Custom House love, Part One

This is for

fairemma, and all the other fans of pre-meltdown Custom House who wander by. Thanks to the Wayback Machine (all hail, Wayback Machine!), I've been gathering up as many of the original CH website images of my dolls as I can pull off the captures. I thought it would be fun to post a series of "then and now" pictures . . .

First up, Claudine--CH Limited Sia.

CH site, October 2003 (already marked "soldout"):

And here she is, one owner behind her, after she ditched the cabbage roses (though I still have them safely tucked away, along with the rest of the default outfit):

The Wayback Machine captures of the CH website all seem to have broken image links for Claudine's sweetie Flynn (limited Ainomori Jun 2nd for Japan), *sniffle.* He first appears in the capture from April 2004; his paperwork dates him to February 2004, I think, though I need to get it out and check my facts.

Default outfit, when he arrived at my house (via

krbuss and before that,

pacific_rin):

As he's evolved around here:

And my favorite picture of the two of them, playing dress-up for a photostory:

More anon!

Tags: ainomori jun, bjd, customhouse, sia

17 comments — :

( 17 comments — Leave a comment )

rkold

2011-04-23 03:15 pm (UTC)

I use to always think Sia was one of the prettiest large dolls and your girl reminds me why.

sedens

2011-04-23 03:52 pm (UTC)

Awwwww, thank you! Claudine is really special to me--she was my second BJD, my first (and for a long time my only) girl, and the first BJD that I risked buying secondhand. I don't know what I'm going to do when her default faceup finally gets too faded and worn to keep, because I wouldn't recognize her without those high eyebrows.

Edited at 2011-04-23 03:52 pm (UTC)

francarr

2011-04-23 03:35 pm (UTC)

It is lovely to see these photos. Life changes us all, even dolls (gosh that is trite, but please forgive me, it is one thirty in the morning here!). I do love the old CustomHouse dolls. I used to moon over their website years ago, I found it somehow stumbling through livejournals; a lady named Alice who had a CustomHouse Unique-she called her Foxglove; gone from lj now. I so wanted one, but back then I may as well have cried for the moon! Speaking of which, there is a Jun on eBay who breaks my heart. He has been there for what seems ages. I would love to buy him, but I think Figwit would not be pleased! Anyway, enough wittering! :)

2011-04-23 03:50 pm (UTC)

Ooooooo, could it be that you're sighing over Kathleen Rowell's Something Romantic Jun, too? That makes at least three of us that I know of. The extra-super-duper cool thing about him is that he's truly unique, and not just because of the costume: according to everything I can find about his history, he's the only Jun headmold that was ever sold with teeth. Now, whether he was truly a one-off mold or a regular Jun that the CH sculptors modded, I don't know, but he's a very special guy.

Figwit might possibly bear in mind that in all good stories, the hero must have a rival, who often becomes a staunch ally. ;-)

You know, I vaguely remember Foxglove, myself! I wish I had a clearer mental picture of her, though.

Edited at 2011-04-23 03:54 pm (UTC)

2011-04-23 11:20 pm (UTC)

Yes! He is so gorgeous. Figwit's main objection is to the lack of elf ears on the Jun. Other boys are okay, provided they are elves. Heh, I could always get a pair of those vinyl Obitsu elf ears for any guy who comes into the house lacking; but that is a bit _too_ mad, isn't it?

Foxglove had a blue-ish toned face-up I remember. I don't remember what mold she was though. BUT look! What I found- http://www.myspace.com/2620511/photos/13608007#{%22ImageId%22%3A13608007}

:) She is a Cyn!

honeyedbiscuit

2011-04-23 06:38 pm (UTC)

Vicki actually has the "other" corresponding doll to Foxglove. I think they were called Girl A and Girl B?

2011-04-23 06:39 pm (UTC)

Or was it Girl 1 and Girl 2? I forget. :B

2011-04-23 11:34 pm (UTC)

Yes, 1 and 2. Vicki calls her girl Doris? :)

2011-04-25 05:22 pm (UTC)

Oh, hey, I saw Girl 1 and Girl 2 on some of the Wayback Machine captures! :happydance:

2011-04-23 06:40 pm (UTC)

Claudine will always be the best and spunkiest Sia out there!! I still love her cabbage roses, even if she detests them. :)

2011-04-25 05:24 pm (UTC)

I cannot tell a lie . . . I think you're right! heh heh heh

The whole default outfit is a riot--besides the cabbage-rose bonnet, the boots have little mouse faces on the toes, complete with whiskers and ears that stand up. Oh, CH, CH, what a fabulously nutso group you once were.

ashbet

2011-04-23 07:33 pm (UTC)

Please let me know if you ever find Queen Nitocris and her court!!

(Which reminds me -- I *must* get a photo of Ishtar in her Egyptian finery!!)

There's really nothing like the charm of those original CHs....

<3!

I don't think I've run across the Egyptian court yet, and come to think of it, that's kind of odd. Must spend more time with the Wayback Machine (what a hardship, huh?)!

nikittin

2011-04-23 08:26 pm (UTC)

*big nostalgic sigh* Thank you for this! <3

2011-04-25 05:25 pm (UTC)

Aaaaaaaand Special Jin is there, too, in one of the 2006 captures!

(Deleted comment)

2011-04-25 05:26 pm (UTC)

You are so right--I can't think of a single doll who's gone younger on me after arrival. They all seem to mature (subtly, sometimes) as the months and years unfold . . . maybe because maturing = deepening of character? Worth thinking about!

tubbysnuggles

2011-07-18 12:13 am (UTC)

I love, so much, that CH put those gigantic cabbage roses RIGHT OVER HER EARS.

much much much love for Claudine!!!!!!!!!!! awesome pics.

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sedens

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