Not because their dolls are particularity beautiful (though some are very cute) but because of the magnitude of cheap accessories that come with them. And conveniently for all us BJD hobbyists, they pretty much fit all 1/3 SD sizes!
I thought this was a wonderful alternative since most anything in this hobby is ridiculous expensive. I also like the convenience of going to a local store and picking up some doll related items,and being able to actually look,touch, and feel the goods before purchasing.
So a couple weeks back I ordered a a few things off ebay. This was because I wanted to test the waters of 18 inch doll accessories and ebay seemed like the cheapest place to start.
Now, I know what everyone thinks of the American Girl brand, its pink, plastic, mass produced, and cheaply made. Its also sometimes a hit or miss, with some items being larger or smaller then intended.
The reason for this is because most american girl accessories are manufactured in 1/3 scale due to their dolls unrealistically enormous size, however the dolls are essentially children living in a 1/3 scaled world. I hope that puts things in a better perspective!
Back to the haul, so I ordered a couple of Our Generation sets all retailing at about $16.99
They were WONDERFULLY detailed and adorable, and honestly the absolute perfect size for any 1/3 scaled BJD. Some collectors wont like the plasticity looks of these items, but a slick new paint job or a touch up here and there would really bring out these accessories! Some items pleasantly surprised me, like the hot water bottle from the sick at home set, it was made from real rubber and moves and stretched like a darned life size hot water bottle! My senses could not have been happier!
I do have to mention the Tea pot in the tea set was slightly larger then necessary, so watch out for those mis-scaled items when you are doing your own shopping!
WAIT! There's more?
Yep.
The next bout of items are relatively random, so please don't try to find any rhyme or reason to them, there isn't any!
First up is this wonderful China Tea set. The detail is exquisite and the gold trim at the edge of each piece really makes this set come to life. I must say its one of the best purchases I have made and cost $19.99. The pitcher was also a beloved little thing but slightly smaller then anticipated, it wasn't entirely a miss but I would be hard pressed to call it a realistic sized pitcher. Both sets are displayed on an American Girl furniture set called Addy's Table and Chairs from the historical doll line. I will post a more in depth review of the set when I can upload the pictures at a later time! :D
Second is this miniature cuckoo clock, this was said to be in american girl size, but I would say its leans heavily on the 1/4 scale proportion. It has wonderful detail and would make a charming addition to room scene for a photo shoot! I personally love it.
And then there are these guys. I want to clarify, these nifty little items are pencil sharpeners. I was yearning for some vintage items because I love wasting money like that (hah), and when I came across these I had to snap them up!
The oil lamp is quite large, I would say a 70cm+ doll might benefit from using it in place of their macho hands, however for smaller dolls I would let it slide. Its certainly a beauty, with gold crowing on the bottom and a real metal backing.
The coffee grinder actually has a working handle, and there is tiny metal detailing on the body making this sharpener a very accurate representation of a vintage coffee grinder. Its more suited for 1/4 scale but I think would be lovely in a 1/3 setting as well!
The last sharpener is a antique water pump to help out with that indoor plumbing.
The handle is easily dwarfed by my 1/3 girl and will work perfectly as a faucet. As a water pump? Not so much. If you are picky about scale, I would rethink the pump as it was slightly too small. Perhaps elongating the body somehow would balance the proportion a bit.
Overall I would say this investment was a success, it was fun collecting all these little miniatures and most of them did fit with my SD's and obtaining a lot of the sets didn't break the bank. If you are doing your own search I would use an umbrella term like "18 inch doll accessories" instead to get all the generic brands of american girl doll items into you results. I probably will end up buying sets directly from an american girl store (there is a store front about 40 minutes away) which I will be sure to review in a another post!
I hope you find this post helpful, and have as much fun as I did!
-CC signing out
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