OVERVIEW: Lilydoll

In 2000, Manhattan Toy released the first four Lilydolls. These are larger scale than Groovy Girls, a similar but less detailed line from the same company.

The first four released were Anna, shown in the second edition packaging to the left here, Ursula, Portia and Olivia. Fiona and Aurora would follow probably not long after and the packaging was changed to show them on the back. This packaging would be used for the rest of the line, even after several new characters were added.

The second edition packaging

North America only got these first six dolls, some outfits and perhaps some of the larger accessories. For the European market, there were many outfits made, a cat, a dog, a horse, a car, a bed and a large carrying case.

The first four: Portia, Ursula, Anna and Olivia

 I discovered these girls in April 2013, when I found one of them at Tuesday Morning. Her name is Astrid and she was part of the revival Lilydoll line, though I didn't know that then. In 2010, Manhattan Toy put out four new characters in a slightly different style and a handful of outfits. I remember looking them up when I got Astrid, but I didn't fully get into the older line until 2015. I bought Harper from the 2010 line shortly after moving down here in 2013 and then didn't get another for two years. I bought Isa in 2015 and then got into the older line. When that rediscovery happened, it hit hard and I quickly got several Lilydolls!

Fiona, Tovi the cat, Aurora, Danzy and Clara the dog

I bought two Ursulas from ebay. One has a rounder face, one thinner, so they can vary from doll to doll like Groovy Girls. As soon as that first Ursula, the one in the photo above, got here, I was in love. The second is her twin sister and I've got her wearing the ballet fashion, though she isn't pictured here. I also picked up Olivia quickly, though she was wearing the wrong shoes. I managed to find the correct shoes and socks and some other little bits and pieces incorrectly listed on ebay by someone who didn't know what they were.

Then the importing began! I had help from my friend Picklepud and I got the boxed Anna shown in the first picture in this article that way. The same seller had Maddy and Simone, so I kept that in mind while watching all sorts of auctions.

Elena, Maddy and Simone

The biggest effort I had to make for these was buying a large lot of dolls from a UK seller. She had incorrectly listed them where they were available to US buyers, so I bought the lot. She cancelled the auction and we went back and forth for awhile, finally working things out where she'd ship the lot to Picklepud and he'd send them on to me. Well! That seller apparently had no idea these dolls were literally the mustiest-smelling things I have ever encountered. I spent hours putting them and their clothing through the wash multiple times, soaking them in Dawn detergent, letting them sit outside in the fresh air, etc. I tried everything possible and still some of the pieces had to be thrown out. However, all that trouble was worth it, because that is the only seller I have seen in almost a year that has had Danzy, who is my favorite of the entire line. She even sent me some free clothes she found afterwards, including Danzy's dress and Fiona's shirt.

Danzy, my fave. I need her jacket and shoes.

Sadly, Danzy's jacket was one of the worst items and it got thrown out, though I tried for months to fix it. So I'm missing that jacket and her adorable burgundy flats. Maybe someday I'll find them!

I don't know the release order for the non-North American dolls, but I believe Danzy, Meriel and Arden were the last three, simply because they're so hard to find.

Meriel, who's on my want list.

That troublesome lot brought me Danzy, Fiona (complete), Elena (missing top and pants), and a second Aurora that was too cute to part with. I also got a second Anna and Olivia that got donated to the thrift store.

A complete Portia was my next find from an American seller. She's one of my faves. She's just too cute and her clothes are great.

Then I got Maddy and Simone boxed from a UK seller (not the same one I bought Anna from, because this seller shipped to me), but missed out on a boxed Meriel that I'm still sad about!

I also got the cat and dog and the larger carrier. Unfortunately, that's all I've been able to find for quite some time.

Arden, also on my want list.

Lilydolls are a lovely line. They're easily my favorite ragdolls. They're very diverse and have excelleny, fully-removable clothing. The original line is the superior one, in my opinion. They have softer hair and bodies, and their clothing is better made.

The 2010 Lilydolls: Isa, Harper and Astrid with the carrier.

The 2010 dolls are made from a suede-like material that's kind of neat, but it also picks up a ton of fuzz from their hair, so you're constantly brushing black and brown bits off their faces. Their clothing is not made as well. Astrid came with a cute poncho, but it frayed quickly, which is why mine has been in a Best Friends Inc dress for years. Isa is the one I most recommend from this newer line. There's also a blonde named Josephine that I don't have.

Collecting Lilydolls can be difficult if you're American, as you can see. I've managed to gather quite a bit, but it hasn't been easy and importing is required if you want any of the newer stuff. There is no comprehensive Lilydoll guide, so even I'm not sure how many outfits were released and I've spent hours online looking for info on these girls. I still see a new outfit piece on ebay every now and then.

I hope to someday find Arden and Meriel, get some more outfits, and complete the outfits for Elena and Danzy.

PHOTO CREDITS: All mine, except Danzy, Meriel and Arden, which are stock photos.