Meng F

Just before Christmas I spotted a doll in a photo of an interstate doll club meeting and it was so gorgeous, I had to know what it was.  I thought it might be the Mattel Fan Bing Bing doll head on a Made to Move body, but when I asked the friend who owned it, she revealed that it was a doll called Meng F and sent me the eBay link to buy one.  And as the doll wasn’t expensive, how could I resist.

I found two versions of the doll on eBay, but looking at the website listed on the back of the doll’s box – Mengfandoll.taobao.com – there are a couple of variations, one of which may have a different face mould.  I’m not game to even try and buy from Taobao, so the ones from eBay will have to do me.  They are basically the same the doll, except one has a fringe (bangs) with pale lip paint and the other has a centre part with red lips.  I chose the doll with a fringe.

Meng F next to a Made to Move Barbie doll.

Meng F is shorter and slightly smaller than Barbie, but her body is comparable to the Made to Move Barbie body.  In fact, I think that in design, it’s a bit better than the Made to Move body.  Shhhh, don’t tell Mattel!  Meng F’s torso is beautifully sculpted with realistic modelling around the throat, collarbones and breasts, and she even has nipples.  She is jointed similarly to the Made to Move body, with a few differences: the upper arm twist joint is slightly lower, the elbow joint is smaller and less intrusive; she has a twist waist and is missing the under-bust joint; the upper leg twist joint is located just above the knee and the knee has a wider angle bend, her feet are bigger and more realistically sculpted.  Regardless of these differences, the range of movement between the two bodies is very similar, except Meng F can twist at the waist.  I had a little bit of trouble getting the elbow joint to bend properly.  In fact, to begin with I didn’t think it had a double bend, as I couldn’t get the lower elbow joint to move at all. After checking with a friend that it should move, I heated the joint carefully with a hair dryer and got it moving.  My friend said she had the same problem with one doll, but the second was fine.  I’ve since had the same problem with a Made to Move body, so it must just be the type of joint.

Meng F’s body is beautifully sculpted.  The twist joint in the leg is just above the knee, not the upper thigh like a Made to Move Barbie body.  The feet are also a better size and beautifully sculpted.

Meng F’s knees bend at a wider angle than a Made to Move Barbie doll meaning she can kneel more realistically.

Meng F has the same range of movement as a Made to Move Barbie doll, except she can twist at the waist.

Meng F has a lovely face, her face paint is simple but eye catching, and she has rooted eyelashes.  She has long black hair and it’s a nice fibre that’s easy to comb.  Her fashion is also simple but striking, a black stretch crop top with two sunflower motifs, a stretch skirt with black and white stripe and sunflower print and yellow ankle boots.  The boots don’t have a split in the back as most boots for other dolls do, so it was a bit nerve-wracking trying to take them off.  I was worried they may break her ankle joint.  I resorted to heating them gently with the hair dryer and haven’t put them back on.  I’m debating whether to put a split in the back of them or just find her alternative foot wear.

The box is simple, mostly cardboard, with the doll held in with fabric ribbon and only one plastic/wire tie and a couple of plastic tabs.  The trouble is, my doll was posted from China in only a plastic post bag and by the time it arrived the box was very crushed.  Thankfully the doll was fine and I’m not an NRFB collector.  Overall, I love Meng F, and I wish there were a few more dolls in the range, that were easier to access.  For now, I’m more than happy to have her in my collection.

I prefer the hair pulled back from Meng F’s face.

(C) Jennifer B – All content is subject to copyright and may not be re-published or reproduced without written permission