When I first saw Aldou the House Elf from Dream High Studio, I was excited. This was the first BJD that represented a unique sculpt of an elderly person (well, elderly elf), something that almost no other BJD company, to my knowledge, has made. The closest I can remember was The Hermit by Soul Doll with an elderly man mask that went over a younger face. Clearly, most BJD companies feel that there is little market for wrinkly dolls.
14.4cm tall Aldou was not only wrinkly, he came with painting that suggested the skin of an elderly man, and a large nose and bushy fur brows. He even has a noticeable raised mole on his left temple. (Note: my camera makes the face-up look ruddier than it actually appears.) His eyes twinkle with amusement from below those brows and he has a kindly smile with a touch of mischievousness.
I had to have him!
Clearly I was not the only one, as Aldou sold out very quickly. The artist, Donny Harijanto, then began work on a second house elf, Willie, and at the time of this article is preparing to release a new elf with a penchant for machinery named Ben.
Aldou arrived at my house just the other day, and I spent yesterday photographing him. My first impression was surprise at his size! Most of DHS’s dolls are small to tiny and slender as well. Aldou is bigger and bulkier than any doll I own from the company except Rin the Dragon which was designed by the Russian Artist Mariya Zhukova.
But first perhaps, I should describe the doll’s packing. He arrived in a cardboard box inside of another box. His box is bordered with airmail tape and has the artist’s address and various words written on it.
The box is designed to be openned from the bottom.
Inside, Aldou could be immediately seen wrapped in his custom swaddling with a custom-shaped face-mask.
Underneath the doll was a certificate sealed with wax and a little box with a piece of jewelry made of beads and tassels.
Poor Aldou was naked. Fortunately, I found a little pair of underwear for him for the time being. (Aldou has what is usually referred to as an “angel” body with no genitalia.)
Aldou is painted in detail, not only on his head but also on his arms and legs. He has a french manicure on his fingers and toes. The hands and feet have only four digits each.
Aldou’s arms are double jointed. He has a large head, but he can still touch most of his face, just not the top of his head. His hands have bent fingers that will allow him to hold various things if desired.
Here’s his sexy grandpa pose:
Aldou’s upper thigh joint is flexible enough to allow him to cross his legs.
Here are some more posing shots.
Standing on a rock holding a flower:
Sitting:
Lounging:
And here is Aldou with some other BJDs in different sizes from Dream High:
11cm Pepper the Christmas Elf could be Aldou’s grandson. He also has 8 fingers and toes! I think there is a family resemblance.
Aldou with Rin the Dragon:
Rin looks like a baby dragon next to Aldou. The house elf is too big to ride on Rin’s back, but they would make great friends.
The little doll here is 5cm Oddy the Scarecrow. He is baby-sized to Aldou.
I love DHS dolls, and Aldou has quickly become a favorite. I cannot say anything but great things about this doll. For those that want their House Elf dressed, the company has a variety of outfits available for separate purchase. I plan to make an outfit primarily from wool felt for mine soon.
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Dolls from the company may also be ordered from authorized retailers Fabric Friends and DOLLS and Dolk (Dolk Station).
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Aldou photos from DHS:
Willie (Male and Female ver.):
Ben:
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