BARBIE 2001: There have been some details to the Barbie 2001 line leaking out at various sites on the web! Sandi Holder's site has reported there will be a Cher doll, dressed in a Mackie costume (but priced lower than Mackie Barbies). Next in the Kelly and Tommy series after Raggedy Ann and Andy will be Hansel and Gretel! AND....there will be a Ricky Ricardo in a Ricky/Lucy gift set. The next in the Collectors Request repro series will be a Swirl ponytail in Suburban Shopper. My FORUM regulars will be VERY interested in the I Dream of Jeanie doll--the next doll in the Pop Culture Series, and a doll that was picked by MANY of the regulars this year as a "Doll They Would Like To See Made!" The next Harley Ken will have platinum long hair! Finally, a 70s Barbie will be next in the Great Fashions of the 20th Century Series. A NEW series with Victorian doll is also planned.

Gene News!: The entire Madra line will ship in October, and some of the outfits are amazing (I saw actual prototypes this weekend--I'll have pictures up this week!!). Also this weekend, at the San Francisco Gene event, a Gene Fan Appreciation Weekend was announced For November 10 to 12. There will be an opportunity to buy a special doll unveiled at this event, a special fashion available that weekend only, and special Christmas accessory set, and a free Gene Christmas ornament for all who make a purchase. Hitting the stores NOW is Don't Fence Me In Fashion and Shorts Story (I just got mine at FAO this weekend!). Love Letters is going fast, as is Table For Two.

Theriaults Ginny Auction; This week's Special Auction: Theriault's Avant Doll Auction www.theriaults.com, is currently featuring a selection of dolls from a private estate. The auction includes French bebes, classic German bisque, painted-eye characters, composition Effanbee Historical Series, a large composition Dionne Quintuplet, china dolls, all-bisques, doll accessories, Terri Lee hard plastics, Kewpies, more. Last week's special Ginny auction was fun and had some lovely Ginnys with prices realized in all price ranges--from an early painted-eye Ginny for $530 to early 1960s Ginny Walkers in the $200 to $120 range.

Sailor Moon Dolls In USA: Irwin Dolls announced that the planned NEW USA release of Sailor Moon dolls should be in the stores in July. The dolls are supposed to be available in mass market outlets such as TRU and K-Mart. I haven't yet found any photos of the dolls or prototypes--if anyone has this information available on the Internet, please e-mail me!

Are Anatomically Correct Dolls STILL surprising? The, um prominent assets of the new Alexandra Fairchild Ford fashion doll by Madame Alexander, were noted in the New York Times! I just found this article (which is fairly hilarious) this week, and I had to pass it on. The writer of the article (evidently a grown woman journalist) cannot get past Ms. Fairchild's prominent, um.....nipples. Read the whole story in The New York Times.

Toys R Us Online To Double Employees: Toysmart may have closed its doors in May, but ToyRus online is going strong! Toys R Us Inc.'s Internet business, Toysrus.com, said Monday it is expanding the operation and expects to double the number of employees in the next year. New offices, scheduled to open by late summer, will be in New Jersey and the San Francisco Bay area. Read about the surprising strength that ToysRus.com has shown on the Internet in "Online Toy Stores See Wisdom Of Elders" from Excite News.

Upcoming Doll Events

• Timeless Treasures: The Story of Dolls in Canada is on display now through March 30, 2003 at the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Hull, Quebec. For more information on this huge (over 400 dolls) landmark exhibit, visit http://www.civilisations.ca/cmc/cmceng/pr113aeng.html
• 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

Want to keep up to date on all the latest in the world of Dolls? Sign up for the weekly About Dolls Newsletter! It's free, and is delivered to your email address every week, full of links to new articles, new clip art, additions to the Doll Price Guide and Galleries, Forum Discussions and more! . Don't miss a single issue--- scroll to the end of this page to sign up now!

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 *
Special Online Doll Auctions; Pleasant Co. Toys For Boys, Cool Collecting Barbie*
May
Pleasant Company Founder Retires/Doll Discounts/Harley Ken HOT! *
Who's Brave Enough to Run Mattel/Hello Kitty Barbie/Barbies in stores now *
Toysmart OUT of Business; Where are Asian Barbies; NEW Mattel CEO *

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