OLD TEDDIES

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OLD, VINTAGE AND ANTIQUE TEDDY BEARS FOR SALE

Just arrived: Harold and Humbug, on our British Bears page. Harold is now sold.

Coming soon - more bears for our Well Loved Bears and Beargain Basement categories. Scroll down below Harold and Humbug to see the first two of the latest arrivals, Wibble and Squish.

Above: Harold, (sold) a lovely 1930s Chad Valley bear.

Below: Humbug, an interesting English bear from the 1930s/40s.

BELOW: Wibble, just arrived in our Well Loved Bears category.

Below : Squish, a new resident in our Beargain Basement.

WELCOME !

About Old Teddies

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. Whatever your interest, please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have. Items are gently cleaned before sale, and stock is updated regularly.

If you are interested in a particular bear it is a good idea to act quickly as he or she may be sold when you next log on. We have a popular Layaway scheme whereby you can spread the cost of your bear over two months (under £99) or three months (items over £99). If you'd like to know about our latest additions, please add your email address to our mailing list. We never share any of your details with any third party.

ABOVE (sold) : Felicity, a sweet little Chiltern bear

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 .

BELOW: SOME PREVIOUS RESIDENTS

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