Teddy Bear Library
The really useful information page
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IF BEARS COULD TALK The interesting thing about collecting old bears is that they have a past, a history and this gives them an air of mystery and intrigue that you cannot get in a modern bear. Many manufacturers and bear artists try to replicate old bears and while they might manage to achieve a realistic look of an old bear, the history and heart of a true old bear can’t be reproduced. Some of these vintage bears have survived two world wars and lived with several families during their lives and received the love of a child. The most common question we get asked is do we know the history attached to a bear and while there are a few that have some provenance most bears have no record of their past. So this is where you can help. If you have a bear that you have had for some years start now and write down the history of you and the bear. Start by recording where and when you and the bear first met and go on to record where you both lived and any interesting things that you did together including holidays and special events. This should be updated as time passes and then the history of the bear can be passed to the next guardian of the bear. To make the history complete is a good idea to take photos as well. Even if you have just purchased your old bear and don’t have any of the history, remember that his history with you starts the day you buy him so start recording events. It seems so tragic that when we pass our bears on to the next generation that they don’t know anything about him except for hear say and the fact that this was Mum or Dads bear. As teddy can’t speak (well not to anyone except you) we need to speak for him. Not only is in interesting and enjoyable but it will also help increase the value of your bear if he ever has to be sold as bears with provenance seem to generate higher prices at auction. ‘Old Ted’ One bear we have at the moment is a bear called ‘Old Ted’
and his family came to visit our antique bear showroom as the lady wanted us to
find a new home for her childhood bear. Old Ted was a birth gift to his owner
in 1924 when she was born in Hitchin Herts. This gift was from her Great Aunt
and Uncle who were Greengrocers in When the owner of Old Ted got married and moved away he
stayed in ‘Topsy Boo Bear’ This special little bear comes from the Sunshine state of Florida USA and she is a 1910 era white Steiff bear that was owned by a lady who was a professional Cellist for the Palm Beach symphony Orchestra and other world wide orchestras and Topsy Boo Bear accompanied her on tour all over the world as she spent her entire career travelling. When Topsy Boo Bear was bad she was called Boo Boo Bad Bear and when she was very good she was called Best Boo Bear. Topsy comes with a letter and pictures of her original owner and her own story to tell and is also looking for a home. ‘Mathias Putney’ One bear we recently found a home for was called Mathias Putney and he got his name from a department store in Putney called Mathias and he belonged to an actor who was at stage school with David Frost, Johnny Briggs and Millicent Martin. This little 1930’s Chiltern travelled all over the country with his actor owner who stared in the Flaxman Boys and appeared on stage with Joan Collins. We have now found Mathias a new home and I am sure that it will not be long before Old Ted and Topsy Boo Bear featured above find a new home also. As you can see it so very interesting knowing about the history of our little fury friends. So please can we urge all you lucky people who still have their old bear to help keep their history for future generations and start writing today! Andy Greetham Bourton Bears 01452 760186 |
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UNJOINTED TEDDY BEARS If you are looking for a
little gem for your collection then consider un-jointed bears as they can be
very appealing. For some reason they never seem to fetch the price of the
jointed equivalent. As far back as the early 1900’s un-jointed bears were being
produced. One of the first in the UK was probably a Dean’s Rag Book printed
sheet of cotton that you cut out and sewed together to make your own bear. Many
manufacturers produced unjointed bears probably as it kept the cost down so
they were cheap to produce and cheaper for the retailer to sell. In the 1930’s
Merrythought produced their famous ‘Dutch Bear’ with his trousers that looked
like they had been filled with air. This little chap was made in plush and
mohair and one of these today could be purchased for £150 upwards depending on
condition. One of Deans first mohair un-jointed bears came in several colours
including gold, pink and blue with felt paw pads in 11” and 14” sizes and for
an early coloured mohair bear can be a very reasonable buy. If you prefer a
more true to life bear then most manufacturers produced life like bears on all
fours that were un-jointed, some were on wheels and my favourite ones of this
style are those made by Steiff in the early part of the 20th Century
which were made for children to ride on. During the war years supplies of
mohair were short and many bears from these periods were made with only hands,
face and feet made of mohair or plush and the rest of the bear was dressed or
made of cotton to save the mohair fabric. During the latter part of the 1950’s
and into the 1960’s un-jointed teddies became
more and more popular as new machine washable fabrics and fillings made the
Teddy Bear more practical, affordable and therefore more accessible for
children. Even to this day un-jointed bears are being produced in high numbers
for children’s enjoyment all over the world. So where do you look for your
early un-jointed bears? Teddy Bear Fairs, Teddy Bear Websites, Flea Markets,
Antique fairs/shops, Jumble Sales and Car Boot Sales are worth scouring to see
if you can find a gem. I would look for those made of mohair and look for glass
eyes rather than plastic ones as these are signs of an older bear. Keep your
eyes peeled for a label or some mark that will help identify his origin. For further information or to
see a selection of vintage bears contact |
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UNJOINTED TEDDY BEARS PART 2 If you are thinking about
starting to collect old teddy bears then consider starting by collecting
un-jointed bears as they can be very appealing. Not only do these bears come at
a bargain price compared to their jointed equivalent but they also come in a
variety of sizes and manufacturers. As far back as the early 1900’s un-jointed
bears were being produced. One of the first in the UK was probably a Dean’s Rag
Book printed sheet of cotton that you cut out and sewed together to make your
own bear. Many manufacturers produced unjointed bears probably as it kept the
cost down so they were cheap to produce and cheaper for the retailer to sell. Quite
often people refer to them as pram toys as they were more attractive for the
younger child. In the 1930’s Merrythought produced their famous ‘Dutch Bear’
with his trousers that looked like they had been filled with air. One of Deans first mohair
un-jointed bears came in several colours including gold, pink and blue with
felt paw pads in 11” and 14” sizes and for an early coloured mohair bear can be
a very reasonable buy. If you prefer a more true to life bear then most
manufacturers produced life like bears on all fours that were un-jointed, some
were on wheels and my favourite ones of this style are those made by Steiff in
the early part of the 20th Century which were made for children to
ride on. During the war years supplies of mohair were short and many bears from
these periods were made with only hands, face and feet made of mohair or plush
and the rest of the bear was dressed or made of cotton to save the mohair
fabric. During the latter part of the 1950’s and into the 1960’s un-jointed teddies became more and more
popular as new machine washable fabrics and fillings made the Teddy Bear more
practical, affordable and therefore more accessible for children. The first
machine washable teddy bear was made in Bourton Bears Telephone: 01452 760186 |
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A Bear is for life not just for Christmas! It’s that time of year again when loved ones contact us to buy a Christmas present for their bear collecting partner. We are always asked for our opinion on what we think people would like to find under the tree on Christmas morning and this is such a difficult question to answer as different people like different things. It is a bit like trying to choose a tie or picture for someone it is a personal thing. If someone just collects a certain make then it is easy to pick a bear that they do not have in their collection. In the past we have found the following bears to be popular and always well received. The Chiltern Hugmee has to be one of the most popular choices. This bear can fit most pockets as they can be found in many sizes from 10” to 30”. These bears were some of the best British bears made and have such appealing faces that they are a hit with most people. If you are looking for that extra special Chiltern then track down a 1920/30’s bear with the shaved muzzle they cost a little more but hold their prices well and are harder to find. Steiff bears are another popular bear but can be out of reach of some pockets. If you search hard though you can still find early bears at reasonable prices, granted they may be a little bald in places and may have some restoration but they are there to be found. Still all us guys know there is nothing wrong with a little balding and some think it is attractive (he says clutching at straws). If you can’t stretch to several thousand or even high hundreds for a bear then take a look at the 1950’s Steiff bears which are remarkably good value for a high quality bear. If a Steiff has a button in his ear it will push the price up a little more but Steiff bears are so recognisable this rarely matters to a collector and I am sure will be welcomed under any Christmas tree. A lot of collectors of bears grew up in the
1950’s which was a popular era for If I was asking Santa for a bear this Christmas it would be a 1930’s Deans Mouse eared bear like the replica called Nigel that they recently produced. These 1930’s bears have the ears set wide apart on the head and look a bit like a mouse hence mouse eared. They have a particular cute appeal and if you are listening Santa I would like one with a Deans Rag book Label please! One of Merrythoughts best selling bears was designed and first made in the late 1950’s and this is the Cheeky Bear. This mouse looking bear captured the hearts of the buying public in thousands. During the early days he was made in a small 10” size with glass eyes and these bears are so cute. Look out for the black and white printed label with the registered design addition as these are some of the early bears! If ones partner is feeling particularly flash with the cash and they already have a room of steiff bears then head for the Farnells. These bears are said to be the bear that originated Winnie the Pooh who can be seen in the New York Library and they have such charisma. They came with boot button eyes in the early days but the 1920/30’s bears with glass eyes are the ones that I love the best. What collection can be complete without a real original Winnie the Pooh style bear? But beware the price tag can bite but I guess it is only once a year. Well what ever your choice for the Christmas box this year I am sure that when it is opened it will be loved for many years as a bear is for life and not just for Christmas! Andrew Greetham |
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We Need Bears and They Need Us. People often ask
why I collect Teddy Bears and not something else. For me there is nothing else,
call it a compulsion or even an addiction but whatever it is I am hooked. I
think that when I look deeply into why I like bears it is probably for several
reasons firstly it’s a way of escapism by reliving your happy childhood
memories. I only have to pick up a 1950’s Chad Valley or Chiltern bear and I
can picture myself on a hot summers day in the garden as a child playing with my
toys and my Noddy tricycle (the one with the boot you could put things in)
making mud pies and feeding them to anyone who would eat them. My favourite
flavour mud pies were grass, flower and if mum was not looking Rose Petal which
was my bears favourite as it smelt so nice (could never understand why my
friend at the bottom of the garden would not eat them). The second reason
that old bears appeal so much is that they have a past and like us adults have
seen the changes made in our world over the years. And finally bears are so tactile that you can’t help wanting to pick them up and give them a hug and everybody need a hug especially in this day and age. If you have never given a bear a hug then you have not lived as you feel all the worries of the world disappear for a moment. The world would be a much better place if there were more hugs around. I am sure that some people may think me mad but yes I do talk to my bears in fact when I am in the bear room packing the bears for a Teddy Bear Fair I find myself apologising to those who I am leaving behind. I think that
people who still have their original childhood bear are so lucky as they have
been with them through all the trials and tribulations that life throws at us
along the way. A bear of this type knows the real you the one that you don’t
let out to many people. Bears are good
listeners and although they can’t give advice they always seem to help you make
the right decision. When life gets tough talk to your bear, you will find that
it will help. So if you have to
buy a present for a child then buy a bear and he will be their life long
companion. Buy one that will last the ravages of time so that he will still be
in one piece when the child gets to and age to appreciate their fury friend. I
recently gave an elderly lady a bear as a gift and as she loves him and as she
has no family around her so she talks to him and they keep each other
company. So if you are eight months or
eighty then there is always a place for a bear in your life. Andy Greetham |
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Bears on Legs Years before the
two legged teddy bear we all know and love came on the scene there were other
types of bear toys for children. These bears were more like a real bear as manufacturer’s
sketched real live bears in captivity to help them with their designs. Many of
these bears were made during the 1860/90s and were a popular children’s toy.
These bears were made of wood, paper mache or the more traditional excelsior
stuffed bears covered in fabric that we have seen become popular. The 19th
Century children’s story book Goldilocks and the three bears made the bear even
more popular with children and by the end of the 19th century bears
were used to advertise all sorts of products as they captured the hearts of the
buying public with their human like ways. Some early bears
were made to mirror those of the early European Dancing Bears and would have a
large ring through the bear’s nose and a chain. Later this was replaced with a
leather muzzle on the bear to make it more palatable for children. In the mid 19th
century caged bears were available in many Zoo’s throughout the world and this
added to their popularity. These early toys
are very collectable and many of the early German toy manufacturers made these
true to life bears that were standing on all fours. It was not long before the
manufacturers realised that these bears would be even more entertaining if they
had wheels as it gave them a walking appearance and larger examples could be
ridden on by children. These true to
life bears remained popular with children for years and were manufactured up
until the Second Word War in large quantities. Most of these early bears on
wheels had metal spoke wheels and later there was a change towards wooden
wheels. To find an early large bear of this kind in excellent condition is rare
as they were much played with and the fabric on the back got very worn. To find
an Early Steiff, Strunz, Eduard Cramer or Bing would be a real achievement and
could cost thousands if in excellent condition.
Fortunately many other
manufacturers made these bears and so you can add a more reasonably priced one
to your collection. These bears have great faces and are a real piece of
history and are great fun to collect. Andy Greetham |
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Early Chiltern Bears and how to identify them Named after the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire where the factory was situated in a town called Chesham the Chiltern Toy co as we know it today started manufacturing its first bears in 1915, but one of the most outstanding bears that they created has to be the Chiltern Hugmee bear that arrived in the late 1920’s The Hugmee range had the real appeal of the traditional bear look that continued into the 1930’s and was called Hugmee as they were stuffed with soft Kapok (with the exception of the head that was excelsior) that made them more cuddly than bears stuffed solely with excelsior. They used top quality mohair and velveteen or cotton paw pads with carded soles to the feet on many early bears. The painted glass eyes were large and appealing and the unusual nose stitching with the upturned stitching at either end has been one way of identifying these bears today together with legs that are said to resemble chicken drumsticks. These early Chiltern bears generally had no labels but card tags that are extremely rare to find. During the 1930’s shaved muzzles got longer and the bears came in a wide variety of sizes and colours including pink and blue, these were popular for obvious reasons. A new idea in this period were bears that made growling noises and Chiltern were not slow to offer bears with squeakers and bellows style music boxes. Features to Help
Identify your Chiltern Teddy Bear. Eyes that were either clear glass with orange painted backs and black pupils or later in the 1930’s came in Amber and Black glass. Black nose stitching with upturned stitches at each end and black mouth stitching which in most cases looks like an upside down letter ‘T’ and has the effect of giving the bear a smile. Pads were generally made from beige linen or if they came with carded feet (so the bear could stand) these were mostly in beige or brown velvet. Claw stitching seems to vary depending on the size of the bear but most had four claws on the back of the hand pads. Most Chiltern bears of this era had a chest squeaker but many now no longer work. The mohair was mostly gold in colour and of good quality these two examples show along and short mohair. The ears were mostly sewn into the facial seam. Andy Greetham Bourton Bears |
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Chiltern Bears the First
Chapter Named after the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire where the factory was situated in a town called Chesham the Chiltern Toy co as we know it today started manufacturing its first bears in 1915 (although had been making other toys earlier than this). The first teddy bear produced by Chiltern was called The Master Teddy a funny little fellow that was un-jointed and had a dressed cotton cloth body and mohair hands, face and paws. The most distinctive part of this bear was the fact he had white pained glass eyes that made him have a googly eyed look and not at all like the later Chiltern bears we have come to love for their endearing faces. The owner of the company was a man called Joseph Eisenmann and unfortunately he did not live long enough to know how successful Chiltern would become at making bears. When he died in 1919 he left the company to his Son-in-Law Leon Rees who took Harry Stone as a business partner in 1920. Harry Stone had previously worked with J.K.Farnell and together Leon and Harry formed H. G. Stone and Co and under the Chiltern trademark built one of the best known teddy bear manufacturers of the time. One of the most outstanding bears that they created has to be the Chiltern Hugmee bear that arrived in the late 1920’s. Recently here at Bourton Bears we had a telephone call from someone wanting to visit to look at our bears and especially looking for a 1920’s Hugmee bear. You can imagine our surprise when they arrived and we found out that they were the Grand children of the late Harry Stone. They were lucky as we always carry a good stock of Chiltern bears and we happened to have one of the early 1920’s bears in stock. They said that they had never held one of these bears and the atmosphere in the room when they were talking about their Grandfather while holding the bear was enough to give you goose bumps. That sure is one visit to our showroom we will not forget! This Hugmee range had the real appeal of the traditional bear look that continued into the 1930’s and was called Hugmee as they were stuffed with soft Kapok (with the exception of the head that was excelsior)that made them more cuddly than bears stuffed solely with excelsior. They used top quality mohair and velveteen or cotton paw pads with carded soles to the feet on many early bears. The painted glass eyes were large and appealing and the unusual nose stitching with the upturned stitching at either end has been one way of identifying these bears today together with legs that are said to resemble chicken drumsticks. These early Chiltern bears generally had no labels but card tags that are extremely rare to find. During the 1930’s shaved muzzles got longer and the bears came in a wide variety of sizes and colours including pink and blue, these were popular for obvious reasons. A new idea in this period were bears that made growling noises and Chiltern were not slow to offer bears with squeakers and bellows style music boxes. As the war started many manufacturing plants were turned over to aid the war effort and the Chiltern Factories were no exception and in 1940 they ceased making bears. Andrew Greetham |
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Chiltern Bears Part II When factories that were commandeered for the War resumed their business, materials for manufacturing were short. This forced many companies to rethink their product and the Chiltern Toy Company was no exception. Pre war Chiltern bears had been made predominately from high quality mohair and this was not available and the fabric that was available was short in supply. The design of the Hugmee range was changed to make shorter muzzles and limbs in order to get more bears out of each roll of fabric and thankfully this was the birth of the flat faced Hugmee style that sold in the thousands during the 1950/60s. This bear must have one of the most appealing faces in the bear world and many people have one in their collection. The nose stitching on the post war bears changed to vertical stitching in the shape of a shield. Amber glass eyes sewn into the bear from the back of the head continued into the 1950’s until plastic was introduced in the late 50’s to conform to new safety standards that were being introduced on children’s toys. It was not long before good quality mohair became available again and this produced some very endearing bears of varying sizes in the 50’s that today are prized among collectors many of which have fond memories of a similar bear from their childhood. During the 50’s Chiltern introduced their first cloth label that was glued to the foot of their bears and read CHILTERN HYGENIC TOYS MADE IN ENGLAND in blue on a white background. Unfortunately this label often came off so finding a bear with this on his foot pad will always be difficult and expect to pay a premium for this. Paw pads during this period were mainly made of high quality velvet or rexine. In 1953 Chiltern produced an unusual bear known as the Ting a Ling because of the noise he made when shaken. This bear was a different pattern to the Hugmee range and had big flat feet so the bear could stand and an inset muzzle made of short mohair. This bear was not the only musical bear to be designed as there was a range of squeeze me bellows bears and wind up musical bears introduced into the Hugmee and Bruin bear ranges. Other additions to the range during this period included a range of Hugmee pandas that are very difficult to get hold of in good condition. In the late 50’s to keep ahead in the bear world they introduced the plastic nose onto their successful Hugmee range. This nose is said to have been from their range of push along dogs and was done as an experiment. This nose was a success especially as it conformed to the new safety regulations and can be found on many of the later bears produced towards the final Chiltern years. One of my favourite bears produced By Chiltern has to be the bear on a bicycle. This little bear was the first design to be produced by Pam Howells when she started at the Chiltern factory. This little bear that was based on a character from the cartoon Dumbo sits on his cycle and when pulled along his little legs go up and down as if he is pedalling and is so amusing to watch. The original prototype was much more detailed and in mohair unlike the final production model that they obviously changed for costs reasons. Pam Howells still designs and sells her fabulous bears today and don’t miss the chance to visit her at the next teddy fair she has a stand. Leon Rees the driving force behind the
Chiltern Toy Co died in 1963 and in 1964 the company was taken over by a large
group. In 1967 it became a subsidiary of Andrew Greetham & Melvyn Fabb |
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Steiff Bears The older pre 1920 bears seem to be in such demand now and I am sure all collectors and bear lovers would like one in their collection. They mostly have the famous boot button eyes which give them such appeal. People think that an old Steiff bear will cost a fortune to buy but if you are happy with a well love one and not too worried if someone has removed the button from his ear then they can be quite affordable. Another option is to consider a 1950’s Steiff from the ‘Original Teddy’ range which at the present time are very affordable and also can be found in very good or near mint condition. They were made in various sizes and colours. Many of these turn up in the Caramel and Gold colours but the Brown or White are not so easy to find. One of the most sought after colours is the White mohair range which has the brown nose and claw stitching unlike the tradition gold bears that have black. These White bears must have been less popular probably because of the fact that anything white when given to a child doesn’t stay white for long. They have wool felt paw pads and glass eyes and the smaller bears tend to have press squeakers and the larger bears 43cm plus have growlers. All these bears would have had the card chest tag and the Steiff button in their ear with a yellow label. If you are really lucky you may find an early one that would have the white Made in Germany US Zone Label in his arm or leg seam. This range has shorter limbs than the early Steiff bears and generally has a tubbier look to them. If the Bear still has his button or some form of original ID then be prepared to pay a little more for him. Be sure when looking for an old Steiff bear of any age that you buy from a reputable dealer and that you have a recept for him so that there is no doubt that he is a Steiff Bear. Just because he has a button in his ear this does not make him a Steiff as we have seen many bears that were not manufactured by Steiff with a Steiff button put into the ear by some unscrupulous person to fool the unsuspecting collector. Bourton Bears |
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Why do bears become Homeless? Many people who visit our stand at Teddy Bear fairs across the country ask how can people part with their lifetime bear as this in their view is like parting with a member of the family. Many of the bears that we purchase from the original owner, and we find that the owners are of an age that they want us to find a good home for their life long companion as they either have nobody to leave him to or their children have no interest in bears and would sell the bear anyway. Quite often people see it as their duty to find their bear another loving home to someone who will love him every bit as much as they have. Many of our regular collectors like bears that have come straight from their original owner as there can sometimes be some provenance with him or even a photo or two. Also there are those people who have little of no sentimental attachment to their bear and they must think that I am mad when I ask them to consider what they are doing before parting with them. At one show we were doing a lady who was very well dressed came to the stand and produced a sweet Chad Valley bear out of her bag and asked if we would like to buy her childhood bear that she had for a birthday present aged seven. Finding it difficult to resist his charming face I asked the lady to think about what she was doing and perhaps she would like to go and consider if she really wanted to part with the bear. I gave her a card and suggested she phoned me to let me know her decision. Her face was a picture as I am sure she thought I was round the bend and in fact she walked round the fair and came back to our stand and insisted she would like us to find him a new home. When we arrived home after the fair we had a message on the answering machine from the lady who we purchased the bear from, not wanting him back as you might have expected but offering us the identical bear from her twin sister. Many of our Teddy’s come from Auctions up and down the country from house clearances or deceased estates. These are the bears we feel sad for as we have no way of finding out if they had a loving previous owner and we think that they are like little orphans looking for a new home. As some old bears have quite a value attached to them and this can tempt people to sell them when times are hard or they want to do something special with the money. There also those people who inherit a bear and have no interest in Teddy Bears and can’t understand why there is all this fuss about Bears. Whenever we are now asked to find a home for a lifetime bear by his previous owner or their family we try to get as much information about the family and the owner so that we can pass this on to the new guardian so that some of the Bears life history will stay with him for ever. In fact we have just started giving away notebooks to our collectors so they can start the future provenance of the bear that they buy from us so his history will not be lost. If you have your childhood bear then keep a note of his history and make sure that you enjoy his company to the full. One recent Teddy with a history can be seen
on these pages and her name is Honeybunch who was purchased for her owner
Barbara, fifty three years ago. Her bright red coat was knitted by Barbara’s
mum to protect her coat and it has done a fine job. ‘Honeybunch’ comes from
Prestatyn in |
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The Bears go to the fair Still one of the best places to buy bears old, new, or artist is at one of the many Teddy Bear Fairs that are held up and down the country. As you can see on this website there is a teddy fair on most weekends somewhere in the country. We did 44 shows in 2003 and plan a similar amount this year and we still feel that its is so much better to buy a bear that you can meet in the fur rather than from a picture on the computer For us the work starts the day before and as in most cases this is the Saturday as most fairs are on a Sunday. Deciding who goes to the fair is always difficult, and as Melvyn and I enter our Bear room and look at all the little faces that cry out to us “I want to go” “take me” “it’s my turn to go”. Choosing from some 350 plus bears is the problem as they all want the chance to find a new home and we want to take them all but know that we don’t have the room. First one off the shelf in Millie a Chiltern Hugmee from the 1950’s dressed in an old green floral dress that was her pride and joy in her day. We always take a good selection of Chiltern bears as they are a favourite of ours and collectors and as I pack Millie I can’t help wondering if she will be lucky enough to find a home this time. To keep Millie company we also ask Eric to go to the fair as he is an older (1930’s) Chiltern that is much loved but he thinks he is still very much in his prime. To add a touch of excitement to our stand we always try to take some early Steiff bears and one or two of my favourite pre 1915 bears end up in the bag ready for the fair. Just as I am about to pack the last bag of bears a cheeky Chad Valley bear falls off one of the shelves and lands with a loud squeak as if to say I want to go and so he finds his way into the bag. By now we have packed about 150 bears and there is only room for two more in the last bag and as I look around the room a glint of red catches my eye from Polly the Steiff parrot that is partner to an early 1950’s Clemens bear that has a great label. This couple have been together for a long time and I promised their original owner that we would home them together. The final bear to go to the fair is ‘Bootsy’ a 1930’s bear of unknown origin that comes with his faded green felt boots, hence his name and he has a great face, At last the bags are full and as we look around the bear room we can’t help but feel sad for those bears that are left behind. Up at six the next morning and we find
ourselves travelling towards the venue for the Teddy Bear Fair. On arrival we
check in and find our position and start to set up our stand. As we take the
bears out of the bags trouble starts as they all seem to want to be in the best
position so they can find a new home. An hour later and the stand is ready as
the public cue to enter the fair. Just time for the last minute touches and a
brush up for the bears. Throughout the day many people visit and pick up the
bears and each time they get picked up they hope that they are going to a new
home but only the lucky ones will be put into a bag and taken to a new home.
One of those bear that found a new home this time was ‘Bootsy’ and he has gone
to live with two of our other bears in Andy Greetham www.bourtonbears.com |
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Soft toys and Teddy Bears Collecting soft toys continues to be popular as many of us try to rekindle those childhood memories from yesteryear. There is a high demand for old teddy bears especially those pre 1960 as well as those limited editions made in more recent times by the large manufacturers. Also there is demand for early soft toys and those that retain the makers label tend to fetch premium prices. As well as a makers label or identification, the condition also affects the price. It has also been noticeable that items with provenance have fetched good prices especially those with an interesting or photographic history. Many collectors seem to be compulsive and soon have a large collection and so smaller animals and bears have become poplar as they do not take up the space. There are many 1920/30’s mohair animals and soft toys without identification that can still be purchased at reasonable prices and this makes them the more affordable choice for the first time collector. There is also a strong following for collecting the unusual and people will pay good prices for these items especially coloured mohair toys and bears. Many of the popular cartoon or comic book characters are collected and so weather its Mickey Mouse or Paddington Bear collectors search for the early examples for their collection. I have also noticed that the Teddy Bears friend ‘Golly’ making a come back into peoples hearts and early examples fetch good prices if they are all original and are made by a recognised manufacturer. Prices seem to continue to increase for quality items in good condition with the makers label or identifying mark. This has seen some new people buy these soft toy items for investment rather than with just a passion for collecting. While we have seen some healthy increases in the past years there is no guarantee this will continue and this must be borne in mind when making a purchase, always buy what you like and not what you think you ought to buy. A recent auction form a major auction house saw a Steiff teddy clown from the 1920’s fetch a fall of the hammer price of £20,000 some £5000 more than the highest catalogue price guide. Also if we are to believe the prices being achieved on the internet auction sites a 1920’s Chad Valley Baby Bonzo complete with dummy fetched just over £1000. This proves that the internet auction sites are fast becoming a way of finding an item that you have been looking for, but trade with caution. Remember to check out the seller’s history to make sure they have positive feedback from other purchasers and get as many pictures of the item as you can and a detailed description as this is the one way to satisfy yourself of the item you are bidding on and to minimise the risk involved. Other ways to buy soft toys and teddies include local auctions, Teddy Bear and Toy Fairs, and the major auction houses that have specialist auctions throughout the year. Unlike the internet with all of these options you get to touch and examine the item yourself before purchasing so you know exactly what you will be adding to your collection |
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