Her dolls were ahead of... One of our most prestigious styles of Blythe Doll is the Neo Blythes. Blythe dolls were originally created in 1972 by Allison Katzman and produced by Kenner but were not well received as a childrenâs toy. Gina moved from the suburbs north of New York City into Manhattan as a teenager, bringing her burgeoning doll collection with her. Thank you! Additionally, all Blythe dolls have an eye mechanism where they have four sets of eyes chips (two facing forward, one facing left, and one facing right). Blythe Doll history is an amazing one. They reproduced each of the 12 original Kenner outfits and named each doll accordingly. Are you looking for a custom one-of-a-kind (OOAK) Blythe doll? This model was only produced for one year. It was initially created in 1972 by the Kenner Company and was produced in Hong Kong. Loading... Something went wrong. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window), Blythelife.com Beginners Guide to Blythe Head Molds, Tutorial Tuesday: Pretty Plastic - OGG Blog, Wearing Judgement - Move Nourish Hydrate Sleep. This Is Blythe is the largest custom Blythe doll maker in the world. Takara Blythes have evolved over the years. After taking thousands of photos of the doll, Garan’s work  was spotted by CWC Director and toy producer, Junko Wong at an event in New York. Junko knew that this quirky doll would be popular in Japan and sought out the rights to reproduce the doll in Asia. Not only cute but also compelling. Blythe doll history and her reincarnation finally explained. Blythe dolls are amazing and special. Brand-new Blythe dolls are fun to play with and great for collectors who like to paint and create their own Blythe dolls. I first found Blythe in 2000 and have been smitten ever since. While some collectors like to keep their dolls in mint condition, most play with their dolls and many customize her clothing and features. Blythe dolls are considered "special" to the owner because they are so versatile and have lots of character to them. They were originally released by Kenner, then Hasbro in the 1970âs as a fashion doll. These big doe-eyed dolls have a long history of being discontinued and then resurrected. May 19, 2016 - Explore EmilyGray & HenryPoole's photos on Flickr. One of those little girls was Gina Garan. In 2002, Takara switched to the Excellent (EBL) design. These big doe-eyed dolls have a long history of being discontinued and then resurrected. How a doll from the 70s made a culture around her? Category. Information: The first Blythe Doll was created by Allison Katzman in 1972. Most recently in 2006, Takara again redesigned the face mold. The dolls were an enormous hit in Japan and 1000 dolls were produced to meet customer demand. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. What material are Blythe dolls made of? These big doe-eyed dolls have a long history of being discontinued and then resurrected. Their first project together was a stop-motion-animation Christmas commercial for the Japanese department store chain Parco. Include description. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. There are only a few side businesses more rewarding... Blytheâs unique look was envisioned by the toy designer and Arts Institute of Chicago alumna, Allison Katzmanâs early 1970s creations while working as a toy designer for Marvin Glass and Associates. Takara is currently releasing both RBL and FBL dolls, after announcing the discontinuation of the SBL mold in May 2009 . Read the Blythelife.com Beginners Guide to Blythe Head Molds. As a result, the dolls made during this early spell gained a cult following and now sell for thousands of dollars. At one point, she counted over 200 original Blythes among her collection. So at last i have one. Get the best deals on Blythe 1972 Doll when you shop the largest online selection at eBay.com. It was inspired by was modeled after drawings by Margaret Keane who is an artist famous for painting of the doe-eyed children. Free shipping on many items | Browse your favorite brands | affordable prices. The aim was to design them in the likeness of the original 1972 Kenner Blythe dolls. Blythes were then produced by the toy firm, Kenner LLC, but gained little popularity among children and production was stopped after just one year. Thank you for visiting our Blythe doll history page, and Blythe Doll website. blythe doll custom. Susie Sad Eyes, a doll completely unrelated to Blythe, was. ( Log Out / A new generation of collectors eagerly await the arrival of up to six new Blythe reproductions each year â and then promptly put the dolls up for sale on online auctions for double the price. Ms. Garan has also published numerous other books of her work, including the popular Blythe Style, Blythe on Beauty and more. Blythe is a 28cm / 12 inch doll, or 1/6 scale. They are not your average doll! In September 2008, Takara announced a new body style with more bendable/durable knee clicks. It was sold for ⦠With so much time on your hands during COVID lockdown, thereâs no better opportunity to start an enterprising initiative of your own from home. The ADG Blythes have the same eye⦠She's a Factory doll with an Azone body and matte face from Aliexpress. For another couple years, Blythe continued to live in relative obscurity, known only to hard-core collectors as a quaint curiosity. However, the company producing them was Takara, a famous Japanese doll company. A doll with kaleidoscope eyes, Blythe had slow sales at first but these days can command four-figure prices, is the topic of books and conventions and has celebrity fans. She died later that year. Is she a teen, a preteen? Ginaâs husband, Asa Somers â an actor with Broadway and television credits â came up with the concept of Blythe and her friends living inside a snow globe. She has fairly flat feet (Barbie shoes normally don’t fit) and only early Neo Blythes have bendable arms and legs (licca bodies) Her body is approximately the size of Mattel’s Skipper. In 2009, Takara introduced a new face mold called Fairest, supposedly based on the EBL face mold, with chubbier cheeks, bigger eye pupils, and semi-matte skin. Our company, which first started in 2000 as a Blythe photography book, now offers customers access to over 6,000 Blythe doll products and accessories. Mainly because her oversize head and peepers were deemed too scary for children, Blytheâs manufacturerKenner summarily pulled this kooky, big-eyed doll from the shelves, preventing many young girls from meeting her â at least for the moment. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. All. They were designed by Allison Katzman in the 70s and produced by the toy company Kenner (hence their name). Why is it called a neo special. Only after a friend described a doll bearing a resemblance to her did Gina first meet, fall in love with, and begin snapping up these originals, all for about $15 a pop. ADG stopped production of the dolls in 2007. In 1972, the Blythe doll was born. Takara’s Blythes are much more popular, and their prices can range from around $75 to close to $400 for limited releases. Allison passed away recently at the age of 95 at her home in Seattle. That is a great post. 2014/10/13 - Blythe Doll history is an amazing one. Blythe doll is a fashion doll designed in 1972 by Allison Katzman who worked at âMarvin Glass and Associatesâ. Her head is disproportionately large compared to her body. In 1972, the Blythe doll was born. STORE: BLYTHE HOMES (ALIEXPRESS) I've been obsessing over these dolls for quite sometime. Blythe was created in the early seventies by designer Allison Katzman at Marvin Glass and Associates and bought and produced in the United States in 1972 by the now-defunct toy company Kenner. Mainly because her oversized head and peepers were deemed too scary for children, Blytheâs manufacturer Kenner summarily pulled this kooky, big-eyed doll from the shelves, preventing many young girls from meeting her â at least for the moment. Katzmanâs daughter came home wearing contacts that were dyed incorrectly and made her eyes appear a different color. 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