Barbie Collector Queen of the Constellations

Just a reminder for those who have been waiting for the Gold Label Barbie Doll, Queen of the Constellations, she is due to be released on 5/16/13. You must be a member of the Barbie Collector Club to purchase one.

I think she has a gorgeous face and her hair is stunning. Hopefully for those who buy her, she will look as good as the promotional photos. Unfortunately, her dress is not removable although the cape is. She's not my cup of tea but she's definitely eye candy.

The description from the BC.Com page:

Regally dressed in a golden metallic dress with a bejeweled corset and dramatic black metallic-striped cape, the Queen of the Constellations Barbie doll is a commanding presence. Unique golden embellishments include a futuristic flared crown, collar adornment, and intricately shaped epaulets. This doll is the third and final in the futuristic space goddess series.

Body Type:	ModelMuse™
Skin Tone:	Peace
Facial Sculpt:	Mermaid
Fashion Sewn On?:	Cape is removable, dress is not removable
Eyelashes:	Applied

Included with doll:
Shoes, stand, crown, corset, collar.

 Price is $100 (for a vinyl Barbie) but if you've saved, you can use your 2nd $20. club reward on her.

Ficon Leonie

I've rarely played with Leonie although she is my only Ficon doll. She has a serious posing issue. Her knee joints are not strong enough to hold a pose - even when she's on a stand - without major fiddling. She is a candidate for wiring. (Oh, Adrian...) She's got a little head, too. I like it as it is really more proportionate than most other 16" BJDs. 
Here she is in her new Ilaria Time of Doll wig. She's wearing Ficon designed fashions and the shoes are Paul Zhangby. (eBay/China)

If you do not already know, the Doll Peddlar is the best source for Ficon dolls, clothes and accessories once they have sold out on Ficon's website. Ficon fashions fit Jamieshow dolls beautifully.

Perhaps if I put a pair of these boots on Leonie, she'd stand up without buckling knees.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fashion-16-Doll-White-Long-Sexy-Shoes-Boots-JamieShow-Sybarite-V3-Ficon-6-SB-2-/290893895388?pt=US_Dolls_Bears_Toys&hash=item43baa096dc

I Don't Believe It

A Style Mantra Eden just sold on eBay for $1,026. The winner has a feedback score of 15. There were 35 bids from 19 people. Seriously? Why would someone pay so much for this doll? I know she's popular but come on.

Integrity Toys Photo

Do you think they will debox her?

Wilde Imagination Candlelight Rufus Basic

I did a double-take while browsing the Ellowyne Wilde catalog earlier. Listed in among the Basic Dolls was a doll called Candlelight Rufus Basic. He looked so much like another Tonner doll - at first.

Candlelight Rufus Basic $119.00

Put your finger over the face and who do you see? I saw Jeremy Voss for an instant. Too bad Rufus is so weird-looking. I wish Jeremy would make a comeback. I need one with black hair.

It looks like the same body except for the neck. What do you think?

I wonder if this Rufus outfit would fit the Matt/Jeremy body? I like this outfit called "Totally Natural."

Rufus - Totally Natural (Outfit Only) $89.00

It  vaguely reminds me of something Rex Harrison wore in My Fair Lady.

The Mattel version is kind of cute, too.

Mattel's Ken® Doll as Professor Henry Higgins from My Fair Lady™

Phoenix Gene in Superfrock and Comparison Photos

I'm definitely enjoying photographing the new resin Gene doll. It reminds me of the days when I'd get one doll at a time and spend a week changing her clothes and taking pictures. I haven't done this in a long time.
In the images on this page, Phoenix is wearing Sybarite Neurotica's dress. It fits
very nicely except the straps of the dress are extending above the natural shoulder. I like it anyway.  The shoes fit, too, but because Gene's ankles do not bend the shoe's angle, when she is standing up, is off. The wig is by Cheryl Wood. She's wearing her own gloves smooshed down and folded over.
This doll looks great in everything!

 

Above you can see the detail of her glove hands. This is the set of hands that is painted white. They were easy to switch to the regular color hands without tools but did require a third hand. In my case I held the doll between my legs and switched the hands. You can see the other hands in prior photos I posted of Phoenix.

__________________

Tom in CA has graciously allowed me to reproduce his Gene comparison photos.

First we have blonde versions of all three Gene Marshall dolls. On the left is an Ashton Drake, center is Integrity Toys and right is the new Phoenix.  Do you have a favorite? 

In this particular picture, I like the IT version primarily because of the hairstyle which makes her forehead smaller than either of the others. 

Here is another comparison which is great because it shows the head shape differences. Phoenix has a much more realistically proportioned head.  The Gene on the left looks as if she's missing part of her skull!

Tonner's 22 Inch Scarlett's Wedding Day Ready to Pre-Order

A new Gone With The Wind Scarlett is being previewed by the Tonner Doll Company.   She is a 22" "Scarlett's Wedding Day." The gown looks lovely— it had better be because the retail price of this beauty is $399.99.

22" Scarlett's Wedding Day LE300

Beautiful and delicate details.

According to the description this doll has a "new Vivien Leigh portrait sculpt."  Hmmmm. She has a pretty face but I don't see the resemblance to Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O'Hara at all.

22" Scarlett's Wedding Day

16" Scarlett's Wedding Day

All photos except the last three are the property of the Tonner Doll Company.  The other three are owned by MGM.

DID YOU KNOW?

Despite the fact it's been 72 years since Scarlett O'Hara first pulled down a green curtain to make herself a dress in "Gone With the Wind," that outfit has remained one of the most iconic looks in cinematic history. It's going to stay that way for many more years, too, as that dress and the burgundy ball gown from the 1939 film have been restored by the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas.The Center has been part of a $30,000 conservation effort to protect the two costumes from deteriorating. Now both of the dresses, which were famously worn by Vivien Leigh in "Gone With the Wind," are on display at London's Victoria and Albert Museum. This is the first time the public has been able to see them in nearly 30 years.After first being announced in 2010, the team at the Ransom Center set to work on making sure that the weak stitching and other problems with the dresses were repaired. The goal of the conservation was to make the costumes last, not return them to new conditions, so there still are stains and other imperfections. Other pieces, like Scarlett's wedding dress and veil and her blue velvet night gown, were too fragile to be repaired and are being returned to storage with no plans to work on them in the future."All of those areas would have gotten worse. All the vulnerable parts have been stabilized," Jill Morena, the Ransom Center's assistant curator for costumes and personal effects, tells the Associated Press. "It has been a success. We would not be able to display them without this effort."The Harry Ransom Center first acquired the outfits in the 1980s. Following their time at the Victoria and Albert Museum exhibit, which runs through Jan. 27, the two "Gone With the Wind" dresses will be shown at the Center's 75th anniversary celebration of the film in 2014.

By Terri Schwartz  October 25, 2012 4:46 PM ET

(No relation :-))

Tiny Kitty To Make A Comeback

I forgot to mention that Robert Tonner announced the return of Tiny Kitty at the IDEX breakfast last week. They showed the line but it was a slide show so I didn't get to see enough. I thought the dolls looked more like Simone Rouge than Tiny Kitty. Simone is less innocent looking.
The bodies will be the same...boo hoo. I would have liked if they could sit without their knees spreading apart. In any event, I am pleased that there will be some new Tiny Kitty dolls to join my collection.

This is a really old photo. My first Tyler and possibly one of my first Tiny Kitty dolls.

One of my favorites, "Little Miss Kitty."

I love the blonde TKs.

Wearing a Poppy Parker outfit. Seated on her own bed.

Tiny Kitty loves to wear Fashion Royalty clothes! The shoes do not fit (the boots do) and the bust is a different proportion but many of the multi-piece outfits from the 2nd generation FR work well.

Tiny Kitty and Simone Rouge share the same body. They can also wear modern 10" Cissette fashions.

This is a picture of Simone wearing a Madame Alexander Cissette (or Coquette) fashion.

My girls get along with each other. The big ones look after the small ones. Antoinette and Simone.

Phoenix Wears Tonner Designed Fashion

Phoenix is quite photogenic. She is pretty and her resin glows.
More good news, she can wear most Tyler sized fashions and shoes.
The wig she is wearing in these shots is a fantasy style of mixed platinum, opalescent, pink and a slight metallic. It was made by Fetique Clinique.

The fashion is by Robert Tonner and is called Florentine. It was a 2002 dressed doll and is one of my favorite Tonner fashions-ever.

Emilia Wins Award for Mirrorball at IDEX

In the category of One-of-a-Kind Dolls, More than $1,250., Emilia Nieminen has won first place.

Congratulations!

Phoenix Gene Photo Shoot

Today I photographed Gene in her own fashion but I used other wigs. The first two wigs are Sybarite sized hardcap wigs. The third wig is a hardcap Avantguard sized wig. The last wig is a Jamieshow wig that came with another Jamieshow doll.

Cheryl Wood made wigs 1 through 3. Gold chair is by Clea Bella made for Sandra's Nashville event. Director chair is an Ashton Drake for Gene Marshall prop. The cigarette holder is from the Jamieshow event in Canandaigua.

Heading Back to PA from IDEX 2013

I have a little time this morning before having to leave for the airport so I wanted to talk a little about the new Gene doll and post a few pictures.
Phoenix is a pretty doll who comes with two wigs caps and a plain cap for use with your own wigs. She comes with a set of white gloved hands and standard hands. They are easy to switch out once you get the hang of it.
Monday night Sandra Stillwell came over and we spent about 4 hours dressing and redressing Phoenix and an IT Madra in Sandra's designs from her last convention. My rudimentary photo studio consisted of an ironing board, a few dim lamps and a good camera with a small external flash unit attached. Certainly not optimal conditions but we made do.

Yes, the IT dolls were taller. Even blocking out Madra's hair, you can see that the legs or torso contribute to the height. Phoenix is closer to the old AD height. Every other part of the body appears to be the same size.
Here she is with her brunette wig cap.

Phoenix dressed in her own gown without her jewelry and train.

Phoenix dressed in one of Sandra's lovely fashions.

These are just teasers. I will have more pictures of the doll herself later on.

Here are pictures from Saturday, the day of the presentation. The room itself was very dark so there is only one picture from there. Most of these are from the hall outside the venue and from nearby.

Mel went around like a proud Papa showing Gene to attendees. He was glowing with pride and joy.
During his verbal presentation he talked about how much he enjoyed the collectors over the years, sharing with them and traveling around the country to events. Sounds like he wants to pick that up again.
There are a handful of naysayers complaining about the price which was $525. at the event and $550. on line. But there were many more who defended the price of this exclusive resin convention doll as being similar to other resin BJD event dolls.
Apparently there is a market in this price range for resin BJD Gene because Phoenix Gene sold out lightning fast. Another one is on the way from FDQ according to the magazine distributed to attendees by Pat Henry.  More information on that doll will be forthcoming. What we do know is that she will be in day wear a la Dior.
This revival will be very interesting to watch. I'm looking forward to any individual fashions that may be designed and released. No, I do not have insider information on that aspect - I'm just hoping.

In the meanwhile, Sandra Stillwell has some beautiful, era appropriate designer fashions for sale on her website. I photographed many of them for her on Monday and will be sending her the images shortly so she can post them on her site. I'll post some of them on my blog, too.

Robert Tonner

John Dean, Philip Myers