About Blythe

The toy company Kenner originally introduced the Blythe-doll to the US market in 1972. The original full sized doll measures 28 cm respectively 12 inch on a 1/6 scale.

The primary distinctive feature is its oversized eyes. A special mechanism in the back of the head let them change the color and direction of view. But exactly these oversized eyes were supposed to be the reason why the Blythe-doll became a non-seller. The kids suffered from nightmares caused by those oversized and color changing eyes. After only one year the production of Blythes was stopped. In the following years, only doll-collectors knew about the original Blythe as a curiosity.

In 1997, a US photographer took notice of the Blythe because she got one of them as a present from a friend. The doll became the first object to try out her new camera and to practice her photographic skills. The result was so convincing that she took her Blythe with her wherever she traveled. She even published a book of Blythe photography. In December 1999, the huge potential of Blythe dolls for the market in Japan got recognized in these Blythe-photographs.

In Japan, Blythes became very successful and prices for old second-hand Blythe-dolls literally exploded. In 2001, two companies Takara and CWC started to produce the first new Blythe doll. Until today, around 50 New-Blythes 60 and Petite-Blythes - the mini version of the original Blythe - have been produced.

In the meantime, a real hype started around the Blythe-doll, and numerous enthusiasts fell in love with it worldwide. Carving, grinding, make-up and wigs change its bare appearance. The main target is optimizing its expression and a realistic appearance with a strong character.

The fan community is small but growing steadily. They meet mainly online, but some conventions take place all over the world.

This is an artisanal project with an artistic approach. To finish a doll, I usually work between three and five days. A doll’s price may vary depending on the working hours, the base doll (differences in price and quality), eyes, hair, and the body of the doll. For the wigs, artificial hair, Mohair or SuriAlpaca is normally used. For real-hair wigs, (Mohair and SuriAlpaca) each individual strand is integrated separately, which takes another day of work. The different sorts of wigs vary in the look, but also in the price. Blythe Dolls are made for collectors with a lot of love and dedication for details. Prices start at USD 500. Every Doll is unique, a “one of a kind” collector’s item. They are not factory perfect.

I love the independence when working in my creative process. I show all my finished work on instagram first (nimadollshop), before I put it on etsy.com/nimadollshop for sale. For security reasons, all items are sent by registered mail.