Tonner Doll Company Shuts Down; Phyn & Aero Rises

Tonner Doll Company is no more. Robert Tonner, the designer behind the line of high-end collectible dolls, made the announcement in an email to fans, stating that industry changes led to the immediate shutdown, effective Dec. 31, 2018.

“I was lucky enough to start Tonner Doll at a point when it seemed that everyone was collecting, making, buying or selling dolls,” Tonner says. “At the same time, the Far East was willing and eager to produce whatever we wanted at a price that couldn’t be beat. High demand and inexpensive, quality production led to the golden age of collectible dolls and great success for Tonner Doll… in short, the business model that I used to build Tonner Doll is no longer viable or sustainable.”

In addition to a robust collection of original characters and fashion dolls, Tonner became increasingly-known for licensed work, including dolls based on pop culture and film properties from Disney, DC Comics, Warner Bros., Marvel, the Muppets and others.

This year, Tonner is shifting focus to Phyn & Aero—launched in 2016 and promised to be run on a different business model. Through Phyn & Aero he will work direct with retailers to craft new and exclusive dolls along with original product such as Rayne, which is slated to debut around Toy Fair. Among the clients he’s designing for, Tonner notes FAO Schwarz as being “both a challenge and a delight.”

About the author

James Zahn

James Zahn, AKA The Rock Father, is Editor-in-Chief of The Toy Book and Co-President of The International Toy Magazines Association (ITMA). He is also a Senior Editor at The Toy Insider and The Pop Insider, and Editor of The Toy Report, The Toy Book‘s weekly industry newsletter. As a pop culture and toy industry expert, Zahn has appeared as a panelist and guest at events including Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC), New York Comic Con, Wizard World Chicago, and the ASTRA Marketplace & Academy. Zahn has more than 30 years of experience in the entertainment, retail, and publishing industries, and is frequently called upon to offer expert commentary for publications such as Forbes, Marketwatch, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, USA Today, Reuters, the Washington Post, and more. James has appeared on History Channel’s Modern Marvels, was interviewed by Larry King and Anderson Cooper, and has been seen on Yahoo! Finance, CNN, CNBC, FOX Business, NBC, ABC, CBS, WGN, The CW, and more. Zahn joined the Adventure Media & Events family in 2016, initially serving as a member of the Parent Advisory Board after penning articles for the Netflix Stream Team, Fandango Family, PBS KIDS, Sprout Parents (now Universal Kids), PopSugar, and Chicago Parent. He eventually joined the company full time as a Senior Editor and moved up the ranks to Deputy Editor and Editor-in-Chief.