The TONI doll was an instant American Classic when she was first introduced to children in 1949. She arrived just in time for Christmas and was named for the home-permanent product . . . actually each doll came with a mini-version of the permanent wave. Ideal unleashed an aggressive promotion campaign which, combined with the preppy appeal of the doll herself, resulted in millions of Toni dolls being sold.
TONI came in many sizes and could be dressed in about a hundred outfits - many of which were made of the new miracle fabric "nylon" (TONI's hair was also made of nylon). She was fairly expensive for her day and was definitely aimed at an upscale market.
The original TONI doll was made of hard plastic, jointed and strung at the head, shoulders and hips. As a result, each doll was sturdy, could be dressed fairly easily, could be posed in many positions and was even capable of standing on her own.
TONI endured through the ages, reminiscent of childhood innocence; today, Robert Tonner has reintroduced TONI as a 14" hard plastic, fine doll with an endearing nod to the vintage days of yesteryear.
New 2006 Toni Dolls and doll outfits are finally here . . . but limited. They are all very precious!
