Trading as the Verna Toy Company, Eva Barnett began producing dolls and soft toys in 1941, in Melbourne. Known as a quality and creative doll maker, it was not until 1948, when ownership changed to Arthur Eaton, that teddies began to be produced. 1941-1948 Verna dolls were often made of fabric or felt, with cloth […]

Jakas began production in 1954 in Melbourne by Marion Stanford, reaching its peak in the 1960s-80s. Sought-after, Jakas teddies are very collectable. Early Teddies-1950s The earliest Jakas bears are comparatively rare. Made from mohair, they were fully jointed and stuffed with kapok. With glass eyes, these bears were good quality but often unlabelled and so […]

The first teddies appeared on the world market in 1902/3. It was only after WW1 when Australia began to be less reliant on imports and manufactured more products, that teddy bear production officially began.Joy Toys in Melbourne (1923) and Fideston in Bunbury, WA, were the first significant producers of teddies in Australia.