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A tiny clay christening baby, dressed and boxed exactly as she left the factory decades ago.
Series: Commencement Series
Maker: Nancy Ann Storybook Dolls
Materials: Clay, fabric, cardboard (box)
Dimensions: Doll with gown approx. 5.5" L (doll alone approx. 3.5" L); box 6" x 4.25" x 2"
Origin: USA
Era: Vintage, 1936–42
Condition: Very good, never played with. Fabric yellowed and wrinkled at back from storage; original wrist tag present but broken off; original box shows yellowing, wear, and a couple of small tears. Please review photos closely before purchasing, as all sales are final.
This is Christening Baby #70 from the Nancy Ann Storybook Commencement Series. She's made of clay with painted eyes and white boots, her gown and diaper held in place with the original safety pins, and her hip-jointed legs date her to before 1942, when the company shifted to stiff-legged designs. She arrives in her original polka-dot box, complete with the broken wrist tag tucked inside. Please note: the crib shown in photos is a styling prop and is not included.
A wonderful piece for the doll collector or anyone drawn to early American dollmaking history.
Nancy Ann Abbott began making dolls out of her San Francisco apartment in 1936 with just $125 in capital, working 16 to 18 hour days; her company was formally incorporated as Nancy Ann Dressed Dolls in February 1937 with business partner Allan "Les" Rowland handling promotion and finances. By 1942, the company's yearly gross topped a million dollars, and it went on to become the largest doll manufacturer in the United States, with daily production eventually exceeding 12,000 dolls at its peak.
Browse our shop for more vintage Nancy Ann Storybook Dolls to round out your collection.
