Hello there, you egocentric personality:
First, where do you get off making the comment that this is a product marketed to the "psychologically disturbed"? How do you know in fact that it is not for the collector whose own child may have been born a preemie? How do you know that it's not just a celebration of the babies that made it? I don't think you have any right to go off on someone else's idea of what's beautiful. Obviously your head is waaaaay too far up your chute to realize that we aren't all created like YOU. As a doll collector I don't collect preemie dolls, but then again, they don't have the connection for me that they do for some other collectors who may have had a preemie in their lives or, heaven forbid, lost a premature child. And as for your ideas that dolls don't appreciate in value, I beg you to look before you leap. You should probably get more of an idea about this hobby before you go shooting your mouth off. I am sick of people who are not doll collectors looking down their noses at people who are actually into it. Wake up, people. We are all different. How boring the world would be if we were all like you, or anyone else.

If someone collects preemie dolls because they lost a baby who was born prematurely... well that's what I mean by "psychologically disturbed". That's not a healthy coping mechanism, dear. Neither (as another example) is collecting just-plain-baby dolls a healthy response to not being able to have children. If that's what someone's doing, they deserve help... not sales pitches to take advantage of their neediness.

A friend of mine was born with a physical disability. Yeah, his life is a wonderful thing, and he's a beautiful person, but I'm sure he (and just about anyone else) would consider a sentimental "crippled baby" doll a bit creepy. He wasn't an adorable baby because of his disability; he just was. Yet here's a doll manufacturer using "Grace's" health problem as a selling point.

As I said at the start, I don't have anything against people who collect stuff just for the enjoyment of collecting. That's great. Maybe I don't get what they see in stamps or in "Magic: The Gathering" cards, but that's OK. I'm not here to throw stones at people just because they aren't like me, and your histrionic accusation of that is just plain unjustified. At various times of my life I've collected stuff just for the fun of it, or just because I like to hold onto stuff I've purchased for other reasons. (Let me show you my comics collection some time, or the assortment of computers I've owned.) Maybe people have thought me strange because of it... so what?

It's collecting with the expectation or hope of profit that shows a lack of thinking. The math just doesn't work. If certain dolls of this sort temporarily go up in price, it's only because there are other people out there even more addle-minded than the original "investors". It's not just about dolls; the whole "collectibles" market is little more than a scam to separate people without a grasp of economics from their money. It is impossible for all (or even just most) collectibles to "appreciate" in the long term. Impossible. Ask any independent accountant or economist.

I'm not very familiar with the collectible-doll industry in particular, but as a long-time comics reader I've seen the collectible-comics (and related merchandise like toys and statues) industry up close, and the basic strategy is pretty much the same: The manufacturer tries to create demand for an item. The manufacturer then artificially restricts the supply, creating the illusion of greater demand than exists. People who missed out on the original supply then try to get in on it, jacking up the resale price by doing that. This feedback loop can continue for a while, but eventually the bottom falls out, and a bunch of people are stuck with expensive merchandise they can't sell, because no one's interested in it. Because the lemmings are all spending their money on the next hot item. The "selling price" may never come back down... but that's because no one's successfully selling. That's why they're called "collectibles": in the end, they'll just collect, because you won't be able to sell them.

I know that about my comics and my "antique computers". Regardless of what some price guide might say, I know that ultimately they have no value, except to me. This overall "price appreciation" you speak of is an illusion.

Nevertheless, I feel that you are extremely harsh in your description. I respect the fact that you have collected things; kudos to you. I feel that you were especially harsh on this particular genre of collectors. I apologize if I was a bit fired up about it, but it still seems a bit egocentric to me. Additionally, I assume that it's written to elicit a chuckle from the reader. How funny is it to the people at which you poke fun?
I think Trekkies are absolutely ridiculous at times. I don't say that where someone who is a Trekkie could unwittingly stumble upon it; that would be disrespectful to that person's feelings and interests. I just feel it might be a bit insensitive for you to speak disparagingly of someone's interests-- this time you ran into someone who was offended.

Your assumption that I'm looking for laughs is simply incorrect. I'm "harsh" because I'm serious. I'm offended by this advert. But I'm not going out of my way to offend anybody else (except maybe the marketing depart of The Ashton-Drake "Galleries"). You'll note that I didn't post my comments to a doll-collector message board or anything; I posted them to my own blog. If a collector can't handle the possibility of encountering "harsh" remarks when reading what people out here in the world have to say, then maybe they ought to stay inside and stick to their collections.

Or perhaps someone who is so presumptuous as to call himself "God's Ex-boyfriend" should refrain from mentioning company or product names. If someone does a harmless search for dolls of this genre, YOUR senseless drivel assaults the reader who wasn't looking for this in the first place. Obviously you feel that the world will perish lest we are inundated with your musings, or privy to your thoughts. What a pity it is and a burden for you to be a slave to such megalomania. Good day.

You seem to be just as full of self-important and self-righteous delusions of anyone giving a damn what you think. (And I did refrain from mentioning the company until you picked a fight with me over this.)

The company's name is in the article you chose to post with your comments. Otherwise, I never would have found you when I was doing a search for something completely unrelated to your opinions. I certainly wasn't looking to pick a fight with anyone that day.
Although I was irritated by you and I am still mad at you, I am very sorry to read of your grandmother's passing. It seems she was a strong, caring woman and I know she'll be missed. Truce. :(

Hey, "Ex",
I found you the same way "M" did. I was trying to find the website to see if I could just buy Grace & not all 5 dolls in the series. I was very surprised to learn that anyone could be offended by that ad. It is just marketing. I have seen thousands of much more offending tactics in marketing, to be sure.
I want Grace. I love those "life-like" dolls, but have never purchased one yet. I love babies. Mine is growing up, the smell of heaven in her hair is getting faint, I can hardly lift her now and have to snatch her as she tears by in her busy little world for snuggles and kisses. When I saw the ad, it all came back... the heaven-smell, the time when all my daughter wanted or needed was my love and my arms... I want Grace.
Talk of premies and profit never registered when I read the ad (just marketing). But not all premies have problems and, certainly, they are not all handicapped. My daughter was 4 weeks early and perfect. And I really don't care about profit. I would never sell Grace. In a way, she would be part of the family. My daughter will love her too!
Some things can't be adequately explained. Maybe the way a mother loves babies is one of them. Or maybe I am just a psychologically disturbed person with little disposable income.
Nice talking to you. And I am dying to know... why did you guys break up?

The fact that people excuse this kind of manipulation of people as "just marketing" is why I find it upsetting.

Well I have a life like doll from this company Welcome home baby Emily and my 11 year old recieved Baby Alex her little brother. these dolls are sooo very cute and selling them never enters our mind my daughter loves her baby and me well i am a 27 year old and i loved having a baby around so it is nice to have one that will never get old and i don t hold it in a rocking chair and i ll pass it on to my Special needs child the middle daughter because she may never have a family (i hope she will ) but she loves baby dolls and well the ones in the store are so cheap looking and she loves to hold real babies but we can not have any more kids and i have 3 kids 2 of which were premies and well i think the quint set is a great baby set my oldest is already getting hers for her b day she has 2 ordered and i think that if a person collects dolls well all the power to them it may make us "disturbed " as you say but hey some people collect guns and well in my opinion which is what this whole thing is anyway they should be the ones you are worried about and truth fully noone is perfect and they should sell more dolls that have different conditions so kids get an idea that NO one is perfect i would buy dolls in wheelchairs and downsymdrome etc but they don t want to make that only a "Normal standard is what you can find my daughter was a 2 lb premie and this doll looks nothing like her as a baby most premies are not 15 1/2 inches they are smaller so i guess everyone can have an opinion and this was mine thank you for listening

I've still called a truce, but as you can see, more people are seeing your opinions than you may have originally thought or even intended. That's the only reason I caution you to be careful what you put out into the cosmos....

And that's the reason I caution those so emotionally fragile that they're seriously disturbed by opinions they read on the internet to get offline and into counselling.

It is rather apparent that you do not understand the meaning of the word "truce" and choose to continue to be offensive. How very unfortunate. But then again, what should I have expected from someone who seems utterly convinced that the world would be incomplete without his aimless ramblings? It seems you need people to talk to, so you insist on trying to have the last word or trying to continue this thread. You'll note my last comment was not insulting or in any way a generalization of anything or anyone remotely like you. Yet you continue to mock and generalize something you have no understanding of. I don't want a quarrel with you; I suppose I only speak for those who are tired of being ridiculed by people who feel they are better than others. Not saying that I'm better than you or anyone else, just different. So since you are the only one of the two of us who is still spitting venom and nasty comments, perhaps it is YOU who should seek the counseling, no?

I need someone to talk to and keep trying to have the last word? Do the words pot, kettle, and black ring any bells?

Listen, "M": I never signed this "truce" you're trying to use to shut me up. And I'm not the one who keeps coming to someone else's blog to post yet another whiny, wound-licking, self-pitying message to someone who frankly stopped caring about your particular problems a few days ago. My annoyance with your behavior says at least as much about you as it does about me.

I have a right to say whatever I want on my site. You can say whatever you want on yours. And you know what? You don't have to read my blog. But I'm pretty much stuck reading whatever you post here. So please give it a rest.

Every time I do a search in this topic I end up with your crap, so don't give me that "I'm innocent" bull. You're not "stuck" reading what I have to say; you choose to do so. You could always delete or at the very least QUIT RESPONDING. And if you have a problem with other peoples' comments, then don't provide a way for people to leave them. Then you can continue to believe that what you have to say is important to anyone else.

I'm not even going to try answering that; you obviously wouldn't get it. I give you points for being perceptive enough to see your own problems... but apparently only in others. But thanks for underscoring my point that at least some of the folks who fall for this crap are either idiots or disturbed.

I would just like to put my 2 cents in here. I am a 16 year old girl who absolutly adores babies. And to the standards of todays living im obviously not the kind of person to stick it out and get knocked up. So all in all i stick to Ashton Drakes "So Truly Real" collection and care for dolls rather than a real baby. And these arent only for collectors. I have at least used mine in two speeches and in a consumers ed class. So you can just shove it and not expect another comment from me because i think if you have something rude to say to me your just a little immature. And the whole preemie fact? They are completely natural especially if they are 15.5 inches long. And it is not disturbing if a mother lost a preemie child and bought a doll in rememberance. So im asking did you bury your grand mother and have a funeral and a grave stone for her or have her cremated? Its the same damn type of rememberance. WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD.

You're 16 years old. You think caring for a doll is somehow similar to caring for a baby. And you're lecturing me about "the real world"? Kid, you haven't even seen the real world yet. Dolls and babies are about as similar as a AA battery and a nuclear power plant. Don't confuse the two.

Buying a doll as a reminder of your dead baby is not at all the same as putting a stone on the grave of your deceased grandmother. When someone dies, you grieve for them, you keep photos of them around, and you carry a bit of them with you in your heart. But you put them in the ground and/or cremate their body, and you get on with your life without their physical presence in it. That may sound harsh to your still-innocent ears, but it's an essential part of dealing with loss. (Ask any professional grief counselor or psychiatrist and they'll back me up on this.) Keeping a dolly version of a lost baby - whether to put on display or (worse) to hold and care for - is a bit like keeping a mannekin version of Grandma around the house, and even the most sentimental person will acknowledge that that's not well-adjusted.

Go to the March of Dimes web-site! It IS a fact that preemies have long-term issues. Some do have more than others, some are more obvious, but NONE make it through life without their prematurity causing them some difficulty! That is a fact! Yes, generally the longer the gestation, the better they fare, but that is NOT a hard and fast rule!

I am mom to a 28-weeker and I was outraged by this. I actually (along with many other preemie moms) wrote to them about it. The fact is that they would be put out of business if they attempted to use some other disability as a marketing ploy. And I am nausiated by the fact that they somehow get away with this!

I can see the apeal to little girls that don't understand what they are contributing to, beyond that I'm not sure who would want this distasteful gimic!

Oh, and as for it being "life-like" that's a crock! This is life-like: http://www.sapreemies.za.org/about/businessplan_rev8-00.pdf

Absolutely dis-GRACE-ful!