Newbies have soooooo much to learn! My first visit to reborn dolls on internet took me to Reva Schick's Ariella by a very well known artist on ebay. I loved the doll so much I luckily found a kit to purchase and put away until I learn more. I then purchased Merissa May's, Sera kit. When I open the box I was very surprised to see the difference in size of doll. I didn't think I was ordering a preemie, but compared to such life-life Ariella, she looks very small. Question: have any of you found customers who were surprised at the size of their dolls when they arrived at their new homes? Preemies must be very small. Not quite so life-like? Is there a way to find out how big the heads are before purchasing? Hard to tell when the info says 15" 16" 17" etc. Linda
Most kits are small--which is nice when you are starting because they take less time to finish. I think anything under 19 inches is considered a preemie. The larger kits are usually 22 inches or so (like Ariella--she is one of my favorites too). If you want to see proportions between head and limbs, I think the best bet is to look at pictures of the dolls when they are finished. I don't know of any other way to figure it out. But I find that premies are my best sellers and many buyers also like micro preemies. If you like the bigger babies, you have to shop around a bit. DD has Ariella and Rebecca, as well as a few other large babies. Secrist's Hope is also a larger baby with a proportionately large head. You might also try some toddler sculpts.
Thanks Heather! I've been doing a litte more homework this morning and do see a difference in the price range as well. The suppliers charge about $20 more for a larger doll. 17" can be purchased for around $30, whereas the 22" dolls (large like Ariella) are closer to $50 for in stock dolls, not special orders or limited editions. As I said, so much to learn but such fun doing so!! Linda
Actually, I have found that prices vary more by company than by the size of the doll. Most of the DD babies are $90 regardless of size. But you are right that many of the companies charge less for smaller babies. Secrist preemies (and BB preemies) are very reasonably priced. I especially like Secrist's Zoe and BB's Taite.
Berenguer's also have heads on the larger side. I was shocked at how small Secrist Jasmine's head was compared to theirs. I guess a lot of it is just trial and error and discovering what YOU like. :)
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Hello Linda and Heather, It's nice to have a quick chat with, although your probably in bed by now,I just got Hannah for the second time and Luca by Elly knoops, they are a nice size. Hannah is my avator baby I made for an order and didn't get to have many cuddles, I also got a Limited Edition of Cutie Pie and she is smaller than I immagined as she was the same price, but I got them form her and didn't have to pay postage' but by the time you pay for fuel postage is probably cheeper.They were all $79 without the body , Just as well I can sew, I,m going to unpick one of secrets bodies so I know they are the correct size, The dow suede, only came wit card board joints that didn't stay tight. Sleep tigh and don't let the bed bugs bite. (((HUGS)))June M from Oz
one way to gage a size of a baby is to email the supplier and ask for the head cercumference (spelling???).
Arielia is one of the biggest baby's you'll get. She's the approx size of a 3mth old. Marissa May's did surprise me when i first got one of hers, but when you actually put them besides a real newborn (only a week or 2 old) they are very life-like in size... we do forget so quickly how tiny newborns are, she's not a preemie size at all, but when you sit her side by side to a Riva kit she's going to seem tiny.
I've never has a customer surprised at the size of any baby i've had adopted, but i have had one return customer who bough a bigger baby from me decide she likes the bigger ones so much she put in a private request for another bigger baby of the same kind of size.
It can be surprising at times though when your going only by photo's and there is nothing in the picutre to give you a good scale of the size you can expect. Over time you start to get to know your artisits and the size of their kits but when your new to it all it can be a bit of a shock if you'd been expecting a bigger sized baby and got a little one.
a 20" baby can range in actual size from marissa may's little ones, to Riva's huge ones. Riva's are the biggest i've ever come across though.
Not being up with all the artists is a big drawback, at least with the porcelain you knew a 22" doll was a 22" and that their heads are all roughly the same size arround 12-14 inch,so to buy a wig without the doll wasn,t a hard choice. but with the vynal kits we don't have to know the head size to buy a wig. so cost doesn't come into it either, and because some sites don't sell all brands, your left wondering what size you are going to get. Just my observation from a new reborners point of view. June M from Oz
Everyone is so helpful. How nice! Yes, I've forgotten how small newborns are. Even my little grandson who's 1 is super-sized! One more question from a newbie, who is DD and BB? I've now bought a couple of doll kits and still can't start to paint them. So much info to gather! They are so sweet to look at as is, but hopefully one day I'll feel knowledgeable enough. Linda