraderie with others who saving their pennies just like me.
In fact, many owners/future owners actually state in their signature lines on bulletin boards who they are saving for and how much they have saved so far.

For example it is quite common to see someone's signature line read:
Signature: <a href="http://www.forourdolls.com">Home</a><br> <a href="http://www.forourdolls.com/sale.htm">SALE!!</a><br>: Haute Hound -Pharaoh, Lishe-Phoenix Waiting for : Tender Zen Saving for SI $198.67 / $309	This is what it means: --I already have a Haute Doll Magazine special Hound doll named Pharaoh. I also have a Lishe named Phoenix - at HOME SALEwith me. --The icons that say Hound and Lishe are just for fun and color! --I have ordered and am waiting for Tender Zen to be shipped to me. --And I have 198.67 saved towards the price of $309.00 I need to buy a Si doll.

This is my Haute Hound named Pharaoh

This is my Cerberus Project Lishe named Phoenix

......he magic that each one of these                   individuals possesses.

I call them individuals for a reason. There is something extraordinary about them. If you peek in on any BJD bulletin board, chat room or website, you will find people referring to their dolls by name. Even the companies refer to them as 'your daughters' and 'children' on their sites. You will hear what the dolls think of their owners. Some have relationships with other people's dolls.

 few interesting tidbits in closing~

Many collectors have arrived at BJD through Anime and Manga (anime comics) and not through doll collecting.This breathes some new life into collecting, in the form of a different demographic group. The group has members that are young, many still living at <a href="http://www.forourdolls.com">Home</a><br> <a href="http://www.forourdolls.com/sale.htm">SALE!!</a><br>. Many of the dolls and fashions reflect a bright youthful attitude!

The tides are beginning to turn and doll collectors are realizing what they have been missing, (much to the dismay of many of the original collectors who would like to keep this their own fantastic secret!).

Volks is opening it's first store in Los Angles CA this fall. Shipping inside the United States!!

There is a language difference and many Asian BJD sites are either not in English at all or a bit harder to understand by English speaking visitors. I have found that the Google language translator is helpful at times. I've bookmarked that one too!

You will want to know how much things cost. Most sites list prices in YEN. Here is a currency converter to help you. Exchange rates fluctuate, so prices will too.