Best of 2023 - Number 6

When I was putting together my Best of 2023 Top 10 list, I spent a lot of time considering which 12" dolls truly represented the most versatile, beautiful examples across the different lines that I collect.  I wanted to include an example from the East 59th Street Line (Number 10's Aloha Waikiki Victoire Roux) and Trending Tulabelle True was an excellent choice for The Industry (Number 9).  But Numbers 4 - 8 kept changing order.   These five dolls are equally impressive and it wasn't easy to choose which place to put each of them.  Poppy Parker finally wound up at Number 7.

Since Jessy Ayala joined the design team at Integrity Toys, my NuFace collection became a serious addiction; however, I do not find myself a fan of this "Moments" direction of producing variations of previously released dolls.   I decided I was not going to include any of these in my countdown because they are based on something we already have.  So, there will be no Print It Pink, Poetic Interlude, Naturally Cool, or Billion Dollar Beauty in my countdown.    Even though Wrath Erin Salston from the 7 Deadly Sins has caused such a fever with collectors, she doesn't appeal to me personally, so some of you will be surprised that she, also, is not on my countdown.

From the other Nuface dolls received by collectors in 2023, there was a true stand out version in my opinion.   This doll was originally promoted to collectors in 2021, but Integrity Toys was unable to get the production and shipment of the dolls completed until 2023.   The NuClassic Lilith Blair represents everything I love about NuFace dolls.  She is so sassy!  I love the hair style and the ensemble is one of the best designed and constructed ensembles I've received from Integrity Toys in a long time.  

Best of 2023 - Number 6 is Integrity Toys NuFace The NuClassic Lilith Blair.

The Tail Chasing Continues - 2023 Collecting Cycle Number 11 and Number 12

 So ...  here we are a little over halfway through the first month of 2023 and I had added ten dolls to my collection, hadn't sold any dolls yet, and I just got two more notifications from Integrity Toys for dolls that were ready to ship!  

The first was a W Club Exclusive.   She was the companion doll to the W Club Upgrade doll, Earth Angel Eden Blair, which was number 4 of my 2023 collecting cycle two posts back.  This doll was actually advertised in 2021 and predated the W Club Upgrade Eden; she just arrived after.   Confused yet?  Imagine how collectors feel!

Here is one of the promo photos of The NuClassic Lilith Blair, property of Integrity Toys.

Here are the accessories.

And here is a NRFB photo.  This doll is totally gorgeous.  She is one of the best NuFace dolls to come out of Integrity Toys.  Number 11 of my 2023 Collecting Cycle is The NuClassic Lilith Blair.

The next doll was one that you had to win the opportunity to purchase through a W Club lottery.  I was on the fence with this doll.  In 2022, Integrity Toys joined forces with Magia 2000 to collaborate on the production of a few IT dolls.  The first offering used the Vanessa Perrin character, which is a personal favorite of mine.

Here is one of the promo photos, property of Integrity Toys.

This doll is so over the top and doesn't really represent my collecting aesthetic.  But just look at all the accessories.  I figured all the "parts" could be used in mix and match situations.  The doll was lovely.  At the last minute, I entered the lottery.

I'm glad I entered (and won) because this doll is amazing.  Her secondary market prices skyrocketed right away.  Number 12 of my 2023 Collecting Cycle is Summer in Taormina Vanessa Perrin.

At least we were adding dolls in smaller numbers.  My first package was six dolls, my second was four, and this one contained two dolls.  But here it is the very beginning of the year and I had acquired twelve new dolls and still hadn't listed my first doll for sale!  I was definitely feeling overwhelmed.