DAF Storage Ideas: Detolf Review

I think it is good that you took your dolls out of the Sterlite container. I would have been concerned about the gases from the plastics of the doll and plastic bins interacting and causing long term if not permanent damage.
Have you decided on the alternative storage place for your figurines that have been kept in the Sterlite?

I am concerned about price of wooden or decorative boxes and I keep my own collection in a moving box for glassware since the dividers keep the doll standing upright. I think this is also keeping the hair from being mussed.
Please give me any good ideas about storage

Tim


Tim sent this comment-query in response to my May 9, 2009 post "Collector Confession: Dolls Get Dirty in Boxes". I had confessed to keeping some loose dolls lumped together in a cardboard box. Those dolls were sitting on the Sterilite plastic chest; however, there are more DAFs in the plastic chest. So Tim has two questions:

1. What am I going to do with the dolls and action figures held in the plastic drawer?

and

2. What are good storage ideas?

The short answer to the first question is I am still thinking about where to put those dolls. They remain in the top two drawers. No permanent home for them yet. Likewise, the dolls sitting on top of the Sterilite drawer have been cleaned and set about the apartment; they, too, wait for permanent homes.

Moving on to the second question about good storage ideas ... let's start with IKEA display units.

Specifically, IKEA Detolf glass cabinets. You may have seen these glass cases in some collectors' rooms. They are inexpensive for glass cabinets - the current price is $59.00 per four-shelf cabinet in the United States.

Detolf at Philly IKEA

I have one Detolf cabinet myself. Would I recommend getting one? That's harder to answer.

Pros

It has clear glass sides. Dolls and action figures look GREAT in it.

Price is okay.

Figures somewhat protected from dust.


Cons

You have to put it together with another person. REALLY. It's made of glass, and you don't want to play Lone Ranger and see a glass panel slip away and break. Even with two people, it is a PAIN to put together. You have to line things up just so. You think this side is okay, but then the blippity-frippity thing in the other corner slips loose. You have four glass panels and four tall wire thingies and two plastic corner-connector things in the rear. Hold your breath, repress the four-letter words, and pray that this time it all takes. Eventually it did.

It's fragile. Our twelve pound cat brushes against it without harming it, but bring in a larger, more boisterous animal or children ... we're back to it is nearly all glass.

Storage limits. The base is about 16" by 14."

Here's additional information by IKEA.

Aside: any collectors interested in this topic, please add your comments.

To be continued ....

International Black Doll Show 2009

I attended the International Black Doll Show today. The bulk of the show was "art dolls." Paper bags, ceramic, cloth, and various other materials formed these dolls. Interesting to see, but not much I would take hone. I missed my plastic and vinyl people. No Princess Zara line or Mixis or new ethnic playscale, plastic dolls or action figures.

I had visited this show before a few years ago so I was not surprised by the doll types. At that time, there were no playscale figures. Today, about four or five vendors had at least one Black Barbie or Black Barbie-clone doll. One vendor had a display of Black Barbie-clones dressed in formal gowns. (That vendor did not allow me to take a photograph.) Another vendor had a decent group of modern fashion dolls, including Black Barbies, Christies, Nikkis, and the larger scale 16" fashion dolls. The most impressive table though was by a visitor-exhibitor from Chicago who showed three dolls from the Byron Lars' Chapeaux Collection: Sugar, Coco, and Pepper.

Seeing the Byron Lars dolls in person, I could appreciate the details and the lovely hatbox cases. That gave me an idea: I could store some of my dolls in similar hatboxes or cardboard boxes sold in A.J. Wright, Ross, Conway, and other discount stores. On the other hand, I wouldn't want the Lars dolls since they struck me as show dolls and not play dolls.

Since none of the modern dolls shown were particularly thrilling ... a Ballet Black Barbie and Kelly set and a Cool Lookz Trendy, Bendy Christie, I didn't ask to photograph them. Here are two photos I took.






Overall, I enjoyed attending the International Black Doll Show. Seeing different doll types. Perhaps someday I'll rent a table at the Show and put up a modern doll and action figure display. Someday.