Teddy Bear

It is important to know how much your teddy bears are worth before buying or selling them.  Some have been known to go up in price over the years while others stayed the same or went down. If you aren’t sure how to figure out how much your teddy bears are worth you can ask a dealer or go out and get a book.  Collecting teddy bears can be very profitable if you know what you are doing.

Examine your teddy bears thoroughly before ever taking them for a show or auction. Before buying them look them over and ask as many questions as you can think of. Find out where the bear came from and who had him last.  By examining your teddy bears you should be able to tell how much they are worth and know if you want to sell them or buy any new ones.

There are several different things to look at on teddy bears to determine their value. Labels, joints and pads on their feet can tell you just how old they are. Their face can give you a round about guess on which decade they were distributed. Fur is another issue, depending on what type of fur, the condition it is in and everything to that nature.

If the joints that are stiff hard like a bear you’d find in a craft store, remember in the beginning these were what the teddy bears looked like. The pads on the teddy bear will indicate if he is good quality or not.  In the early years of teddy bears, many companies would make them with really long noses because it was suppose to represent the real thing, not something cute and cuddly. If your teddy bears have glass or button eyes they might be worth something. Last, if you have a hand-sewn teddy bear with no flaws or very minimal flaws.

History of teddy bears

Teddy bears all started because Theodore Roosevelt refused to shoot a bear, which in the end got him the nickname “Teddy.” Yes, it is true there were toys that had bears on them, but they did not actually have stuffed teddy bears before 1902.  There are a few different stories to what actually happened, but it sounds like Theodore Roosevelt went out hunting and never ended up shooting anything. The men he was with wanted him to take something back for his troubles and found a small bear cub and told him to shoot it. I’m not sure if he didn’t want to shoot it because it had no mother, was injured, and tied to a tree or just because of its size. When he refused to shoot the bear they all joked about it, one man even drew a cartoon of “Teddy” with a bear cub.

The interest in teddy bears would become very popular in society.  A small shopkeeper, Morris Michtom, recognized the potential income and displayed them in his store window. Mooris sent the president one of the bears his wife made and asked the president if he could name them “Teddy’s Bears.” The bears were unlike any toy bears that had been made; this one was cute and didn’t frighten away children. Once accepted, he started designing the teddy bears in a new shop called the, “Ideal Toy Company”. It is not known who actually created the very first teddy bear, but we do know that it was Mooris that asked permission.

Clear over in Germany was another company making teddy bears.  “Steiff Company” was creating bears that actually looked like the real thing. The owner, Margarete Steiff had a nephew that would sketch pictures of bears at the Stuttgart Zoo and show them to her, this inspired her to create her own.  Her creations wouldn’t be discovered by the Americans until 1903 at a toy fair, which had them ordering over 3000 bears.

One can see why teddy bears became so famous, if it wasn’t for their cute expressions and cuddliness I think they would’ve gone extinct. Today, you might see teddy bears in a bedroom, store window, commercials, cartoons or even in books. Teddy bears are everywhere and it’s all because of one man refusing to shoot an innocent bear.

Teddy Bears

If you are looking for a hobby, collecting teddy bears can be a lot of fun. It doesn’t take much to start your own teddy bear collection. In fact, you probably have a small one going on right now. Take a look around your room. Notice anything? That’s right, you’ve been collecting stuffed teddy bears over the years without even realizing it.

As a child many adults tend to buy teddy bears as gifts, even as you become a teenager you probably had someone give you one or two. Boyfriends tend to purchase teddy bears to show how much they care and because they know their girlfriend will think they are cute. Once you’ve become an adult you already have a collection of teddy bears waiting for you to pick up and continue on.

Children may want to collect teddy bears just because they like they way they look and can play with them. Some will want teddy bears to protect them late at night when all the scary stuff comes out in the dark, while others will simply place them on a shelf to look at. Teddy bears can help a child confide in someone if she/he is depressed, remember teddy bears will never tell.

You can find many teddy bears inside stores of all types from Wal-Mart to your local craft stores. Keep in mind if you are looking at homemade teddy bears they will be more expensive.

By going to department stores to your local talent shops you can find some nice teddy bear to collect. Prices will range from as low as a dollar to a few hundreds. You can also find a few online at places like eBay, Amazon or by simply doing a search for whatever type of teddy bear you are wanting.

Museums always have gift shops inside with all the latest merchandise from the area, which includes teddy bears. You’ll probably be able to find one that’s just for that museum and possibly a limited edition. But be careful, sometimes a museum can be pretty steep in their prices for something that you can buy cheaper outside the museum.

If you are really serious about collecting teddy bears, buy a few books on the subject so you never get charged over the price.  Do your homework first before purchasing a collectors teddy bear.  This way you can save your money for one that you really want.

Gund Teddy Bear

Gund has been in the teddy bear making business for over 100 years now, it was one of the first companies to ever produce a teddy bear in the United States.  Due to the fact that Adolph Gund had to have the very best of everything in life, he made sure his teddy bears did too. His bears had to be made with top quality material, which is why they were made with mohair fur.  He didn’t just stop there though, the men creating these lovely bears had to be the best craftsmen in the area.  The golden ticket for the Gund Bears has always been there trademark of  under-stuffing the bear, this created a soft teddy bear.

The company started creating teddy bears in Norwalk, Ct.  Adolph never did have family which is probably why he sought out someone before he passed away to sell his company to.

Adolph Gund right before his passing he sold his business to Jacob Swedlin but under one restriction, the company always had to be called, “Gund.” Jacob would also be the man that introduced everyone to the licensing of cartoon characters such as Mickey Mouse or Snoopy.  Jacob would pass down the company to his daughter Rita and her husband Herbert Raiffe, they both knew never to change the company name.

The company continue to thrive under Herbert and Rita, but it would be their son.  In 1977 Bruce Raiffe would join the company.  The company continues to grow today, always making sure to keep it’s name when it goes from one person to the next. While the company thrives with its latest teddy bears,  they’ve never forgotten the man that got them started and have always continued to use safety with the toys and good quality to make all their items just like he did.

grooming teddy bears

Teddy bears like to be groomed just like everyone else.  If left unkempt your teddy bear will stop keeping his/her appearance up they begin to look old and tattered.

In case your teddy bear is looking a little squished because he got flattened from being inside the toy box shake him out. By shaking the teddy it tends to fluff his fur back out and relocate the beads or fluff inside him.  You may even want to pat him out a few times to get all that dust out of him.

Believe it or not some teddy bears enjoy you to pull on them. Stretch out his face if it has got deformed from your little brother always dragging him around. Don’t worry, bears are meant to be handled rough, he wants to play too. Continue to pull on him until you are satisfied with his expression on his face

A bear loves his fur brushed; to them it is just like someone scratching their backs. But don’t pull out his fur. That hurts and he may growl out. Some bears are unable to have their fur brushed, instead try blowing drying them out and then fluffing them with a fork.

Over the course of time teddy bears can lose that glossy look in their eyes. Sometimes it can get all scratched up while others it is just dirt on them. Simply take a cloth and wipe it over his eyes. You may even want to use a tiny bit of water to get any dirt or marker that is being stubborn.

When grooming your teddy bears take this opportunity to dust them, use a vacuum to quickly go over his fur.  If your teddy bears still look a little dirty simply wash them down with a wet cloth. You should never drown them in water, the only time you put them in water is if it says machine washable. Now that your teddy bears are all nice and groomed, you can take them out for a picnic. Don’t forget the honey.

Fixing Teddy Bears

“Mom, he’s broke!” Your child has run in crying for you to fix her teddy bear. You quickly look over the teddy bear to discover exactly what is wrong with it. But how do you fix it? Is she just wanting you to add a band-aid to him or is there really something broke?

Teddy bears can take a lot of loving from children and last a long time, however there does come a time when teddy just can’t take it anymore. There are ways for you to fix your teddy bears without having to throw them away.

First, look over all your teddy bears to see if any need to be fixed.  Determine what the actual problem is and make sure you have all the proper gear.  If a string is hanging you may want to try pulling it but keep in mind this can make teddy come undone. Or you can take a needle and sew that small piece of string back into teddy. A hole on his side can be fixed the same way and no one will ever know that he once came apart.

With teddy bears it always seems that they will lose their cute little nose or those glass eyes. If you can’t find a replacement eye you can always add a patch to your teddy bear and make him look like a pirate.

You notice that a couple of your teddy bears have fur coming out of them; this could be just because he’s been worn out on this side. Kids seem to favor holding them a certain way, which tends to wear out that side. Purchase a patch that resembles the fur or you could simply get some fabric cut to the size you need and sew it back on. Teddy bears love to wear clothes as well, so if nothing else works you can start dressing him. You won’t be able to fix all your teddy bears but if you really want to save them, find a teddy bear expert.

Teddy Bear

Theodore Roosevelt was the inspiration behind the first teddy bears, all due to a comic strip. When he refused to shoot a bear cub on his hunting travel word got out and a cartoonist drew a picture of him and the bear, this inspired a store owner.  Mooris Mitchom had his wife create a teddy bear and this began the journey of the teddy bears.

1906 Americans used the word “teddy bear” instead of “Teddy’s Bears” in an advertisement, after that it just stuck.

In 1912 the very first black teddy bear was introduced by Steiff in honor of those that died on the Titanic. She manufactured 500 of these teddy bears to pass out to the families mourning their loved ones.

Walt Disney produces first teddy bear cartoon in 1924, “Alice and the Three Bears.” This would begin a whole collection of Alice and her many adventures. In 1926 the first edition of “Winnie the Pooh” by A. A. Milne come out, later Disney would buy the rights.

Winnie the Pooh was originally a girl bear named, “Winnipeg.” The bear that inspired Milne to write all his stories was a gift that came from J.K. Farnell & Company that he’d given his son on his first birthday.  Farnell was the first British manufacturer to make teddy bears.

Almost all teddy bear companies would close their doors in 1929, some would reopen while others never saw the light again.

In 1944, Smokey the Bear became a National symbol for putting out forest fires. Every year he goes to schools to talk to children about fire safety, during the summer you can find him at campsites giving lessons on the forest.

Wendy Boston made the first lock-in eyes and later would create the first washable teddy bear in 1954.

Teddy bears have come a long way from what was once a wooden toy to the soft, delightful things we cuddle up with at night. Teddy bears continue to expand in the market and will continue for years to come.

Teddy Bears

It is never easy getting rid or losing an old friend, especially when that old friend was one of your beloved teddy bears. Sometimes when it comes to kids there is no other way to replace an old teddy bear without them knowing.  Don’t just think you can go right out and buy a brand new teddy bear in place of the old. Do know that not all children will be able to replace their special teddy bears, no matter what you try doing.

Trying to deceive a child is never a good thing, they are smart and this will only bring him/her to tears. Children know if their bear is Mr. Teddy or not, there are special markings that some how only he/she know about. No matter how many times you wash the bear, throw it on the floor and stomp on it, if it isn’t the bear they will figure it out.

But if Little Jane left one of her teddy bears at the local zoo the last time you went, there are a few things you can do to try to replace it. First, try calling to see if they actually have it. You never know, some good Samaritan may have found it and returned it to the lost and found.

If it is lost you may want to try calling/emailing the company that made Mr. Teddy and ask them if they have a replacement. Make sure you let the child know that Mr. Teddy’s cousin is coming to stay with her for a while. This will explain that while it isn’t her bear, it is a family member and he needs lots of loving too.

If they do that’s great but if not, you may want to take Little Jane up to the mall to pick out her own little teddy bear. There are hundreds of teddy bears at the mall to choose from, letting her pick it out will make it special.

Singing Teddy Bears

Trying to figure out what to get that special someone? Get them a singing teddy bear and if you really want to show them you care, have them show up at work.  But remember, what goes around comes around and they may not be too excited to have someone dressed as a teddy bear dancing in front of their co-workers while he sings you a song. Instead, you might want to try going with a real singing teddy bear.

Singing teddy bears will definitely make her smile; get her one that you know she’ll treasure. Shopping for women doesn’t have to become a chore, at least not when you have teddy bears galore. Find her a soft bear that sings her special song, from jazz to romantic music, these bears can do just about anything. A singing teddy bear will definitely let her know where she stands and just how much you love her.

There are teddy bears that sing songs for children or even sing a newborn baby to sleep. The Toilet training singing teddy bears will sing a catchy tune that only a child could love about going to the potty.  It may not be something us adults like, but a child is sure to love it. The bears are small and all wear a cloth diaper and look like they are eagerly waiting for a hug. These special teddy bears can be purchased for as little as $16, so if potty training isn’t going as great as you hoped this my be the trick.

Singing teddy bears can be a lot of fun to listen to, especially when it was given to you. Teddy bears aren’t just for cuddling anymore, now they are passing along a message.

Hand Made Teddy Bear

If your teddy bears are handmade you should treasure them, they were made specifically for you no one else.  Think back to when you were given your handmade teddy bears. Why did you get it? You may have been given this gift for a certain reason or just because someone thought of you and wanted to show you how much they cared. A handmade teddy bear can take up to three weeks or more to make, especially when someone has arthritis.

Stop and think of how long this actually took someone to make it for you. Each time they had to make a stitch and poke their fingers with the needle, all because they cared.  This gift should be treasured because you don’t get one every day and many people will never get something this precious as long as they live.

One way to treasure your teddy bear is by placing her in a glass cabinet or a see through box of her own.  This eliminates most dust that can get on her and in between her stitches and keeps her looking brand new. Remember a handmade gift can be passed down to your own children or grandchildren if properly cared for, which makes a great heirloom gift.

Handmade teddy bears aren’t like your typical teddy bear, these you need to take special care of.  Cleaning your handmade bear isn’t hard, take a lightly damp cloth and go over any spots that the teddy may have. Dry it quickly and never pull on it. With regular teddy bears you are able to pull and stretch them out to reshape them, however not with these. If you pull on the bear your granny made you it might start coming apart at the seems. Always keep your handmade teddies safe and up high so little ones can’t get to them. This little bear will be worth so much, when you see the treasure of love it holds on the person you hand it down too.