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SURVEY! Where to Go? We've been looking at a number of places for convention locations.  We want to know from YOU what you think is the best place. VOTE NOW!   BEST CONVENTION LOCATIONS - CLICK HERE TO VOTE!   OUR LAST SURVEY: WHERE DO YOU GET THE LATEST TONNER DOLL NEWS? #1 - 19% TONNER WEBSITE NEWS PAGE; #2 - 17% TONNER NEWSLETTER; #3 - 13.5% TONNER GENERATED EMAILS; TIE FOR 4TH - BOTH AT 10% BOARDHOST-TYPE BULLETIN BOARDS (TO THE 7 WHO WROTE-IN 'PREGO' - YOUR VOTES WERE ADDED TO THE BOARDHOST TOTAL) & FASHION DOLL MAGAZINES SUCH AS FDQ AND HAUTE DOLL - THANKS FOR YOUR VOTES!

NEW Awards & Honors Nods from the Industry   Robert was recently awarded the Historic Preservation Award from the Friends of Historic Kingston for his outstanding renovations on the Tonner Company Store building in Uptown Kingston.  Not only did Robert take an old, deteriorating building and make it new again, but he managed to maintain its original charm and improved the look of one of Uptown Kingston’s most traveled intersections.  Congratulations Robert!   And were we genuinely surprised when Action Figure Digest announced their latest cover at NYCOMIC CON!  This is one for the collector's books as it featured our resident NYCC Exlcusive Harley Quinn - which sold it is record time - read the recap of our show - click here. Thanks, AFD - get AFD back issues - click here!             "Right out of the gate, I'm impressed..." - Jason Devall, Superherotimes.com  See what else Superherotimes.com has to say about our Joker TONNER CHARACTER FIGURE - click here!   "... The unbelievable artistry of Tonner’s “Character Figures” show these collectibles to be unparalleled in design, construction, and look. And considering I own several Character Figures myself, all prominently displayed amongst the rest of my superhero toys, it’s hard to ignore their size, impressiveness and beauty," Jason Devall, Superherotimes.com       See what Superherotimes.com has to say about our Poison Ivy TONNER CHARACTER FIGURE - click here!           (images courtesy Superherotimes.com)         AND From Marlee's Matlin's CHILDREN AFFECTED BY AIDS FOUNDATION (CAAF) Mother's Day Message: Doll Convention to Benefit CAAF Proceeds from a special doll auction during the 2008 Tonner Doll Convention will benefit CAAF. The Tonner Doll Company manufactures many of the world’s most popular dolls including Spider-Man™ and Harry Potter™.  The convention will feature a variety of events and workshops and be held May 16-18 at The Westin Lombard Yorktown Center in Lombard , Ill.     Thanks, Marlee & Congrats on your recent success on the hit television show “Dancing with the Stars.”

Spotlight: 2008 VIRTUAL Convention! ONLINE VIRTUAL CONVENTION LIVE DURING 2008 DREAMSCAPES If you can't join us this May in Lombard, IL for the 2008 Tonner Collectors Convention - we want you to join us online HERE -  http://tonnerinc.blogspot.com/ for LIVE reports, contests, giveaways and Convention News. For the first time in Tonner history, we are bringing the Convention to YOU! You'll see videos, images of convention exclusives (including event centerpieces), interviews with attendees, and so much more. Post messages to other doll enthusiasts or lurk for the most up-to-the-minute Convention news and updates! So be a part of our VIRTUAL convention and join in the fun!   Bookmark us for all the latest news prior to the convention, then join us on May 16th for the opening of our LIVE coverage! Hope to see you THERE!

Dolls That Touch Your Heart® Effanbee® Gets FANCY From the acclaimed children's book, Fancy Nancy by Jane O'Connor and illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser, which tells the ‘une histoire’ (that’s French for story and everything in French sounds fancy!) of a fancy young girl, comes Effanbee’s newest, and certainly fancy, doll. And who better to make this elegant young lady leap from the pages but Robert Tonner! Effanbee’s newest darling knows a thing or two about being fancy. Nancy is always decked out in her finest, frilly, “oh-so-fancy” dresses and adorned (that’s fancy for decorated) in ribbons, ruffles, glitter, beads, rhinestones and of course her infamous (that’s fancy for well-known) frilly frocks and oodles of fun and funky hair accessories!   I had the opportunity to interview Robert on all things Fancy Nancy! Below is a transcript (that’s fancy for text) from our conversation: Shauna Perry: What made you decide to do a Fancy Nancy doll? Robert Tonner: We've been focusing on adult figures and fantasy for a while, and it was refreshing to come across the Fancy Nancy books.  I love the illustrations and the story line—I think everyone knows a girl like Nancy.  I also just thought it would be fun to sculpt a cute, pudgy little girl.  SP: Once you decided to take this project on, how long did it take to have the final prototypes? RT: Much longer than I wanted it to!  It was probably a nine month process to get to the final prototypes.  SP: What makes her unique or special to you personally? RT: The illustrations had so much life in them—I wanted to capture that joy.  I love that she doesn't have a perfect little body and I love her face!  She was just fun to sculpt.  SP: Do you have a favorite doll, outfit or accessory?  If so, which one and why is it your favorite? RT: I really like all her outfits—they're so quirky and unique.  I love all the accessories and decorations that she adorns herself with—it's just a fun collection.  SP: What makes this project different from some of the other licensed projects you have worked on?   RT: These days we do a lot of more serious licenses, such as Pirates of the Caribbean, so working on something more "character" or "cartoony" is certainly different from what I've been doing lately.  SP: What will we see in Fancy Nancy’s future on the Effanbee line? RT: It all depends on how well she does!  I'd love to add her little sister to the collection. Heck! Even her mother and father!  She has fun friends; they would be interesting also.    Copyright © 2008 HarperCollins Publishers. All Rights Reserved. Illustrations © Robin Preiss Glasser

Design Room Scoop: TCF Variants Storm Design Emerging Work for CON Exclusives Takes Shape - CONTINUED FROM APRIL The design room is exploding with new superhero variants for each of the upcoming cons (Wizard World Philly, Wizard World Chicago and the con of all cons, Comic Con International in San Diego). While I have been sworn to secrecy by the inmates from whence they come, I can say that three of the variant exclusives will make a complete set and we are only making 100 pieces of each!         First up in Wizard World Philly will be the initial installment of our dastardly trio. Arkam Asylum Pamela Isley (Poison Ivy Variant) LE100 - this poisonous beauty is sure to have collectors under her spell… In addition, a really super guy will make an appearance with a few companions in tow. Flying in from an adventure in Illinois, he’ll make a guest appearance at his first con! At Wizard World in The Windy City, we are premiering a brand new license in June. Of course NO ONE can reveal who it is, but I can promise this new character will certainly have us ‘exploring’ other new projects. In addition to the world premier of our newest TONNER CHARACTER FIGURE, we will also introduce the second member of our top-secret criminal trio (mentioned above). Later in July, one truly super lady will be ready to ‘fly’ right into the hands of eager collectors at Comic Con International in San Diego! With more than 125,000 attendees at Comic Con International the limited edition of only 200 pieces will surely sell out faster than a speeding bullet! Oh, and did I mention the third and final installment of the evil trio will also be available for sale? Coming Soon—new sculpts and new characters!!!!

TONNERDIRECT REPORT: NY COMIC CON 2008 I'm Just Sayin'...   With what seemed like billions (my pinky is twisting on the corner of my mouth when I say BIL-yinz) of people traversing the floor of the Javits Center in New York this past weekend, TONNERDirect enjoyed one of its most successful shows to date! (Yes, I realize the Javits Center cannot hold billions. It was an exaggeration to make a point. You in the back sneering at this as though to say, (That guy is so stupid" can just shut it.)    Thousands of dollars of merchandise and gift certificates were given away. We could not have done it without the assistance from the under-four-footers who helped pick the winners. The crowds for the drawings were huge and enthusiastic. Well, except for the first one during the professional hours where we had only one person. And that person won! Go Figure!       The floor space had been expanded significantly with more exhibitors, dealers, and artists than ever before. If you were looking for your favorite comic or pop culture collectible, odds were you could find it on the floor at New York Comic Con. Not to mention the things that one might never expect to be looking for at all that had to be acquired such as the Indian-elephant-on-a-skateboard t-shirt, a Lost In Space laser pistol, or a Space: 1999 Eagle!   If you’ve never been to a comic book convention, what are you waiting for? Thousands of attendees come dressed (or immersed) as their favorite characters from comic books, movies, and television. And if you thought the one you just saw was good, keep walking the floor. There’s bound to be another one that’s even more authentic than the last. The Ghostbusters, Princess Leia, Batman, Superman, Spider-Man, and Starfleet officers were on hand at every turn. There was even a Gwen Stacy lookalike contest for which the prize was the Tonner Character Figure of Gwen Stacy was the prize!        For those of you who couldn't make it, well - IT WAS GREAT!! Start planning now for Wizard World Philadelphia, Wizard World Chicago, and Comic Con International in San Diego! There will be exclusives for each show and, while I'm not going to tell you what they are (but hints are above), I will tell you that if you could collect a certain one from each of the three shows to make a set. Go figure... If you did make it and you forgot to get the Tonner Character Figure that you were ogling as you passed through the booth for the seventh time, you can use the $30.00 gift certificate you won in our drawing to get it at TONNERDirect.com ! I'm just sayin'--

TRAVELS WITH ROBERT MEMPHIS DOLL CLUB, UFDC REGION 14 CONFERENCE & EPCOT® Teddy Bear & Doll Weekend   Robert loves the collectors in Memphis, and he recently spent time with the Memphis Doll Club and the Southern Belles Doll Club, and here he presented a delightful Tiny Kitty Collier™ (Special Occasion - LE150) to the delight of attendees. If you are looking for extra dolls, you may want to contact the event's organizers, Louise Moss at 901.323.0498 (hilow614@aol.com) or Donna Brown at 901.755.0701 (cricket1937@comcast.net). Image L-R: Donna Brown, Co-host; Robert; Louise Moss, President of The Memphis Doll Club and Co-host; and Connie Hart, President of the Southern Belles Doll Club.               We had a blast in Albany, NY with the UFDC Region 14 Conference as they met to 'Let's Play Dolls'.  Hosted by the Shaker Doll Club, Robert presented a Mrs. Willowby's First Grade Class Lexi (First in Class Lexi - LE150) - Extras of this doll are available for $85.00; contact Priscilla McCaughin at kencilla@roadrunner.com                     It probably seems a bit odd that we include the EPCOT Teddy Bear & Doll Weekend, because we'll be in Lombard, IL at our own convention!  But we wanted everyone to see the incredible 22" Cruella De Vil doll we sent for their artist's auction - learn more by clicking here.

TONNERPICKS! Collectors Share Their Fun, Fancy as They Believe in the Power of Play®     Beth Wilder of Louisville KY writes, "I have attached a few pictures of some of the outfits I have made for my American Models, my Scarlett O'Hara doll, a Theatre de la Mode doll, and a remade Matt O'Neil doll.  Scarlett is wearing a dress seen at the very end of Gone With the Wind, but the picture was shot so far back, the dress is barely discernable...My American Models are wearing different dresses I made...the swirls on the blue corset were all hand-embroidered, so it took quite a while to complete!  My Theatre de la Mode doll is wearing a dress I made to resemble the cover of a 1950s couture book, which is seen behind her. And...I took a Blonde Matt O'Neill doll and remade him to look like Jason Isaacs did as Captain Hook in the movie "Peter Pan". Thanks for creating such fabulous dolls!!!!"  Thank YOU, Beth!     From Fort Washakie School and Community Library, Fort Washakie, Wyoming - we have a fun group of students entering a reading contest to win the Tonner Harry Potter™ dolls.  Thanks to Tim Purk - he sent this in  – his sister works at the school.                     Sam Hatmaker loves to travel to the Comic conventions...and we recently met up with him in New York Comic Con.  Sam would like to share some of his fantasic costumes her makes to supplement his collection.  Left to Right: Ares and Tonner's Wonder Woman; Artemis; Giganta & Silver Swan. Great work, Sam!                 Thanks, Everyone!   HEY...How about showing us your Ultra Basic Tyler Dolls for June!  We'd love to include your images - please email them to help@tonnerdoll.com.

MONTHLY CHALLENGE: Did YOU Know...? Testing your Tonner Know   April's Question: Since you are so focused on 16" Tyler and friends, name ALL the 16" body variations made for Tyler and her derivatives? Do not include male dolls, child dolls or any other doll made by any other company - which would be incorrect anyway, because no other company has used the Tyler body.   We were surprised at the numerous references to other products besides Tyler and friends...but we must tell you, Tiny Kitty and 18" Kitty are certainly not within the 16" Tyler family! We also asked you to not include child dolls (Marley), male dolls (Matt), or dolls made by other doll companies (Seventeen, etc.).  We gave you MANY hints in the April Challenge Article. We did not accept answers where only the doll was named, unless an effort was made to explain why that doll's body was different.     Here's the complete list of ALL the 16" body variations made for Tyler and her derivatives: Original Arms (not bending) Bending Arms (BA) Articulated (AR - No Bending Wrists) Articulated with Bending Wrists (BW) Small Bust with ballet feet (NYCB) Small Bust with high heel feet (Euphemia) Small Bust with flat feet/separated toe & unhinged ankle (Geisha) Small Bust with flat feet - NO separated toe & hinged ankle (Sister Dreary) Regular Bust with ballet feet (*NYCB Variants) Regular Bust with flat feet/separated toe & unhinged ankle (Central Park Stroll Sydney) Regular Bust with flat feet - NO separated toe & hinged ankle (Supergirl/Mera/High Sea Elizabeth Swann) Regular Bust - Convertible Basics (Removable Feet - Tyler/Mary Poppins/Cinderella Rose) EMME (2nd Version Only)   *For good measure, we were lenient on the NYCB Variants, as many may not have realized there were a couple of ballet dolls released with the regular Tyler bustline (we promoted the NYCB collection with the small bustline) -  SO...Congratulations to Kristen de Caccia (AKA 'Almighty Hat') - She won herself a FREE 16" GRAND OPENING Doll!!!   How about  new challenge?           Sydney Chase® has had many models go through the doors of the Chase Modeling Agency™ - and it will be tricky to answer this question...so read well and think about it.  We all know many female models have worked for Chase...in fact, even professionals such as Tyler and Mei Li have modeled for them.  And then there are models like Charlotte, where they came to Chase via another industry (Charlotte is one of three triplets - but only on rare occasion has either of the other two sisters ever worked for Chase - except here) Can you name 15 FEMALE Chase Models? We prefer those who have actually been under contract with Chase at one time, but we will clue you in that any model that now works for Voss or Regina probably started at Chase. It's OK to name other professional women such as Tyler or Mei Li, who have worked for Chase before...but your answer must include at least 12 actual models, as opposed to characters like Tyler or Mei Li.     Email your answers (PLEASE ONLY ENTER ONCE - YOUR FIRST SUBMISSION WILL BE SAVED AS YOUR OFFICIAL ENTRY) to help@tonnerdoll.com with "May Monthly Challenge" in the subject line - get your answers right, and you will be eligible to win a FREE ELIZABETH SWANN COURT GOWN Doll!!! - check for the answers in the next Newsletter!

Believing in the Power of Play: Collector Spotlight From Italia with Love - the Art of MAGIA 2000   In the course of doing the newsletter, we come across all kinds of talent from repaint artists to designers...even those that create imaginative displays for their surroundings, etc. - and we've shared these amazing people with you via the newsletter. Well, this month is no different. We first met Mario & Gianni of MAGIA2000 at the Paris Fashion Doll Festival, many years ago.  On each visit, they truly continue to astound collectors with their award-winning designs for both 11.5" and now 16" fashions.  They are both actually fashion designers in Italy - working their way to launch their own collection.  Many in the Barbie Community know them very well (they designed the 2006 Barbie Convention Souvenir). So it's no surprise they would take it to 16" scale, too.  When you add the designs to their repainting and re-styling of dolls, you have found two collectors who truly delight in the art.     Mario Paglino and Gianni Grossi have been together for eleven years, and they live in the beautiful little town called Novara.  Basing themselves just north of Milan, they certainly have all the right fashion connections.  Their brand names comes from the first letters of their names aside the year they first starting showing to doll collectors.        In a recent doll design competition, featuring many different manufacturer's sizes, MAGIA2000 really blew us away with their acclaimed win for the Tyler Wentworth® category. We also wanted to share one of the Ellowyne creations that was part of the same competition.  (Images courtesy Project Dollway, used by permission)                         We caught up with the Guys and asked them a few questions: How long have you been designing for dolls?   Since 1999, we started with our first humble private pieces. Everything was a joke, a wonderful way to express our creativity and passion for fashion, reinventing our favorite style icons on doll size. We need to love every doll to make her the perfect model. You also create real clothes in human-scale – how long have you been doing this? Yes, it is a new dimension for us, we were pushed by the doll success into the fashion. We always loved fashion since we were young children, and during our lives we had some different experiences near that world. By now , we have been designing real clothes for four years, and in the last two we have created our own label of women dresses “Gianni Di Mario”. It’s a tough challenge, especially investing on ourselves and being self-produced, but we love what we do and we hope to keep on and always do better.   Images courtesy of Gianni Di Mario. What is the most important aspect of you designs for dolls? The flexibility! Dolls are always perfect for any style you want, they can be your perfect model and your imagination can run wild an free as a true artist. Fashion is always strictly related to productions and business planning, dolls are a true passion, where you can create something unique and usually they can wear better than any model, being comfortable with anything you design, even if they probably can’t walk or sit down. That is fine with them and you can play with this. OOAK dolls are like a true art expression to us, it’s disconnected from reality sometimes and even if we love to reproduce women sizes and techniques on our dolls, you can also play with proportions and make it works anyway.     What is your favorite aspect of designing for dolls? We love sharing the same feelings with collectors, we love looking at them near our dolls, receiving emotions from our designs, and being so careful on every detail.  We love exchanging ideas and a point of view. Once a really good friend of ours and a fellow collector told us she wanted to have perfect fingernails on dolls. We learned from her how important details are, and how any people can have different perceptions. That is really interesting. You are very well-known throughout the Barbie-collector circuit.  Tell us what designing for Barbie is like.  How is it different from designing for 16” dolls such as Tyler or Ellowyne? We started with Barbie as our muse, and she was our childhood doll. Barbie is perfect for any style, and we love that aspect. We discovered the 16” dolls later in these last years and we immediately found them very interesting for the more realistic proportions, and to let us work with more detail.     Do you consider the personality of the doll’s character when designing…or do you create your own character personality? That is a big point....in a certain way, we love Tyler and Tonner dolls especially for their strong personality, and that influences us during the process of creating. It’s like talking with the doll and feel her feelings, finding a way to increase and maximize her beauty and elegance. Of course we have our own fashion vision, and that is in every single piece...even if maybe it is a fantastic or extravagant dress. We always relate our creations to couture and tailoring.   Tell us about some of your awards and honors. We received our first Barbie Magazine BMAA Reader’s Choice Award in 2004, and other top BMAA awards during the days of that competition.  We were honored by two Jury Awards and one First Place on 16” dolls at the Paris Fashion Doll Festival , where we were judged by Robert Tonner too, and that was a huge honor! Of course we can’t forget the big big honor to design for Barbie, creating the Mattel-produced 2006 convention doll “Film Noir”. That was a pure honor and an unexpected dream. Last year we received a Career Award at Paris Fashion Doll Festival Banquet.  We also took part in the recent Project Dollway competition. We have been donating many dolls for Charity Live Auction events, collecting over $35,000 for world charities. Wow, we had so much luck in these years, and especially we truly think that at the end, the love of fellow collectors and making so many friends around the world were our biggest rewards.     We think so, too...thanks Guys! You can enjoy MAGIA2000's website by clicking here.     Barbie® is a registered trademark of Mattel, Inc. All rights reserved. Ellowyne Wilde™ is a trademark of Wilde Imagination, Inc. All rights reserved.

COMPANY STORE REPORT: Where's the PARTY? At the Tonner Company Store Party Room - it's Officially OPEN!               The Tonner Company Store hosted its very first birthday bash for a group of eager young collectors on April 24th.  The birthday girl and her best friends each selected a doll from the Design Studio Collection, and set to work (or rather play!) dressing and embellishing outfits for their dolls "runway walk". Lots of thought and effort was put into making every detail count (including new hair-do's all around!). There was a class in doll care for aspiring doll doctors, and plenty of sweet treats to keep spirits and energy levels high! Chocolate covered strawberries were a big hit with everyone!           The runway lineup revealed some very talented doll designers (watch out Robert!)… And what better way to end the perfect afternoon than shopping (for dolls of course!)                 The Tonner Company Store party room is now open and accepting reservations for parties of all sorts and sizes including club luncheons, tea parties and baby showers (maximum capacity 40). For more information or to check availability, write to our Help Desk - click here, or call 800-324-0486.                 GOT A DOLLY EMERGENCY? If you need to speak with the Doll Doctor Noreen about non-Tonner doll emergencies, please call the Tonner Company Store directly at (845) 339-2960 or (845) 339-2961 for an estimate and appointment. If you are local or planning a trip, stop in! Our hours are Wednesday through Saturday from 10am - 6pm; Sundays from 12 - 4pm.

TONNER COMPANY STORE - WWW.TONNERCOMPANYSTORE.COM

GOINGS ON: 2008 Calendar Keeping In Step with Robert Tonner   We have many exciting events coming up this year (see below) and if you would like your event to be added, please email event details and contact information to help@tonnerdoll.com. WE NOW HOST ALL EVENTS FREE ON OUR NEWSLETTER CALENDAR - PLEASE LET US KNOW ABOUT YOUR NEXT EVENT!   May 16-18 - TONNER COLLECTORS CONVENTION - LOMBARD, IL - Join Us ONLINE for LIVE Coverage - http://tonnerinc.blogspot.com - click here. May 30-June 1 - Wizard World Philadelphia - visit http://www.wizardworld.com/philadelphia.html for more information. June 26-29 - Wizard World Chicago - visit http://www.wizardworld.com/chicago.html for more information. July 24-27 - Comic Con San Diego - visit http://www.comic-con.org/cci/ for more information. July 28 - August 1 - UFDC, Las Vegas, NV. Visit the website at www.ufdc.org August 2-3 - Sauder Village Event You are cordially invited to a Collector Brunch, hosted by the Tonner Doll Company at Sauder Village.  The souvenir doll will be a 16” fashion doll – dressed in style with the 1900’s.  Seating will be limited to the first 100 people  to register, so register today!  We look forward to seeing you there! Cost for Breakfast, Program, and Event Piece is $125.00 and must be prepaid. Reservations must be received by July 25, 2008.  You can register online here: www.regonline.com/saudervillage.com September 7 - MetroDolls on Broadway 10AM-4PM, Woodbridge, NJ - Join MetroDolls for a luncheon event celebrating American theater and benefiting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.  Souvenir doll from Tonner Doll Company and companion items will be available!  The luncheon also features a OOAK fashion doll charity auction, door prizes, and lots of other surprises.  An optional Saturday night dinner includes a vintage fashion display of "Opening Nights Through the Decades" presenting over a century of elegant evening wear.  Please visit www.metrodolls.com or call Marcia at 732-583-5608 for more information. September 24-28 - Modern Doll Collectors Convention, St. Petersburg, FL details TBA - click on the thumbnail at left for the official announcement, or visit the website at http://www.moderndollcollectors.com   October 17-19 - 2008 Tonner Halloween Convention, Framingham, MA -  Join Robert Tonner for a weekend of chills and thrills as we once again haunt Framingham, MA with all our ghoulish whims and fancies for the Tonner Halloween Collectors Convention “Nightmares.” Those who survive will walk away possessed by a new 16” fashion doll, featuring a new head and body sculpt to share in your sweetest nightmares. Have a spooktacular weekend filled with tricks, treats, mystery and suspense. This event sells through quickly, so do or die and say your prayers for a fiendishly frightful weekend.  Space is strictly limited to 250 bodies and the cost is only $349. Register online, beginning May 20, by visiting www.regonline.com/2008halloweenconvention