VINTAGE & ANTIQUE TEDDIES FOR SALE
Welcome to arctophiles everywhere!
Please click on the images to take you to the relevant page.
Above, A well-worn Chad Valley dog, c.1920 and a Chad Valley bear
NEWS!
Important note re: postage costs
The postage cost shown for each item is the actual price that UK customers will pay. International shipping will be shown as a handling charge as extra to UK postage. Buyers will need to select their country from a drop down list (excluding UK buyers who do not wish to pay by Paypal). This change means that international buyers will now not need to get in touch in order to establish their shipping costs. All items are sent by trackable insured mail.
Right and below- A cuddly Chiltern Hugmee
Guest Book - We now have a Guest Book on the site and would be pleased to hear from past and present customers, and indeed anyone with a love of old bears.
Below, two Beargain Basement bears; A Chad Valley bear named Terry, and a 1920s bristle bear.
Below, a delightful early Farnell. c. 1930
Welcome!
We aim to bring you a selection of appealing quality antique teddy bears at competitive prices. Bears that you may discover will include the major UK manufacturers such as Farnell, Chiltern, Chad Valley, Merrythought, Deans and Pedigree. In addition, vintage teddies from the continent, USA and Australia may make their way here, hoping to find a good home. We try to source old toys mainly dating from pre-1920 through to the 1960s, but may sometimes include more recent limited editions from the best quality factories such as Steiff or Merrythought. From the almost pristine, unplayed with bear, to the well-loved character who has clearly meant a great deal to his previous young owner , their condition varies. While the latter type holds a special appeal for some collectors, we always give a full description, and make a point of mentioning any 'injuries' or repairs Ted may have had.
Also for sale from time to time are good old toy 'animals', nice earlier examples of which are becoming scarce. They can also add variety to a bear collection.
Please follow the links on the right to see what is currently available and how to buy a bear from us. There are also some general tips on acquiring and cleaning bears which a new collector may find useful. We are based in the UK, and overseas buyers are very welcome, but request that you make contact before buying to establish the correct postage for your country.
Whatever your interest, please feel free to email with any questions you may have. All items are gently cleaned before being sent, and will be posted by trackable insured mail and boxed to keep them safe en route. Stock is updated regularly.
*IMPORTANT* - All products on this site are collectors items only and must not be given to children.
The Origins of the 'Teddy Bear'
The collecting of toy bears, or Arctophilia, has in recent years become a very popular hobby. This is unsurprising considering the large range of teddy bears to be found. Whether you are 'into' antique bears including the crème de la crème old Steiff bears at the upper end of the price scale, or the more easily available modern bears, there is something for everyone.
Although bears had been represented in toy form since the late 19c, the actual name "Teddy Bear" entered the public consciousness in 1902 after American president Theodore Roosevelt refused to shoot a bear he encountered on a hunting expedition. A cartoon illustrating the incident subsequently appeared in the Washington Post and the ensuing interest led to a New York shopkeeper offering two stuffed bear toys for sale, and with the president's permission, naming them 'Teddy's Bears'. These proved very popular, and the shopkeeper, Morris Michtom subsequently expanded and became the Ideal Novelty and Toy Corporation .
Around the same time, the Steiff factory of Giengen, Germany, which up until then had produced a variety of stuffed animal toys, created their first bears, and exhibited them at the Leipzig fair in 1903. This resulted in several thousand being exported and sold in the USA, and was the start of the world wide appreciation for these high quality, realistic bears which is still ongoing today .
FAVOURITE LINKS
Old and antique teddy bears and vintage animals for sale.