As early as 1950, was the introduction of the patented Wanda the Walking Doll. Advance made a few different versions but they were Wanda Walkers internally. The early versions (Wanda 1950-52) was sold in a brown box with blue lettering, (I have seen a few 1953-54's in a brown box as well, so it wasn't written in stone). 1953-56 was mainly sold  in a green box, but also had a box with candy stripes, 1950-1952, representing a Birthday box as well as a Christmas gift, (Saks Fifth Ave, "Sophie originals" were done this way). Wanda also had satan bows on her shoes and the front rollers were adjustable. I assumed so she would turn, as she walked (only in 1950-52) then went to non adjustable straight rollers 1953. Yes, she was top heavy and fell easily. Children learned that she did not do well on carpet. She was designed for hard floors. At 18 inches and 1 1/2 lb. She was more easily handled by small children. 1950-52 versions had a purple sash with gold letters, then from 1953-1956, went to a white sash with blue lettering. You can tell more from Wanda's shoes than anything else. Simply put, if the front rollers are adjustable-1950-1952. If she had 4 rivets in her footplate-she is a 1953-1955. 2 rivets, She is a late 1955-1956. Wanda was a smaller version of Winnie without the talking mechanism. Unfortunately they made Wanda's feet too small, for her body size. Wanda came with various dresses and her head supported a wig and bonnet. Hard plastic two piece bodies with hard plastic heads until 1955-56 when they made her head of vinyl. Also in 1955 came the ski doll. You can tell a ski doll by the 2 extra holes on the bottom of her foot plate. The instructions actually shows how to snap the snow ski to her shoe.
Somewhere from 1954-55 they also made a black version of Wanda, but called her Maybelle Walker. She had her own green box labeled "Maybelle the walking doll." I have only seen Maybelle in a blue, yellow or a green dress so I am unsure if she had others. She also wore her white with blue lettered sash, pinned to her dress that read " Maybelle" the walking doll. Extremely rare doll. Another rare doll, in 1956 Advance Doll made a boy doll with a vinyl head and brown shoes and used Wanda and Mr. Atom robot 2 rivet feet and leg braces for him. May have been a last ditch effort to sell of dolls using dwindling stock parts. Wanda Walker was made 1950-1956 making her the first doll and their oldest doll.  We are always looking for a new type Wanda doll and especially storybook dolls. Contact us if you have one.