Antique teddy bears are a great collector's item. This toy has been a popular one for years, though it is relatively new so far as toys go. It is soft, cuddly, and gives comfort to those who love them so much. They are often given to children by policemen and by hospitals when a child has surgery, a long-term illness, or is brought to the emergency room with a traumatic injury.
This toy has a very exciting history. It is reported that President Teddy Roosevelt was responsible in part to its development. He had failed to get a specimen on a hunt, but refused to shoot a cub that was tethered to make it easy for him. The first one produced, by a couple of Brooklyn store owners, was a stuffed doll named "Teddy's Bear". It caught on and was an immediate success.
A German named Steiff developed a very different bear about the same time. It also became quite successful, though it was totally different in looks from the American one. They became popular collectors items as well. Varying versions of these toys were developed by a number of companies that wanted to get their part of this lucrative market.
Asian companies began to develop cheap stuffed toys and almost caused the bear to disappear completely. These toys cause it to be almost non-existent right after WWII. In late 1969, an author wrote about these antique and vintage stuffed bears and revived their popularity. This lead to the first auction devoted completely to them in 1985.
Fake versions began to appear as many decided to try and capture part of the market, but without the expense and effort older ones used. They copied many traits, but not all. Modern collectors can determine fake from the original by close inspection of certain characteristics. Checking characteristics of the model they are considering against older model traits will help prevent their buying a fake instead of an original.
The body and stuffing varied in the fakes in comparison to the original ones. Earlier versions were made of wool mohair. Just before WWII silk plush came into used. Cotton plush did not come into use until later, after the war. Synthetics were not introduced until much later, during the 1950's. Stuffing in earlier models was excelsior, a type of wood wool. Later, kapok was used. Those stuffed with kapok were still older, and were much lighter than those stuffed with excelsior. Foam was not used until much later.
Facial features are another trait that can indicate the age. Those from the very earliest years had eyes made of boot buttons. Glass eyes became common in the 1920's. Plastic eyes didn't come into use until the 1950's. The noses on the earliest models were made from woven silk. Later manufacturers had their unique nose styles, marking them as later productions.
Paws are another indicator of age. The earliest ones had pads made from felt or cotton. The cotton would have been worn out and probably replaced. Those models produced after the 1930's had velvet or fake leather pads on their paws. This marks them as not being one of the antique teddy bears.
This toy has a very exciting history. It is reported that President Teddy Roosevelt was responsible in part to its development. He had failed to get a specimen on a hunt, but refused to shoot a cub that was tethered to make it easy for him. The first one produced, by a couple of Brooklyn store owners, was a stuffed doll named "Teddy's Bear". It caught on and was an immediate success.
A German named Steiff developed a very different bear about the same time. It also became quite successful, though it was totally different in looks from the American one. They became popular collectors items as well. Varying versions of these toys were developed by a number of companies that wanted to get their part of this lucrative market.
Asian companies began to develop cheap stuffed toys and almost caused the bear to disappear completely. These toys cause it to be almost non-existent right after WWII. In late 1969, an author wrote about these antique and vintage stuffed bears and revived their popularity. This lead to the first auction devoted completely to them in 1985.
Fake versions began to appear as many decided to try and capture part of the market, but without the expense and effort older ones used. They copied many traits, but not all. Modern collectors can determine fake from the original by close inspection of certain characteristics. Checking characteristics of the model they are considering against older model traits will help prevent their buying a fake instead of an original.
The body and stuffing varied in the fakes in comparison to the original ones. Earlier versions were made of wool mohair. Just before WWII silk plush came into used. Cotton plush did not come into use until later, after the war. Synthetics were not introduced until much later, during the 1950's. Stuffing in earlier models was excelsior, a type of wood wool. Later, kapok was used. Those stuffed with kapok were still older, and were much lighter than those stuffed with excelsior. Foam was not used until much later.
Facial features are another trait that can indicate the age. Those from the very earliest years had eyes made of boot buttons. Glass eyes became common in the 1920's. Plastic eyes didn't come into use until the 1950's. The noses on the earliest models were made from woven silk. Later manufacturers had their unique nose styles, marking them as later productions.
Paws are another indicator of age. The earliest ones had pads made from felt or cotton. The cotton would have been worn out and probably replaced. Those models produced after the 1930's had velvet or fake leather pads on their paws. This marks them as not being one of the antique teddy bears.
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