Name: Princess Anna Walking Doll Bride
Made by and When: Valentine Dolls, Inc., circa 1955
Material: Soft vinyl face with hard plastic body that is articulated at the head, upper arms at the shoulders, and upper legs; the feet are flat.
Marks: (Head) 17VW
Height: 18 inches
Hair, Eyes, Mouth: Rooted black saran short hair with bangs, brown sleep eyes with bristle upper eyelashes and painted lower eyelashes, closed mouth
Clothes: White taffeta and lace bridal gown, white mesh half-slip, white flower-accented veil, white floral and ribbon bouquet, white undies, white rayon socks, and white vinyl Mary-Jane-style flat shoes
Other: Better known for their ballerina dolls, Valentine Dolls also made walking dolls like Princess Anna. This all-original doll has its original white cardboard box, which is missing the lid. One end of the box contains the doll’s name (Princess Anna Walking Doll) along with “Stock #850,” and the word, “COLORED” stamped near the doll’s name to indicate the box contains the Black version. Made during the Jim Crow era of U.S. doll manufacturing, dolls and people of African descent were often described as colored by non-Black people. This term was not accepted by culturally-aware Black Americans.
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