12/20/2014

2014 Integrity's Surprisingly Great FR16 Dolls

To be sure, there are various interpretations of the word great.  In this case, I'm calling them great as compared to other 16" modern vinyl dolls. For example, Tonner dolls generally retail in the range of $99.-$250 for a dressed doll these days.  The less expensive ones will be dressed in more basic styles. The FR16 SRP was $175. That price has dropped a good deal for some of the newer ones.
The fashions are beautifully made and come with excellent accessories.
As far as articulation goes, the FR16 win the vinyl race, their only drawback being their awful articulated toes and awkward feet. Neither the ankle nor the toe joint add anything to the doll and should be eliminated in favor of a sleek fashion foot.

I don't know whether or not it's a good thing that the current IT designer keeps bringing back altered versions of Jason Wu's designs. In one way it speaks volumes about his creativity and on the other hand, Jason's beautiful fashions always work.

Except for Afterhours Hanne, I purchased the dolls and fashions separately. Once I found that I liked them, they started showing up.

For this post I show the original Jason Wu doll promo photo, a photo of my own 1/6 scale original and the new 16" version.

Red Blooded Woman Kyori has grown to become Hot Blooded Woman.
By the time I decided that I loved the outfit, I couldn't get Elsa Lin at a reasonable price. I will continue to look for her. Modeling the FR16 fashion is  "On Edge." Avantguard. She is wearing her own shoes as the FR16 shoes do not fit. The wig is by Ilaria.
Pretty gorgeous!



Cosmetic Takeover Natalia is now Cosmetic Surrender. This Natalia was the first Natalia ever produced. She was on a straight arm body. Mine became so brittle that even though I was very careful, her neck cracked when I first gave her a new tall body. (Not shown.)  My model for the FR16 fashion is Platinum Society Hanne whose outfit follows.




Silver Society Veronique's big sister is Platinum Society. Silver Society was also a straight arm doll. Mine is now on an FR2 body and I still love her as much as the day I first got her.
My model for Platinum Society's fashion is a Tyler head on a Tulabelle body. The head switch was easy and the body is perfect for the FR16 outfits. The feet, like those of the FR16 dolls are unnecessarily articulated. She looks like she has tumors of the ankle (whatever that is.) Do not click here for a Google search on ankle tumors. You will be sorry.
I love Tyler and I always will. She needs a body like this to bring her into the 21st Century.
Anyway, this outfit is a thin pleather-like fabric with wonderful embellishment. I like everything about the fashion and I'd rather have a ring instead of doll gloves any day!
The last picture shows how I've 'repurposed' my FR outfits from the early days to adorn Silkstone dolls. The fit is perfection-even the shoes.



Purple Factor Adele has grown up to become Amethyst Factor. Again, we have a straight arm, early Jason design. This was an amazingly detailed and sexy sheath with ruching, princess seams and a lace inset at the top of the bodice. The fur had beads between the stole and the tails. Everything about it was beautifully designed and executed. My model for Amethyst Factor is Afterhours Hanne Erikson. Her hair was a frizzy mess and still needs work.


Obsidian Society Vanessa's FR16 version is Obsidian Culture.  This was a wildly popular Vanessa; they all were until they started multiplying like rabbits. Vanessa's black suit looks nothing like the new Culture version; it is so much more stylish. My model is the brunette Obsidian Culture in the "Bijou" Avantguard gown.  It's nice to know that the Avantguard, FR16 and Tulabelle bodies can share fashions.


Barely...


This is, in my opinion, the prettiest of all the Obsidian Hannes. Unfortunately, her hair was an overdone, frizzy mess. I have one side pinned back to hide the crimped, frizzed ends. Such a shame. I'll fix it one of these days. The fur is from the Hot Blooded outfit and the earrings and bracelet are from other sources.

Surprisingly great? Yes! Look back at the original 4 FR16 dolls. Three out of the four fashions are uninspired. One of the dolls looks like a corpse and another looks terrified.

____________

I have the blond Obsidian Culture NRFB doll for sale at a very good price on the Show & Sell pages.
While you are there, take a look at my other listings. You should definitely buy something!


12/19/2014

Theriault's Marquis Antique Doll Auction

I have no antique dolls in my collection but I do love to look at them. I adore the beautiful fabrics, the delicate facial painting and expression and the accessories. My favorite of all are the tiny, all bisque Mignonettes of about 5 inches. They do come is various sizes and were often called pocket dolls. Although most were created in Germany, they were made for a French market and thus showcased French fashion of the time. Many of these dolls came with complete wardrobes and all the necessary toilet items a young lady would need in the later 19th century and early 20th century.
This is a reproduction presentation celluloid budoir box designed by Jackie Chimpky.


Getting back to Theriault's upcoming Antique Doll Auction, the catalog is a delight to browse and an education in and of itself. Hundreds of gorgeous photos with descriptions and estimated valuations.




Click to Read

12/15/2014

Barbie Shopping Mall Play Set

If I were a kid, this would be at the top of my want list or already in my room. Mattel has really knocked out the big Barbie play sets this past year. A child would need a huge play area to have the  dream house and the mall set up at one time. When fully assembled, the mall is 4 feet wide!  That's plenty of room for more than one child to play.



The Malibu Mall play set is a ToysRUs exclusive selling for $74.99

See the video which shows the fun details. http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=34474886&cp=&parentPage=search

12/12/2014

Superdoll's Happy Holiday Fashion Offering

Today Superdoll Collectables offered four fashions for sale. Each was 120. British Pounds or $188.63 US except for Bitter Pill which was 140. British Pounds or $220.07 US. Postage from the UK to the US added another $25.42.

Of course, I'd like to have all of them and although I was not planning to purchase anymore doll stuff through the end of the year, I did order Bitter Pill. It's quite beautiful.


Dreamscape looks appealingly frothy, sparkly and princess-like.


I'd need to see Emerald Oyster in person to appreciate it fully. The photos of all the black dresses were very dark. I adjusted the lightness and contrast in an attempt to bring out the details.


Etoile is even harder to evaluate due to the lack of visible detail. It looks interesting but what is going on around the neck and on the bodice? We'll have to wait and see for the buyers to post pictures.



Link to website:  http://www.superdollonline.co.uk/acatalog/SPECIAL-ITEMS.html

12/05/2014

Happy Dolly-Days or All The Dolls That They Can Fit

Wave after wave of new dolls keep hitting the shore. Looks like there's something for almost everybody.

Techrat Dressed Fashion Figure
Jem and the Holograms Collection
Fourth W Club Exclusive 2014
Special W Club Suggested Retail Price: $130.00
Estimated Shipping Date: Approximately Spring 2015



That Holiday Feeling
Poppy Parker™ Dressed Doll
IT Direct Exclusive via Lottery
Limited Edition of 800 Dolls
Special W Club Suggested Retail Price: $120.00



Rare Appearance Dania Zarr Dressed Doll
Fifth W Club Exclusive 2014
Special W Club Suggested Retail Price: $130.00
Estimated Shipping Date: Approximately Spring 2015





À La Maison
Victoire Roux™ Dressed Doll
Suggested Retail Price: $99.00 US
Limited Edition Size: 500
Ship Date: Available for immediate pre-order from your favorite IT Dealers 


Départ Pour L'Orient
Victoire Roux™ Dressed Doll
Suggested Retail Price: $99.00 US
Limited Edition Size: 600
Ship Date: Available for immediate pre-order from your favorite IT Dealers 





Dolls look very nice. I'd order A La Maison if I liked Victoire's body. Her casual outfit is quite nice. 
Dania Zarr looks very sophisticated. I love the handbag and shoes. And, if her hair actually turns out looking like the promo, she's going to be a stunning doll. 

What do you think about this year-end wave?