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For comparison with the most popular American doll brand, I pictured Sophia side by side with AG Nellie.

Sophia's body proportions are very nice. Her torso is shorter and her arms and legs are longer. Her arms and legs are also more straight than Nellie's. She can also stand up more straight 

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The boxes also have a piece of foam under the feet and over the head for extra protection.

Two things that are a novelty is that each doll comes with a pillow and that the bottom of the box has pre-cut lines, that can be cut in the shape of a doll bed. It has drawings of birds, butterflies and flowers that can be colored to be customized by their young owner. 

They also come with a booklet with basic care instructions. Like AG dolls, they can't go under water and they can't have water coming to their eyes as they may rust. Haircare it's about the same too, lightly spray tap water and use a wire doll brush to style the hair. 

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Other very important details:

These dolls were priced at around US$112, but the Company founders decided to reduce their prices a little bit to make them more affordable so more girls could access them. Their prices were reduced at about $98 now, both prices including their sales tax (VAT).

A few weeks ago Bonnie & Pearl announced that their dolls would be available to the American market and started to offer a shipping quote directly from their site and free shipping for purchases of US$300 or more. The shipping quote offered at the site it's around US$45 for one doll, through UPS,  but taking in consideration they will deduct their Sales Tax (VAT) of their listing prices to their sales to the United States destinations, the final price of one doll shipped would be around US$120 when the purchase it's completed through their website.

Now, if you'd like to place an order through email, they can find a better shipping quote for you. They are offering something like the Personal Shopper Service that AG used to have, where you contacted a person who would sort out your order for you, and they can find a better shipping quote to your US destination. The email they are using for this service is friend@bonnieandpearl.com

Finally if after reading you'd like to add these dolls to your collection like us, don't miss the opportunity to get them at an even better price now that they are having an Easter Sale event through April 3rd. Some of their prices are reduced up to 75% and a few of their dolls are reduced too like the Bonnie doll herself, that's currently reduced from US$99 to $89, which would be around $81 to $73 deducting their sales tax (VAT) plus shipping.

Don't feel bad if you can't take advantage of their current offer, the good news are that soon they are possibly offering direct sales here in US!

Hope you liked this review and our new Sophia and Olivia dolls.  Take a look at their site listed at the top, all their dolls have unique stories with their characteristics and personalities.

If you have comments or questions or things or pictures you'd like me to add to this review, please email me through the Contact Us form at the top of the page.

Thank you for reading!

For the love of dolls,

It's a Doll Affair by Carol Linacre

​

​** NEW GIRLS IN TOWN **

​I'd like to present the new additions to our collection by reviewing them. These are Sophia and Olivia from the British Doll Maker Company "Bonnie & Pearl" they came all the way from London to Seattle!

​You may find them at:  Bonnie & Pearl

​This is an independent review,  based on my personal observations as an adult doll collector and artist, made just because I liked these dolls and wanted to share them with you.  I don't have any affiliation with the company and I didn't receive incentives in return. The dolls reviewed were acquired and paid by myself.

by Carol Linacre​​

They have eyes with sleeping mechanism, like AG dolls, that allows them to open when the doll is in an upright position and to close when they are laying down on their backs.

They have very pretty face paint that gives them a more mature look than other dolls in their category. The eyebrows are arched and they have painted eyelashes in their upper eyelid.

Sophia has more natural colors and Olivia has more vibrant colors as her lips and cheeks are more of a pink tone but Sophia has painted eyelids in a rose tone color that Olivia doesn't have.

Both their eyelids are shiny and Olivia's match better .with her skin tone, while Sophia's are darker.

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I first found Bonnie & Pearl a few months back in my constant search for new dolls to add to our collection, especially in the 45cm/18inch range that may share outfits and accessories of the different brands available in the market.

Bonnie & Pearl is a British Company, founded by Lisa and Nicola about 8 years ago. As little girls they had their own dolls, named Bonnie and Pearl who were the inspiration to create the Bonnie & Pearl company. Their first doll "Bonnie" it's created after one of those dolls and this year they would be presenting their version of "Pearl". These dolls are made of high quality vinyl with hand finished details, they are produced in small quantities so they could be considered limited editions, according to the company founders.

Their current line has eight 19inch tall dolls in different hair - eye color and skin color combination, while they have the same face sculpt. The Bonnie doll comes with an exclusive meet outfit and the other seven dolls, share the same meet outfit design.

We chose Sophia, that has dark brown, long, straight hair, brown eyes and dark skin tone, and Olivia, that has medium blonde, long, straight hair, brown eyes and fair skin tone. 

These dolls are about 48cm or 19inches tall. They are on the slim side. Their bodies are made with high quality vinyl and a cotton torso. They have a chest plate making the torso 2/3 cotton and 1/3 vinyl which allows them wearing dresses and tops that are more open at the neck and shoulders without showing fabric like the dolls that have full cotton torso.

They have 5 points of articulation: neck, shoulders and hips making them easy to pose without the need of a stand. They can stand unsupported and hold posses.

The head/neck joint also rotates and have ample movement allowing them to tilt their heads in different directions, giving even more options to pose and to take expressive pictures. They can also look upwards and downwards.

Out of their boxes:

Their meet outfit consists in a white blouse with Peter Pan collar in floral fabric, a floral skirt that has tulle underneath, white cotton panties and flat ballerina shoes in coordinated fabric with the blouse and skirt. They also come with a cross body little pink bag and a pink ribbon for their hair.

Olivia's hairnet was about to come out as it didn't come tied in the back as in other dolls, like AG brand, but it held her hair well during her long trip from London. 

Their hair is a very high quality wig, with sewn part in their left side. The wig it's very soft, shiny and full, long to the waist and layered in the back. The quality of the wigs it's very impressive and I'm very pleased with how nice it feels and how easy it is to keep it up. It doesn't tangle and it may be restyled even your own fingers.

The face it's beautifully sculpted to represent an 8 year old girl. The mouth it's partially open and they don't show teeth. 

Their hands are detailed different from each other. The left hand it's more closed and the right it's more open giving the chance to hold different things. The fingers and nails are nicely detailed. Feet are a sculpted the same at both sides.

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Click pictures to enlarge them

They come in a very pretty and sturdy box with bottom and lid where you can read the brand name and the name of the dolls, in white, light blue and pink colors,  that has a clear window where you can see your doll.

The dolls come with a hairnet and foam protections in their necks, wrists and ankles. They are held to the box by satin ribbons that are very easy to remove  just untieing them.

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About dressing them in other brand than Bonnie & Pearl, I tried one of my favorite AG outfits first, to find out that these particular shoes won't fit. Their feet are a little bit bigger and wider but not so much so I thought they could have fitted, unfortunately they didn't but the sweater and skirt fit her perfectly without any adjustment. AG leggings fit them too but a little bit loose, but again without any adjustment. Other shoe styles like sneakers and boots fit them perfectly.

Note the pose I had Sophia on to take the picture of the shoe in her feet. She could hold that pose easily without support. Very nice!