In addition to the Steiff teddy bears up for auction at the Bear Bids website, some very rare and highly collectible teddy bears by Steiff will be auctioned off at Smith and Caughey’s in Auckland New Zealand. Money raised will be used to benefit New Zealand’s Nurture Foundation for Reproductive Research. The Steiff bears have been on display since the end of February, and will be auctioned off on March 15th, 2008. If you would like to learn more about the Steiff teddy bear auction, visit the official site for additional details and registration information.
Jointed Teddy Bears
Most collectible teddy bears are known as jointed teddy bears. This means that the teddy bear is constructed with movable parts. usually you will find that the bear’s arms, legs, and head are the common movable parts. There are a variety of methods used to make a jointed teddy bear, the most common being a disk and screw setup. This type of setup generally uses a couple of disks(made of wood, hardboard, or plastic), a threaded type screw, a couple of washers, and a locknut. The disk and screw setup is very easy to create, and allows the bears parts to move easily.
Some teddy bears were created using a cotter pin joint. Although this basically works the same way, a disk and screw joint was usually the better option when creating a jointed teddy bear. String, chains, and even buttons were also used to produce a similar type of jointed teddy bear.
More collectible teddy bear information can be found at BearBids.com.
Mourning Bear by Steiff
One of the rarest and most limited collectible teddy bears made by Steiff was the Mourning Bear. Just 500 black Mourning Bears, featuring a somber facial expression, were created in 1912 to commemorate and pay tribute to the lives lost in the historical sinking of the Titanic. In 1992, Steiff created a limited edition replica of the Mourning Bear, producing and selling only 7000 replicas.
Visit BearBids.com to browse, bid, and buy Steiff teddy bears. Also featuring rare and collectible bears from Ideal, Gund, Hermann, Merrythought, and more.
Chiltern Hugmee Teddy Bear
Although the very first teddy bear made by Chiltern was Master Teddy, the most popular bear the company created was the Hugmee teddy bear. Hugmee was first created in 1923, designed with high quality detail and memorable characteristics. The teddy bear was filled with kapok, a popular light fibre used as an alternative to down filling.
The bears were also made with high quality mohair, a silk-like fabric used in the early productions of many collectible teddy bears. Hugmee bears could be found in a variety of colors, such as blonde, pink, white, and the very popular golden color. It’s popularity allowed the bears to be produced for over four decades.
Those who collect early production Hugmee teddy bears are familiar with features such as its long muzzle, clear glass eyes with black pupils, and long curvy arms. The characteristics changed a bit as years went on, reducing the amount of fabric used to create the bear.
Earlier made Chiltern bears featured a fabric label which had the following printed in red: Chiltern Hygienic Toys, Made In England. Bears of the 50’s had a white fabric label with the same words, only printed in blue. Chad Valley took over Chiltern in 1967.
Visit BearBids.com to find more information on Chiltern teddy bears. The site also features teddy bear auctions where you can browse, bid, and buy collectible teddy bears. Featuring Chiltern, Steiff, Merrythought, Ideal, Gund, and more.
Cheeky from Merrythought
Bear collectors know that one of the most sought after teddy bears manufactured by Merrythought is Cheeky. This charming teddy bear has been around since it’s creation in 1956. I think collectors love Cheeky as much as they do simply because it showcases the classic teddy bear features collectors love. The original Cheeky was made of gold mohair and plush.
Ten years after Cheeky debuted, Mr. & Mrs. Twisty Cheeky were created. In fact, Cheeky is still manufactured in present day. The limited edition creations are quite valuable. Cheeky teddy bears, old and new, are treasured by those who own them.
If you are looking to identify your Merrythought Cheeky teddy bear, the early editions were labeled with a tag on the bears foot, reading Merrythought, Hygenic toys, Made In England. Bears created after 1957 sported a tag that read Merrythought, Ironbridge, Shrops, Made In England.
Visit BearBids.com to browse, bid, and buy collectible teddy bears such as Merrythought’s Cheeky.
Gund Teddy Bears
GUND teddy bears are well known for their high quality soft and plush designs. The company was founded by German immigrant Adolph Gund in 1898, and has had much success claiming the name as the oldest manufacturer of soft toys. When someone thinks about GUND products, they know each and every product has been designed with safety and quality in mind. The company is widely known for their unique technique of under-stuffing, producing a much more plush toy.
The company has had quite the history since it’s formation and production in the early 1900’s. In 1907, Russian immigrant Jacob Swedlin began working for GUND, and eventually acquired the business after the retirement of Adolph Gund in 1925. It was in 1969 when Swedlin passed the business down to his daughter Rita Raiffe. Eventually Bruce Raiffe, the son of Rita, became the president of GUND in 1993, and most recently became the chairman and CEO of the company in 2004. Bruce Raiffe’s senior adviser of 5 years, Jim Madonna, became president of GUND in 2004 after Raiffe advanced to CEO.
One of GUND’s most successful advertising slogan’s is “Gotta Getta Gund”, a slogan which earned the company high recognition throughout the 1980’s. Some of the company’s most famous productions include plush toys of Felix the Cat, Snuffles the Bear, Muttsy the Dog, and Mickey Mouse, manufactured under the GUND and babyGUND names.
The New Jersey based company proudly distributes products throughout the USA, as well as Europe, Canada, South America, Asia, and Australia.
Visit Bear Bids, featuring teddy bear auctions where you can browse, bid, and buy teddy bear collectibles.
