I have adored the idea of Disney dolls ever since I discovered them. Like other girls, my doll selection was limited to ordinary pink box Barbie dolls in the 1980s because today's Disney dolls were just not available. All of this changed when Disney increased its merchandising for dolls; it began with The Little Mermaid.
My mother bought me my first Disney doll in 1990. It was a Tyco Ariel doll, and I was thrilled to have my favorite movie star as a Barbie-like doll. For me, Ariel was perfection; a young mer-princess, the doll already had a story that I could build upon. I relished the fact that the evil Ursula would no longer decide when Ariel's fins stayed off so she could be happy with Prince Eric. Disney bottled their magic into these dolls, and I still buy it.
An odd thing about my Disney doll collection is that I am a deboxer. Considering that my dolls are as diverse as a museum doll collection, I have removed many dolls from their boxes for display. However, by paying extra and buying duplicates of my dolls, keeping half of them consciously boxed also helps me to secure rare Disney dolls perfect for later sales.
The concern for mint dolls is not new. Dolls have historically decreased in value when removed from original factory packaging.
Most doll collectors keep such boxed dolls. Intact among plastic strips, glue, scotch tape, and threading, I often wonder about their motivation. Are they collecting dolls or packaging materials? It is not only about prices and doll values; some people, like me, do not have a lot of room for open dolls.
Boxed dolls, untouched and in mint condition, retain their value the most, so it is smart to own boxed copies of a rare Disney Barbie doll. In any case, it is vital that any doll is safely stored in a controlled and ventilated environment in order to promise its condition. For many collectors, the cardboard boxes of the dolls are safe havens that serve to protect a doll from the elements.
How can you collect boxed or deboxed dolls and keep them looking great? 1.) Have a 100% non-smoking and pet-free display or storage area, eliminating buildups that can trigger allergic reactions, 2.) Keep dolls away from bright (sun)light to prevent slow color fading and dust, 3.) Well-ventilated areas with cool temperatures for dolls are best, and 4.) Keep dolls and/or boxes high enough to be away from mildew damage and the curious hands of young children. If you watch the Antiques Roadshow or Find! on PBS, you know that this is good advice. Deboxed and boxed dolls both benefit from these tips!
The choice to debox is an expensive, but good plan for me. I strongly feel that dolls already wait on the store shelves long enough; fabrics need to be let out to breathe. (No influence whatsoever from Toy Story.) I easily counterbalance the immediate depreciation of my deboxed dolls with my duplicate mint dolls and the enjoyment of my guests.
I have found that deboxed dolls usually sell at a lower prices, but not always. When a doll is especially rare or unusually desirable, like a well-kept, pre-1995 Disney doll, it can sell relatively well among certain sets of buyers. One-of-kind (OOAK) doll designers, for one, do not worry as much about the mint factor. Spend time in the market to figure out which dolls are popular.
Inevitably, individual collectors will decide how to collect, and how much doll prices matter to them. I may lose money every time I remove a doll's box, but I accept it as the price I pay to own an unstifled, open Disney doll collection that others and I can enjoy. °o°
« Click the blue links to view the dolls! Or click to discuss dolls in the Doll Forum!
°o° View Shaili's Unfinished Doll Project!
°o° For Sale: Extra Dolls Shaili is willing to sell to good homes!
Climb HOME! MonkeyTravels
PrincessMonkey Studios
* The Monkey Shop *
Anime
PrincessMonkey's Guestbook!
MonkeyQuotes
Statement
Links
© Copyright 1999-2008 Shaili. All Rights Reserved.
Statement | Princessmonkey.com
