This post springs from yet another article that I found, one that apparently knows exactly which American Girl dolls all serious collectors want. <elaborate> Let's see...how many of these am I dying to own? And the images...they're all stock images of more modern dolls. There was no way I was finding a stock image of this first one.
1: Original 1986 Kirsten
Nope, I've got a Kirsten and I love her. The original doll has some subtle differences from the one I've got, but they're super-subtle. Besides, these older Kirsten dolls have ridiculously pale eyes, and I think they look possessed.
2: White-body Samantha
Nope, because I've got a Samantha and...keep her around for sentimental reasons. Samantha never has been and never will be one of my favorite dolls, and why is a white-body Samantha so much better than a Kirsten or a Molly with a white body? Hard pass.
3: Josefina Montoya
No, but just because I don't really need a Josefina. I like her a lot, and I remember when she joined the AG bunch. Just reading her lists of accessories was a learning experience because there was so much Spanish involved. So probably if my collection were smaller I'd say yes to this one.
4: Cecile Rey
Maybe in the future. I had a chance to own both Marie-Grace and Cecile about a year ago, but Cecile ended up getting sold and if I own one I want the other. The article sites Cecile as being desirable because she was the more well-dressed of the two, and because there weren't many of her made (both Cecile and Marie-Grace were unpopular).
5: Caroline Abbott
Soft pass, largely because Caroline looks a lot like a doll I've already got (Kat the Time-Explorer). Caroline represents a part of American history that doesn't get a lot of press, and she's quite attractive with loose blonde curls and aquamarine eyes, so my door is open for Caroline in the future...but not right now.
6: Limited-edition Ruthie
I didn't know Ruthie was considered limited-edition! I thought she was a regular ol' best friend like Emily, like Elizabeth, like Ivy and Nellie. The article talks about her accessories (she wears a watch, pricey in those days), but I don't think Ruthie is any better than Kit. Pass.
7: Limited-edition #21
Uh, since when was this one limited-edition??? I remember when JLY #21 was released and no one said a word about her being limited-edition. Hard pass, because I have #21. Rilla Louise is in rough shape, but I do own her.
8: Marisol Luna
NOW we're talking limited-edition! The only Girl of the Year on the list, Marisol is listed as a fan favorite due to her ballet-themed collection and her abundance of hair. Hmmm, I remember her being controversial! Anyway, Marisol was on my radar for a looooong time, and even today I still have my eye on her.
9: German Samantha
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Another Samantha?????? Yes, this one was made abroad and has specialized tags and packaging. Interesting...but she's Samantha. No. Just no. Thanks anyway.
If y'all couldn't tell, the one I'd pick out of all of them would be Marisol, and indeed, she's the only one I'm still seriously considering finding. The others I either have variants of, don't have room for, or don't care much for. Seriously, who needs more than one Samantha, tag and body variants be danged? But then someone might ask me the same thing about JLY #49, and I love her more than all the other JLYs put together. Indeed, I've considered getting a second one. Like Rita Cheryl isn't enuff, LOL.
We all have our favorites, so I shouldn't pooh-pooh Samantha too hard. Some folks love her as much as I love #49.
Love,
RagingMoon1987
I'm not into the American Girls, but if I did get one, it would be the gal from the 70s. Hippie gal. Can't remember her name. And am I the only person creeped out by Caroline's book cover? The pose looks like a romance novel.
ReplyDeleteI can see why Caroline's cover art would bug you, yes. The library where I work has a handful of romance novels set during the Regency era, and the women on the covers do look like Caroline a little. And you're thinking of Julie, the little flower child. I like her too.
DeleteYes, Julie! Thank you!
DeleteYour post got me thinking, and I realized that when it comes to 18 inchers, the dolls I've held onto were either for nostalgia reasons, like my Magic Attic Club Rose, or because they had the most personality. I have no idea whether my Madame Alexander 18 inch Wicked Witch Of The West doll is actually as rare and desirable as the company probably wanted consumers to believe. But the combination of her green skin and her sweet, child's face just gave her so much personality. Her black witch dress stock outfit is tucked away, and I've redressed her in more contemporary looking American Girl clothing. To me, she's not just a collector's novelty 18 inch doll with green skin. She's Helen, a quiet but thoughtful doll who likes to read books and write her own stories. I named her Helen after the beautiful Helen Of Troy, because my doll is beautiful just the way she is. And since then, the doll's personality has grown so that she's practically taken on a life of her own. Which probably sounds crazy to non-doll collectors, but then again, the Toy Story films have made the idea of seeing 'life' in inanimate toys much more culturally acceptable.
ReplyDeleteSigned, Treesa
Yeah, sentimental value is far greater than any cash value ever could be. I bet that witch doll is cute. And I hear you about them taking a life of their own; such a phenomenon does sound nuts to someone who's not in the hobby. But if you're in the hobby, you get it.
DeleteSo, couple of points of fact-
ReplyDeleteGerman Samantha and White Body Samantha are...the same doll. Like, all the 1980s and early 90s dolls/doll clothes bear the "Made in West Germany" tags. That alone doesn't make her special.
However, White Body Sam does differ from Molly and Kirsten in that there are multiple variants. There are about 6 different eye colors she can have, ranging from amber brown to green slate to gray to brown slate, plus she can be a dreamer (with her eyes tilted up so that it looks like she's daydreaming) or have a variant wig that's a little darker or lighter...it's a whole thing in the AG collecting community spaces.
I have a white body Kirsten myself who I happened on in a cheaply priced Goodwill lot and she really feels quite different from the early Mattel dolls I have, her vinyl is totally different and her face has a different expression. I also have a 90s Kirsten and she feels very different from the white body one despite also being Pleasant Company branded, which is why I've kept both.
Now, #21 was not limited edition and neither was Ruthie, though I can see why they might be confused for being limited edition. Both were not available very long compared to dolls like Samantha and Kirsten who have been around forever and sold for almost two decades before either one was (albeit temporarily) taken off the market, and #21 has a second version that didn't have the pin curls at the sides that replaced the original one, so the one with the curls is considered a little more of a special doll to get your hands on especially if said curls are in tact.
-Apologies for the info dump. AG is kinda one of my top favorite doll brands.
Don't apologize! Anything that adds info to the post is welcomed. Oh, dreamer eyes...I like dreamer eyes. Thanks for the info, though. I understand a little better why some of those variants are special.
DeleteI may be a little bias, but my fav of yours is definitely the girl with the TARDIS leggings! Surprise! Surprise! Hahahaha The only AG I have is Isabelle Palmer, and not because I particularly wanted her, but because I found her in a thrift store for $5 (and that's Canadian $$, so dirt cheap! lol), and then I scored her Meet outfit, dvd, book, and hair extensions for $20! So that's that. But I do have to say, I'm liking the look of Marisol Luna. She's definitely my favorite of all the ones I have seen so far, and I may have to keep an eye out for her. Is there other ones that look like her? As the ballet theme isn't appealing to me, and Isabelle is ballet too, so that's plenty. I don't mind the clothes she is wearing in the pic above though, I'd be fine with that. LoL
ReplyDeleteI saw that you had Isabelle! If you read back through my older posts then you'll know that I had to warm up to Isabelle. Seeing her in person, with her golden hair and her hazel eyes helped a lot. American Girls are fun to shop for, even if you're not American!
DeleteLOL, Rita Cheryl is not my only Whovian, believe it or not. That all started with Luciana Vega; I wanted her to be unique, and I thought "What the hell, make her a Doctor Who fan." One thing led to another and that's how I got involved with the show myself.
Oooh interesting! I was just looking at pics of Luciana Vega and reading about her...and she'd definitely be right up my alley! I really gotta stop looking at AG dolls, or anything else really...I definitely can't start another collection of anything ..I have a house full here now. Maybe we need a bigger house first. Hahahaha
DeleteI hear you. My house is about to explode. Mama is wonderful about it, but I know she probably gets tired of being surrounded by little vinyl people.
Delete