Collecting Cycle 2025 - Number 5 The Return of Dominion Dolls

 In 2023, a good doll friend of mine introduced me to Dominion Dolls and I wound up adding two of them  to my collection.  Here is the link to my review of those dolls: Dominion Doll Review . Just as Jamieshow Muses is a leap from Integrity Toys, Dominion Doll is the next level above Muses.  Each doll is completely created, blushed, and painted by the skilled Russian artist Petr Tiskov.   These dolls are even more articulated than Jamieshow Muses or Integrity Toys.  

Recently, my doll friend offered me one on secondary market at a great price.  I couldn't resist.  Here is the fifth doll added to my collection in 2025, wearing the dress from Jamieshow Garden Party Look 5, Dominion Doll Aura in Fudge Skin Tone.

Countdown Best of 2023 - Honorable Mentions

First, I need to post my usual "fine print" about my countdown list.  

1. I only include dolls that were shipped to collectors in the past calendar year.  There were dolls promoted in 2023 that are extraordinary but haven't been shipped to collectors yet, so those will have their chance at a countdown in a subsequent year.  Likewise, some of the dolls included may have been previewed in a previous year for collectors to pre-order, but they didn't make it into the hands of collectors until this year.   I do this because there can be quite a difference between promotional photos and the actual production doll. Sometimes they aren't as good, but sometimes they are much better.

2. Dolls included in the countdown are those actually purchased for my collection, so they represent my personal tastes.  I didn't include dolls that may have been more popular with the general collecting audience that I do not own.  There will be some omissions that standout, but I can only judge doll that I own.  Very few collectors have the space or budget to purchase everything offered in a collecting year, and I am not one of them.

3. I base my decisions primarily on the aesthetic of the overall doll.  Although the ensemble the dolls comes dressed in may play a factor as a whole, I do redress and photograph my dolls.  I prefer a doll that photographs well in a variety of styles.   That's not to say I can't be swayed by a perfect presentation ... My Number 1's of 2013 were Midnight Star Elyse Jolie and After Tonight Eugenia Frost, and my Number 1 of 2020 was The Enchantress Nadja Rhymes.  These three dolls have been displayed in their original ensembles since arriving here.  They truly are perfect as presented.  

4. I'm sure there will be dolls included in the countdown that you disagree with me about.  Like I wrote earlier: my countdown, my choices.  We all have different favorites and that's what makes doll collecting so awesome.  I love seeing dolls through the eyes of fellow collectors.

5. Although Integrity Toys has given us very good 2023 "reimagined examples" of previously released dolls, I did NOT include any of them in my countdown.   There is less creativity involved in changing the color of a doll's ensemble, skin tone, and hair.  I am not a fan of this trend and am bored by it.  That being said, The 2023 NuFace Moments and Summer Rose Eugenia Frost were all very beautiful dolls but they do not show up in my 2023 countdown.

... So let's get going!  Here are some Honorable Mentions.

2023 gave us the whole Barbie Movie phenomenon!  Talk about giving a line of toys a serious shot in the arm!  This was the most brilliant and much needed marketing plan for a company that has been struggling over the past few years to reach their adult collectors!

Margo Robbie and Ryan Gosling were ideal in the roles of Basic Barbie and Ken!  There was just enough kitsch and satire for a humorous nod without poking fun at the brand.  With so many "easter eggs" built in and references to famous products of the past, it was a true joy for collectors to watch!   Although there was some negative feedback from the conservative right, the movie reached blockbuster status.  I actually enjoyed it quite a bit.

Then you get the merch!  Dolls sold out within minutes of premiering on the Mattel Creations website.  Collectors didn't have better luck with major retailers or Amazon.  Barbie movie dolls were a hot commodity!  You had to have deep pockets if you wanted everything but had to go to secondary market to get it.  And there was something for everyone!  We got a pink corvette, a dream house, ensembles, and a whole bunch of dolls!  It was a great year to be a diehard Barbie collector.

Probably my favorite scene in the movie was when Barbie and Ken are rollerblading in California.  It was a great reference to the 1982 Rollerblading Barbie that was recalled because when you pushed her across the carpet the rollerblades shot out sparks.  These were the only two dolls that I purchased.  Here they are in their original packaging.  They cost $24.99 each at my local Walmart.

My ONLY complaint with this concept is that they used the same doll molds with similar faceup and hair for all the Margo Robbie Barbies and all the Ryan Gosling Kens.  If you purchased any one of the versions, you pretty much didn't need the others unless you wanted the ensemble.  Even though I personally would've favored some variety, I'm not sure how that could've been achieved since the actors kept the same look throughout the movie.  And where is my #1 Margo Robbie from the opening scene?!  

Another wonderful thing worth noting is the "Kenough" at the end of the movie.  What an amazing affirmation.  Awesome concept and execution throughout.  Kudos to Mattel!

My other Honorable Mention actually represents two of my very favorite dolls added to my collection in 2023.  I decided it was only fair to include dolls in my Best of countdown that were available to the general collecting audience.  That would exclude these dolls since they were created to my personal specifications.  In 2023, I was introduced to Dominion Doll by a good doll friend.  I reviewed these dolls last month: Review of Dominion Doll  .

These dolls are truly extraordinary.  I have enjoyed redressing and posing them so much.  I hope to add more to my collection in 2024.  

Here is Dominion Doll Aura in Caramel skin tone.  She is wearing the top and skirt from Integrity Toys X Magia 2000 Runway in Milan Colette Duranger. 

And here is Dominion Doll Nika in Cream skin tone.  She is wearing Look 2 from the Jamieshow/Owensu Muses Bonjour Paris line.

Such amazing dolls that are true standouts in my collection; however, they are more like OOAK artisan works of art than dolls you can buy from retailers.   Although they are my very favorite dolls added to my collection, they will not be included in my Best of 2023 countdown.

My countdown starts tomorrow ... I hope you enjoy it.  Thank you for taking this joyous ride with me in 2023.

Good Doll Friends Can Get You Into Bad Trouble - Numbers 40 and 41 of Collecting Cycle 2023

It's hard to believe I have been collecting dolls for more than half a century!  When I was a little girl, my cousin introduced me to Barbie back in the 1960's.  I still own one of my original dolls from my childhood and she holds a very special place in my collection.

As an adult, I collected "vintage" Barbies and "collectible" Barbies.  Siltstones came alone and changed the game for me.  They were my "gateway drug" to Integrity Toys dolls.  I added Jamieshow/Owensu Muses to my collection in 2021.

I have also owned many 16" dolls.   I owned several Gene dolls, Robert Tonner dolls, and even the 16" Integrity Avant Gard girls.  The only 16" line that has managed to stick around are my dozen or so favorite Ellowyne Wilde versions.  

Since I live in a suburban area outside a big city, I don't have convenient access to a doll collecting group.  Social media is the only available way I have to connect with other collectors, and I have made some wonderful friends that I hope to meet some day when conventions are once again organized.

One of these friends showed me some photos of his personal favorite doll line, Dominion Doll.  The more I saw of his beautiful Dominion Doll collection, the more I wanted one.   These dolls are the brain child of Russian doll designer Petr Tishkov and his business partner Elena Kostina.   Each doll is carefully created by hand at the direction of the collector!  

Dominion Doll started with one mold character in 2017.  It has grown into nine female dolls in the mainline.  These are presented as "blanks" without any makeup.

There is also a "curvy" doll with an original sculpt called "Posh", and a male line was introduced this past spring called "Dominion Kings" with three character sculpts.  All of these are offered in 9 skin tone options.

There are 27 "stock" makeup versions to choose from.  You can also combine different aspects from different photos to get a unique look or send Petr a photograph to use as inspiration, essentially creating a one-of-a-kind doll. 

So, that's nine female character molds, nine skin tone colors, and 27 stock makeup versions.   Are you comprehending the possibilities here? 

Now for the articulation.  What is not to like here?

Dominion Dolls are very similar in size and shape to Jamieshow/Owensu Muses and Integrity Toys Fashion Royalty/Nuface.  They can share the same clothes and shoes!

As anticipated, these dolls are not cheap!  They are resin "ball-jointed" strung dolls.  Everything is offered a la carte.   The blank body and character head costs $510 for the lighter five skin tones.   If you want a doll in one of the four darker skin tones, it is an extra $35.   The makeup choice adds $80.  If you want the body blushed that runs between $30 - $50.  The manicure/pedicure is another $30 - $45.   Then there is a selection of wonderful wigs on the website priced from $60 - $110.   If you've been running a calculation, you can see that the most basic of Dominion Dolls will run you between $700 - $850 with a wig.  But the doll is completely finished by hand and the quality is actually quite exceptional.

I started saving my money from doll sales last year and placed an order this past January.  I decided that I wanted my first doll to use the Aura mold.   I wanted it in the Caramel skin color.  Dear follower, you cannot imagine the hours I spent looking over the makeup options!   I wound up choosing makeup #2 with several changes: 1. Lips from makeup #13 (I wanted more natural lips rather than pink since the skin tone was caramel),  2. Brown eyes (also influenced by the skin tone color), 3. White sclera, and 4. Added small lower lashes.  I e-mail Petr and asked his opinion.  I got thumbs up.   

There was a delay in production of my doll.  Somehow I misunderstood how Petr creates the dolls.  It seems that he has two deadlines each year.  He has a January deadline for dolls produced the first half of the year and a summer deadline for dolls produced the second half.  When I contacted him, he offered to produce a second doll to save on shipping costs and produce both dolls together!  So I placed a second order - this time for a Rei (his Asian mold and one of the best Asian characters on the 12" doll market).   There were several unforeseen problems with getting the body in the skin tone I ordered, so he offered me any blank he had in stock.   One of those was my second choice, Nika in cream skin color.   I found a photo for the makeup.

Here is how the Dominion Dolls were packaged:

It was just like Christmas here!  Here is my Aura wearing the wig I selected for her.  She is wearing a dress from the Jamieshow/Muses enchanted line.  I am truly blown away.  The bodies are quite substantial, even heavier than Muses.   They feel quite sturdy.   

Number 40 of my 2023 Collecting Cycle is Dominion Doll Aura in Caramel Skin Tone.

And here is Nika! I really wanted a doll with freckles!  I had originally planned on her being a redhead, but this blonde wig just totally suits.  

Number 41 of my 2023 Collecting Cycle is Dominion Doll Nika in Cream Skin Tone.

Once I got these dolls in hand I was able to make an educated comparison.   The articulation is just beyond anything I could've imagined.  Dominion Dolls' joints actually "glide" smoothly.   There is no pulling or pushing necessary.  You don't feel like you are forcing a pose.  As far as my personal experience with 12" dolls goes, this is the best body on the market for posing.   

The areas in which Jamieshow and Integrity Toys have an edge would be interchangeability at the wrists and ankles/lower legs.   You can change out Jamieshow Muses' hands and feet.  You can also put on dressing paddles for hands to get the doll's arms through sleeves.   Integrity Toys allows you to change out the lower legs to flat feet and the hands come out of the wrist socket so you can put on sleeves.   The hands and feet on Dominion Dolls, although quite graceful, are permanent.  They are actually riveted into place.  

The wigs sold at Dominion Doll can be worn with Jamieshow Muses, but they fit better with a silicone wig cap.   The Dominion Dolls wigs are expensive but are very well constructed.  They don't look the way cheaper stretch cap wigs look.  I actually prefer the magnetic wig caps of Jamieshow since they just snap in and out and are actually rooted onto the skull cap.

One other very slight difference of note is that the Dominion Dolls have natural earlobes.  They are like a human's earlobes in that they stick out from the head.  This causes a problem with earrings since the posts can't just stick into the head like Muses and IT dolls.   Dominion Doll earrings have to be looped which is a little complicated to achieve.

Overall, Dominion Dolls are quite amazing and actually merit their price point.  I will be purchasing more and have even started planning for my January order!