Vintage Nancy Ann Storybook Dolls - 3 Redheads / Ginger / Auburn Hair - Bisque

Description

Set of 3 Vintage Nancy Ann Storybook Dolls
1. Red head doll, lime green hat and dress, painted eyes, frozen legs, black paint-on shoes, bisque. Her hat and dress are held with safety pins. She bears the mark 'Story Book Doll USA' and stands at  5.5 inches  Arms are attached but are a little loose. A few of the smaller flowers are missing from her dress.
2. Our next doll also has red hair, Is this Summer? She is wearing a teal color dress with blue flowers and a pink ribbon. A shawl is attached to her dress. Her dress is attached by a safety pin. Her eyes are painted, legs frozen, arms attached. She is wearing black shoes.  She stands 5.5 inches tall. She bears the Story Book Doll mark.
3. The third doll is wearing a pink taffeta dress, has painted eyes, red hair, and frozen legs. She stands 5.5 inches tall. She bears the mark 'Story Book Doll.'
All three dolls and clothing are in good condition. There are no boxes with the dolls.
The dolls were termed "Storybook Dolls" because they often borrowed the names of characters from children's books and fairy tales. Popular dolls include characters like Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, and Goldilocks. One popular series featured a doll for every month of the year, while another series of dolls was based on a poem referencing the days of the week. (Monday's child is fair of face, Tuesday's child is full of grace, etc.)
The creator of Nancy Ann Story book dolls, Ms. Nancy Ann Abbott, grew her company from a tiny cottage industry into a large corporation and was one of the most successful female CEOs in the 1940's. She simply knew what appealed to little girls. Many ladies now in their 60s, 70s, and 80s remember Nancy Ann dolls as cherished birthday or Christmas gifts. The sweet memories of the doll are often intertwined with memories of a beloved parent, or other special relative who was the doll giver.
Nancy Ann Dolls from 1937-1947 were bisque (ceramic fired in a kiln.) They are fragile, which is reflected in their value if they remain unbroken.  After 1948, the dolls were changed to plastic to keep up with the times and to produce a less breakable toy.