Considering all that's taken place over the last few months with Tonner, I am not at all surprised. Who is next? There's not much left.
Joe has richly influenced both the company as well as our design aesthetic and his impact will carry us forward for many years to come.
He's young and talented and wherever he goes I am sure he will do well. He's always been a smiling personality at every event I've been to.
What will become of Evangeline? Miette? and the other characters whose stories he created? I think they will keep on going.
Oh My :( his talent and style will be truly missed. Look forward to see his next creation.
ReplyDeletePossibly the death-knell of the old Tonner we have come to love? Who knows.
ReplyDeleteForgive my being out of the loop, but what has been happening at Tonner?
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't appear that the new owners will be taking on much more than the licenses and the one or two profitable character lines.
ReplyDeleteSince the old company contracted out production, and was mostly a design and marketing operation, there are probably not a lot of physical assets.
The new owners probably have their own design and development group already set up.
I have been very impressed with the dolls that Mr. Petrollese and Tonner turned out. They were great fun.
I look forward to seeing what he will come up with in the future.
As always love the blog.
Will C.
I sense a Robert Tonner retirement on the horizon. I will miss Joe, he was the creativity behind Evangeline and now more recently Miette. I've noticed a change in style and in the "storylines" lately, I am betting a new design team has already been ushered in. So sad, I believe Tonner/Wilde as we know it is coming to an end.
ReplyDeleteIf I hadn't already changed my own collecting focus on my own, I would be pretty unhappy about this. Tonner's dolls are responsible for my hobby of doll collecting. I think they were a great company. Like most companies, there were a few missteps, but overall their contributions to the doll world was excellent.
DeleteI have to say that the HR/PR around all of this is piss poor. I suppose this is better than Noreen who went straight to Facebook, I guess they learned quick about silence clauses, but no one 'leaves a job for an exciting new job' like Joe with out a celebrated exit and announcement; like: Dear Collectors, Join us in celebrating... Joe's last day will be, the future of Evangeling will be... and his legacy lives on through, and blah blah blah. Stay in touch with Joe through his new Facebook fan page. Yours Robert and TDC." Even when you lay someone off- the brand image of the company is seriously lacking. But maybe I see that as someone who does this as a living.
ReplyDeleteTDC is iconic, or was... And I think it's awesome that Tonner can probably retire and live off residuals, but collecting has sure changed since Tyler and that first amazing collection. It seems in some way that he has forgotten that. Ironic, kinda like Halson who name ended up in a JC Penny~ Wonder if Tonner dolls will end up at Target?
More like Walmart, Erick. The company Tonner partnered with is wanting to have a strong presence with playline dolls at Walmart specializing in black dolls like what Integrity did when they had dolls in Walmart.
ReplyDeleteI think it's sort of sad how the company is going out. They were a great company and did fantastic things in their day.
They'll probably focus on some licences such as the announced Harry Potter, Outlander, and Empire and on the playline dolls.
Probably another ominous sign. I do wonder what is in store, although I do not often collect a tonner doll these days.
ReplyDelete