The Lawton Doll Company
548 North First Street
Turlock, CA 95380
Telephone: (209) 632-3655
Fax: (209) 632-6788
email: CustomerService@ LawtonDolls.com

ONE-OF-A-KIND

Swamp Angel Doll

Created by Wendy Lawton of The Lawton Doll Co.

�Limberlost � A word with which to conjure; a place wherein to revel.�

�Gene Stratton-Porter, Moths of the Limberlost

     Gene Stratton-Porter described her novels as �the slenderest possible threads of romance upon which I have strung every gem from nature their strength will bear.� Over the years her books have touched the hearts of millions of readers worldwide who have come to love the simple characters of her stories and be awed by the beauty and mystery of the vast Limberlost territory.

     Her characters, based on the lives of individuals with whom she came in daily contact, were fictional. The Limberlost, however, was very real, and was slowly being destroyed even as Gene Stratton-Porter wrote of it. A primary motivation for her writing was �to lead a field every human being I could influence, but with such reverence instilled into his touch that devastation would not be ultimately complete.�

     Today, after more than 100 years of logging, draining and cultivating of the extensive wetland area, efforts are underway to restore portions of Limberlost Territory to their natural conditions. At present, nearly 700 acres are gradually being restored, and additional properties continue to become available for purchase.

Inspired By Freckles Novel

     Motivated by her own love of Gene Stratton�Porter�s books and her intrigue with the Limberlost wetland, Wendy Lawton created the Swamp Angel, a one-of-a-kind doll inspired by the heroine in the best-selling novel Freckles. Gene Stratton-Porter once confided that the character of the Swamp Angel was based in large part on an idealized version of her own daughter, Jeanette, who frequently accompanied her in field work. Wendy�s Swamp Angel is a compilation based on photographs of Jeanette at various stages of her life, as well as the image of the heroine Wendy conjured as a child while reading the popular story.

     Reflecting the exquisite quality for which Lawton dolls are known, the Swamp Angel is a 14-inch, fully jointed porcelain doll elaborately costumed as the lovely young woman who, with the handsome young lease guard, discovered all the beauty and wonder to be found within the mysterious swamp.

Silent Auction

     The only doll of its kind, the Swamp Angel will be sold at silent auction by Friends of the Limberlost, with proceeds going to Limberlost Swamp Remembered for the restoration of Limberlost Territory. Wendy Lawton will be present at the Limberlost State Historic Site for the kickoff of the auction, held in conjunction with the Friends� annual Nature Day event, Saturday, May 12, 2001. The doll will be on display at the site from May 12 until August 16, during which time bids, beginning at $500, will be accepted in person or on authorized forms by fax.

     The winning bidder will be notified on Friday, August 17�the anniversary of Gene Stratton-Porter�s birth. The winning bid will be announced in the December 2001 issue of Doll World magazine, and in the (quarterly news letter for Lawton collectors). Bidders interested in receiving an earlier notification of the winning bid should submit an SASE with the words �silent auction results� clearly printed on the outside of the envelope.

Friends of the Limberlost

Friends of the Limberlost is a not-for-profit organization supporting Limberlost State Historic Site, Gene Stratton-Porter�s home from 1895�1913. Located at 200 East 6th St., Geneva, IN 46740, the site is part of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources� division of State Museums and Historic Sites, and is open 9 a.m.�5p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 1 p.m.�5 p.m. Sunday; closed Monday. Admission is free.

     To receive additional information, inquire about current bidding or acquire authorized forms for faxing bids, contact the site at (219) 368-7428 or E-mail: [email protected]. Contributions are tax deductible.