BUYING OLD BEARS

There are many ways of acquiring bears that you may want to consider when starting or adding to a collection. These include antique fairs and markets, bear fairs, auction houses, online auctions and specialist websites such as this one. Whichever you choose, care should be taken that the bear you end up with provides you with good value for money.

Right:  Two typical Chad Valley Brothers 

The best piece of advice I can give anyone wishing to buy antique teddy bears, is to do your research as it is easy to make mistakes when starting out. There are a number of invaluable reference books available which encompass all the main manufacturers and some lesser ones. Study the illustrations carefully and memorise the features pertaining to particular makers. While some bears still retain identifying labels and/or buttons, many don't, and knowing, for example, what type of nose stitching, body shapes, claw stitching was used by a certain factory and during what era, will help enormously in identification.

Sometimes bear reference books contain price guides to give you an idea of what particular bears are worth. View these with caution as they very often tend to be the top end retail values, and it is perfectly possible to acquire many of the types of bears illustrated for lower prices.

By their very nature, many old bears have been repaired by their original owners and others over the years, and depending on the type of repair, this doesn't necessarily detract too much from their value. Obviously a bear in excellent original condition will attract a premium price. Teddy bear dealers will sometimes do their own minor repairs, or get a bear professionally restored. For example, it is common to find paw pads or eyes replaced, and this would personally not deter me from buying an otherwise nice quality bear.If the bear is wearing clothes, always ask to remove them before buying so you can assess the condition properly.

A good dealer will volunteer information about any restoration that he or she is aware of, and in any case it is a good idea to ask before buying - particularly if you are spending a lot of money. It is also a good idea to get a receipt with a description of your bear and contact details of the seller.

The internet provides a rich source of bears for the collector. It is always advisable to use a seller who displays a return policy and contact details (a legal obligation in the case of businesses). Your rights regarding online auction sales are slightly different, but in most cases both private and business sellers are liable for misdescription under consumer law. This is too detailed a subject to go into here, but there are a number of official consumer sites which give very helpful advice about your advice when buying online. If you are outside the UK (particularly outside Europe) different rules may apply.

One pitfall that you may encounter when looking for old bears is fakes. Many of these were made within the last twenty years or so and are often passed off as genuine antique bears. They turn up very regularly at antique fairs and also on online auction sites and the novice buyer could easily be taken in. The most common example has all the features of an early bear, long snout, long arms and big feet, but slightly exaggerated. While most antique bears are mohair, this type are normally plush, and are often found in a variety of colours as well as the traditional golden. Don't be fooled by thinning fur and bald patches, this is faked  in order to give the impression of age. Always ask if you're uncertain , and be a little suspicious if the trader appears vague about the age and origins of a very old looking bear . Many people with a potentially valuable bear will take the trouble to have it checked out, although you may be fortunate enough to find the occasional real bargain.

I should point out another potential problem to bear in mind when buying old bears. There are some very authentic looking replica bears made by reputable bear manufacturers. These are totally legitimate and leave the factory with labels and identification to show that they are new, but occasionally,  they are altered by unscrupulous sellers to give the impression that they are genuinely old. Their id's are removed, they can be made to look dirty, or amateurish paw pads sewn over the original good ones.

Some sources advise people to smell a bear in order to determine how old it is. I personally think this method is rather 'hit and miss'. Undoubtedly many old bears fresh to the market will have an old 'atticy' smell about them, but it is certainly the case that many dealers clean their bears when acquiring them, and this may mask or remove old smells. In fact it is advisable to clean bears when you first get them, even if they do not appear visibly dirty; I will give some suggestions on how to do this in the next paragraph.

CARE OF YOUR BEAR.

Firstly, teddy should be handled carefully by his torso, and not hauled about by limbs or head which can cause the joints to become loose. This is particularly important with more delicate bears.  Additionally your bear should be kept away from children and animals.  As previously stated, old bears are considered collectors items and are not suitable for children to play with. Additionally, it may seem obvious not to let your dog play with teddy, but I have seen the consequences of such liaisons and its not pretty! 

Right: A 60s Merrythought Cheeky Bear

Human skin contains oil which can transfer to your bear's fur, so excessive handling doesn't do it too much good. I would go so far as to suggest wearing gloves if your bear is valuable.

Unfortunately it is a fact of life that old teddy bears and soft toys can attract moths and other undesirable 'wild life' although you may be unaware of it. It is important to deal with this as it may spread to other bears in your collection and cause damage - in particular fur loss. If you see papery shells in your bear's fur, this is an indicator that they have attracted such visitors. The best course of action is to freeze any bear when you first get him, if only as a precaution. Put him in at least two polythene bags and secure tightly in order to avoid him getting wet and put him in the freezer overnight. It is also a good idea to vaccum your bear to remove dust. Cedar balls and lavender are often used as moth deterrents, so it's a good idea to invest in some to help keep your collection free of bugs.

CLEANING YOUR BEAR (at your own risk!) 

While cleaning your bear can improve his appearance considerably, this is an area which is something of a minefield and should be approached with extreme caution. Firstly, as most old bears are stuffed with wood wool or kapok, they should never be immersed in water. Additionally, some well loved old bears will be in a delicate condition and bringing them into contact with water can cause the fabric to disintegrate, which is obviously upsetting if you have just bought a bear. In a nutshell, if you wish to try and clean your bear, make sure he is in good robust condition first. The accepted wisdom on cleaning old teddy bears is to dissolve some mild soap flakes in water, or hand-washing liquid designed for delicate fabrics, stir it up into a foam, and just use the suds on your bear's fur while avoiding getting the fabric wet. I personally find a sponge useful for this purpose.

I remove any excess moisture with a towel or paper towels and repeat the process with a damp sponge, again patting him to remove moisture. Dry your bear in a warm environment as naturally as possible, away from direct heat. If you are in a hurry, a hairdryer on a cool setting is ok, but don't hold it too close. Once ted is dry, gently brush up his mohair - use a clean brush or one dedicated to your bears, as you don't want to transfer oil from human hair to your bear's fur. If you have any doubts about cleaning, or your bear is valuable, I would advise seeking professional help. In any case, it is a good idea to do a trial run on a cheap or damaged item first.

DISPLAYING YOUR BEARS.

Some people are quite inventive in showing off their bear collection to best advantage - baskets, dolls prams, dolls chairs etc can all be utilised in making a nice bear 'scene'. Old animals will also add variety, Steiff in particular have always produced  realistic high quality animals which complement bears very well.

If you have well-loved/balding bears, it is a good idea to dress them in old dolls clothes, (preferably appropriate to their age). This not only helps preserve them, but can look effective too. Keep your bears out of direct sunlight as their fur can fade. Some bears can look pale from the front, but the backs are their vibrant original colour. This is a direct result of being exposed to too much light.

Finally, good luck in finding your bears and enjoy your collection. Part of the appeal of old teddies is that they all seem to have their own character, whether it be happy, wistful, sad, cross or sweet. As nostalgic items from our past, their popularity seems to go from strength to strength. It's possible that by buying the best examples you can afford, you may even find that your enjoyable hobby could become a good investment too.

. Left: A good quality Chiltern bear from the 1960s