Picture of the Week by Jenn Held

I am so grateful that there are collectors like Jenn. They redress the new dolls and provide the rest of us with ideas and inspiration. Here is Night Warrior Vanessa wearing The Contessa's gown. The miniature book she is reading is entitled "Dracula by Bram Stoker." So cute!
See more of Jenn's beautiful doll photography here: Flickr

Brides of Dracula ~ The Contessa

The Contessa arrived today, fangs and all. It's a shame I don't like fangs (on dolls, that is) because there is a lot to like about this doll!

But you can send me Eric -> or Bill -> with fangs, without fangs...any old, dead way.

The packaging is very nice with the window box showing the entire doll. Box has a magnetic closure.
Contessa's gown is a 4 layered affair - the lining, the underskirt, the wine-colored layer and an over-layer of black mesh. The trim is nicely applied around the edges of the skirt layers and there's a tiny trim of lacy edging at the bodice. The corset looks like a separate piece but is sewn on and has stitching that resembles boning. Overall the quality is excellent. Her shoes are faux leather with a decorative detail and ribbon ties. The fashion is completed with long black gloves, black stud earrings and a simple multi-strand chain choker.

The body is the surprise. She's got a full-sized Fashion Royalty bust with a slim waist and hips.The hip joints have more movement than do those of Fashion Royalty dolls and this doll can sit at a 45° angle. Nice. I am impressed with the total package in spite of the high retail price of $149.99. Many dealers are discounting the doll by $20 or more.
There is a Certificate of Authenticity but no edition size. All the CoA says is that once this edition is closed, no more will be made. That means it's an open edition. No surprise there.
See you at Fangtasia?

IDEX - Brides of Dracula Dolls

I had seen promo pictures of the the three Brides of Dracula dolls before seeing them in person and decided that I wouldn't be getting them. The last set of vampires that attracted me were from the pen and mind of Anne Rice. I have a vampire slayer in my collection and she's staying. I can't imagine the violence that would occur in my showcases should these 'ladies' arrive on the scene.
But...when I saw the dolls in person, I liked the fashions on two of them enough to consider purchasing them just for the clothing. They look better in person than in the photos.
I don't think these dolls go far enough toward representing vampires. They're just pretty dolls with fangs in gothy fashions. At a price of $149.99, one really needs to like fanged dolls with red or yellow eyes.
The dolls are manufactured by Integrity Toys and distributed by Ashton-Drake Galleries. However, some individual dealers are selling them. They have the 12" Fashion Royalty body. I will find out if these are limited editions.

The blurbs about each doll are very strange. Very, very strange. Some excerpts: "This is one lady that you will never see wearing a crucifix." "...the perfect fashion for feasting on human flesh." "...do we see some dried up blood in the creases of her lips?" Who wrote this garbage? By the way, vampires do not eat flesh.

Why can't a female vampire have several male vampires for husbands? Is this the vampire version of Big Love?