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Repairing Antique And Vintage Teddy Bears

By Jo Whyte
In Teddy Bears
Posted Jan 26, 2011

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.

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Steiff-The Oldest Stuffed Toy Company

By Jo Whyte
In Teddy Bears
Posted Dec 26, 2010

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.

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Chiltern Teddy Bears

By Jo Whyte
In Teddy Bears
Posted Nov 14, 2010

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.

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Verna Teddy Bears And Dolls

By Jo Whyte
In Teddy Bears
Posted Sep 12, 2010

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.

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Antique Bears-Caring For Collectable Teddy Bears

By Jo Whyte
In Teddy Bears
Posted Jul 19, 2010

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.

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Humphrey B Bear-History And Collectables

By Jo Whyte
In Teddy Bears
Posted Jun 15, 2010
image

Vintage sewing

By Shaz Hale | January 17, 2016
SAM_1554-500x667

Rachael

By Tiffany Leow | February 8, 2015
beethoven1-1024x918

Beethoven

By Tiffany Leow | February 2, 2015

Humphrey B Bear was one of the longest running children's television programmes in Australia. Running for over 3,000 episodes, his image has been immortalised on countless toys and other products! Many of these are now collectable.

Humphrey Makes An Appearance

Humphrey, the honey-loving, accident-prone bear first appeared in his own show on 24th May, 1965, and only ceased production in 2009. He bears similarities to an Australian predecessor, Fredd Bear, who starred in Fredd Bear's Breakfast A Go-Go in 1964. Later, Fredd and his female friend, Fee Fee were characters in the highly popular The Magic Circle Club (1965).

A Toy Is Born!

Consequently, the very first Humphrey B Bear soft toys look very similar to Fredd Bear. Made of a dark brown artificial silk plush, Humphrey had short stumpy legs, a bulging pot belly and a large head with small ears. Eyes were made of white vinyl with black plastic button 'pupils', whilst the nose was very large and black plastic. He wore a plastic yellow 'boater' hat, and tartan fabric (removable) waistcoat/vest. Difficult to find, these original Humphries are usually naked! Stuffing was crumbed rubber, packed firmly, and so, as the toys stood 45cm tall, they were quite heavy.

1969-Early 1990s.

Classic Toys P/L of Adelaide obtained the exclusive rights to produce Humphrey merchandise in 1969. Together with Southern Television Corp P/L (a subsidiary of News Ltd, and owner of Humphrey Bear through Channel 9, Adelaide), this company made most of the Humphrey memorabilia until the mid 1980s, when high costs forced production to be moved overseas. It also made Humphrey's suits!

In the early 1990s, the partnership was dissolved, and the exclusive licence was lost.

Metti Toys manufactured rubber toys of Humphrey in the late 1960s. A 1968 version is incised 'Metti Toys'. Standing 25cm tall, it has painted features.

Typically, in 1973, a plush Humphrey was made of short grey plush fabric with black and white plastic eyes glued on. With a black fabric nose and red felt tongue, he did not have paw pads. Clothing was sewn on-a yellow plastic boater and red plaid fabric waistcoat. The white vinyl collar with fabric tie was often removable.

Other products manufactured from the 1960s onwards included metal money boxes and lunch boxes, vinyl records, night
lights and books!

Early 1990s-2009.

Banksia Productions now 'owned' Humphrey. The range of merchandise produced now was extensive, including doona covers, ceramic money boxes and crockery, backpacks, CDs, and fabric! Humphrey soft toys have been made in sizes from 15cm to 90cm!

Banksia Productions owned the intellectual property rights and marketing rights to Humphrey B Bear until 2009, when, due to heavy debts, it went in insolvency. A dispute over the rights is still in the courts as various charity organisations fight for the use of Humphrey's image to raise funds.

Everything New Is Not Old!

Quite a bit of confusion surrounds the age, and therefore the value, of 'old' Humphrey toys. Classic Toys used the same labels during all years of manufacture, and therefore 1990s toys are tagged the same way as 1960s Humphries. It is in the appearance that the toys can be dated. Newer Humphries are made of a fluffy longer-haired brown fur. Older ones are made from dark brown art silk plush, or short-pile grey plush, and are much more collectable!

Values

1965 plush Humphrey: $80-$150
1960s metal lunchbox: $30-$80
1973 plush Humphrey: $20-$50

 

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Vintage Koala Toys

By Jo Whyte
In Teddy Bears
Posted May 27, 2010
image

Vintage sewing

By Shaz Hale | January 17, 2016
SAM_1554-500x667

Rachael

By Tiffany Leow | February 8, 2015
beethoven1-1024x918

Beethoven

By Tiffany Leow | February 2, 2015

The koala is an iconic Australian marsupial. Cute and soft, it was inevitable it would be made into soft toys!

1920s

Australia's 'bear', the koala became a popular subject for toys in the 1920s. The first soft toy koalas were made of koala, wallaby or kangaroo fur, with jointed arms, legs and head. Eyes were made of leather shoe buttons with a pure rubber nose. These noses have tended over time to become hard and brittle. Claws were leather. These toys are comparatively rare and highly collectable. Stuffed with woodwool, they have also become a favourite with insect infestations!

Koalas also became a very popular and fashionable trend during the 1920s. A wide range of koala merchandise was produced, not just for children but also for women and the home. These included koala tea cosies, muffs, purses and handbags! Each was also made from the same materials as the soft toys-fur, shoe buttons and leather. Knitting patterns for tea cosies offered another alternative for the home!

Many commercial teddy bear manufacturers also made koalas in the range. Steiff, the famous German manufacturer, as did Deans in England, and others around the world, produced mohair versions with glass eyes, and stuffed with woodwool.

1930s

Koala toys continued to be popular. Generally they were now produced from kangaroo fur, but were often no longer jointed, having a fixed head and limbs. The arms and legs were outstretched in a 'starfish' shape, and still with shoe button eyes, and leather claws and nose.

Sheepskin versions were also made, also with these features, and stuffed with woodwool.

Koalas made their way into popular children's literature at this time, such as Blinky Bill!

1940s-50s

The koala toys of this period now had glass eyes and had leather noses, though increasingly synthetic rubber was used. Kapok or a kapok-woodwool blend was used as the stuffing. The shape remained the same as earlier versions! Unjointed, with outstretched arms, they continued to be able to sit on their bottoms unaided.

1960s

Glass eyes were now used, with kapok as the stuffing. These koala toys, made from kangaroo fur, tended to be lighter in colour than the very early ones, of wallaby, rabbit or koala fur, which were longer and darker. A common problem with the kangaroo skin toys is thinning of the fur and bald patches. This could have been due to problems in the tanning process.

1970s-present

Koala toys were still made from kangaroo skin, with synthetic rubber noses and claws, in the starfish shape. Kapok-filled, they needed to comply with new safety regulations and therefore to have plastic safety eyes. Increasingly, though, the koalas were made from synthetic fur, as public condemnation of the use of animal fur increased.

Koalas continue to be most popular as souvenirs of Australia, by overseas tourists. One of the earliest and most prolific companies responsible for their production is Morella.

Morella
was, and is, largely known for its tourist trade toys. Morella started making its range of fur souvenir koalas, kangaroos and teddy bears in the 1930s. Made from wallaby or kangaroo fur, these early toys were filled with cork or woodwool, and later with rubber or flock.

Paramount
had a popular range made from rabbit fur, during the 1950s, and examples with tags can still be found.

Many other companies continue to also include koalas in their range. The appeal of the koala ensures it will remain a popular toy!

Values

Most early koalas are unlabelled. Values given show the range from that expected at a market, to that in an antique shop or fair.
1920s jointed-$80-$300
1920s tea cosy-$70
1930s-$45-$200
1940s-50s-$30-$140
1970s kangaroo skin-$10-$40

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Jakas Teddy Bears

By Jo Whyte
In Teddy Bears
Posted May 18, 2010

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

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Winnie The Pooh-History Of The REAL Pooh

By Jo Whyte
In Teddy Bears
Posted May 4, 2010

“Behind Every Great Man (Or Bear)…”

In 1920, Daphne Milne bought a large mohair teddy bear for her one year old son, Christopher, from the famous London department store, Harrods. As the English firm of JK Farnell was the exclusive supplier of teddies to Harrods, it is most likely that Farnell made Winnie-The-Pooh. There would be many other similar bears around the world! A big family of “Poohs” under different names!

Christopher first named his teddy ‘Edward Bear’, but renamed him “Winnie” after an American black bear he loved to visit in London Zoo. Donated by a Canadian, Lieutenant Harry Colbourn, Winnie had been bought as a cub from a Canadian hunter during WW1 and bought to England when Lt Colbourn’s army unit was enroute to France. She stayed at the zoo during the war but remained there for the rest of her life, having become a favourite ‘friend’ to visitors.

‘Pooh’ was a swan that the Milnes visited in the English countryside, and of whom Christopher was very fond.

Winnie The Pooh became a character in the family’s social life! Christopher personified his bear with conversations, which with other animals from his nursery, became characters in a series of little incidents that Mr and Mrs Milne, and their friends, enacted for a laugh! These other animals included a donkey (a Christmas present to Christopher, named Eeyore), and a piglet (a gift from neighbours in Chelsea). ‘Tigger’ the tiger, ‘Kanga’ and “Roo’ were also added in 1925 and 1926. These incidents inspired AA Milne to bring them to literary life in his poems and stories. He set these stories in Ashdown Forest, Sussex, a mile from a country home the family bought; the ‘Hundred Acre Wood’ was based on the ‘Five Hundred Acre Wood’ within the forest.

Christopher Robin himself though, pointed out that he believed his mother provided his father with much of the material for his books, as it was she who predominately played with him, and relayed the stories of their play to his father.

A Star Is Born

Edward Bear first appeared in a poem in ‘When We Were Very Young’, published in 1924. Pooh the swan was also a character in this book of verse. The London Evening News, though, published a story in Dec. 1925, in which Milne had used Christopher’s new name for his bear, for the central character, Winnie The Pooh. His first book about the teddy, ‘Winnie The Pooh’ was published in 1926 by Methuen, starring ‘Winnie The Pooh’ in a collection of stories.

Will The Real Pooh Bear Please Stand Up?

Ernest Shephard illustrated ‘Winnie The Pooh’, and it is his lovely line drawings that became the original image that readers knew to be Pooh. He didn’t, though, base his illustrations on Christopher Robin’s bear, but on his own son’s teddy, named Grisly.

On June 16th, 1961, Disney acquired the rights to Pooh. In the three subsequent years the Disney animators rewrote and redrew the Milne books producing ‘Winnie The Pooh And The Honey Tree’. Unfortunately, all traces of Pooh’s British heritage were meticulously erased. Christopher Robin was considered too ‘sissy’. Lyrics were reworded by the Sherman Brothers. The character image of Pooh readily available today is a variant of that created by Disney. Originally Pooh’s name was hyphenated (Winnie-The-Pooh) and these were dropped. ‘Gopher’ replaced ‘Mole’, so as to be more familiar to American children. It is a thought though that being presented with ‘exotic’ new animals and foreign accents would have added to the enchantment of Pooh and his world.

The Real Toys

In 1947 AA Milne agreed to allow the toys to tour the US, arranged by the US publishers of his work, Dutton Publishing. The tour lasted ten years, before Dutton convinced Milne to allow the family of toys to remain in America. As of Sept 11th, 1987, they now reside in a large glass case in the New York City Library. Roo, though, disappeared in Sussex before the tour, probably taken for a ‘walk’ by the family dog!

It is uncertain whether the toys will ever travel back home to The Hundred Acre Wood and to Christopher Robin.

Christopher distanced himself early on from the glare of the world’s spotlight, and ran a small bookshop in Devon, in country England. In 1952 he wrote two autobiographical works, ‘The Enchanted Places’ and ‘Path Through The Trees’, the process of which helped him to feel more at ease with his fame. He died on April 20th, 1996, aged 76, after a long battle with myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune neuromuscular disease.

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Australian Vintage Teddy Bears

By Jo Whyte
In Teddy Bears
Posted Mar 30, 2010
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Vintage sewing

By Shaz Hale | January 17, 2016
SAM_1554-500x667

Rachael

By Tiffany Leow | February 8, 2015
beethoven1-1024x918

Beethoven

By Tiffany Leow | February 2, 2015

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.

Fideston commenced business as a book and music store in Perth, by Richard and Louise Fiddes. In 1921 the Fideston Toy Company was registered. It brought out a range of high quality teddies and other soft toys, with over 1,000 teddies being hand-made per month! As these toys were not labelled with tags, they are usually identified by the cone-shaped muzzle, broad head and triangular (split-leather) paw pads. With high-quality glass eyes, long silky mohair and woodwool stuffing, Fideston bears are relatively rare, and valued by collectors.
The firm closed down during WW2 after nineteen years of production.
Value: $1,000+

The 1930s and 40s saw several other quality makers enter the market:

Lindee was situated in Sydney, and was a prolific manufacturer of toys from 1944 to 1976, owned by Mr and Mrs Lindenberg. It is well-known for its range of lovely dolls, soft toys and gollies, as well as its bears, made from English mohair, with vinyl paws and glass eyes. With larger rounded heads and cotton flock stuffing, these bears resemble English teddies of the same period. Crumbed rubber was used as stuffing in the 1950s. The distictive Lindee embroidered tag of a sitting fawn and the words "Lindee Toys/ The Prestige Name In Soft Toys" was sewn into the paw pad, though the distictive square muzzle of Lindee bears helps to identify unlabelled examples.
The business was sold in 1969, but continued to produce bears, of a lesser quality, for the next seven years.
Value: $275  (older examples).

Emil, from the 1930s till the mid 1970s, produced its teddy bears from several factories in Melbourne. Early bears were made from imported mohair, with pads of oilcloth, and had tapered front paws. Eyes were glass, and bodies filled with excelsior and kapok. The noses of Emil bears help to identify them, having two outside stitches longer than the inner stitches. 1950s bears often have vinyl pads, lesser quality mohair and stiff necks.
With their sweet look, Emil teddies are highly collectable.
Value: $300 (1940s).

Berlex began in the early 1950s. Lex Bertrand commenced his company making golly wogs, bears, soft toys and dolls of high quality. The bears were made from the best mohair, with white leatherette or vinyl pads and a distictive stitched triangular nose. Berlex teddies often have a rounder, sweet face.
Value: $300 (1940s).

Verna-the Verna Toy Company began production in 1941 in Victoria, as a doll maker. After ownership changed in 1948, teddy bears were also produced. With a distictive blunt muzzle, early bears were made from mohair, fully jointed, and stuffed with woodwool. Later versions often had a kidney-shaped piece of felt attached over the nose, Foam rubber was used as the stuffing after 1960, when eyes became plastic and pads were made of vinyl or the same fabric as the body which was made in the unjointed starfish shape.
Value: $250 (1950s).

Barton Waugh traded from Hurstville in Sydney from the 1950s to the late 1960s. Named "Bruno", the bears had large square-shaped heads and small ears. Pads were brown leatherette. The mohair used was of inferior quality and as such, most Brunos are now bald!
Value: $300+

Jakas was the last major producer to close, in the 1990s. Jakas was based in Melbourne, since 1954. One of the most prolific makers, it produced a huge range of soft toys. The earliest bears were made of mohair and fully jointed, however from the 1960s the distictive outstretched arms were made in synthetic fabrics, with safety eyes, crumbed rubber filling, and machine washable. 1960s bears have the tag "Jakas Toys/Wash In Lukewarm Lux". Later versions say "Jakas Toys/ Made In Australia", and were made in many wonderful clours.
Value: $400 (earliest bears).

Morella was, and is, largely known for its tourist trade toys. Morella started making its range of fur souvenir koalas, kangaroos and teddy bears in the 1930s. Made from wallaby or kangaroo fur, these early toys were filled with cork or woodwool, and later with rubber or flock. 1930s and 40s toys had shoebutton eyes, with rubber noses and leather claws. From the 1950s the eyes were glass and the claws rubber. Only in the 1930s were they fully jointed; the arms outstretched version began production in the 1940s.
Value: $200 (earliest versions).

With the lifting of tariffs on imported toys in the late 1960s and early 1970s, most Australian makers could not compete with the cheap Asian imports, and closed their doors.
Artist bears, exported worldwide, now showcase Australia's quality bear making.

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