Tonner Doll Company, Inc. Moves to Uptown Kingston, NY

A press release sent out yesterday outlined the future location of the corporate headquarters of the TDC. I'm quite pleased. As if the other location wasn't close enough, this one is down the street from my hairdresser. Yay.
Tonner is very good for Kingston. Wall St. was once a vibrant shopping street in this small upstate NY town. The last few years have seen many businesses come and go with some stores going empty.
I'm sure those who work for Tonner will be happy to be located down the street from some great coffee and food at Dominick's Cafe.
The Tonner Company Store is going to remain in the renovated historic building near the NY State Thruway exchange in Kingston. At first I had hoped that the store would be located on Wall Street as there is certainly more walk-by and drive-by traffic and exposure would be much greater.

301 Wall Street, Kingston, NY

__
Here is part of the press release:

Robert Tonner, CEO of the Tonner Doll Company, purchased the building earlier this month. "For years, I've been looking for a special building that has architectural integrity and also has the space requirements we need," Tonner said. "I'm thrilled that we found one in uptown Kingston."

Built in 1887, 301 Wall Street most recently was the home of Chase Bank and has been vacant for just about one year. Tonner hopes to complete the move by May 1, once renovations are complete. "The roof needs some work and we are refurbishing the second and third floors," Tonner explained. "The second floor will be restored to what it was back in the 1940's," he added.

The new home of Tonner Doll will house the design, production, sales, marketing, finance and administrative staff; a total of 17 employees. "Part of my whole belief is that change, while painful at times, is good," Tonner admitted. "I think this space will give us a new creative energy."

Opening in 1991, the internationally renowned Tonner Doll Company has been a staple in Ulster County for nearly two decades. The Tonner Doll Company designs and manufactures collectible fashion dolls, child character dolls and licensed character figures such as HARRY POTTER and WONDER WOMAN.

In 2007, Tonner purchased 12/14 Hurley Avenue in Kingston and made extensive renovations before opening the Tonner Company Store there in December, 2007, which will remain at its current location. The renovation received two local awards; one from the Chamber of Commerce of Ulster County, and another from the Friends of Historic Kingston.

As a nearby resident and a fan of Robert Tonner, I wish them the best of luck with their move.

Great Pretender Lillith and Perk Colette Nu-Face Dolls

I was sure that I wasn't going to purchase more NuFace dolls; My intention was to concentrate on the more sophisticated dolls and fashions but when I saw these two, I ordered. I am very, very pleased with them and their garments.
My introduction to Lillith was with the convention set of the twins Lillith and Eden. I didn't like her at the time. This one knocks my socks off with her adorable face and coloration.Her hair needs a little trim but temporarily will stay in a pony tail. I added a Fashion Royalty handbag to finish the look. There's a lot of attention to detail, even in the shoes. She's a winner.
Perk Colette is a surprise mix of well designed and executed fashion pieces that work together. I love being able to say that. Believe me, I wish every single doll in my collection could be described that way upon their arrival. I added the handbag. Colette's face is gorgeous. Her hair is pulled back into a low pony tail which is crimped. The blue jewelry is like an exclamation mark on the black, white and grey fashion. It's a wonderful doll.

Both dolls retail for $99. and are available from regular dealers. Get them now before they sell out. I think they just might once everyone sees how cute they are.

Harley-Davidson Barbie and Ken Giftset

Let me say right off the bat that this is one of the best Kens ever made. He's good looking, his hair is done well, he's fully articulated -wrists, elbows, shoulders, ankles, knees, legs and neck and the clothes look good on him. He's a winner. He comes with an adjustable waist gripper plastic stand but he can stand on his own. The Barbie doll on the other hand is articulated only at the knees, legs, shoulders and neck. Why is she a second class citizen? It just doesn't make sense to articulate one doll and not the other. Her outfit is adorable and fits her well. Her hair is another story. The texture of the hair makes it knotty. Some of it comes out when it's combed. The bump thing on the crown of her head is not hard and could easily be taken down if one wished.
They both come with sunglasses and helmets. The helmets are a joke. They are very small and look like batters' helmets rather than motorcycle helmets. Barbie does not have applied lashes and she does have a rhinestone in her navel.
Barbie's stand is one of those sway types for the models although her body is not like that.
The set, while not cheap, is worth getting just for Ken. Keep her clothes; get rid of Barbie.

The bike in the photo was picked up at a rummage event. It is not Mattel as far as I can tell.

Is it the economy or are the dolls just unpopular?

It seems that I've been asking this question on and off for almost two years regarding the prices consumers are willing to pay for certain dolls. This week it's a buyers' market when it comes to Integrity's Gene Marshall line and several Fashion Royalty/NuFace dolls.
I have never, in my years of collecting Fashion Royalty dolls, seen an established dealer selling FR dolls at a discounted price. I'm not talking about the play line dolls from IT. I'm talking about Jason Wu's Fashion Royalty and NuFace Premium Dressed Dolls.
Starting tomorrow, Cherished Friends will be selling off a varied selection of IT 16" and 12" dolls. I've seen them and the prices are excellent. Mary T already has a sale on Gene dolls running. I'm guessing other dealers will follow suit. Marlbe has some FR dolls on sale.
As far as the playline ITBE dolls, MFD is dumping them for $15. each. Makes you wonder how much they cost to make in the first place.
They have also reduced the prices of dolls and fashions from the Gene Marshall line.
MFD's prices on these dolls is very good. You will have to go to the specific sites to see for yourself.

Some dealers are still hoping to get retail on these dolls. But you don't have to pay retail. Shop around. There are many other dealers other than the ones I mentioned above and more dolls on sale other than those pictured.

In my opinion, now is also the time to buy older Fashion Royalty dolls...especially Veronique. I just scored an original close-up blonde Vero fully dressed with shoes still in their package, mint box and shipper for $50 including shipping. That was a very good price. This is my third original Vero. They come and go but I will be keeping this one. I want to try putting eyelashes on her. I have several tall bodies and she will be getting one. Her straight arm body is in excellent condition! They're not all falling apart as some say they are. I think it depends on on the climate and environment where it is stored. The quality of the garment is so fine it makes me pine for the olden days. This doll was $29.99 when it was released in 2001-02 in an edition of 1000 along with a redhead version and an Adele.

Here is the most informative link and I go to this reference site all the time for my archival info on Integrity Toys and Fashion Royalty products. Collect the earlier dolls! Their faces are gorgeous and timeless. These early 2001-2003 dolls would make a great foundation in any Fashion Royalty collection either nude or in original clothing:
Véronique Perrin Silver Society
Véronique Perrin Lush Life
Adèle Makeda Close-Up
Véronique Perrin Close-Up Redhead or Blonde
Véronique Perrin Midnight in Monaco
Adèle Makeda Purple Factor
Véronique Perrin Mauve Absolue
Véronique Perrin Paradise
Véronique Perrin Chic Escape

I have re-bodied all of my dolls who were originally on straight arm or 1st generation articulated bodies. I was not worried about affecting the value as I debox everything anyway. For resale purposes, 99% of the people want the latest body type.

Oh well. Everything changes. Time to look ahead to good things and take care of precious old things. Time to weed out the mediocre and to make decisions not to buy unexceptional stuff. It's not easy because so much looks so good.

Shop-on!

Picture of the Week Award ~ March 29, 2010

Lisa Irinyi

When I found out that Lisa did not use any special effects or pixel manipulation I was amazed. This photograph of A Brighter Side Kyori just blows me away.

Here is Lisa's description in her own words:

A Brighter Side Kyori is one of those dolls that’s simply perfect “as-is”. Most of my dolls get redressed eventually, but I’ve not felt any changes could make her better. I wanted to do her ethereal beauty justice with a “heavenly” photo shoot. I saw the morning sun arching through the trees, sending light and shadow across the snow piled on the side of my driveway. The quality of the light almost mimicked the pure white and deep blues of a cloud studded summer sky. I didn’t want to expose Kyori to reclining directly in the snow, so I searched for a throne befitting her regal bearing. I found a small, gilded wall shelf (a Tuesday Morning find) – and turned it upside-down in the snow…it added height, texture and visual interest to the scene without breaking the harmony or stealing the spotlight. I can’t remember exactly how cold it was outside, but I know it was below freezing – one must suffer for one’s art – LOL "

"A healthy piece of advice for shooting snow photos – dress warm, take breaks inside out of the cold if shooting for long stretches of time, power up those batteries because the cold temps drain them faster, position your doll indoors beforehand if possible because colder temps also make the plastic more brittle and susceptible to breakage, use your exposure compensation (I shoot auto, plus 1/3, 2/3 and a full stop just to cover my bases) because snow usually comes out too dark. And have fun. Try things you’re not sure of, take chances. Even if the photos don’t turn out as intended, you learned something. If you don’t even try, you never know what might have been."

I would like to explain why snow usually comes out too dark. When one is using a camera on full auto setting, the camera reads the amount of light coming in through the lens and adjusts the opening of the aperture accordingly. Since snow reflects light more than most objects, the camera shuts the opening down so less light comes in. You may have a snow setting on your camera or be able to set the picture to be brighter. Lisa's camera can be adjusted manually.

See more of Lisa's beautiful doll photography at this link.

Congratulations, Lisa, on the Picture of the Week Award!

Dollz in Oz Event Doll is a Fashion Royalty Agnes

Some of you may know that Agnes is not my favorite character due to the fact that she sports a serious scowl all the time. I'm not a fan of misery so why should my dolls look miserable? Lately, Agnes is looking a little happier and this Agnes looks downright non-committal. Actually I think she looks beautiful. She's been named "Regal Estate" Agnes. At first I thought it said Real Estate and I can picture her as a real estate agent. The suit reminds me of that from the 2009 Agnes Optic Verve Giftset below on the right (or the 2nd down depending on your monitor.) A little too much of a coincidence perhaps?

.................
The companion doll (an optional purchase) was a Monogram Doll called Magnetism. All I can say about this one is that the photographer did a fabulous job. The lighting and posing are excellent. The sculpt was screened with a closed mouth. The wig appears to be the 'default' low pony tail style with a side sweep of forehead covering hair. Or perhaps it is rolled under into a fancy bun. I can't tell. I like the frosted gold eyeshadow. Below on the right (or the 2nd down) is Dania Zarr in Optic Clash from the 2009 FR convention. It looks like there's a game of "Monkey See; Monkey Do" going on here. If a movie star wore any one of these gowns to a red carpet event, she'd be on the worst dressed list pretty fast.

Mattel's Silkstone Barbie "Stunning in the Spotlight"

........
Pink and black and mermaid gowns are so yesterday. Tonner came up with modern and classy uses of pink and black in the first two outfits below created for Antoinette. The third, created for Tyler, works with the fabric to create interest.

Review of Monogram Dolls "Enigmatic" and "Dreamscape"

Of the four Monogram dolls that were offered this season, Enigmatic was the first I picked. I was so happy to be getting her. She arrived recently along with Dreamscape, a doll that I had doubts about. I got two surprises.
Both dolls are non-rooted and both were $150. each.
Both were packaged in the fancy, glossy red boxes with the Jackson Pollack-type design on the front and a brass clippy thing. Can we get a discount if we don't want an big brass clippy-thing?

But I digress.

This is the first Monogram doll to have closed mouth screening although the sculpt is the same as all the other versions. The screening is very nice and she is lovely. Her skin color is quite pale...Queen V pale. Her wig is the default wig style - parted with a low pony tail in red. It fits very well.

I eagerly removed Enigmatic from her box only to find that I could not straighten her legs side by side due to the tightness of the skirt part of the dress. I moved them this way and that and no luck. No wonder she's shown in a walking stance in the promo pictures. I'm betting that every single dress on every single doll is tight. There is no way a stand is getting in between her thighs. The hat is a felt bendable headband type and since I love hats on my dolls, it stays.

The jacket fabric does not have any life. Fur is shiny; this fabric is dull. I'm sorry to say that this looks more like a plushy polar fleece than faux fur. Disappointing.

The shoes are beautiful. They are lined with a leopard print which matches the leopard panties she's wearing. I love that. The shoes are rather roomy which is good if the doll is wearing stockings. They slip on but could fall off without stockings. Her jewelry consists of a clustery beaded necklace and dark yellow rhinestone studs. I didn't bother to take the gloves out of their package. I don't like paper flowers attached to dresses. Ashton-Drake did that very often with Gene outfits and for me it ruins the outfit. Come on...there are plenty of tiny fabric rosettes out there. Who needs a stiff paper rose sewn to the back of a dress?

I wanted to love this doll. I don't spend $150 on a doll plus shipping just to write a critical review and I am very disappointed. Where is the quality control? Didn't anyone try to stand the doll up using the provided stand?


On the other hand, Dreamscape is lovely. Her screening is softer-looking and the gown, which I thought was odd at first, is well-made, properly fitted and very interesting. The points can be worn as points and can also be pushed in to form curved indents. The rosette on her shoulder is fabric and beautifully made. The ruching of the gown bodice is perfection.

Her shoes are black with teensy satin straps and they fit very well. Jewelry consists of pewter colored metal earrings with stones and a cuff bracelet.

Her own brunette wig fits well but will need some styling. The wig I have her wearing is a KIO wig from My Favourite Doll in Toronto, Canada. It, too, needed a great deal of styling and tweaking. The fibers are somewhat stiffer and thicker than saran hair fibers but the wig has possibilities. The part of the image showing the wig was Photoshopped to remove lots of fly-aways that I couldn't tame.

I love the hat which is netted and just what the outfit needs to complete the look. Hat pins in a proper scale would have shown attention to detail and a little evening bag would have been wonderful.

Dreamscape is a winner in every way. Is she worth $150.? If she brings me pleasure and everything fits and looks beautiful, then the answer is yes.

Sometimes a doll just takes time to grow on me.

Sometimes the wig and outfit are all wrong right off the bat and the doll is not appreciated. Look at this example of an Avantguard known as "Attention." In the photo on the left she is wearing the outfit in which she arrived.
In the second, I have changed her wig and outfit and she just pops. I love the transformation.

Most of the Tonner "Antoinette" fashions fit the Avantguard dolls. Attention is wearing an outfit called "Brilliant" (dress and hosiery) shoes from another Antoinette fashion and jewelry by Beverly Shahab. Her wig is from the AG doll Eclectic.

Always on the lookout for props and supports for the dolls, I'm getting a lot of use from the wire dress stand that I purchased recently at Michael's.

Flickr Group "Lady GaGa Dolls"

Girls and boys...hurry on over to this Flickr group to see the best and amazing pictures of Lady Gaga dolls. You will be amazed!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/veik11/

The artist is veik11. I don't know him yet but I will!

Private Goddess Natalia vs. Pale Fire Vanessa

I previously commented on the fashion that PG Natalia is shown dressed in and how poorly the draping appears. While it is certainly possible that the photographer could have rearranged the folds to look better, I have the feeling that it just doesn't work as a high fashion gown anyway.
I looked back to see other ballgowns in the Fashion Royalty line and came up with the Pale Fire Vanessa doll.
On several levels the PG Natalia pales in comparison - no pun intended. Pale Fire was part of the 2007 Cult Couture line available from FR dealers. She was an edition of 1000 and was the most expensive doll of the five issued at $159.00. The bodice of the gown had a corset-like construction and the skirt was crafted from a high quality, moderate sheen fabric. There are actually two skirts with the top layer lined in the same color as the full bottom skirt. The drapes and folds were voluminous and did not need to be arranged to look right. Her jewelry is still sought after by collectors. It was an intricate collection of woven beads with hair ornaments, neckpiece, earrings and bracelet. Collectors had been clamoring for more jewelry and this was the answer. The entire line that year had excellent jewelry, beautifully crafted fashions with terrific handbags and shoes. There was no fried, frizzy hair either. It was to be the last superbly dressed and coiffed Vanessa - not counting the convention dolls which were to follow. There have been eleven Vanessas since then and not one regular line issue has been anywhere near Pale Fire.__________________
In Bloom - W Club Doll - 2007
Going Places* - The Royal Life Convention Souvenir Doll - 2007
High Tide - Style Du Jour Basic - 2007
Color Therapy* - The Glamorous Collection Premium Spring - 2008
Metal Maven - The Glamorous Collection Basic Spring - 2008
Stirred Not Shaken* - The Heist Convention Centerpiece - 2008
Cruise Control - W Club Doll - 2008
Night Warrior* - Dolly Style Convention Souvenir Doll - 2009
Aerodynamic - Future Perfect Collection Spring - 2009
Luxe Life* - Iconic Convention Collection - 2009
Temptation - The Dazzle Collection - Basic Doll - 2010
________________

I put stars next to the dolls that appear to have been designed and constructed on a higher fashion level. Metal Maven and the other basics are just that - basics. One doesn't expect that much in terms of fashion.
I focus so much on Vanessa because she has been my muse. Once I couldn't wait to see the next Vanessa. Now I tremble in fearful anticipation. But I have gone off the subject of this post.
I'm not pleased with the direction of the premium dolls. I do not think that the Monogram dolls can ever take the place of Fashion Royalty although that is apparently where they are going. All the talent (Jason's ?) goes into designing their clothes. But then what about the Monogram Brilliance outfit? I think that if the construction error on the front of the jacket hadn't happened.....

I can understand that Jason's interests lie elsewhere and I applaud his success. But he was the design talent of Integrity and Fashion Royalty. Now what?

DOTY Award Winner - Tonner's Vivacious Antoinette

I really didn't need another Antoinette doll; I just wanted her fashion. But a dealer made me an offer I couldn't refuse and here she is.The description on the Tonner site says, "capacious organza tiered gown with radiant beaded accent and sleek opera gloves. Matching beaded earrings, pantyhose and faux leather high-heeled shoes."

The gown goes on like a coat with interior snaps for closure. It is fairly unstructured and the possibilities for fitting other dolls is excellent. Gloves are well-fitted mittens. They're all like that. I liked Tonner's use of more sheer fabric for other gloves he's designed. These aren't bad but they could be more defined with a lighter material. The earrings are a style-less cluster of mediocre beads sewn together with black thread. Tonner's jewelry is rarely worth a second glance. The shoes are well designed and fit nicely.

Let's talk about her hair, shall we? The promotional picture shows a spritz of bangs in the center of her forehead. For that reason alone I was surprised that she won a DOTY. Using a silicone wig spray I was able to style the bangs in a more pleasing fashion. The bangs get my WWTT award.
Now I have another beautiful doll in another gorgeous gown that will be probably be selling for half the retail price in a few months.

_______________

Cami had a little photo shoot today. She is wearing my reworked convention Antoinette gown and jewelry by Joy.

Picture of the Week Award ~ March 21, 2010

I came across this picture on the W Club board and I thought it was so well done that it deserved to be featured this week. The photographer is Parisuthi Wasanasomsithi aka Paris W. The theme of the photo was the result of a challenge in a Flickr group called "Mad Men's Season Finale Wrap Party."

I sent several questions to Paris. Here are her responses:

Describe the photo.
- It was the final challenge for the "Fashion Royalty International Jetset Diva" contest on that Flickr group. The challenge is "Mad Men's season finale wrap party".

Explain how you did it briefly.

- Found this portrait of Don Draper that I thought I could work with (he's alone in the pic). - Then took a pic of my Diva (I chose Mini Livewire for this contest). - Then took a pic of Agnes with tissue in her hand. - Combined those three in Photoshop. Made them Duotone mode and added background and other elements (sparkles, wine glass, cigarette smoke, etc.)

Did you make changes to the original doll?

- Adding a running mascara on Agnes in Photoshop only.

What is she/he wearing? Wig?

- Mini Livewire is wearing "Kelly Girl" by Randall Craig, with jewelry from "Mon Cheri" by Dressmaker Details, and wig from Vero's Urban Antoinette. - Agnes is wearing "Together Again" by Randall Craig. Setting?
- I took pics of them with just plain white background and combined them all in a Photoshop.

Camera equipment and set-up used?

- Canon Ixus 80 IS and a table lamp. I don't have a studio/fancy equipments so have to make do with what I got.

Suggestions to other doll photographers?

- Mmmmm I'd say find your strength, work with what you got, and follow your imagination...
____
The images were combined seamlessly into one photo. I'd say that Paris has definitely found her strength!

If you would like to see more of her work, click here for her Flickr photostream.

Congratulations, Paris, on the Picture of the Week Award!

Barbie Collector 1st Quarter $20 Club Reward Reminder

The first quarter reward will expire on March 31st so if you plan to use it, get going.
I was not thinking of purchasing anything except Silkstones this year but when I read about the body issues, I decided to put that on hold. So I was left with a dilemma about my $20 discount opportunity. What does a compulsive doll buyer do when she can save $20? She spends.
I had a pretty hard time deciding what I could make the best use from what's available. I chose the Harley-Davidson Giftset. I like that the Ken is articulated and he looks pretty decent. His pants and top are not dorky. That's a plus for a pink label Ken. The Barbie is pretty but unarticulated and will probably not last long in this house unless I get her a different body. Come on, Mattel. Articulate everyone!

I like Barbie's outfit and I wonder if it will fit any of my other dolls.

The list price is $69.95.
After the $20 reward it was $49.95. I used a free shipping code.
Tax was $4.00.
Total came to $53.95.

I'll let you know if it was worth it after I get the dolls.

Silkstone Palm Beach Line has Production Issues

This information was posted in three separate posts by BCLizG on the Modern Forum:

"Thank you for all of the comments and questions on the Palm Beach line. We take all of our collector feedback very seriously and discuss every issue with a global team from our headquarters in El Segundo to our manufacturing facilities in Asia.
Because we do take every comment so seriously, we like to review thouroughly so we can give a full and accurate update. Sometimes, that means it takes us a few days.
Yes, the Palm Beach Bathing suit doll is slightly larger than some retired dolls in the BFMC line. This is due to normal manufacturing variances. All of the dolls in the Palm Beach line will be of a similiar size.
Secondly, the Palm Beach Breeze legs are further apart than our spec, and we are working withour maufacturing teams to correct.
I want to assure you that our teams hold quality as our highest commitment, and are deeply concerned when we see these types of variances. "

.....

"We do not expect the other 2010 Silkstone dolls to have a size variance. I will put together a special preview with photos of production dolls in advance of the on-sale date.
We will not offer a replacement doll program for the Breeze doll. Mattel does stand behind quality product so if you have individual concerns, please call the number listed on the packaging. "

........

"We will not offer a replacement doll program for the Breeze doll. Mattel does stand behind quality product so if you have individual concerns, please call the number listed on the packaging.
If you have any concerns about your doll, please call customer service, or the number that is listed on your package invoice. Thanks Liz. "

I did not notice a problem with my Palm Beach Honey.

Vinyl dolls - Furga Italy

In addition to my collection of composition and hard plastic dolls from the 1920's - 1950's, I have a few modern era, or "vinyl era" dolls as I like to refer to them. I wasn't going to collect any, but there are a few that have been irresistible for one reason or another.

The first on the list are my two Furga dolls. Furga was an Italian doll manufacturer that started up in the 1870's and is still in existence today. The earliest dolls were made of papier maché and had wax masque faces. Dolls are of a good quality, with many surviving decades. Most doll collectors are familiar with vinyl Furga dolls made in the 1960's and '70's, but Furga also made felt, hard plastic and composition dolls.

I have two Furga "Lady" dolls made circa 1968 - 1971. They have hard vinyl heads and arms, and hard plastic bodies. Both dolls are marked Furga Italy, stand about 14 inches tall and come dressed in period costumes. One doll has high button up boots molded to her feet. Both dolls have soft rooted hair. It almost feels like real hair, but is a fine synthetic. The brunette doll wears an original Furga tagged outfit, while the blonde wears a replacement. The remarkable thing about the dolls made during this period are their beautiful cupid's bow mouths, and eyes with long lashes.

One of Furga's biggest successes were their Alta Moda line of fashion dolls. These 17 inch dolls have long eyelashes, long rooted hair, come with "Mod" outfits and accessories, and usually fetch high prices in auctions. They have the typical beautiful Furga face with cupid bow mouths. [note: some of this information has been corrected.]

If you collect vinyl dolls, a Furga doll would be a great addition. Dolls still in tagged original costumes will fetch the biggest prices.

Vinyl dolls - Furga Italy

In addition to my collection of composition and hard plastic dolls from the 1920's - 1950's, I have a few modern era, or "vinyl era" dolls as I like to refer to them. I wasn't going to collect any, but there are a few that have been irresistible for one reason or another.

The first on the list are my two Furga dolls. Furga was an Italian doll manufacturer that started up in the 1870's and is still in existence today. The earliest dolls were made of papier maché and had wax masque faces. Dolls are of a good quality, with many surviving decades. Most doll collectors are familiar with vinyl Furga dolls made in the 1960's and '70's, but Furga also made felt, hard plastic and composition dolls.

I have two Furga "Lady" dolls made circa 1968 - 1971. They have hard vinyl heads and arms, and hard plastic bodies. Both dolls are marked Furga Italy, stand about 14 inches tall and come dressed in period costumes. One doll has high button up boots molded to her feet. Both dolls have soft rooted hair. It almost feels like real hair, but is a fine synthetic. The brunette doll wears an original Furga tagged outfit, while the blonde wears a replacement. The remarkable thing about the dolls made during this period are their beautiful cupid's bow mouths, and eyes with long lashes.

One of Furga's biggest successes were their Alta Moda line of fashion dolls. These 17 inch dolls have long eyelashes, long rooted hair, come with "Mod" outfits and accessories, and usually fetch high prices in auctions. They have the typical beautiful Furga face with cupid bow mouths. [note: some of this information has been corrected.]

If you collect vinyl dolls, a Furga doll would be a great addition. Dolls still in tagged original costumes will fetch the biggest prices.

Picture of the Week Award ~ March 14, 2010

Our featured photographer is Denise Jefferson aka DeeinNJ. Dee is well known and admired for her creative dioramas and uncanny ability to use items commonly discarded to create settings for 1/6 scale dolls. This week's photo shows The Soiree Silkstone Barbie doll in a OOAK gown whose creator is unknown. The fur is from Silver Society Veronique and the jewelry is Joe Tai. The tiara is original to the doll.

Dee Jefferson

In this shot Soiree Barbie is making her red carpet entrance. The set was created using Barbie's red carpet runway, red posterboard, red felt, a potted plant and a cityscape backdrop. The steps are packaging inserts from the FR Loft Collection.
Dee used a Nikon Coolpix 880 camera. Lighting is natural daylight. Her suggestion to other doll photographers is to pose the doll the way a person might pose. Use props for realism.
Dee has a feature piece in the quarterly publication Fashion Doll Quarterly (FDQ) magazine. You can also see more of her beautiful work in this album.

Congratulations, Dee, on the Picture of the Week Award. I always look forward to your photos.

If I were a Barbie collector, I'd buy...

There are quite a few adorable or unique-looking Barbie dolls for 2010 that I enjoy looking at. Just for fun, I am going to post their pictures here.

Eiffel Tower Barbie


Big Ben Barbie

I love the architectural prints on the gowns and the dolls are very pretty. There is a third in this series.

Statue of Liberty Barbie

The Statue of Liberty is not architectural like the others. The pointy crown on her head? We've seen it before and she has that eternally smiling Barbie face that I don't like. Imagine the real Statue of Liberty with a smile. Scary. The draping of the dress and the pleated bottom are lovely details.
_____________

Joan Holloway from the Madmen Collection

I may actually order this doll as the fashion and hair are very appealing. The other female in this grouping reminds me too much of Market Day.

_________________________

Palm Beach Coral

There is no way I would ever spend $159.95 on a Silkstone Gold Label doll....or any color label for that matter. She is beautiful and I love the fashion and her skin tone. I will just enjoy her picture.

________

Although these have been out for a little while, I still like to look at their pictures and imagine having them. Do you do that?My Favorite Career Vintage Reproduction Astronaut Doll

My Favorite Career Pan Am Stewardess

My Favorite Fashion Queen

I love wigs. This one would be so much fun to play with.
Well I'm glad I got that out of my system.

________________

On another topic, I was confirmed for all my Fashion Royalty/Integrity Toys pre-orders. I caved on the Monogram called Dreamscape. I don't know what I will do with her gown but she is lovely otherwise. I'm getting Monograms Enigmatic and Incandescent, Fashion Royalty Jordan and Eugenia, NuFace Colette and Lillith, and Temptation Vanessa. I couldn't pass up Beatnik Blues Poppy Parker or her giftset. It's only March and I already have begun to feel overwhelmed with dolls. I forgot to add the two-doll event giftset, the joining-the-W-Club-dolls, my Tonner pre-orders and the Brides of Dracula dolls. Endless.

I need to post a list of my pre-orders right above my monitor to remind myself about what is coming.
There's this weird thing that happens...in between ordering and getting dolls one forgets that one actually has a million dolls. What is that sickness called? Perhaps it's in the DSM-IV.