In a world of change, Quality endures.™

     2001 marks the nineteenth annual collection of dolls issued by the Lawton Doll Company. Lawtons has debuted more than 200 different editions over the last two decades. Those editions translate to more than 75,000 intricately handmade porcelain dolls that now reside in public and private collections all over the world. In addition to those Lawton-issued dolls, collectors around the world purchased more than half a million Ashton-Drake/Wendy Lawton dolls. It sparks the question—What is it that makes Lawton Dolls so perennially collectible?

Concept

     Designer, Wendy Lawton, believes that the idea behind the doll may be as important as the artistic impact. Many of the dolls illustrate well-loved stories such as Anne of Green Gables, Alice in Wonderland, or Raggedy Ann. Other dolls revisit favorite nursery rhymes or fairy tales. Often times a doll illustrates a long-cherished ethnic custom or forms the basis of an original story. But—whatever the concept—it is often the idea that draws us to the doll in the first place.

Design

     Concept alone is not enough. A new sculpt and an original costume design is created for each new doll that is issued by Lawtons. Wendy Lawton’s work has garnered an impressive array of awards. Over the years, Lawton dolls have been nominated for 61 industry awards, winning the prestigious DOTY Award nine times and Dolls of Excellence Award three.

Quality

     Lawton Dolls have been consistently recognized for their outstanding quality. Wendy Lawton is committed to maintaining the highest standards of quality, whether that is in the actual porcelain work, the china painting, the workmanship on the costumes, the authenticity of the perfectly scaled accessories or in the finishing and packaging of the dolls. Our motto asserts that quality endures, but this is more than a byword to us—it is a promise.

Price

     The Lawton Doll Company shops the world over, looking for unique materials for our dolls—lace from France; cotton batiste from Switzerland; exquisite handwork from Germany; silver jewelry from the Navajo nation; beadwork from Jakarta—the shopping list is endless. And yet each doll from The Lawton Connoisseur Collection is painstakingly handmade in the United States by a highly skilled team of dollmakers. It is a testament to Lawton’s commitment to conservative pricing that all of these details are offered at a fair collectible price. When you take time to compare dolls, detail for detail, you’ll not find a better doll value anywhere.

     The Lawton Gallery Edition line of dolls debuted in 1999. Designed completely by Wendy Lawton and made in one of the finest doll factories in the Pacific Rim, these dolls are offered in a price that appeals to everyone.

Collectibility

     The relative collectibility of a doll can only be proven over time, but several conditions must be present in order for a doll to maintain its value. There have to be enough dolls in circulation for a collecting genre to have developed. There have to be an ever-increasing pool of collectors. And care has to be taken, by the company, in the issuance and limitation of dolls. Lawton Dolls have had an excellent track record in this area over the past 15 years. A few editions have risen to prices more than ten times higher than their price at issue. While only a few have reached those record secondary market prices, most dolls have increased in value over time. No one can predict market trends and it is of utmost importance to buy without expectation of eventual return, but it is good to know that Lawton dolls have indeed become perennial favorites.

     The Lawton Doll Company pledges to continue to offer dolls with imaginative concepts, unique design and unsurpassed quality. In addition to the quality and design for which we are known, we strive to maintain fair pricing and careful distribution. We believe our motto says it best, In a world of change, Quality endures.