Tonner Doll - Galadriel

I've wanted to get a doll to be Galadriel for a while now but the idea was benched as I could never find the right sculpt for the face, I had no idea how I would get the gown other than commissioning someone, I had no idea what or how to get the crown and I would have to commission someone for the face and I have felt so reluctant to send heads out for face ups for a while now. I could try to do all those things myself but I lack talent and skill, both essential to bring her to life.

Then last week, I was browsing E-Bay and came across an Australian seller who was selling her for a really good price. The seller was also a doll collector and she had only opened the doll up and displayed her in a glass cabinet. So the doll was in really great condition.

She arrived today to much squealing (on my part). My very first Tonner Doll and I am so glad I waited for her.

She was heavier than I expected vinyl to be and much heavier than my 16inch Integrity Toys dolls. She felt solid. Which was great. And that dress. These are photos straight out of the box.

Her hair style is gorgeous, long crimped waves. They were a bit crunchy though as there was so much styling product in them.

Her brooch and crown (looking a little worse for wear). The metal looks like it's aging on the crown but that's to be expected.

Close up of the face painting which is beautiful. I love how unique this face sculpt looks. Not typical pretty but still quite elegant and stunning.

Before I decided to buy her after a very short procrastination period, I looked for owner photos of her and read a review on the doll itself. In that review, it was suggested that maybe the crown should be removed as some metals oxidized and I have read some metals also green vinyl. The reviewer also gently ran her hair under hot water without tangling or fussing over the curls too much to keep the shape. I ended up doing the same thing and as you will see from the photos below, it didn't ruin the hair style at all. I was super gentle with it though.

I also removed the crown (it was sewn in with thread so I had to carefully pick the threads out with my thread picker. I then gently washed the crown in warm soapy water, first with a wet magic eraser and then I went over it with a soft bristle toothbrush. I rinsed it off in cold water. The result was a shinier and cleaner crown. It sits quite well on her head without needing the thread that had kept it in place.

I took her outside as I always love how the photos turn out under the natural light. It was a bit of cloudy day today unfortunately but the photos still turned out fine.  You can see her ring in the photo below. Sadly it's only a small stone, a lovely stone. Looks like the scale would have been too small for a replica of her ring 'Nenya'.

She has a lovely side profile too which I love but that dress is the winner for me. It's amazing and beautifully sewn. She also came with a stand that fits her like a glove. I love these stands.

She is like a single jointed doll with mobility in elbows, knees and wrists. She can twist at the waist from side to side and her chest can move from side to side. Her head doesn't appear to be able to move which is a shame. For those of you who also collect Tonner Dolls, is this the norm?

Overall, I am super impressed by her and love her. I got her as a display doll so I'm not too worried about her limited mobility. She does the basics and that is good enough for me. She does have heeled feet rather than flat feet though. I would have loved for her to have had flat feet but you can't have everything!

And she photographs beautifully. Finally, my Lady of Light is home.