We sold many of our bears at auction on Wednesday September 9th 2020 at SAS Auctions. Contact Daniel Agnew. daniel.agnew@hotmail.co.uk November 24 2019, 417 Comments

Alfonzo Award winners 2017! January 26 2018, 0 Comments

Here are the Award winners! Congratulations everyone, this really is la creme de la creme! A fabulous array of talent from the Awards through the Judges choices to the Novices. We look forward to 2018.

Soggy Summer! June 19 2016, 8 Comments

So much rain! There will no doubt be a drought declared soon!

The museum has had some really good bears added recently: from the SAS auction to some ebay buys and some visitors.

We have Farnell Winston; Three Aetnas! Bruno, a Dean's tru to life; Blanche a magnificent white Steiff thanks to Bourton Bears; and Aubrey Steiff, a lovely Bing and a Schuco monkey with his tag all from SAS auctions. I do love an auction! I was lucky enough to buy Spross a Golden George winner from Teddybar Total made by Soyo Sato. My second artist bear, one on the bench of Kelly Dean being the first.

Val Gargus added a selection of her wonderful collection for us to see and Evelyn Chambers topped up hers. She has some fabulous chaps.

The London International Antique Doll, Teddy Bear and Toy Fair

Daniel and I are delighted with the support we have had for our first fair. The stands are all sold out, the seminars filling and entry tickets selling. The dinner has proved really popular with over 120 places booked now, still more left though. So far over 40 discounted hotel rooms have been booked.

Woburn Abbey Teddy Bear Festival

We have sold out of the Sculpture Gallery external stands and have some really high profile names both buying stands and entering the competition. Gregory Gyllenship, Sue Quinn, Kelly Dean, Paula Strethill Smith, Soyo Sato, Frank Webster to name but a few. 

Busy, busy summer to come.

Rupert Is Missing. A lovely story by Kally. May 11 2016, 0 Comments

Spring is sprung, summer on the way! April 10 2016, 0 Comments

We've welcomed some really special bears recently. The museum has it's biggest Steiff yet, a real old gentleman called Admiral. Also some wonderful additions to Evelyn Chamber's collection. Hugglets added a great selection including an Omega tea cosy with his label, a Chiltern with tags in it's original box, and so many more! They are all in the "New Bears Collection."

The London International Antique Doll Teddy Bear and Toy Fair in The Pillar Hall London Olympia on the 19th and 20th November this year (2016) has sold all it's stands.There are spaces left in the Seminars and at the Gala Dinner where concert pianist Jena Pang will play. This is a new fair, a showcase of the very best. We have an array of exhibitors coming from far and wide. Bunny Campione is our guest and will not only open the exhibition but will also be a speaker at one of our seminars. Everyone welcome!

Now we have announced our new fair. The Woburn Abbey Teddy Bear Festival on June 11th 2017 We have an exhibition, competitions and an impressive array of experts in the industry. More to come!

Other fairs in the next 2 months.

Teddybar Total 23/24th April                                                    

Hampshire Teddy Bear Festival 15th May

Great YorkshireTeddy Bear Event 22nd May

 

 

 

Then there was Teddy. March 17 2016, 0 Comments

I thought you might all like to read a story about a lost teddy. It was written by a boy called Connor. A talented author and illustrator.

Happy New Year Everyone! December 29 2015, 6 Comments

I do hope everyone enjoyed the holiday weekend. We ate and drank too much as usual, but had a wonderful time. I've just done a stock take of all the Teds that I keep in little shop units locally and am now having a massive clear out!

Teddybear-museum makeover.

I've altered the look of the Home Page and responded to those who find the site hard to navigate. Now you just click on "View Teddy Collections and Teddy Bears for Sale" and all the sections appear in alphabetical order. The "Teds for Sale" sit next to the Museum Collection Teds in each section, eg   "Chad Valley", "Chad Valley for Sale" etc. Hope that's easier!

200 Years of Childhood. The London International Antique Doll, Teddy Bear and Toy Fair.           The Pillar Hall, Olympia. November 19th 20th 2016

Thank you to all of you who are supporting our new fair next November at The Pillar Hall, Olympia. We certainly seem to have fitted into a niche which has not been filled for a while. All our stands have sold apart from four. The seminars and the dinner are filling up and the discounted rooms at the Olympia Hilton Hotel are proving very popular. Do get in touch if you would like the link to the hotel rooms. We are beginning to put the exhibition guide together and it looks good. There are some interesting articles by our seminar speakers and the adverts are very much in keeping with the antique feel.

Our next project will have a Teddy Bear bias, will be set in a beautiful country estate and will be in the summer of 2017. Watch this space!

I wish everyone a very Happy and Healthy New Year!

 

Our new venture "200 years of childhood" August 30 2015, 9 Comments

Hugglets August 15 2015, 0 Comments

Morning everyone! I hope you're enjoying the summer.

Looking forward to Hugglets in September, hope to see many of you there.

New bears this month. Two from France where we met Eric Petit, it was so good to meet him at last.

Three from auction, a Hecla from Ebay and some lovely new editions from Josie Rockett, Laura Fitzpatrick, Erin Roy, Sue Howard and Karen Fernandes. Thank you all so much for sharing your bears with us.

In the first week in September we will be announcing a new venture. Something all of us who treasure old bears and toys will enjoy. I'll keep you posted.

 

Raining again! June 13 2015, 0 Comments

Summer as we know it doing the garden good at least!

Spent some time working in France in May and found a wonderful shop full of old toys including bears. Couldn't resist a buttoned Fadap!

The SAS auction was something to look forward to with the conundrum of what to bid on and how much to bid. It was a huge success with some high prices and a few bargains to be had at the lower end. I wish I'd put bids on more, but you're always worried when you're not going to be there, that you will end up over spending! There was the most magnificent Dolls' House which sold really well to some lucky person. Not to mention some excellent Steiffs and some quite unusual teds. I was happy that I won the Burlap, it's my first one.

The Teddy Fair scene goes quite quiet for a short time. It's far too soon to look forward to September!

Some of the new chaps who have arrived recently in the Museum include a huge Farnell in an unusual brown from Pam P. 2 lovely Chilterns from Erin, another Bing from Josie, a great Smiles from Dot, two crackers from Wendy and a couple from Dan.

I'm getting much braver at buying from abroad. America, Canada, Australia, Germany and Sweden recently. The customs charges have to be taken into account, but I still think it's worth both the charges and the risk. It feels safer to buy from the people we know on Facebook. I'm a huge fan since joining in November, feel quite an old hand now! I try to make sure that I see what's going on in the evening after work. 

Happy Easter! April 09 2015, 0 Comments

Daniel has just valued the complete Museum collection for insurance purposes and corrected some identification mistakes. His knowledge is amazing. We had a fabulous two days. Thank you Dan! I'm in love with Bert!!

Have a lovely holiday. Be healthy, happy and enjoy family and friends during Easter with an Egg Hunt!.

The Wind in the Willows and the first signs of Spring! March 14 2015, 6 Comments

The garden is all yellows and purples, the first sign that we've turned the seasonal corner.

I've learned of a new maker of old bears. ISA: Isaac and Co were furniture makers who began to make bears and animals with springs in their legs. They had a metal label which they attached to the animals. Chad Valley bought them in 1923. Fascinating!

Hugglets was really good. Busy, friendly and full of stands with the most beautiful bears old and new. It was good to meet old faces again and share bear stories!

Newcomers from Hugglets included the most magnificent Wind in the Willows collection, including Mr Toad, Badger, Moley, Ratty and co. A real find from Andy's (Bourton Bear's) own collection. I was so lucky to find them and will be a careful custodian of such wonderful craftsmanship. I also bagged a Bing Skater bear with his red tag, a pink Bing, a Black Omega, an Omega Bush Baby, a super Farnell, and an Ideal jangling bear. Not forgetting the ISA dog!

 

 

One Week To Go! February 15 2015, 1 Comment

Hugglets is next Sunday! Everyone on Facebook is madly preparing. Four rooms of old and artist bears. Wonderful!

New bears. A most beautiful Eduard Cramer from a UK auction house and one which looks a bit like a Jopi from America. Yesterday's Teddy is showcasing an Ideal almost identical to my new one last month and the most amazing suitcase full of soldier bears!  Sue Howard's beautiful Chiltern Nigela has had a sex change!

Anyone else wanting to be friends on Facebook is welcome. My page is for bear watching, it has no personal info on it just access to hundreds of marvellous bears.

Don't forget:-

Vectis has an auction including bears on the 26th February.

Hugglets Kensington Town Hall February 22nd

Getting ready for Hugglets! February 01 2015, 0 Comments

We haven't had any snow yet, no doubt our time will come! I sat and ordered my annuals for the garden this afternoon to make me think of sunshine, a nice relaxing job.

I fell in love with a few bears this month which I couldn't resist.                                        

New bears

"Sullivan", a beautiful 1920 Farnell and "Francoise" a very pretty 1930 Pintel                           Two Omegas, a 1920s "Little Chap" and "Mr Omega" a lovely 1918 black one the same as my "Sam". They look cracking together. There was what looked like another one in the Wendy Thompson Auction which I forgot to bid on. If anyone bought him and is selling him on, do get in touch. Finally "Howard', a 1915 American chap from Sue H. Sue also put on the latest find "Terri" a 1915 William Terry. One more to come from Ebay and another from an American Auction House. I just love opening parcels with bears in them! A real treat!

The Kissable Muzzle added 4 bears. A Chiltern "Nigel" a real beauty, which immediately sold a Knickerbocker "Emily" and 2 other American bears "Clara" and "Vivian"

Diary Date this month

The Winter BearFest. Sunday February 22nd 2015 Kensington Town Hall.

See you there!

The Miserable Months! January 18 2015, 2 Comments

Why is is that January and February go by so slowly? Maybe because it's cold, wet, dark ,windy or snowing!! Whatever the reason it's a time to look forward to the sunshine and warmth again.

The bear world seems to have ground to a halt. We are all recovering from Christmas excess!

New bears this month.

Three new bears from Evelyn, two French Toy and Novelty chaps, Brown bear and a Googlie to keep mine company and a lovely Jopi, Princess to join my new Jopi, Little Jobs.

Evelyn also has a bear very like Boots in the German section. They are still a mystery but there is one for sale on a well known site which is a Steiff. Is that what they are?

Diary Dates

Message from Wendy Thompson. "Just to wish you a happy New Year and to add my auction to your list for your group.

On 23rd January my collection of toys, teddy bears and dolls which I have collected over the past 40 years are to be auctioned on line by ASTONS Auctioneers (www.astonstoyauctions.co.uk).  The catalogue is on www.the-saleroom.com website.  This includes 27 separate lots of teddy bears, some multiples, plus loads of other items which may be of interest - Steiff animals, soft toy animals, dogs, cats, etc. etc. plus a multitude of other toys and dolls.

Please add to your calendar!"

Looking forward to Hugglets on February 22nd.

Happy New Year! January 02 2015, 1 Comment

Crap Shelves.
I had to show you all my magnificent shelving. It used to be called soft wood shelving, but its now called Crap Shelving (Number 3 son, "Why've you bought Crap Shelving?")
It was very simple and easy to put up. Just 8 screws to put in and I found a screw driver which was an ordinary one with one end in the handle and a pozi the other way round. Perfect.
I had a few technical problems at first. When you are holding two 8 foot uprights a meter apart, which appendage do you do the screwing with?
Easy, you use one foot and hip on one side and your head on the other, then you screw away vigorously!
In my determination to succeed it escaped my notice that only the handle of the screw driver was turning round. The screw was on the floor and the screwdriver was embedded in the upright. I considered leaving it there to hang things on, but chose not to!
The whole system was a dream. It had a design and measure on-line ordering function which I nearly got right. The uprights are only an inch too tall which means it reaches over the dado rail and doesn't sit flush to the wall, but as the shelves are a smidgen too narrow for bears' bums then that's a good thing.
It's also about 2 inches too wide which means the curtains don't sit properly. Not bad for a first go.
(Although it's not my first go. I made a kitchen once in the 70s, tongue and groove doors. The design feature I used then was that the doors warped so much that you didn't have to open them to put the Instant whip or Fray Bentos Corned Beef away.
Marvellous when you have 3 children under 4 years old and your hands always full. I notice it's still ahead of its time that design.)
Anyway I present you with my perfect shelves. As I must now consider myself a shelving expert then please don't hesitate to ask for my advice.

1 new bear this month

Timothy a magnificent Hecla.

See you at Hugglets February 22nd, Kensington Town Hall Stand 140 upstairs

 Much love xxxx

 

HAPPY CHRISTMAS! December 14 2014, 0 Comments

Just a quick note today to wish everyone a Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year!

Next big bear date is Hugglets Winter BearFest in Kensington Town Hall on February 22nd 2015

Four new bears this month:-

A huge 24 inch Chiltern Emeritus who's a bit short sighted!

Oscar maybe a Terrys?

Herr Jurgen a Jopi

Kamerad Klaus a 1920 Schucu.

Well done to Jena and Daniel, a wonderful sale!

Enjoy the holidays!

Speak next year.

A frenetic month! December 14 2014, 0 Comments

A full inspection at work this week! Didn't have time to draw breath. Came out smelling of Roses! Back in the land of the living now.

A great deal of Museum housework to do, putting new bears on and taking some off the New Bear This Month Section. Now added an Artist Bear Section and an Artist Bear For Sale section. Maureen from Summerhayes Bears and Old Bears In Stow has 3 beautiful hand made bears in this new section, Brandy, Jack and Jamie.

I'm keen to encourage people to add their replica bears too, then we Old Bear people can see what our bears used to look like.

There are some really superb new "old" bears which are worth taking a look at.

New Bears this month

Two big Bings, Karin and Herr Ratselhaft (means enigmatic) in very good condition.

An Eduard Cramer, Baron Cramer who looks so like a Bing. Did Cramers also have the back leg seam?

A Jopi, Bruno and a Steiff Hans. All bought from Germany.

Newly acquired bears which are for sale. Three Knickerbockers from Auction which I have decided to sell on. I seem to have more than enough of these lovely chaps. A Gund Mickey and a battered Chad also arrived as Auction purchase add ons. 

New visiting bears:- "Yesterday's Teddys" has showcased three 1905 Steiffs, Kaffee. Lady Percetta and Millie. Beautiful!

Pauline from Polly's Vintage Bears has added two makes I've never heard of, French Maker Jan Jac and his swing tag Jacques. Hampshire firm Minibrix with his label Mini.

Sue Howard has found another lovely Steiff, Noel. What a face he has!

I now love Facebook! So many lovely bears to see and talk about. I've been putting some of the Museum bears on for all to see which prompts questions, comments and Likes! I'd love to be friends on Facebook with all the people who receive our blog by email.

The article on Merrythought Bears in the Teddy Bear Times looks good in print. I'm not sure how many articles I have left in me! The odd one or two more no doubt!

Diary dates

Nov 30th The Great Winter Doll and Teddy Fair. National Motor Cycle Museum

Dec 7th   The great Brighton teddy bear event. Hove Town Hall

Feb 22nd Hugglets Winter BearFest. Kensington Town Hall

Please make sure I have your dates. Additional afterthought emails are not really a good idea!

Auctions

Dec 4th The Jena Pang Collection. SAS Auctions

Facebook has a special page of Teddy events.

Facebook. November 02 2014, 0 Comments

I'm a novice on Facebook with mixed feelings about it. It is a huge force to be reckoned with and a powerful tool. There seem to be 3 bear sorts of people.

OLD BEAR SORT

If you are in the “old bear” category like me then you may like the bears from the first half of the twentieth century particularly. I don’t know what it is about them but we would like to help to preserve them for future generations. We also would love to track down all those old bears in people’s homes in order to have a photo of them in a central place for posterity. Our type of bear occupies quite a small market, but as the bears get older it is a vital and increasingly valuable market. Hence the teddybear-museum.

ARTIST BEAR SORT

The artist bear market is huge and rightly so. The bears are exquisite and in all designs, shapes, sizes and materials. My only knowledge of it is the artists I meet at fairs and the emails I have had from small home bear makers without a website or access to selling their bears without huge extra overheads. I wonder how old the oldest artist bears that still exist are? They have been made for children and grandchildren since time began. There should be a record of these wonderful bears in the museum too. If the old artist bears themselves no longer exist then there must be some photos to testify to their being. Have you got any? Who were the first people recognised as artist bears?

REPLICA AND COLLECTIBLE BEAR SORT

The replica and collectible market is buoyant too. I don’t know anything about this market other than what I see at auction. It is an active market with the bears of the past beautifully made to factory standard in limited or mass numbers. Some are very affordable and all are increasingly collectable. Perfect to look at as we try to identify our old bears.

I'll put this post on Facebook and see what happens!

The Jena Pang Bear Teddy Bear Collection. November 01 2014, 0 Comments

http://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/special-auction-services/catalogue-id-2915902

DON'T MISS IT!

Forthcoming Exciting Auctions! October 26 2014, 0 Comments

There are three auctions very soon. Vectis has one next week, and SAS have two, one of those being the Jena Pang Collection sale. There are some magnificent bears in all three, but the Jena Pang Teddy Bear Collection makes my eyes water! Envy!! What a collection!

Daniel is doing a superb marketing exercise for the sale on Facebook. So much so I had to join in! I can see that Facebook is a very powerful selling force. Why has it taken me so long to work that out! I've always rather avoided it. 

There is another article from The Teddybear-Museum in Teddy Bear Times' next issue. This time it's a "Merrythought Dating and Identifying" one. I found Merrythought quite hard to write. There are very few labels and only one button, they stuck to the same label with a couple of later additions.

I really like Bing bears, we all have our favourites, so I thought I would read more about them. I'm going to start with Ken Yenke's "Bing Bears and Toys. Anyone one who has a favourite book about them, which is not too heavy going, please would you email me with it's title? Thanks.

New bears this month:-

Hugo, the beautiful whopping 24 ins Steiff Hugo, he is scrumptious! Thank you Mel and Andy for making my life complete!

From Ebay:- Bing Bernhard, Ideals Randolf and Humpy, Terry's Wistful, and Watkins from Sue Howard.

Visiting bears:- 2 Americans from The Bear Necessities Boutique which are for sale and 3 new ones from Sue Howard. A Steiff Cindy, a Bing Buglemann and an Ideal Slouchy.

We have a new crop of bears in our For Sale collections of the Museum, including quite a few Merrythoughts as I try to make room for new arrivals. 

Dates:-

Sunday November 16th The Great Yorkshire Teddy Bear Event Sheffield 

Saturday 22nd November Telford Teddy Bear and Doll Christmas Parade

Sunday 23rd November Cornwall Christmas Bear Fair, Lostwithiel Community Centre

Sunday 30th November The Great Winter Doll and Teddy Fair, National Motorcycle Museum, Bickenhill Nr Birmingham

Evenings drawing in already! October 12 2014, 0 Comments

I never like going to work or coming home in the dark. Time to get out the winter clothes and turn the heating on. Don't forget to check for those moths again. My latest bears have been in the freezer, double bagged, then had a gentle brush afterwards. They don't seem to suffer from their initiation ceremony!

With the new crop of new bears in the museum there is now very little room, so there are some more who have to go. They are in the "New bears for sale" section.

I'm always sad to see some go, but needs must, and they will be off to one of our two units, either

The Antiques Association shop in the Market Place, Woburn or G dad's Collectables, The Galleon Wharf,in  Old Wolverton. We can't resist a browse when we go there.

I'm becoming much more brave at bidding on line at auctions. I watched one live on the computer this week, it's so fast you really have had to have done your homework, and not be tempted to bid over the price that you agreed with yourself! Very exciting. I would like to go to one in person soon.

 

 Bear fair dates:-

Sunday 19th October                     Hampshire Autumn Teddy Bear Fair at the Lyndhurst Community Centre, in                                                       Lyndhurst.

Sunday 2nd  November 2014		Scottish Bear Fair, The Concert Hall, Troon
Sunday 16th November 2014		The Great Yorkshire Teddy Bear Event At the Hilton Hotel, Victoria Quays, Sheffield
Sunday 23th November 2014   Saturday 22nd Nov 2014		The Cornwall Christmas Bear Fair At The Community Centre, Lostwithiel The Telford Teddy Bear Parade
Sunday 7th December 2014		The Great Brighton Teddy Bear Event, Hove Town Hall, Brighton
Sunday 13th December 2014		Essex Christmas Bear Fair, Elphwood Hall, Cornmill, Waltham Abbey

 

Hugglets does it again! September 21 2014, 0 Comments

Today it's all about the fair. It's a shame there weren't a few more old bear stands, however there must have been around twenty which is better than most fairs. Everyone was very friendly and helpful to us as newcomers. It was good to meet people who we've only met on the internet. The artist bears were made by some really talented people, very appealing and in all shapes and sizes.

We sold a number of our bears which made way for a few new ones!

We bought from 4 stands:- Boughton Bears, Daniel Agnew, All You Can Bear and Old Bears In Stow. and what a collection of beauties they were.

A Terry's (called Happy), an Omega (Little Lord) a Moritz Pappe (Papyrus) and a Dean's Dismal Desmond.

An Omega Coaster bear (Rider) and a Chiltern Panurge Pets Push-a-long (Stroller). The Panurge made me realise I had 2 already, almost identical, so they have now been placed in the right place.

Two Strunz (Loof and Adolpho) and an Aetna (Tanea, anagram of Aetna!). Finally a lovely Jopi (Tumble)

I then won seven at Vectis Auctions very reasonably priced indeed. A Steiff (Albert) a Bing (Rusty) a probable Farnell (Snow White) an Ideal (Ginger) an American possibly Aetna (Thornaby! I come from Stockton-on-Tees so I have a fondness for Vectis and Thornaby!) and a French (Edith, said with a French accent A-deet!!) A Dean's Minnie Mouse with her silver button on her frilly knickers!

I found a Bing Tripple Trapple Dog with his Tag which is in pristine condition, and a Bing with an unusual metal casing inside him (Rattle)

Enough!

Hugglets reminder. September 07 2014, 0 Comments

Next Sunday. 14th September. 10.30-4pm, Kensington Town Hall, London. Hugglets. It's the big one!

There are 4 halls, 2 on the ground floor, one upstairs, 1 downstairs.

The old teddies are in all 4 halls.

We're upstairs, first table on the left. Stand 139. Right next to the food and tea and coffee!

It's a fabulous day out. 

You'll find a large selection of old teddies by many makers in all price ranges in all 4 halls.

All of us "old teddy" people look forward to seeing you there.

 

See you at Hugglets Kensington! Stand 139 August 24 2014, 0 Comments

The summer holidays are nearly over for most of us.

Hugglet's fair to look forward to on Sunday 14th September. Lots of new visiting bears this month.

I have another odd label          

This one says "Hunter-Toys British Made" sewn into the bear's chest in green and red print

It is on a 14inch sheepskin bearReplaced nose, reddish cotton pads, glass eyes, woodwool/kapok filled, fully jointed.

Anyone any ideas?

Work still in progress on a number of the Dating and Identifying sections. I'm doing a great deal of reading but there is such a lot to learn! Dipping into the Cieslik "German Teddy Bear Encyclopedia" is enough to frighten anyone.

New bears this month:-

5 Dean's bears all with different labels to go in the Dean's Dating and Identification section.

Pug 1917 with his stamp. He is really exceptional, Pussy cat 1930, Chester 1960, Louie 1950/60, Lucy 1957/61,

and a Merrythouht Bobby Brewin pyjama case. Thank you Josie!

All these Dean's labels will be in an article in Teddy Bear Times this month.

Thank you also for the Steiff buttons for that section. Still most of the earlier ones missing. Does anyone have any photos of these buttons please?

1920 Bing Buglemann Sue H

German "Admiral C" 1915 

1907 Aetna Harry with provenance

1930 Fadap Blanche with a photo

and a group photo from Canada.

Have a good Bank Holiday!

 

July Surprises July 27 2014, 0 Comments

We've been away on holiday. We always go to the same place in France, to the same town, see the same things, eat the same French food, see the same views, and relax by the same pool with family. We have 5 children and 7 grandchildren! 

Boring? Never. Adventurous? No. 

I do so envy those intrepid ones of you who have all sorts of wonderful adventures! 

Just not for me. I don't like planes, boats, coaches or anything else where my feet aren't on the ground!

For the timid, we love going away and we also love coming home just as much. To the same home, the same garden, the same part of the family who didn't go to France on this occasion, and to 8 bears all in boxes, who have all been waiting patiently to be opened!

So exciting! I do love a parcel. We trawled the French markets again to no avail so I bid on 2 bears whilst away from Auction Houses, a Bing and a Merrythought, I think I could become a gambler! Bought 6 others. Two of those from America, an Ideal and a Bing and 4 from people I deal with regularly, 2 Les Jouets Champenois, a beautiful Harwin and a Bing. There's something wrong with the site this morning so 3 of the new bears aren't yet on.

I took a "Bears of the Month" photo this time. A cracking group!

The "Chiltern Section" is all present and checked now. I'll do the Farnells next. I've started 2 more Dating and Identification Sections too. Farnell and German.

"Teddy Bear Times" has put the "Chad Dating and Identification" Section into the Magazine this time. I was pleased with it. I do need to go back and take better photos at some stage.

There is another Mystery label. Hunny has a "Hunter Toys" label, printed blue on white attached to her front seam. She's in the miscellaneous section.  Anyone any clues?

We've booked a stand at Hugglets in Kensington Town Hall to sell some of the bears we have too many of.

Sunday September 14th. 10am to 4pm.

It's got to be my favourite bear fair! 

 More bears to put in the Museum please. This is the first month where we've not had any visitors. Enjoy the weather!

Mystery Teddy Bear July 20 2014, 0 Comments

Good Morning!

First of all today we have further information on our bear with the mystery label. Greta from the Pedigree section of the Museum has a label which told us one possible story, and a face that told another.

Pam Pudvine thought she had a possible Dean's face which I thought too, so I moved her into the Dean'd section!

I asked Neil Miller of Dean's who said:-

"We cannot be sure that this is a Dean’s bear – it bears some resemblance to a 1938 model which continued in the range until the early 1950s.
However the label is not one that we recognise so cannot say with any certainty that it is Dean’s." So a possible Dean's face with a non Dean's label, so I moved her into the Unidentified section!

I asked Andy and Mel of Bourton Bears

"We are pretty sure that these were made by Pedigree toys as we have seen these labels on their standard patterns, but you can’t be 100% sure as other manufactures may have used them." So she's now back in the Pedigree section!!!

If anyone has a bear with this label we would all love to see it please!

Meanwhile Minuet showcased by The Bear Necessities Boutique has been proved to be from one of the original Hermann Dynasty founders.

The Chiltern Section is now almost complete, I'm just waiting for it to be checked.

I've started a general "Rest of the English" Dating and Identifying Section which is a work in progress! 2 Chiltern labels in it so far.

New bears this week.

1913 Omega. Chip

1916-30 Harwin and Co

1907-1909 BMC. Teddy. The Bear Necessities

1910 Ideal. Benedict.

1926 Dean's Rag Book. Oswald the Lucky Rabbit

A group of Teddies. Iris Ware

Scruffy. Iris Ware

Not one single "Ours" in Nice antiques market! Also bought a bear from an Auction house (on line). Looking forward to seeing what that is like!

We also have a lady looking for A Farnell Toffee and a Strunz if anyone can help. 

 

Summer holidays on the horizon. June 29 2014, 0 Comments

There have been so many emails from abroad, I love it!  Zambia and Mexico in particular this week.

I have subscribed to "Teddy Bear and Friends" magazine in America to see if they have any Old Teddy articles. I know Dot Bird writes one. I can't find a magazine in Australia. (I might struggle with any German ones!)

I've finished the Dating and Identifying of Chad Valley, Merrythought and Dean's and had them checked. I need to flesh them out a bit over time. The Chiltern is more difficult as there were no labels until the 1940s

Those of you who have helped or commented, thank you! It's good to know people read this old bear stuff!

It's amazing how, of all the bears that are for sale in the museum, people want to buy the ones that aren't for sale! C'est la vie!

New bears this week:-

A beautiful 1907 BMC "Lucky",with some of her label visible. Showcased by Sue Howard

Another 1907 BMC "Baron". He and Lucky are so similar.

Immaculate 1950 Chad Valley Twins with their original swing card label For Sale with Bourton Bears

Cheeky Merrythought Mr Twisty 1966. Showcased by Jane Peters.

A 1937-39 Dean's Golly "Mr Dean" 

A really strange post 1937 pre 1946 Pedigree bear "Greta" who has a white label at the top of her back seam with red embroidery "Made in England". She has a look of a Dean's but she is a Pedigree. Can anyone shed any light on this label?

The 1930 Chad Bonzo with his early button arrived

So did the lovely 1915 Farnell "Fabian"

Drifting gently towards a relaxing summer. Breath, relax, eat, drink, enjoy!!

 

 

A big Weekend in Alton and Lostwithiel June 18 2014, 0 Comments

A big Weekend in Alton and Lostwihiel.

Two well established fairs this Saturday and Sunday in the South and West of the country. See at the end.

"Merrythought Dating and Identification" collection almost complete (in it's first draft!) and Dean's begun already!

Merrythought has few labels and only one button. However it has a number of novelty types of bears which need to be identified. Help with photos of these pre- 1960 bears would be great please! 

Deans Rag Book is next. It had so many card chest tags which were lost that it will also be troublesome! Watch this space......

New bears this week are:-

Konni, a beautiful Steiff from Sue Howard in Canada and Jacquard her Edouard Cramer which I have bought from her!

Three to be photographed to go on soon:-

Fabian a lovely 1915 Farnell with a remarkably thick coat

A 1930s Chad Bonzo dog which we haven't yet got one of, to add our Chad collection

Mr Twisty Cheeky, a Merrythought produced for just 2 years in 1966.

As you collect more bears and become more familiar with the types of bears, you naturally begin to have your favourites. I find that I love the long armed and legged ones; the Bings in particular and sadly I'm beginning to see the attraction of the Steiffs! Also the wonderful quality of the mohair on the Farnells and the faces of the Terry's and Omegas. I think I am developing expensive tastes in bears! Don't forget me when you wanting to rehouse these beautiful old chaps. I am beginning to fall into the trap of buying more than I can afford! (Bears or shoes?? What a dilemma!)

A memo from Glenn and Irene Jackson:- Hugglets 

 "This year, we've decided to offer a complimentary copy of the 2015 edition exclusively to UK teddy bear collectors and businesses who have registered a free account on the Hugglets website by 30th September 2014.

So register now while you think about it!

Dates from above for this weekend:-

The 2014 CORNWALL Summer BEAR FAIR at Lostwithiel on Sunday 22nd June.
This very well attended Fair – now in it’s 11th year! - appeals to enthusiasts from all over the Westcountry, the UK and well beyond.
As you may already know the Fair now endorses and supports two very worthwhile Charities – Cornwall Hospice Care and Animals Asia, with its campaign to rescue bears from captivity and in distress throughout the world.

ALTON TEDDY BEAR FESTIVAL
Saturday 21st June 2014 - Alton Assembly Rooms (Hampshire) - 10am till 4pm

Merrythought Dating and Identifying begun! June 07 2014, 1 Comment

We need some more new bears from you out there please!

I'm pleased to say the links page is overflowing!

I was delighted that Chad Valley may want to use some of our photos for a forthcoming publication.

We are also now in a "List of Museums" list! and a Museum of Museums too!

Google Analytics tells us we have people looking at us from 49 countries, quite extraordinary! Bears really are international creatures aren't they?

 

This week we have some lovely photos from Olga, a lady and her collection of 80 bears in Moscow. 

Also:-

New bear Tinker, a very early button Chad

Mr Bertie, a huge Smiles Chad bear

Dylan a typical 1930's large Chad

Ryan a good example of a Chiltern

Two Polar bears standing on all fours who may be Dean's.

I'm happy now that our Chad Valley section is accurate and am moving on to the Merrythought one. More new bears please!!!

Dates to remember:-

The 2014 CORNWALL Summer BEAR FAIR at Lostwithiel on Sunday 22nd June.

This very well attended Fair – now in it’s 11th year! - appeals to enthusiasts from all over the Westcountry, the UK and well beyond.
As you may already know the Fair now endorses and supports two very worthwhile Charities – Cornwall Hospice Care and Animals Asia, with its campaign to rescue bears from captivity and in distress throughout the world.

ALTON TEDDY BEAR FESTIVAL

Saturday 21st June 2014 - Alton Assembly Rooms (Hampshire) - 10am till 4pm

Dating and Identifying Chad Valley Bears! May 27 2014, 22 Comments

Dating and Identifying Chad Valley Bears.

Quite a labour of love! The photos still need re-taking but the descriptions are all done. I now need to add some more photos from the museum for comparison. Nearly there. I will probably do Merrythought next!

New bears this time are:-

A lovely Omega for sale from Pretty Vintage Things.

Effie an unknown German bear from Sue Howard, and Misty, a Bing which I have bought from her!

A Steiff, another Bing, a Strunz, 2 Schucos one a Bigo Bello Koala, a Terry's, a Chad and Chiltern who came together and a big and little Brumus and Ivy who are on all fours which I am assuming are Deans but they don't have labels.

They are all in the "New Bears this Month" collection

Fairs coming shortly are

31st May - Doll and Bear Fair, Gateshead.

The 2014 CORNWALL Summer BEAR FAIR at Lostwithiel on Sunday 22nd June.

This very well attended Fair – now in it’s 11th year! - appeals to enthusiasts from all over the Westcountry, the UK and well beyond.
As you may already know the Fair now endorses and supports two very worthwhile Charities – Cornwall Hospice Care and Animals Asia, with its campaign to rescue bears from captivity and in distress throughout the world.

ALTON TEDDY BEAR FESTIVAL

Saturday 21st June 2014 - Alton Assembly Rooms (Hampshire) - 10am till 4pm

May 5th May 27 2014, 0 Comments

Back to work tomorrow! Sunny France a distant memory! I came back to find a number of bears had arrived. At least two of which were a bit of a mystery.

So I have promised myself that I will do some serious research AND (the tricky bit) try to remember what I learn. I then decided that you can't swallow a whole elephant at once therefore we need to tackle this bearstrous problem (sorry) in small chunks.

As most of my Chad Valley bears are labelled I decided that if I started with those, there will be less chance of initial failure. Failure is a recipe for starting a project and abandoning it mid way! If you are a beginner then do join me in this DIY course. If you are one of the many experts out there then please correct or add as we go.

I have set up a new Collection called "Chad Valley Dating and Identification"

I've started with the buttons and labels. Photographing them wasn't easy, I'll do it again at some stage. I've also identified which bears in the Museum Chad Valley Collection have these buttons or labels so that people can look at the characteristics of each bear in each period. It's a work in progress so bare with me. All feed back welcome. It's a good job I'm not a perfectionist!

New bears this week:-

Scott, who may be another early Chad

Cuthbert, Terry's

Squat, Austrian Fetcher

Lily Lilac, German

Mr Bing

April 26th May 27 2014, 0 Comments

I'm writing this from sunny France! My book and the pool are enticing me to them!


More Fairs to enjoy:-

Sunday May 4th - The Bakewell Bear Fair Bakewell, Derbyshire

Saturday 10th & Sunday 11th May - The Great British Doll and Bear Convention, Doubletree Hotel, The Stadium, Milton Keynes (SEE YOU THERE!)

Sunday 18th May - The Hampshire Teddy Bear Festival, Lyndhurst, Hampshire

31st May - Doll and Bear Fair, Gateshead.


I hope I haven't missed one! Please tell me if I have.

I'm having my first stand at Milton Keynes.

All the bears for sale in the Museum (not owned by others!) will be there to see and buy.

I need to find some display shelves etc!

Look forward to seeing you there! Enjoy the others too!

See you soon,

April 13th May 27 2014, 0 Comments

My new Bing arrived, Teddy Ody, complete with his blue tag on his wrist. Very exciting!

Of all the emails I receive, people wanting to look at and buy Bings, Strunz, Ideal, Terry's other top end bears are the most regular.

We have non of these for sale, and not many to look at.

I redirect people to those of you who I know normally stock such bears, normally through the links page, but we really could do with more of these bears.

The Teddy Bear Times article and our leaflets at various fairs, has drawn a whole new section of people to the site from all over the world.

We use our own website analysis and Google Analytics to see who is browsing, how many pages they look at, how many minutes per look etc. Fascinating!

So far people are looking from 30 countries ranging from the obvious to Peru, Mexico, Guatemala, UAE, Taiwan, Japan and so many more.

It's amazing how far and wide the interest in old bears is.

Have a relaxing Easter!

Yours Hilary

April 5th May 27 2014, 0 Comments

Hello again!

Most of you will be on holiday soon for a day or two. Time to catch up on those things that don't get done as often as they should. I'm going to make sure my bears are thoroughly moth proofed. It's a good time of year for moths and their eggs. I would be mortified if we were overrun by them. (or even had one!)

I was given a beautiful tiny antique spinning wheel from my husband for my birthday, so today I'm going to stage some photos to put in the "Cosy in the Museum" section. I just need the sun to shine! (it didn't but I still took some!)

I managed to win a Bing with his button/label on ebay this week, so I'm looking forward to "Teddy Ody" coming from the Netherlands. I also bought a little display shelf unit which originated from the Stratford Teddy Bear Museum with twelve very old 5ins teddies in it and "The Teddy Bear Museum" written on it! That was a must!

I loved the article about the Museum in "Teddy Bear Times". The Teddybear-museum in print! We're famous! I felt quite proud.

We need more of you to showcase your hidden bears. We have 70 visiting teddies on the site now. The word is spreading, we have more and more hits each day, more enquiries, more emails and we're filling our second links page! Do tell me if you would like to be linked. I would love to be on your website too. It's all good for spreading the teddy word!

I really enjoy emailing everyone. I hope you enjoy seeing other people's bears as much as I do. Speak soon, Hilary

Week 6 March 23rd May 27 2014, 0 Comments

Thoroughly enjoyed the fair today at The Motor Cycle Museum. As ever I couldn't resist some bears! A beautiful Bing, three Terry's and a Joy Toys with a label. What a treasure trove!

There will be the first Milton Keynes Fair on Sunday May 11th, so as it's on home ground, I've booked a stand!! The last time I had a stand it was selling books for teachers of small children. Debbie, who I spoke to today, says she will put all the old bear stalls together which I think is a great idea.

I'm happy to man a second table if anyone who lives too far away, wants to send bears for me to sell on their behalf. The trouble with buying new bears is that you have to make room for them.

Don't forget to send me photos of your bears to put on the site to showcase or sell. I had lots more promised today, and I've got some more links to put on. The teddybearsearch link seems to bring a huge amount of people onto the site.

Good to meet to many of you, Hilary

Week 5. March 15th May 27 2014, 0 Comments

The sun is shining!

Looking forward to the Doll and Teddy Fair at the Motor Cycle Museum next Sunday (24th)

There are more bears for sale on our site this week, including my new fake!

Have you a bear you want to share or sell?
Do send me more photos of your bears, they are coming in all the time, we have a really good collection now.

We need more of the less common ones. So far we are being looked at by people from 15 different countries as well as our own.

That's really good!

We have an article in Teddy Bear Times this month (April/May edition) which comes out next week.

Hope to meet more of you next Sunday.

Enjoy the sunshine! Hilary

Week 5 March 8th May 27 2014, 0 Comments

March already! New bears! More please!

Two people have told me they were looking at the site from the images on the home page.

You have to go into the site via "Teddy Bear Collections" to see all the categories of bears.

I have added a "Bear Bargain Basement" to sell some of our poor unwanted bears cheaply and quickly.

There is a great deal of interest in the "Bears for Sale" collections. More than I expected.

"This week's New Bears" is a roaring success! Please send me more.

I have bought a beautiful Dean's Brumus and Ivy from Alice's Bear Shop this week

and a HUGE 32 inch green bear from an Auction House in America.

I need help with identification please. Is he a Bing? Did they do green plush enormous bears?

Please keep the visiting bears coming in, either to showcase or to sell. I've caught up with the backlog now.

I've put a link on to an interesting bear blog which we've done an interview for. Its the last link in the list. A good read!

Week 4. 1st March May 27 2014, 7 Comments

Dear All,

Week 4 Hugglets Kensington.

What a magnificent day! So busy and so many beautiful teddy bears. I bought 9 for the museum! Three from Daniel Agnew then I went back for a fourth! The 1st was a very rare (believed to be) 1930s Teddy Toy Company Winnie-the-Pooh. (Winnie) A beautiful bear. Very long down end nose stitches. Very short legs! One of very few made, one of even fewer left. As well as in the museum he can be found In one of Dee Hockenbury's books. I couldn't resist a 1930s Moritz Pappe baby bear (Bear Cub). Daniel also had one of the very early Chads with the odd nose stitching (Smiles) I believe they were called Smiles bears. I now have 6 of those. From Bourton Bears I found my first 1921 Schucu Yes/No bear (Dither) and a lovely 1930s Knickerbocker (Knu). I fell in love with Zac from Teddies Of Trenode. A big cuddly bear. Is he a Bing? I then lost him for a while when I went to pick him up from the wrong stand!

I put faces to many of the people I have been emailing and talking to. Lovely to meet you all. I bought Olive an Omega from Marilyn from the Old Bear Company the week before and we said hello.

There are many more bears for sale in the teddybear-museum now. It seems to be wanted even by people with their own sites as an extra selling forum.

All we have to do now is save up for The Doll and Teddy Fair at the National motor Bike Museum in Birmingham on March 24th!

Good to meet so many of you,
Yours Hilary

Week 3 Feb 22nd 2014 May 27 2014, 0 Comments

So much squeezed into this week. The links page is increasing but I would still like more.

Visiting bears are up to 60. What beautiful bears there are out there. Bears for sale are increasing as well, nearly 100 now. It would be good to have lots more for sale.

I’ve created new “for sale” sections to make them more visible and easily accessible. I will open more sections as we need them.

I’ve also added a “New in this week” section, so that newcomers can be seen at a glance.

Then there was the article for Teddy Bear Times, leaflets for Hugglets Kensington, a box of business cards and adverts for 2 magasines! All that in my week off AND a day out “on a bear hunt!” We visited the incredible Witney Shop, Brackley Antiques Cellar and the Bear cabinet in a shop in Stowe (and found a Pub for lunch) and came back with 5 lovelies which are now in the Newcomers section of the site.

What an all consuming hobby! Hope to meet you tomorrow. I’ll be the one sweltering in a sheepskin

Week 2 Feb 15th 2014 May 27 2014, 0 Comments

Week 2!

We now have 50 visiting teds and I’ve learnt how to add detail to links. Do I need to wait to be told that people are happy about links? Or do I assume that if they are running a business they won’t mind? Tricky etiquette, but I think I'll wait! We need more links now, will concentrate on developing that this week.

Hope everyone safe, warm and dry.

Hilary