Collecting: How Serious Are You?
Teddy bears are lovable huggable toys. They have been popular, almost forgotten, and now are popular again. This is due in large part to the influence of Peter Bull and the appearance of his teddy Delicatessen as Aloysius in the 1981 miniseries Brideshead Revisited.
Now over 100 years old, teddies have outlasted many other types of toys. In the 1970’s and ‘80’s adults dusted off their childhood teddies and looked for other teddies to buy. And teddy bear manufacturers answered the call.
German Bears
Steiff made its first limited bear, Papa Bear, based on an early design, in 1980. They made their first replica bear in 1991, a copy of Bar 35 PB from 1904, followed by Barle (Bar 35 PAB) from 1905. Steiff also opened a museum of soft toys in 1991, followed by The Steiff Club on April 1, 1992 for Steiff teddy bear lovers and collectors.
Other teddy bear makers followed Steiff’s lead, especially when the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 followed by German reunification in October 1990 allowed descendants of such families as Max Hermann to go back to their original homes in what had been East Germany and recover original teddy bear patterns. Replica teddies were popular since, obviously, originals would have been beyond the pocketbooks of the ordinary person.
British and US Teddies
British teddy bear makers weren’t far behind, with Merrythought and Deans starting making replicas and limited edition bears. Merrythought founded its limited edition club in 1995, while Deans began making bears for collectors beginning in 1991.
In the U.S., both Gund and Boyd had collector clubs, Gund including Canterbury bears in their collections in the early 1990’s.
And there were newcomers to the collector’s world in the 1980’s and ‘90’s—teddy bear artists. These artists often worked out of their homes and produced limited edition teddies, each of them developing their own style.
Replica bears and teddies made by teddy bear artists have been very successful, as has the mass market. Stores such as Sears, Target, and Walmart even have their own brands. Some people collect store teddies, or even teddies for certain seasons or occasions. Whatever the bear, someone is bound to buy him. And even though the internet and video games are exceedingly popular, the teddy bear somehow remains our favorite toy.
You and Teddies
Which brings us to you—and me. Are you a teddy bear collector, or just a fan? Do you have a few teddies that perhaps you were given on special occasions, and are trying to decide how far to go in this collecting thing? Do you want new teddies, or are older ones perhaps bought from thrift stores or flea markets OK? And gems can be found in antique stores as well, don’t forget. Collecting is totally an individual choice.
And—very important—how much money do you have to spend on this new hobby, how do you find quality bears, and how do you display them? And if you’re looking for bears by teddy bear manufacturers, many of whom have gone out of business, how do you know if you’re getting what you think you’re getting? For because teddy bears are so popular, fakes have sprung up.
Right now, I’m happy with the ones I have. But who knows? I may add to my small hug at some time in the future.
The rest of the pages in this section will be devoted to tips and pointers about collecting teddy bears. Enjoy! And enjoy your collecting journey. And please feel free to leave comments on the comments page.