Many types of damage can occur to poor teddy! Play, insects, moisture, dirt and dogs can all cause grief!

With very valuable bears, family heirlooms or severe damage, it is advisable to leave the repair to an expert. Many advertise online, or in the Yellow Pages under ‘Doll Hospitals’ or ‘Teddy Bear/Toy Repairers’. Professional teddy bear makers may also be suitable.

It is important to clarify, with whoever you choose to fix teddy, how much you would like him repaired, before he comes home unrecognisable! The repairer needs to keep in mind what teddy would have looked like and how much you would like to retain of what he now looks like, before treatment.

Less serious repairs can, however, be undertaken at home. Some common problems include:

Eyes-missing eyes can be replaced. Look at pictures of other similar (and similarly aged) bears to see what types of eyes teddy would have originally had. Replacements can be purchased from the internet (eg. ebay), craft shops or from specialist teddy making suppliers.

Attach strong double thread (habadashery shops) to each eye, and then pass this thread through a long ‘doll’ needle (10-15 cm), and then through the head of the teddy, to the back. Pull the rest of the thread firmly, so as to pull the eye into place, and tie the ends together with a couple of knots. If the needle is brought out near the neck joint, and the ends tied off there, then the knot can be well hidden.

Stuffing- old bears were either stuffed with woodwool (excelsior) or kapok. Teddy bear making suppliers (shops or online)usually offer these, or similar alternatives.

Each limb and the back of the torso will have a seam. Carefully cut the seam open where stuffing needs to be added and insert the stuffing (moulding it into shape). Massage the edges of the seam back together, tack, then close using ladder stitch in a matching strong thread.

Split seams-use a strong thread in a matching colour. Massage the edges together and pin or tack. If the edges are fraying, apply a thin line of “Fraystop” (habadashery or craft shops), and allow to dry. Close the seam using using ladder stitch.

Holes-patches can be made from any matching mohair or plush, bought new or cut from old coats or toys.

Cut the matched piece about half a cm larger than the hole. Fold it to fit, tucking it to fit within the hole. Tack this into place, then sew the edges with tiny stitches.

Nose/Mouth-firstly research the faces of other similar bears.

Note the shape of any existing features, then using black embroidery thread, sew on the new nose and mouth, following the original needle holes if possible. Most noses are able to be sewn by starting the stitches in the centre, then sewing a line of vertical stitches out to one side, back to the centre, then out to the other side, and back again. Next, take the needle down to do the mouth, The end of the thread is then taken through the head, to the back, and pulled. Secure with a couple of small stitches or a knot, near the neck joint.

Margarete Steiff first began making soft toys in the 1870s. Confined to a wheelchair since the age of two, due to polio, she became popular with the children of Giengen, her hometown in Germany, with her happy stories.

She owned the first sewing machine in the town, and using the skills she learnt as a dressmaker, first produced a felt elephant in 1877. Soon after, many children were receiving gifts of felt animals, hand-made from scraps of felt from her mother’s family’s felt factory.

Her popularity soon extended across southern Germany. The success of her enterprise attracted toy buyers from around the world. She had a good business sense and increased production to meet the ever-growing orders.

Demand necessitated that she open her first factory in 1889, known as the Felt Toy Factory. She made sure it was well-lit and airy. Notably, it had glass walls, so that workers could see the nearby hills as they worked! Three of her nephews acted as managing directors, and were also astute businessmen.

From 1880 to 1897, the business continued to grow at a steady rate. In 1897 another nephew, Richard, joined the firm, who had finished art studies in England and Germany. He chose to study and sketch the brown bear cubs in Stuttgart Zoo. These sketches formed the design for the first stuffed toy which had moveable parts, a bear, introduced in 1902, the Bar 55 PB, which was subsequently registered in July, 1903. In 1903 the first shipments of jointed teddy bears went on sale in America. Soon after, they were christened “Teddy’ bears, after the President, Theodore Roosevelt.

They became highly popular with both boys as well as girls, and by 1908 were also very trendy for adults!

Margarete would individually inspect every toy before it left the factory, to ensure the highest quality. Imitations began to appear, and so in late 1904 a metal button embossed with an elephant was attached to the left ear to show that each toy had been inspected and found to be perfect, as a quality control measure. In May, 1905, however, the buttons were then embossed ‘STEIFF’.

By 1908, two thousand employees were needed to meet demand, in two huge factories. Then, as now, most of the work was done by hand. Giengen grew rapidly due to the success of Steiff. Appreciation and admiration for Margarete is now shown in the naming of its main street after her.

Today, Steiff is still known for its innovation, superb quality and extensive range. Vintage and antique Steiff teddy bears and animals therefore  command high prices.  Dating of each toy is possible through the button in the ear, as these varied over the company’s 130 year history, as well as by the materials used, and by reference to the old catalogues and advertisements.

The Chiltern teddy factory initially began in London, in 1908, when Joseph Eisenmann opened the  Chiltern Toy Works. It produced many types of toys, with the first teddy appearing in 1915, being the ‘Master Teddy’. Unusually, the body was made from linen, and was dressed in a shirt and overalls. His head was comparatively large, with large opaque glass eyes and small ears. The big grin is distinctive and appealing!  This teddy was produced in different sizes, and is highly collectable! In 1919, however,  Leon Rees took over the company upon the death of Joseph. It was not until 1920, though, that he went into partnership with H G Stone, to create the firm of H G Stone and Company. It operated from the Chiltern factory.

The business was successful, enabling the men to open a second factory in 1921, with the name €˜Chiltern Toys€™ first used in 1923 when the €˜Hugmee€™ range of teddy bears was introduced. These bears did not have a cloth label, but only a cardboard chest tag reading €˜Chiltern Toys Trademark/Made In England€™. The Hugmee teddies became the main range produced from the 1920s to the 1950s. Distinctively, the embroidered noses on the bears resembled those of Joy Toys, Emil and some Farnell teddies, having an outer stitch raised higher on each side. Each bear was fully jointed though. Made from mohair, they had woodwool stuffing in the head and kapok in the body. Pads were often of velveteen or cotton, spoon-shaped, with four claws on each paw and five above each foot pad. Eyes were of clear glass with black pupils, whilst the embroidered mouth was of the typical happy smile. 1940s Hugmees, however, had blunter muzzles, in order to save fabric during war time, and often had rexine pads. During the 1950s, the Hugmees were similar, made of quality mohair, and now had a printed label attached the one foot pad.

A new factory opened in 1929, taking over all production, including the €˜Silky teddy€™, made from art silk plush. Art silk bears of the 40s had a sadder face, with large round ears, smaller feet and were stuffed with cotton €˜sub€™. Often they also had a music box inside.

Teddies from 1945-67 had a label which read ‘Chiltern Hygienic Toys/Made In England.

In 1967 Chad Valley took over the company. Tags at this point carried both names- €˜Chad Valley/Chiltern’ until 1973 when a further take-over closed all but two of the Chad Valley factories.

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 mask (buckram) faces, and were stuffed with kapok. This filling felt soft in smaller dolls but created a much heavier large doll!  It was also difficult to wash successfully as it tended to clump and settle in awkward ways!

1948-1960

Teddy bears became Verna’s main product. These earliest bears were fully jointed, usually made from medium pile golden mohair, and stuffed with kapok, or a kapok/woodwool blend. Therefore, they were quite heavy for their size. Eyes were glass, with black pupils, and painted orange on the backs. Often they had tilt growlers, with the paw pads made from heavy cotton or vinyl. Distinctively, Verna teddies had a blunt muzzle, which gave them a flat muzzle profile, and had a black kidney-shaped piece of felt on the nose. This often rubbed off over time, leaving teddy nose-less. Each came tagged with an embroidered tag saying ‘VERNA/MADE IN AUSTRALIA’ in pale orange letters, on a white background.

1960s-70s

With advancements in production, and changes in the expectations of consumers, toys became cheaper and more plentiful. Together with new safety regulations, plastic eyes were now required to be used in children’s toys and a greater range of synthetic fur was developed. Verna teddies from this period were no longer jointed, having arms outstetched, and with a moulded foam rubber filling. Pads were often made of vinyl during the 1960s, with later 1970s ones having pads of the same fabric. The distictive blunt muzzle was still retained, with the plastic eyes having black pupils and orange surrounds. The nose was a black, round and embroidered, or cloth, later ones being made of black plastic. A variety of teddies and pandas was produced, in various colours.

1980s

With a reduction in import tariffs, in the late 1970s-early 1980s, the subsequent influx of cheap Asian toys severely affected the Australian toy market. Verna attempted to remain in the market by producing a range of cheaper teddies. These were very similar to those made in China at that time, and could have been made in China rather than Australia. Each was jointed with plastic joints, made of synthetic fabric and with plastic eyes. They are often confused with the Chinese teddies, and are only distinguishable by the printed tag.

The company could not remain viable, and ceased production in the early 1990s.

Verna teddies and dolls are very collectable, with the earliest teddies fetching $200-$500 in the Australian market, depending on size, appeal and condition. 1960s unjointed teddies sell for between $30-$70.

Collecting teddy bears is now a popular, and often expensive, hobby. Collectable bears can cost up to six-figure sums! It is therefore important to care for teddy investments, both to preserve their value and their appeal.

CLEANING

How teddy bears are cleaned depends on the materials used, and their age.

ANTIQUE TEDDIES–  old teddies require very careful cleaning. Incorrect treatment can cause teddy all sorts of grief! It is not so much the fur used that can create a problem, but the stuffing. Cleaning should be avoided if possible.

–woodwool (excelsior)-this stuffing feels ‘crunchy’ if you squeeze teddy and the bears are relatively light in weight. These teddies must NOT be washed. To do so will cause the filling to leach brown stains through the fur  as it dries. Only if teddy has suffered a corrosive mishap (such as pet urine) should this cleaning option be considered, and then only to the affected areas. Use wool wash in lukewarm water, and use towels to wrap the washed areas in. Use fresh towels to absorb further moisture, and then a hair dryer or heater to finish the drying process as quickly as possible.

Alternately, use only the foam from wool wash agitated in a bowl of water, and applied with a soft cloth, to spot clean teddy, then pat with a soft cloth. Dry with a heater or hair dryer. Again, use this method only if absolutely necessary.

Preferably, spot cleaning can be carefully done with a dab of dry cleaning fluid.

–kapok-is the cream silky inner fibre of a tropical seed. It was used during the 1930s-60s as a teddy filling, and created a heavier, more solidly packed bear than those stuffed with woodwool.

Kapok is more resilient to cleaning than woodwool, though cleaning should still be avoided if possible. It is advisable to use the methods given for cleaning woodwool. Water and wool wash may result in the stuffing settling into some awkward places unless care is taken to avoid this, by keeping teddy horizontal and by removing moisture as quickly as possible with dry towels and a hair dryer.

–modern mohair collectors’ teddy bears-may be stuffed with synthetic stuffing, such as polyester wadding, and come with washing instructions. Often these bears may be hand-washed.

–synthetic fabrics– From the 1960s to the present, bears such as the unjointed Joy Toys, Wendy Boston, Jakas and Verna types, were often made specifically to be washed in the washing machine! They were marketed as ‘child safe’ and hygienic, with plastic safety eyes. These teddies usually have outstretched arms.

Handwashing of synthetic teddy bears is still advisable, followed by wrapping in a towel to remove excess water, and a blow-dry, to give teddy that coiffured look!

Keeping the teddy collection clean and dry will prolong the life of the fabrics and materials used. If humidity is a problem, either try storing them in an acid-free box with moisture-absorbing crystals (such as those inside vitamin bottles!), or inside a glass-fronted display case, again with the crystals.

PRESERVATION

Woodwool stuffing is a special favourite of insects such as moths. All antique teddies should be stored or displayed with cedar balls, moth balls, or a similar insect deterent. A regular brush will also help to lower the incidence of insect attack, by removing dust. Displaying in a glass case also helps to protect from insects, as well as dog attacks and sticky fingers!

If signs of insect infestation are aleady present (small holes, moth cases etc), teddy should either be wrapped in a  moisture-tight plastic bag and placed in the freezer for 48 hours, or secured in a plastic bag with moth balls for 48 hours.

It is also a good idea to give your teddies the occasional brush with a soft-bristled brush, so that dirt does not build up in the fur, and keeps them brighter.

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 harder to attribute to Jakas. Production of these mohair bears was short-lived, as a changing market favoured a different type of teddy.

1960s

The 1960s saw many changes in society that reflected in the teddy market. Technology advanced and consumerism rose! Toys became much more plentiful as industry re-established itself after WW2, and new fabrics were invented. Synthetic fur and plastic joints could now be used. Prices for these were lower than traditional methods and so teddy bear prices dropped. Cheaper goods were more popular!

The influx of cheaper Asian imports also pushed Australian manufacturers to reduce costs and to use cheaper alternatives.

New stringent safety regulations meant glass eyes could no longer be used in children’s toys. Jakas introduced a teddy design that was to become their trademark ‘look’ for the next thirty years. With plastic eyes, some being two-toned (brown with black pupils) and black embroidered nose and almost horizontal mouth, each teddy had a distinctive ‘Jakas’ face. As did other companies at this time, such as Joy Toys, Verna, and Wendy Boston in England, Jakas bears were now made of synthetic fur, with arms outstretched, though Jakas teddies have their arms curved upwards. Pads (of the same fabric) each had three black thread claws. Distictively, also, the hips were unstuffed, so as to allow teddy to ‘sit’. Stuffing was crumbed foam rubber.

A large range of toys was made, all with the typical Jakas face, including bunnies, dogs, baby walkers and pre-walkers, (which were wheeled toys with a handle for the child to push it along with, such as teddies, dogs, horses), and pyjama cases with a strong metal zip underneathe that allowed pyjamas to be stored within the case (cats, dogs), dolls with vinyl faces and plush bodies, and golly wogs with velvet faces, red cotton pants and cotton check ‘shirts’.

Teddies were made in many sizes, often golden or light brown. The most famous would be ‘Big Ted’, immortalized for 45 years in the ABC children’s show ‘Play School’. Generations of Australian children have grown up with this well-known Jakas teddy bear!

1970s-1980s

Jakas continued to produce an extensive range of soft toys, with the “Jakas’ face. The fur of 1970s-90s teddy bears was fluffier, but with the same shape. Stuffing was now polyester wadding.

Jakas remained in production after all the other major Australian manufacturers of its time had ceased producing toys, due to the competition from cheaper imported Asian toys. In 1989, though, this most prolific company was taken over by Wendy McDonald, merging with another company, Koala Mate. The combined comapny now produced limited editions. One range was a limited edition fully jointed teddy, made from wool plush, and with a large black embroidered nose. With large cupped ears, short limbs and velvet paw pads, it did not resemble the traditional Jakas bears!

With their sweet faces, Jakas teddies and soft toys are highly collectable and very popular.

Labels

1960s – red embroidered on white label: ‘JAKAS TOYS WASH IN LUKE-WARM LUX’
1970s – red embroidered (or printed) on white label: ‘JAKAS TOYS’
1980s – red print on white label: ‘JAKAS TOYS’
1980s – limited edition wool teddy-green embroidered on white label: JAKAS SOFT TOYS/MELBOURNE/AUSTRALIA

Values

The lower prices given reflect those that may occur in a market situation, up to those expected in an antique shop.

1950s mohair teddy – $400-$1,000
1960s synthetic teddy – $50-90
1960s wheeled toy – $40-$150
1970s synthetic teddy – $20-$60