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History of Blythe
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Blythe is a doll created in 1972 by the now-defunct American toy
company Kenner. Reportedly, she was modeled after drawings by
Margaret Keane, similarly to many other dolls of the '60s and '70s.
Her most unique and notable feature were blinkable eyes that
changed color with the pull of a string attached to the back of her
head. Blythe dolls were only sold for one year in the U.S. (produced
in Hong Kong), during 1972. She was not very popular and faded
from store shelves quickly.
Thirty years after her first release date, Blythe regained popularity. In
1997, New York TV and video producer Gina Garan was given a
1972 Kenner Blythe by a friend and began using it to practice her
photographic skills. She began taking her Blythe everywhere with
her and took hundreds of photos.
Then, in 1999, a chance encounter with CWC's Junko Wong
brought Blythe to the attention of Parco and toy executives. In 2002,
Gina published her first book of Blythe photography with Chronicle
Books, This is Blythe.
Later that year, Hasbro (Kenner's successor) gave the rights to
make Blythe dolls to Takara of Japan. Blythe was used in a
television advertising campaign by the Parco department store in
Japan and was an instant hit. Success in Japan led Blythe back to
the U.S., where she become a niche product in a marginal market,
selling largely to adults. In 2004, the Ashton-Drake Galleries began
to produce their own Blythe replica dolls in the United States.
A vibrant Blythe subculture flourishes on the Internet, predominantly
in forums and user groups.
There are two types of Blythe dolls: the 28 cm version and the 11.2
cm "Petite Blythe." Only large dolls have color-changing eyes, which
include the colors blue, green, orange, and pink (except for cases
with limited-edition dolls). Newer releases of the Petite Blythe dolls
have movable eyelids and bendable bodies.
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