Resin Ball Jointed "Lady G" by the Tonner Doll Company

You might remember that the Tonner Doll Company's Cinderella face is one of my favorite doll faces of all time.  The Tonner Doll Company, which got its start in the early 90s making porcelain dolls, has been making vinyl fashion dolls since 1993.  By the time I started collecting Tonner fashion dolls in around 2005, the range of vinyl characters was extensive and included not only Tonner's signature character Tyler Wentworth, but also a range of Tyler's friends and some popular fiction characters like Harry Potter and Scarlett O'Hara.  My beloved Cinderella face was introduced in 2006.  In 2007, Robert Tonner branched out into the resin ball jointed doll market with the introduction of 17" BJD Evangeline Ghastly.  Evangeline is marketed through Tonner's other company, Wilde Imagination, which is the home of the woefully fashionable fictional character, Ellowyne Wilde.

One of the most exciting doll announcements of my collecting experience came in 2008.  This was the year Robert Tonner declared that he would be making 16" resin ball jointed versions of some of his most popular fashion doll characters.  Furthermore, the very first 16" resin BJD was to have the Cinderella face.  I practically leapt out of my skin with excitement.  This would surely be the most amazing doll ever made.  The only catch was that this doll would be limited to 125 pieces and would be sold exclusively at the Tonner convention....which I could not afford to attend.  Panic!  Extreme panic!  I have never wanted a doll this badly.  I must have spent days glued to my computer, trying to find a way to buy this doll.  I was rescued by a fellow collector (and convention attendee) whom I shall never forget (thank you, Jennifer!!).  Not only did this dear person buy one of the resin dolls for me, but she knew to alert me when yet another Cinderella face was introduced at the convention (The Blue Fairy).  So.  I am a very lucky person, and the incomparable "Lady G" has graced my collection for the past 4 years:

Resin Lady G by Robert Tonner

The theme of the convention in 2008 was re-imagined nursery rhymes.  Lady G is Tonner's re-interpretation of Mother Goose.  This part of the announcement didn't thrill me, since I prefer the Cinderellas who are in ball gowns, but honestly, this doll could have been sold nude and I wouldn't have been any less excited about her arrival.  Her outfit is quirky and fun and very well-made:

Her dress has peasant sleeves sewn onto a black corset-style bodice with bright blue ribbon accents:

My only issue with the bodice is that over the last 4 years, stored carefully in a box, the white pleated area in front has yellowed more than the sleeves.    It's not that noticeable, but it's there:

The skirt is a layered explosion of colors and patterns, buoyant with tulle and petticoats:

Each of the pink satin tiers of the skirt is lined with polka dot tulle:

Under the skirt, she wears black and white convict-striped pantaloons with a lace hem.  These are layered over light, bright blue stockings that coordinate with the ribbons in her bodice:

To top off this look, Lady G wears black flat-footed pleather combat boots with laces and buckles:

Fortunately, these unzip in the back for very easy on and off.

Just look at her gorgeous face!

These are not her original eyes.

The body of this doll is made out of beautiful, smooth pale resin.  The body has similar proportions as the regular 16" Tonner fashion dolls, and so she can share clothes with Tyler and the gang.  She has 17 points of articulation and is very flexible:

She has a very maneuverable ball-jointed waist.  This allows for a good amount of side to side motion, and a considerable amount of forwards and backwards waist flexibility:

She has very "kicky" lower legs, and so this pose comes naturally:

Lady G has flat feet, and while this has made finding shoes for her difficult, she can stand on her own pretty nicely (although I'd never leave her standing unattended).  I am thinking that Lady G's shoe-finding woes might be over with the introduction of Tonner's Nu Mood flat footed shoes.  Those look very promising.

She sits like a dream.  Overall, she is very easy and fun to pose, and she doesn't seem nearly as fragile as the Sybarites.

Here's Lady G (middle) flanked by Amy's Cinderella (left, Cherished Friends exclusive) and Fare Game Cami (right, 2011 Tonner convention exclusive):

Lady G and Cami:

Lady G and Cinderella:

Lady G is so pale compared to the other girls!  She makes them all look a bit grey.  They make her look a tad yellow, but all of them look totally fine to me on their own.

Here's Lady G with some of the other Cinderella face dolls:

With the first wigged Cami (inset eyes). 

With the original release Cinderella. 

With the first mainline release Cami.

As I mentioned, Lady G can share clothes with all of the Tyler-sized Tonner fashion dolls.  She can also wear the wigs that come with the wigged Cami dolls:

Wearing Byzantine Sydney's gown and Cami's blonde wig.

The gown is a tiny bit loose on top.

She can not share clothes with Cami--they're too small.  She can wear at least some of the JAMIEshow clothes, although the dress I have doesn't quite zip up in back:

JAMIEshow Lotus gown and Cami short wig.

She reminds me of Annette Benning in this wig.

The JAMIEshow wigs I have are too small, although if you snip them a bit in the back, they can at least fit around the head.  The top of Lady G's head is removable (so you can change the eyes or re-string her)  and Robert Tonner has signed the inside:

JAMIEshow wig, with a small cut in back so that it fits.

JAMIEshow wig and Tonner Elizabeth Swann Abandoned Bride gown.

The wig sits a bit too high on her head.

The Abandoned Bride gown is a real treasure.  Look at the details!

In Elizabeth Swann gown with original wig

Lady G came with very bright blue eyes, but I have changed her eyes several times to more realistic shades of blue or grey.  She wears size 8mm eyes.

With Tonner Cami wig.

Lady G occasionally makes an appearance for sale on eBay or on the doll boards, but I suspect that most collectors who own her are hanging on to her.  Tonner went on to release several more resin ball jointed dolls, including basic Tyler (with the new face), basic Sydney (who was a Bearzabout exclusive), Ashleigh (a Two Daydreamers exclusive) and Shauna (an Angelic Dreamz exclusive).  There was a 2011 convention "Joyeaux Anniversaire" Tyler who was glorious, and more recently a resin Sydney at the Halloween convention.  I hope Tonner will continue to make these resin dolls...perhaps a resin Cami?

Here are just a few more shots of Lady G.  It is infinitely fun to play with her.  She is super pale, which makes her a bit hard to photograph, but she looks good in almost everything.  

In Tonner Queen of Spades gown with Tonner Cami wig.

In Tonner Eternal Love Holiday Dreams gown with Tonner Cami wig.

All original.

Back in the Byzantine gown...

Here is how I like Lady G best...as Cinderella herself:

In Tonner Dreams Come True gown with Tonner Cami wig.

She is surely a dream come true.