Dolls, Nancy Ann Storybook, December Girl, Just a Dear #198 in Original Box, Vintage

• Vintage Doll, Nancy Ann Storybook, December Girl "Just a Dear" #198 in Original Box, Dolls of the Month Series, Plastic Jointed Legs, Sleepy Eyes, Original Wrist Tag, Never Used, Collectible Dolls, (Discontinued)
• Made in USA
• Vintage:  1950's
• Details:  An absolutely wonderful vintage doll!  From the Nancy Ann Storybook collection.  This is the December Girl #198, "Just Dear".  Doll retains the original wrist gold foil sticker which helped us date it.  For further identification please consider the following:  The taffeta yellow dress is held in place with a snap button, she wears white muslin pantaloons.  She is plastic with sleepy eyes (open and close). She has jointed legs and jointed arms. It's in the original box, white with pink polka dots.  Never been played with, from a doll collector's estate sale.   
• Material:  Plastic, Fabric, Cardboard (box)
• Dimensions: Approx 6.25 inches Long, (7.0 inches Long including gown).  Box: 7" x 7" inches Square, 3.0 inches Tall.
• Condition:  Vintage - Pre-Owned, Never Used. Very Good Vintage Condition. The only issues noted are all due to long term storage:  Fabric wrinkled and has yellow stains, hair slightly messy.  Retains original wrist tag and original box. The box is in good condition, some yellowing, signs of wear, silver sticker missing.  Please review all pictures and make sure you love this item before purchasing, we cannot accept returns.  Please remember these are VINTAGE and ANTIQUE items, they are NOT new, every effort has been made to show any scratches, wear and tear and imperfections.

Nancy Ann Abbott founded her company in 1936 from her San Francisco apartment. In 1937 she was joined in partnership by Allan "Les" Rowland.  That same year the company was incorporated as "Nancy Ann Dressed Dolls".  Initially buying bisque dolls from Japan and hand painting them, by 1939 the company was making their own dolls from clay imported from England.  The dolls with hip joints were made until 1942, then stiff-legged dolls were the norm.  The company name was changed to Nancy Ann Storybook Dolls, Inc. in 1945.  Unfortunately Nancy was having health problems in the early 1960's and died in 1964.  As Rowland's health also began declining they tried selling the company without success, and filed for bankruptcy in 1965.  That's pretty much the year "True" Nancy Ann dolls ended.  A group of stockholders purchased the company in 1967 but had them made of plastic in Hong Kong.  Jesco continued to make the dolls under a license granted by Bourla.  In 1973 Bourla wanted to compete with the Barbie dolls and introduced the Arlene doll.  From there we lose track as many other dolls, possibly 50+, were introduced.  Please be aware, in 1998 many dolls were reissued, packaged in red leatherette boxes, but if the box is missing, it may be hard to tell.  In 2016, Phym & Aero, a venture of Robert Tonner, purchased the Nancy Ann Storybook trademark.  In 2019, they sold the rights to Lynn Leatherman and Rebecca Lowell, they started "Nancy Ann Co.".