Cool Collecting Barbie Sells Out! Mattel has limited the number of Limited Edition Dolls this year, and this one ALREADY is no longer available for order by dealers from Mattel. This is a HUGE difference for collectible modern Barbies, some of which have sat on shelves for one or two years without selling out in the recent past.

Special Antique Doll Online Auction at Theriaults/Antique Doll E-Cards Launched: Theriaults.com is holding a special Avant Estate Auction from April 28 (today!) through May 5. This auction will include antique dolls and related items from the Holt Collection from Arizona. Also, Theriaults this week has launched free online doll e-greeting cards. www.theriaults.com

Special Antique Doll Online Auction at Sothebys/Amazon.com: In its first online auction devoted entirely to Antique Dolls, www.sothebys.amazon.com is presenting now through May 9 a special selection of dolls from Europe and the United States. The sale also includes the collection of Mrs. Billie Williams, a southern lady who spent 30 years collecting. Highlights of the sale include a wonderful Jules Steiner mechanical walking doll, estimate: $1,500/2,000; an unusually large glazed china, glass eye French china-head doll, estimate: $3,000/5,000; and a Jumeau wood body fashion doll, dating from around 1870, estimate: $15,000/20,000 Sothebys Antique Doll Online Auction

Zainy Brainy to Merge With Noodle Kidoodle: Zainy Brainy is buying toy chain Noodle Kidoodle for $35 million, further reducing the number of specialty toy retailers in the US (last year, TRU bought Imaginarium). Many of the toys carried by the two chains are educational--only 30% are the same as toys found at TRU. www.zainybrainy.com and www.noodlekidoodle.com

Former Owner of Barbie Hall Of Fame starts Web Business: Evelyn Burkhalater last year sold 21,000 Barbies from her Barbie Hall of Fame Museum in Palo Alto to Mattel. Now, she is one of many small mom-and-pop stores selling Barbie on the Internet. Get the full story in the Miami Herald.

Mattel/Pleasant Company To Launch New Toys For Boys/New Doll: Pleasant Company, a division of Mattel, will unveil a line of Matchbox books for pre-school age boys this fall. The books will be board books, sold with Matchbox cars--their first toys aimed at boys. Also, the first new doll in 3 years will be unveiled in the Fall--a blonde whose story is set in the 1930s. I have heard rumours that Pleasant Company will ALSO add a boy to the American Girl line of dolls in the future, but I have not been able to substantiate this rumour yet.

Upcoming Doll Events

• Calgary Doll Club Spring Sale: April 30, 2000. For information 403-253-6337
• THE VIVIAN ANTIQUE TOY AND DOLL FESTIVAL April 29 to May 14, 2000
  56 NEILSON DRIVE, ETOBICOKE (TORONTO) ONTARIO M9C 2S2: EXHIBITION OF THE VIVIAN TOY & DOLL COLLECTION set against a backdrop of
  quilts, hooked rugs, weaving and painting by NEILSON PARK artists. For more information contact 416-622-5294
• Anaheim 2000 Dollmaking Show: Anaheim, April 28, 29 and 30. Anaheim Convention Center. HUGE show.
• International Convention 2000 of the Doll Artisan Guild: June 28 to July 1 at the Hilton in Walt Disney World. Held every 2 years; I'll be attending so come say hello!
• National UFDC Convention: Fin Du Millenaire: Chicago, July 16-21 2000. The National Convention; over 2000 doll collectors, sale room, modern and antique doll competition rooms, classes, seminars (your Guide will be teaching a seminar) , meal events and much more! Go to www.ufdc.org for more information.
• NATIONAL DOLL FESTIVAL: Chicago, July 15-19, Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers. For information http://members.aol.com/natldoll/pub/
• National Gene Convention 2000 will be held Oct. 20-23 at the Arlington Heights Hilton in Arlington Heights, Illinois (a suburb of Chicago). Registration is $325 and limited to 700. For more information, contact genecon99@aol.com
• Fashion Doll Convention 2000 San Diego, California August 12 to 14 2000 at the DoubleTree Hotel. Convention dolls are Daisy and Willow. For more information, http://members.aol.com/fashiondollsd or e-mal fashiondollsd@aol.com

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2000 Past Editions of Dolls This Week:

January
Madame Alexander 16" Fashion Doll; Mattel Execs Leave *
Doll Costumer Guild Announces New Publication; *
Barbie PC; Barbie Auction *
February
Jill Barad Resigns From Mattel *
All The Toy Fair News! *
Toy Fair Recap; Toy Fair Toys are Technological *
March
New Theriault's Auctions; Dorothy Coleman Dies *
TRU Big Event, Virginia Graves Carlson Dies *
April
New Doll Books; New Barbie Releases in Stores *
Jill-Neimrow Nelson Resigns; Americana 2000 Projects; Fashion Doll Convention *
Barbie for President, Sign Language Barbie; Betty Spagetty and eBay Antique Dealers *

For all 1999 editions of "Dolls This Week" please go to the 1999 Dolls This Week Archives.