Phyn & Aero Says Goodbye
Just announced in his e-mail newsletter, Robert Tonner’s Phyn & Aero will cease operations as of March 31st, 2019. This is fresh off the heels of the closing of the Tonner Doll Company back in December 2018. Now, here’s the thing about Phyn & Aero– I personally was never a fan of any of the dolls they produced. They were, in my opinion, over priced and not my taste. It’s always sad, however, when a company closes down, because it means less dolls on the market to keep people interested the hobby.
My favorite Tonner dolls will always be those aimed at the younger set, like Maudlynne Macabre or his 18″ doll line My Imagination. I had a soft spot for Agatha Primrose, but she wasn’t out long enough for me to grab the doll or the fashions. (If I found one at a good price with some cute fashions, I would still pick one up! She appealed to the comic con, manga reading, pop culture fan in me.)
But, back to Phyn & Aero, here’s Tonner’s reasoning in his own words:
“As I stated back in January, the only thing you can count on is change, and I’m afraid I must change course yet again. As much as I’ve always loved manufacturing, on-going production issues have continued to wear me down, and as a result, Phyn & Aero will cease operating as of March 31st. Please know, when I refer to production issues, I’m referring to continuing rising costs and ever-growing lead times. I’ve always been proud of the fine work done by the factories—they care about the product every bit as much as I have—and the wonderful people we work with are as disappointed as I. Please know that this was not an easy decision for me or for us, nor a decision made lightly.
This decision, however, does create an opportunity for you to secure the last of any Phyn & Aero product. This includes Lila, Annora, Kadira and Nancy Ann—some of which have just arrived. Look for discounts on the product, but please note there will be no returns nor refunds. Also, should you order a Kadira item look for a little “freebee” in your box!
Please note, the Phyn & Aero website will be accessible through April but mainly to print off any images or descriptions you may want to retain.”
He goes on to say that while he’s saying goodbye, there’s still one new doll that will be hitting the market. That doll is Rayne. Sculpted by Tonner, Rayne is a 16” realistic fashion figure with 15 points of articulation. She’s made of the finest hard plastic and vinyl with rooted saran hair (or unrooted for wigs). Packaged wearing no more than sport underwear and shoes, she’s pretty basic. However, that’s where Tonner is stepping outside the box a bit.
Clothing patterns will be available to download for this doll on Tonner’s new site and you’ll be able to order 3D printed accessories, such as shoes, breastplates, cuffs, hats, sculpted wigs, jewelry, historical foundations and much more for your doll via Shapeways. Because Shapeways allows you to choose many different filament types, colors and has many other options to personalize the printing process, this means whatever you order for Rayne will be unique to your doll.
Finally, Tonner ends with a bit about what he’ll be up to in the future.
“So, you may ask, what the heck am I going to do now that I’ll be out of the doll business? Well, I may be out of manufacturing, but I’m certainly not leaving the doll world. I’m working with various companies on freelance projects—and I’ve even signed a deal to do human (not doll) handbags and jewelry. So, I’ll be around. Be sure to check out my new web-site and friend me on Instagram.
I can’t tell you all what a wonderful ride this has been. The events, the parties, Toy Fair, the Magazines, and mostly you—the collectors—have made this entire doll world experience more than I could have imagined it to be. I sincerely thank you all from the bottom of my heart for the fun, friendship and the mutual love of this hobby—doll collecting.”
His full message is below.
Having met Tonner personally before, I can say that this guy is an asset to the doll world. He’s passionate about dolls, the hobby and collectors. I’m happy to hear he’s still freelancing in the doll world and expect to see more great things from him in the future. What do you think of the closing of Phyn & Aero? Are you surprised? Let us know in the comment area!
AdvertisementsMarch 15, 2019. Tags: Article/How to. Uncategorized.
