Blythe

Blythe Doll

The Story of Blythes

The first Blythe Doll was created by Allison Katzman in 1972. Blythes were then produced by the toy firm, Kenner, but gained little popularity among children and production was stopped after just one year. As a result, the dolls made during this early spell gained a cult following and now sell for thousands of dollars.

Gina Garan, a photographer and producer from New York, is central to the revival of Blythe Dolls. In the late 90s, she popularized the dolls globally, particularly in Japan, after publishing the book This Is Bltyhe, along with later works, Blythe Style, Hello Blythe! and Susie Says. These showcased her dolls in a range of fashion shots with exotic and artistic backdrops.

Today, Blythe Dolls have a huge following worldwide. Whether you want to share your ideas and creations with an ever growing community of collectors, or you want to develop your photography through your unique ideas and designs, Blythe Dolls make the perfect models and muses, as well as wonderful gifts for family and friends.

What Is A Blythe Doll?

Blythe Dolls are a stylish generation of fashionable, high quality and highly individualized dolls. Characterized by oversized heads and great big eyes, these waif-like figures stand 12 inches (30cm) tall. Their enchanting eyes change both colour and gaze with the pull of a string to match a specific mood, personality or outfit.

They also have moveable body parts and you can buy extra hands for a variety of gestures. You can adapt and customize any Blythe Dolls with an enormous choice of clothing and all kinds of accessories. You can also find patterns to sew your own outfits.

These adorable collectible dolls have unique charm and appeal.

Blythes

What size is Blythe doll?

If you are wondering what scale Blythe dolls are, there are 3 sizes of Blythes:

• Neo Blythe Doll —12 inches (30cm) tall
• Middie Blythe Doll — 8 inches (20cm) tall
• Petite Blythe Doll — 4 inches (10cm) tall  

What does Blythe mean?

The word “Blythe” or “Blithe” means carefree or nonchalant. It alternatively means happy and joyful. It’s an energetic, modern and contemporary word that a lot of people think of with Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit — a fun, lively, elaborate little play. The spelling of the word “Blythe” actually combines all those good vibes into an elegant English surname. This is an uncommon yet stylish name.

What are the dolls with big eyes called?

“Big Eyes”: The Reincarnation of the Blythe Doll. Today, it is thought that the Kenner Toy Company introduced a unique doll design called Blythe in 1972 after being inspired by the “big eyes” trend in the silk faced decorative dolls from Japan.

Who created Blythe dolls?

The very first original Blythe doll was created by designer Allison Katzman in 1972. Back then, Blythes were only sold by the toy company called Kenner. However, her oversized head and eyes that changed colors with a pull string did not go over well with children, and the four original dolls were only sold for a year. 

In 1997, a NY photographer Gina Garan received an original Kenner Blythe as a gift and began using the doll to practice her photography skills. After taking thousands of photos of the doll, Garan’s work was spotted by a toy producer in New York. Together, they realized that this eccentric doll would be popular in Japan and started to seek out the rights to reproduce Blythe Dolls again.

In 2000, the toy company decided to produce a TV commercial featuring a new and improved Blythe doll for a department store called Parco. These newly improved dolls became an enormous hit in Japan and surrounding areas and more than 1000 dolls were produced to meet customer demand. US company, Ashton Drake Gallery, also began producing dolls for the United States market, however they were not as popular as their Japanese counterparts. While Takara’s Neo Blythes were based loosely on the 1972 originals, Ashton Drake attempted to produce exact replicas.

Nowadays, This Is Blythe proudly provides every single kind of Blythe doll product and services to all customers in the United States, Canada and Mexico as well as Europe. Our Premium Neo Blythes, which were redeveloped in 2019, are much more popular and their prices can range from around $50 to close to $250 (United States Dollars) for limited premium releases. Buy your Premium Blythe Doll now. 

Blythe Accessories

There’s an entire world of Blythe extras and additions: purses, hats, jewelry, socks and more. Take a look here. 

How Much Is A Blythe Doll?

When searching, you may see nude regular Blythes starting from $49. Original release Blythes from 1972 start at $3500 because of their rarity. Any modern Custom Blythe Doll range from $180-$6500 depending on the artist and level of customization.

If you buy a Blythe Doll today, it will most likely triple in value in a few years. Some of our dedicated doll collectors on This Is Blythe have collected an incredible 2000 dolls in the United States! They are a great investment opportunity whether you are a collector or a customizer.

Blythe Dolls are Ideal for

• Gifts
• Doll photography
• House-warming presents
• Movie & animation studios
• Anime companies
• Movies
• Art studios
• Drawing & painting
• Self-gifting
• Customizing purposes
• Christmas gifts
• Children’s birthday gifts
• Doll conferences
• Displays & fairs

Tips for Newbies Buying Their First Blythe Doll

If you are new to the Blythe world, our Blythes make sense because:

• They’re available at right price point
• You can browse and see how much you’d like to invest in a collection
• If you buy your Blythe Doll and products on our website, you will avoid expensive, smelly and broken dolls that are sold elsewhere.

Every day, new customers come to us complaining that the Blythes they bought from other websites and shops smell bad and are made from cheap plastic. Since our Blythes are made with original parts and custom patented limbs, our dolls as well as other additional products do not have unpleasant odors. They do not smell of plastic or chemicals. And our high quality doll hair is not dirty or faded. When buying from us, you are also buying a quality handmade fiber hair wig that will last a lifetime.

Customers also tell us that some companies did not ship their dolls at all. We also received complaints that there were hidden fees, high customs charges and taxes, as well as difficulty receiving their packages. We always receive complements on how we are the fastest and most responsive doll company compared to other Blythe shops. You’ve made the right decision by visiting us and shopping Blythes with us. Thank you for your support and loyalty.

Our Blythes and products are fully tested & tried, then shipped.

That’s our guarantee.

This is us,

This Is Blythe

Please note that we cannot be held responsible if you purchase your Blythe products elsewhere such as big e-commerce sites and other online handmade stores. You will not get our award-winning product support and customer service elsewhere.
 

Buy Your Blythe Doll Here

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