Archive for August, 2008
Blythe and Petit Blythe
Monday, August 25th, 2008
In 1972 a bizarre big headed character was introduced into the toy market. Blythe was a new doll by the American company Kenner (which has since merged with Hasbro), with eyes that changed colour and a distinctive large face . She was an instant ….flop. She was discontinued and forgotten about for 30 years - except by the occasional doll collector, one of whom was a photographer called Gina Garan, who produced a fun series of photos of a Blythe doll in different locations, and kicked off a whole new craze.
Following the success of her collection of pictures, published as “This Is Blythe”, vintage Blythes shot up in price. Japanese department store Parco produced a limited edition of Blythes, and used the doll in their 2000 Christmas advertising campaign leading to the doll becoming a cult in Japan, with top designers such as Issey Miyake eager to contribute to exhibitions and gallery shows featuring this new cute but odd looking icon. In 2001 Japanese toy company Takara manufactured the first of the new series of Blythes, (sometimes referred to as ‘Neo-Blythe’ to distinguish them from the original ‘Vintage Blythe’)
The next year Takara launched the half-size model Petit Blythe
Smaller and cheaper than the full-size doll, Petit Blythe is a less costly way to get into collecting, sized to fit in a bag or put on your school desk.
Since then there has been 3 different bodies, over 50 full-sized Blythes and another 100 Petit-Blythes.
You can buy Petit Blythe at happyhappytoytoy.com
Tags: blythe, doll, fashion dolls
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Kubricks
Saturday, August 16th, 2008
Medicom Toy Incorporated started manufacturing high end 12 inch figures in 1996.
In 2000 it started it’s kubrick line – small chunky figures whose name is either a tribute to the managing director’s faviourite film director, or a portmanteau Japanese-English word - ku meaning 9, a kubrick is made of 9 pieces - and brick as in lego.
The basic idea behind the designs is that they are licensed characters from movies, anime, games, pop music or other popular products. The product line was developed by Managing Director Tatsuhiko Akashi with a former lego employee, and the very first series was based on the anime Neon Genesis Evangelion.
Although a toy – a kubrick is a ‘collectible’ and not intended for small children – the guideline on the box says for over 14 year olds. In 2006 a line was developed for younger children – babekub, which is slightly bigger, and with fewer parts, so safer for smaller children.
The most successful offshoot of the kubrick has been the bearbrick. Initially a give-away at the World Character Convention in 2001, bearbricks are now on their 16th series.
You can buy kubricks at happyhappytoytoy.
Tags: bearbricks, kubricks, medicom, toys, urban vinyl
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Fashion Dolls
Thursday, August 14th, 2008
The very first fashion dolls weren’t made for children.
They were produced by French fashion houses to show off their designs and skills to clients and they were eagerly passed around dressmakers over the course of years, as the styles worn by royalty and grand ladies became copied in cheaper versions for those lower down the social scale.
The fashion doll as we know her today was born in Germany – but she still wasn’t intended for children. In 1955 Bild Lilli was based on a popular cartoon strip and was a pin-up girl- hence her buxom, long-legged figure.
But Elliott Handler (the ‘El’ half of American toy manufacturer Mattel) and his wife Ruth saw her while on a trip to Switzerland, bought several, and made copies of the doll and costumes for her for their children, putting Barbie – the name of their daughter – into production in 1958. Ruth Handler was convinced that little girls wanted a doll that looked like an adult woman, to dress in adult fashions and not just the little girl and baby dolls that had been produced up to then.
In 1964 Mattel bought the rights to Bild Lilli, and production of that original doll stopped.
Tags: barbie, bild lilli, Dolls, fashion dolls, mattel
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