OVERVIEW OF THE LAWTON DOLL COMPANY FOR 2005

The Lawton Doll Company 
Answers the Question: �What�s New?�

     For 2005 Wendy Lawton offers collectors a mix of classic Lawton fare along with some exciting and innovative developments.

     Remember the old song, Make New Friends? That�s the name of The Lawton Doll Company�s newest collection. Many doll collectors have fallen in love with an old French friend, Bleuette. Because of her long, rich history hundreds of patterns and costumes have been produced for her over the decades and are still offered. Wendy decided to create some new friends to join the old. With original Lawton faces and classic American character, these three girls�Darla, Fanny and Bleu-Belle�are exactly the same 10 and 5/8 inch size of Bleuette. Like all American girls, they enthusiastically follow French fashion and are not above asking to borrow Bleuette�s patterns for their own trousseau. Instead of Bleuette�s composition body, however, the Lawton girls have beautiful hand-carved, spring-jointed, painted wooden bodies. So 2005 is the year to make new friends but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold. Could Lawtons be the gold standard?

     To satisfy those who love classic Lawton fare, Lawtons revisits Classic Playthings with charming little Noah and his wooden ark filled with animals. And collectors will be excited to discover that Wendy also accurately reinterpreted the beloved Josephine for the Lawton Library series�she�s only nine inches tall but has all the intricate detail of her predecessor. Plus there are two unforgettable new editions to the nine-inch Merely Me Collection, Lightly Lily and Keenly Keisha. And Lawtons again offers a Christmas doll for 2005�Dressed in Holiday Style.

     The ever-popular nine-inch Lawtons continue to immigrate to our shores. The Coming to America series features Betje who hails from Volendam in the Netherlands. She comes with her Opa�s chest brought all the way from Holland. Inside the chest they�d packed her warm wool cape, her wooden skates, her Delft Tea set, her little wooden windmill and a basket of sugar hearts to eat on her journey. She comes dressed in the traditional Dutch dress and cap of Volendam and wooden klompen.

      Changes will take place in the Lawton Collectors Guild for 2005. There�ll be no more Guild Gifts, but the price to join will go from $50.00 to only $15.00. Members will still receive newsletters, be eligible to attend Lawton Collectors Guild functions and receive a voucher that will enable them to purchase the guild member�s only doll, Matilda Maud.

     Notice lots of wonderful new details on the dolls�more mohair and human hair wigs, for instance. And look at the lacy socks on some of the dolls. A new ribbing machine means Lawtons can knit delicate seamless stockings. Beautiful, aren�t they?

     Over the years collectors have often requested that the Lawton Doll Company issue some of their famous doll�s dolls as stand-alone editions. The wait is over. Mint-in-Box is a collection of these classic dolls dressed in exquisite costumes and packed into presentation boxes. Every detail of these miniature dolls is recreated�whether it is kid bodies, tiny glass eyes, or an intricately crafted mohair wig. These are treasures to keep forever or to give to your favorite doll. 

     2005 will be a year to remember for Lawton collectors.