African Dancer Janay

African Dancer Janay, Integrity Toys 1995
The year of copyright for this multiarticulated original Janay by Integrity Toys is 1995. African Dancer Janay, offered wearing outfits in a variety of colors and in at least two styles, is one of the few and possibly only articulated vintage Janay dolls. After learning this, I added "African Dancer Janay" to my saved eBay searches. I have attempted to win this doll more than once on eBay without success or the bid near the end of the auction was more than I wanted to pay; therefore, I did not attempt to win.

In a recent manual eBay search (after removing most of my saved searches) I found two listings for African Dancer Janay offered by the same seller. The costumes were different styles, an orange leotard and multicolored skirt and green multicolored pants and top. I attempted to win the one in orange but was outbid. I searched eBay to see if there were other listings and found and purchased the one in pink leotard and multicolored skirt in a buy it now with free shipping.

Shortly after the auction ended for the doll in orange, the seller contacted me with a second chance to purchase a duplicate of the sold doll. I declined the offer since the only difference in the one I won and the offered doll was the color of the fashion. The seller shared his plan to relist the doll after January 1st, in case anyone is interested.

African Dancer Janay has black rooted hair pulled up into a high ponytail with braided ends. The braids are adorned with gold tone shells. A necklace, bracelet, and anklet of plastic strung beads adorns her neck and left wrist and ankle. She wears goldtone earrings. She is jointed at the elbows, knees, and ankles. Her eyes are painted brown. White packaged sneakers are attached to the box liner as well as her cardboard punch-out drum.

I opened the box to retrieve a shell that had fallen from one of her braids and was surprised to find a 14-page Integrity Toys booklet. The cover and first two pages feature African American fashion dolls, Janay and Jordan. A selection of playline dolls appears on the next few pages followed by their Latina fashion doll, Alyssa. Additional playline dolls are next. Their Asian fashion doll, Jade, is on the final page. Scans of the entire booklet follow:

African Dancer Janay wearng an outfit identical to my doll's can be seen and described here.
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