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David Harcourt
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Here's one of them. It is a Steiff (Germany) mohair bear: a GOLF PLAYER.

It has its original label, which reads:

"MADE IN GERMANY BY STEIFF KNOPF IM OHR LIMITED EDITION OF 3000 PIECES GOLFSPIELER 670671 2001"

This bear is from a limited edition of 3000. This is #2550 in the edition.

The GOLF PLAYER is 33cms (13.5") tall and in very good condition.

It is in this auction:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Toys-models/Bears/Collectable/auction-63340406.htm

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fairness
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Aww...he's lovely, but I'm a bit worried that "Sam" would get jealous...

David Harcourt
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And another one. This is a limited edition Steiff mohair bear named "BARLE".

According to the box, it is a "true replica of the oldest teddy bear of the Steiff archives". It has its original label, which reads "MADE IN GERMANY STEIFF KNOPF IM OHR 404108" and "LIMITED EDITION OF 6000 PIECES 01407 0150/50"

This is #1407 in the edition of 6000. It is 51cms (19.5") tall and in superb condition, with the mohair fully intact.

From Wikipedia:

"German toymaker Margarete Steiff (1847-1909), born in Giengen, started creating toy stuffed animals in 1880 in the town of Giengen an der Brenz, Germany. Margarete was a seamstress and confined to a wheelchair, due to polio she contracted as a baby, she started making stuffed animals as a hobby. These toys began as elephants, which were originally a design Steiff found in a magazine and originally sold as pincushions to her friends. However, children began playing with them, and in the years following she went on to design many other successful animal-themed toys for children, such as dogs, cats and pigs. She designed and made most of the prototypes herself. In 1902, her nephew Richard Steiff designed their renowned teddy bear, which many people believe was one of the first. Today, the Steiff name is still well-known for quality but extremely expensive toys."

You can get more information about Steiff at its website, The World of Steiff:

http://shop.steiff.de/cgi-bin/steiffde.storefront/en/searchmask

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David Harcourt
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This is a Steiff bear, GROOM.

It has its original label, which reads:

"STEIFF KNOPF IM OHR 0271/28"

and

"ALL NEW MATERIAL PA55MA5573 COVERING 50% WOOL 50% COTTON MADE IN WESTERN GERMANY"

This bear is 28cms (11") tall and in very good condition.

It is in this auction:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Toys-models/Bears/Collectable/auction-63341738.htm

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ladeda
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*rushes off to http://www.dictionary.com to confirm what I guessed arctophiles must mean*

Beautiful teddies.

Last edited on 15 Jul 2006 04:29 am by ladeda

David Harcourt
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Here are two Steiff (Germany) mohair bears in a boxed set.

They are Romeo & Juliet, and were sold in a limited edition of 2000 by the London store Harrods.

This pair of bears is number 495 in the edition.

They are being offered for sale with their original Certificate of Authenticity and in their original musical box. (The box plays Lionel Ritchie's tune "Endless Love".)

These bears are 22cms (9") tall. They are in this auction:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Toys-models/Bears/Collectable/auction-63347892.htm

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David Harcourt
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Those are all Steiff bears (and there's another, but I've lost the photo).

This is a limited edition Cotswold bear, made of mohair and suede leather. His name is TRUFFLE.

I have the original Certificate of Authenticity. This is #23 in an edition of 100.

TRUFFLE is 29cms (11") tall and in very good condition.

The original retail price was 112 (NZ$331)!

From the Cotswold Bear company's website:

"For the last decade bears designed by the Cotswold Bear duo, Sarah Bird and Alex Longhi have enchanted bear collectors all over the world. The Cotswold Bear Co. now stands as one of the most respected institutions for creating and manufacturing artist designed teddy bears. Over the years the design work of the Cotswold Bear team has won prestigious bear making awards both in the UK and overseas. Unlike other large manufacturers, they produce extremely small limited editions of only 100. Believing that by manufacturing only an exclusive number ensures high collectability, and producing small numbers of each design allows them to be personally hand finished and to check quality control on each bear. Using only the finest materials to produce the highest quality bears. Every bear is made from either superior German mohair (spun from goat wool) or alpaca (spun from Llama wool). Using either Italian ultra suede or German felt for foot and hand pads, and unlike much of the industry use hardboard joints with locking nuts instead of cheaper plastic joints. Also instead of the widely used plastic eyes, they use handmade British glass eyes. Continuing the use of traditional methods of manufacture, they are made in much the same way that bears were originally made in the victorian era. For example, not believing in using stuffing machines, all bear limbs are stuffed by hand, and all nose embroidery and eye placement is also hand done. This all combines to create beautiful bears born out of traditional skills and top workmanship."

TRUFFLE is in superb condition, with the mohair fully intact.

This is the link to the auction:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Toys-models/Bears/Collectable/auction-63346311.htm

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David Harcourt
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The bears I've shown you so far are mohair bears.

This (below) is a limited edition plush bear from Russ Berrie (UK). Its name is HANLEY.

It has its original Certificate of Authenticity. This is #320 in an edition of 5000.

This is a very BIG bear: it is 54cms (21.5") tall.

It is in very good condition.

It is in this auction:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Toys-models/Bears/Collectable/auction-63348824.htm

You can see all of these bears (and the missing bear, who should be back from the picnic by now) by looking for my auctions under "davidharcourt", and looking at the latest Gallery listings there:

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David Harcourt
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Some facts about teddy bears.

* There are about 40 teddy bears in my house, but only two have names (apart from "bear").

* Only three people here actually own these bears. I don't have one. *sob* (I will post photographs of the favourite bears on Monday. The bears in this thread turned up most unexpectedly in my store today. Had I known they were coming the Harcourt/Armstrong household's bears could have provided a welcoming party.)

* Several of my friends have their bears from childhood. (Yes, Tracey, these people are as old as I am, so this makes the survival of these bears near-miraculous.)

* The English actor Peter Bull (the German captain in The African Queen, the Russian Ambassador in Dr Strangelove, Mr Thwackum in Tony Richardson's Tom Jones etc etc) had a large collection of teddy bears and wrote a wonderful book about them called Bear With Me.

* There is a teddy bear museum. You can see its website at

http://www.theteddybearmuseum.com/teddy-facts.htm

Feel free to add teddy bear facts of your own, and pix of your own bears if you have them (pix, I mean, not bears; everyone has a bear. Except me...).

PS

I knew I had seven bears on trademe, but could find pix of only six when I was posting messages here earlier.

The last bear is this Steiff BROWN BEAR, which I had earlier described as a Russ Berrie bear.

It is 32cms (12") tall and in very good condition.

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ladeda
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A bear, however hard he tries,
Grows tubby without exercise.
Our Teddy Bear is short and fat,
Which is not to be wondered at;
He gets what exercise he can
By falling off the ottoman,
But generally seems to lack
The energy to clamber back.

Now tubbiness is just the thing
Which gets a fellow wondering;
And Teddy worried lots about
The fact that he was rather stout.
He thought: "If only I were thin!
But how does anyone begin?"
He thought: "It really isn't fair
To grudge me exercise and air."

For many weeks he pressed in vain
His nose against the window-pane,
And envied those who walked about
Reducing their unwanted stout.
None of the people he could see
"Is quite" (he said) "as fat as me!"
Then, with a still more moving sigh,
"I mean" (he said) "as fat as I!"

Now Teddy, as was only right,
Slept in the ottoman at night,
And with him crowded in as well
More animals than I can tell;
Not only these, but books and things,
Such as a kind relation brings -
Old tales of "Once upon a time,"
And history retold in rhyme.

One night it happened that he took
A peep at an old picture book,
Wherein he came across by chance
The picture of a King of France
(A stoutish man) and, down below,
These words: "King Louis So and So,
Nicknamed 'The Handsome'!" There he sat,
And (think of it!) the man was fat!

Our bear rejoiced like naything
To read about the famous King,
Nicknamed "The Handsome". There he sat,
Ans certainly the man was fat.
Nicknamed "The Handsome". Not a doubt
The man was definitely stout.
Why then, a bear (for all his tub)
Might yet be named "The Handsome Cub"!

"Might yet be named." Or did he mean
That years ago he "might have been"?
For now he felt a slight misgiving:
"Is Louis So and So still living?
Fashions in beauty have a way
Of altering from day to day.
Is 'Handsome Louis' with us yet?
Unfortunately I forget."

Next morning (nose to window-pane)
The doubt occurred to him again.
One question hammered in his head:
"Is alive or is he dead?"
Thus, nose to pane, he pondered; but
The lattice window, loosely shut,
Swng open. With one startled "Oh!"
Our Teddy disappeared below.

There happened to be passing by
A plump man with a twinkling eye,
Who, seeing Teddy in the street,
Raised him politely to his feet,
And murmured kindly in his ear
Soft words of comfort and of cheer:
"Well, well!" "Allowme!" "Not at all."
"Tut-tut! A very nasty fall."

Our Teddy answered not a word;
It's doubtful if he ever heard.
Our bear could only look and look:
The stout man in the picture book!
That "handsome" King - could this be he,
This man of adiposity?
"Impossible," he thought. "But still,
No harm in asking. Yes I will!"

"Are you," he said, "by chance
His Majesty the King of France?"
The other answered, "I am that,"
Bowed stiffly, and removed his hat;
Then said, "Excuse me," with and air,
"But is it Mr Edward Bear?"
And Teddy, bending very low,
Replied politely, "Even so!"

They stood beneath the window there,
The King and Mr Edward Bear,
And, handsome, if a trifle fat,
Talked carelessly of this and that . . .
Then said His Majesty, "Well, well,
I must get on," and rang the bell.
"Your bear, I think," he smiled. "Good-day!"
And turned, and went upon his way.

A bear, however hard he tries,
Grows tubby without exercise.
Our Teddy Bear is short and sfat,
Which is not to be wondered at.
But do you think it worries him
To know that he is far from slim?
No,just the other way about -
He's proud of being short and stout.

~*~
A. A. Milne

fairness
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Before and after pic of a distressed bear...but has a happy ending!

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fairness
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fairness wrote: Before and after pic of a distressed bear...but has a happy ending!

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yowie_power
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I've been an arctophile ever since I got my first bear at age 1.

One of my bears is a Steiff, who I got in Dunedin on New Year's Eve 1996. He's a very handsome fellow, a replica of a 1909 bear. He considers himself a "bearistocrat" in view of his pedigree. But he gets a little lonely because none of the other bears in the house (virtually all of whom have names) are of the same kind of stock. They are all, in his view, "commoners".

I wouldn't mind the brown bear as a companion to my Steiff bear (I think it's No. 3 of the 7), but bidding or using Buy It Now is a little problematic at the moment.

David Harcourt
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yowie_power wrote: I've been an arctophile ever since I got my first bear at age 1.

But do you still have your first bear?

David Harcourt
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fairness wrote: fairness wrote: Before and after pic of a distressed bear...but has a happy ending!

I know the story, and you know the story, but does anyone else know the story?

Why not share the story?

yowie_power
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David Harcourt wrote: yowie_power wrote: I've been an arctophile ever since I got my first bear at age 1.

But do you still have your first bear?
Yes I do, although he's rather worn out and decrepit. But he holds a special place in both my bear "hug" (a group of teddy bears is called a "hug") and my heart.

fairness
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David Harcourt wrote: fairness wrote: fairness wrote: Before and after pic of a distressed bear...but has a happy ending!

I know the story, and you know the story, but does anyone else know the story?

Why not share the story?

It's a long story...but I have an extract from your auction.

This is an auction for a voodoo doll which has assumed the form of a small yellow bear named “Sam”.

Sam is 21cms (8½”) tall/long/high/whatever.

The previous owner received Sam through the mail from another trader. Full details may be found in a thread on the Trademe messageboards entitled “WHAT WOULD YOU MAKE OF THIS...” The following link will take you to that thread:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/structure/messageboard/show_messages.asp?id=3484153&p=1&c=1

According to the previous owner, Sam is a voodoo doll. When I asked whether she knew this because he has “Made in Haiti” on him she replied “RTFT”. I’m not sure what this means, and I’m not sure why she continues to believe he has voodoo powers. The only thing mysterious which I have noticed about Sam is that after I'd taken the first photograph I moved him to get a photo from a different angle and found that he had SOILED MY BACKDROP. In the third photograph you can see evidence of a small indiscretion which he is looking at non-committally, as if to say "What has this beardoll wee got to do with me?"

As I say, that's the only evidence of supernatural powers that I have yet been able to detect.

That and the fact that Sam's eyes tend to follow you around the room, and everyone who looks upon him is cursed forever.

Sam has the words "MERRY MILD MIGHTY MAJESTIC" on his back, a green slash across his eyes, and a green cross on his chest which runs down to his crotch.

He has a staple between his nose and mouth. I have been tempted to remove this, but I’m afraid of what might fall out if I do.

The previous owner has claimed that Sam smells. This is a vicious lie. Sam is completely odour-free. It is possible that something strong-smelling has become lodged under the previous owner’s nose. (An inadequately-washed moustache, perhaps.)

Please feel free to ask questions. They are however unlikely to be answered. I know nothing about voodoo dolls.

The cost of shipping is $3.95.

Payment within seven (7) days, please.

fairness
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I still have the Q & A which I could paste here...

but sadly not the original thread that started the whole thing.

David Harcourt
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yowie_power wrote: David Harcourt wrote: yowie_power wrote: I've been an arctophile ever since I got my first bear at age 1.

But do you still have your first bear?
Yes I do, although he's rather worn out and decrepit. But he holds a special place in both my bear "hug" (a group of teddy bears is called a "hug") and my heart.

I'm impressed.

The condition doesn't matter.

That he survived is all that matters.

David Harcourt
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fairness wrote:

It's a long story...but I have an extract from your auction.

This is an auction for a voodoo doll which has assumed the form of a small yellow bear named “Sam”...
Sam's previous owner, of course, was Tracey MacKenzie [aged 5].

giraffeinfall
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fairness wrote: I still have the Q & A which I could paste here...

but sadly not the original thread that started the whole thing.

I have the thread saved as a text file I think fairness, but I'm also just going out the door to dinner [husband in car in drive almost at the honking stage ..]

I'll email it to you for posterity later if you like...

fairness
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David Harcourt wrote: fairness wrote:

It's a long story...but I have an extract from your auction.

This is an auction for a voodoo doll which has assumed the form of a small yellow bear named “Sam”...
Sam's previous owner, of course, was Tracey MacKenzie [aged 5].

Admittedly Tracey was the previous owner ... but Sam had a more sinister past.

His life before Tracey must have been unbearable (scuz the pun) as he had NINE staples in his little body and horrific markings on his fur.

Total bear abuse...

fairness
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giraffeinfall wrote: fairness wrote: I still have the Q & A which I could paste here...

but sadly not the original thread that started the whole thing.

I have the thread saved as a text file I think fairness, but I'm also just going out the door to dinner [husband in car in drive almost at the honking stage ..]

I'll email it to you for posterity later if you like...
Oh wow giraffeinfall...that would be so cool!!!

No hurry anytime would be great,

Thank you!!!

giraffeinfall
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I've sent a couple of emails attaching 9 pages of the thread to the email address I had for you [which isnt all that recent - so let me know if they havent arrived by the time you see this post].

I had forgotten that in order for DH to be able to auction the voodoo doll - later rehabilitated by fairness back to a Cuddly Bear - the rules, as spontaneously made up by the first owner TR, dictated that DH must first win the bear in a Hundy hunt....

so this thread is archived footage of a rare and historic event!

In another bizzarre twist, the hundy hunt itself had to be run twice in order to achieve the desired result, since TR accidentally won it herself the first time...

prompting a most picturesque and spontaneous oath from TR - unlike her, I know - that reduced the spectators to helpless ROFL..

fairness
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The threads have arrived, thank you so much Giraffe!

I thought it was lost forever, especially as TR no longer had a copy.

There certainly were some "moments" back then...and I still can't help but have a huge smile on my face whenever I see our now happy "Sam"

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It's threads like these that make life more bearable

I haven't given this bear a name yet......... perhaps you could make a suggestion?

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Doll and Bear show July 06 020.jpg

Ichardray
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Here is the very first bear I ever owned. He was given to me by my mother just before I had a 6 month stint in hospital. He is very old..........

His name is Droopy Drawers. He has been all over the world. One memory is walking through a market in London with him tucked under my arm and all the stall holders started singing Teddy Bears Picnic. I was 16 at the time.

He is getting a little FredBear....but still has his original blue ribbon. His Wendy Boston label has long since gone.

He will forever be my number one Bear. :dude:

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Last edited on 16 Jul 2006 01:36 am by

giraffeinfall
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Ichardray wrote: It's threads like these that make life more bearable

I haven't given this bear a name yet......... perhaps you could make a suggestion?

What a poppet the nameless one is!

My very first thought, due to the incredibly long neck, rather pointed face and the long slender feet, was of Anna Pavolva [dancing the swan ] ... so perhaps a derivative from that ? , such as

Anna P. Bear as just one possibility...

but .. still thinking..

she has a straw hat with a pink ribbon ... I'm not sure what the neck adornment is though?

giraffeinfall
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a pic of the phenomenally gifted Anna Pavlova. I read in a biography that she would often dance til her feet bled, especially in a solo such as the Dying Swan that was choreographed especially for her ... and even once that happened would just keep on with the performance, giving no hint to the audience of the pain she was in ..

perhaps it's the look your bear has about her feet that caused me to think of that

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ladeda
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Ichardray wrote: Here is the very first bear I ever owned. He was given to me by my mother just before I had a 6 month stint in hospital. He is very old..........

His name is Droopy Drawers. He has been all over the world. One memory is walking through a market in London with him tucked under my arm and all the stall holders started singing Teddy Bears Picnic. I was 16 at the time.

He is getting a little FredBear....but still has his original blue ribbon. His Wendy Boston label has long since gone.

He will forever be my number one Bear. :dude:

Is Droopy Drawers reading that Grisham novel? Tell him to give it away to another teddy that likes Grisham when he has finished it!

yowie_power
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Ichardray wrote: It's threads like these that make life more bearable

I haven't given this bear a name yet......... perhaps you could make a suggestion?

How about Belle? It appears to be female from the rather fetching hat, and it also seems to be wearing a bell.

Moreover, belle is French for "beautiful" (feminine form of beau), which seems to fit this lovely.

Last edited on 16 Jul 2006 05:06 am by yowie_power

Ichardray
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Lovely names.......... She is a Bear of Middle Earth. Her mate is Graham. I made them both in the same week. I just haven't given her a name that fits.

This is a Benson bear that I made in June..I have called him Kimberly.........I haven't found a suitable name for his mate yet either.

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Ichardray
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Is Droopy Drawers reading that Grisham novel? Tell him to give it away to another teddy that likes Grisham when he has finished it!

I'm still reading it!!!! I just don't seem to find the time to read........... I have a bookshelf full of books that I need to read too.

The ornament around the nameless ones neck is a Brass Bell.

giraffeinfall
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Ichardray wrote: I have called him Kimberly.........I haven't found a suitable name for his mate yet either.

In the case of a Kimberly the female name that immediately [if a tad irreverently] springs to mind to go with it is 'Katherine' of course

(that is if you get the TV series 'Kath and Kim' in NZ?) ...

giraffeinfall
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Ichardray wrote:
The ornament around the nameless ones neck is a Brass Bell.

Well if she's wearing a bell... Yowie's suggestion of Belle does seem very apt for all the reasons he mentioned !

Or what about Alexandra --- as in Alexander Graham Bell..

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giraffeinfall wrote: Ichardray wrote: I have called him Kimberly.........I haven't found a suitable name for his mate yet either.

In the case of a Kimberly the female name that immediately [if a tad irreverently] springs to mind to go with it is 'Katherine' of course

(that is if you get the TV series 'Kath and Kim' in NZ?) ...

That was a very good suggestion. Can't be anything else of course.......

Do we get Kath and Kim? Is the Pope a Catholic

ladeda
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(that is if you get the TV series 'Kath and Kim' in NZ?) ...

Pene does the best imitation of Kath and Kim!

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yowie_power wrote: Ichardray wrote: It's threads like these that make life more bearable

I think Belle it will be............ goes so well with Graham. Thank you

I think we will have to start an arctophiles club?

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ladeda wrote: giraffeinfall wrote: Ichardray wrote: I have called him Kimberly.........I haven't found a suitable name for his mate yet either.

In the case of a Kimberly the female name that immediately [if a tad irreverently] springs to mind to go with it is 'Katherine' of course

(that is if you get the TV series 'Kath and Kim' in NZ?) ...

Pene does the best imitation of Kath and Kim!

looka me looka me .........Kimmy...............

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giraffeinfall wrote: a pic of the phenomenally gifted Anna Pavlova. I read in a biography that she would often dance til her feet bled, especially in a solo such as the Dying Swan that was choreographed especially for her ... and even once that happened would just keep on with the performance, giving no hint to the audience of the pain she was in ..

perhaps it's the look your bear has about her feet that caused me to think of that

The sheer grace and elegance..............just beautiful

giraffeinfall
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I have a small bunch of bears of differing kinds, none of which I have pics of at present but maybe later in the week ; one Pooh and one Paddington that can't be renamed anything else for obvious reasons.

The one that permenantly sits on the back seat of my car (he probably tosses down a few tinnies while he sits there in the car park at work all day having to be jealous of the Winnie the Pooh sun reflector on the windscreen ) is called DB.

[It stands for Da Bear, but also DB

]

Last edited on 16 Jul 2006 07:41 am by giraffeinfall

Ichardray
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giraffeinfall wrote: I have a small bunch of bears of differing kinds, none of which I have pics of at present but maybe later in the week ; one Pooh and one Paddington that can't be renamed anything else for obvious reasons.

The one that permenantly sits on the back seat of my car (he probably tosses down a few tinnies while he sits there in the car park at work all day having to be jealous of the Winnie the Pooh sun reflector on the windscreen ) is called DB.

[It stands for Da Bear, but also DB

]

I used to be a receptionist at the DB Hotel in Rotorua many years ago..............

I do love the name Alexandra........if I had ever had a daughter I would have called her Alexandra

giraffeinfall
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I also still have my childhood bear, named Smokey.

Well at best guess he's a bear though he might just have been supposed to be a lamb - he's a soft, woollen, grey, four legged animal, was knitted for me when i was a baby by a little old lady and his species was never entirely certain... but he was much loved and slept in my bed every night til i was 14 including of course going away with us for school holidays.

His mouth , which was made of woollen running stitches , turned down a bit at one corner and up at other; so I always laid him down on my bed during the day with his happy side uppermost so that was the one always seen by passing traffic. With the result he is almost bald on the side that was underneath getting the wear and tear all the time, but he's still pretty good on the other...

When I left NZ he stayed behind, but after my mother died - and she had shifted house in the meantime- I found him amongst her things, carefully wrapped up in tissue paper and then brown paper that was labelled in her handwriting

Karilyn's old friend Smokey

He's now reclining on a cushion in our spare bedroom, with a golly and some other new friends, carefully placed Happy Side Up...

Last edited on 16 Jul 2006 08:04 am by giraffeinfall

David Harcourt
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giraffeinfall wrote: He's now reclining on a cushion in our spare bedroom, with a golly and some other new friends, carefully placed Happy Side Up...

You don't say whether he travels with you, as for example on your recent trip to New Zild. We could have taken him with us to the Jolly Parrot...

Meanwhile, here (below) are the three Main Bears (as in "main men") in the Armstrong/Harcourt household.

They are owned by, from left, Darcy (11), Emma (17) and Ann (39):

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giraffeinfall
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No, the only bear whom I carry about with me these days is my Winnie the Pooh lunch box I take to work ...

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As we obviously have some real enthusiasts here, I will post these photos of the Chad Valley bear which I sold for $700 on trademe last month.

This bear was 29.5cms (11.25") high when seated, or 54.5cms (18.25") from the top of its head to its soles. It had its original label, which read:

"THE CHAD VALLEY CO LTD
BY APPOINTMENT TOYMAKERS TO H.M. THE QUEEN"

This label dated the bear as having been made at some point between 1938 (when the Royal Warrant was granted) and 1952 (when, following the death of King George VI, the company's labels were amended to read: "...TOYMAKERS TO H.M. THE QUEEN MOTHER").

This bear was in superb condition, with virtually all of the mohair intact. It is also common for the label to be missing with bears as old as this one.

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David Harcourt
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From Wikipedia:

"Chad Valley is a long-established brand of toys in the United Kingdom, in the suburb of Harborne, in the valley of a stream called the Chad, from which the name comes. The company was one of the UK's leading toymakers for most of the 20th century, but in the 1970s it closed several factories and was taken over by Palitoy. The brand name is now owned by Woolworths."

You can get more information about Chad Valley bears at this website:

http://www.teddy-bear-uk.com/learning/makers/chad/chad.htm

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I learn so much from you David....thank you.

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Ichardray wrote: I learn so much from you David....thank you.
I know nothing about teddy bears, but if the nothing I know is of assistance to you, well and good.

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Here are some more bears, all of them listed on trademe this week.

This Steiff bear is TOBIAS, a limited edition bear made in 1992/93 for Hamleys, the famous toy store in London. He is #32 in a limited edition of 2000. He has a growler and is 33.5 (13.75") tall.

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David Harcourt
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This is "MEMORIES", a Steiff bear made in 2004 for Hamleys, the famous toy store in London. This is #169 in a limited edition of 1500. "MEMORIES" is supplied in a black Steiff drawstring bag, in which there is a tiny pewter elephant, which is in turn enclosed in its own drawstring bag. "MEMORIES" is 26.5 (10.5") tall.

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David Harcourt
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This is a Steiff "Classic" with a growler, 33cms (13.25") high:

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David Harcourt
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This is an interesting one, "THE ARTIST'S BEAR", a reproduction of Richard Steiff's own bear. It is #837 in an edition of 2500, and is offered for sale with a reproduction of Richard Steiff's sketchbook of drawings from the year 1884. "THE ARTIST'S BEAR" is 26.5cms (11") high/tall.

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This Steiff bear is "BABY BEAR 1946", a reproduction of a bear first produced in 1946. "BABY BEAR" is 33cms (13") high/tall:

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David Harcourt
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And here is a a Steiff limited edition mohair bear - a KOALA BEAR!

It has a growler, and is #1765 in an edition of 2000. It is 33cms (13") high/tall.

It doesn't look much like a Koala to me but my 11-year-old son, who is something of a connoisseur of bears, likes this one more than any other among the 30 or so I have for sale at present, so maybe realism is not an important issue. (I seem to remember someone famous saying of koalas that "they piddle and they stink", so maybe realism is not what we should be looking for in a teddy bear.)

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This Steiff bear is "TUESDAY'S BEAR" - dressed as a ballerina, in a white & pink frilly tutu"! It is 26cms tall.

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Ichardray
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David Harcourt wrote: And here is a a Steiff limited edition mohair bear - a KOALA BEAR!

It has a growler, and is #1765 in an edition of 2000. It is 33cms (13") high/tall.

It doesn't look much like a Koala to me but my 11-year-old son, who is something of a connoisseur of bears, likes this one more than any other among the 30 or so I have for sale at present, so maybe realism is not an important issue. (I seem to remember someone famous saying of koalas that "they piddle and they stink", so maybe realism is not what we should be looking for in a teddy bear.)

That is my favourite too............ I think me and your 11 year old son will get on well.

Realism is in the eye of the beholder............. :shock:

The Koalas I saw in Cairns neither piddled or stank in my presence......... they were delightful little creatures. I even persuaded himself to have a cuddle and she took a real shine to him!!! He was smitten........ changed his opinion of Koalas in a flash.

Sorry about the emoticon........it just slipped out!!!!

The bear that won me Best in Show looks like no other bear around!!!

David Harcourt
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Thank you, Pene. I didn't say that koalas piddle and stink; just that that's what someone famous once famously said about them. (I can't remember who it was. Princess Margaret? Giraffe may know...)

Anyway, back to the bears.

This is a limited edition Steiff bear named PURZELBAR.

"Bar" means "bear" in German, but I couldn't work out the rest. My mate Bethney McLennan (the amazing lady who writes about gardening for the Dominion-Post) emailed me this morning to say that "purseln" means "to tumble", as in roll about on the ground turning handstands etc, and ein purzelbaum is a somersault, so I guess this is a tumbling bear!

PURZELBAR is a replica of a bear first made by Steiff in 1909. It is a "5-way jointed" bear, #885 in a limited edition of 5000 replicas of this bear issued in 1990, and is 29.5cms (just under 12") high/tall.

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giraffeinfall
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David Harcourt wrote:
I didn't say that koalas piddle and stink; just that that's what someone famous once famously said about them. (I can't remember who it was. Princess Margaret? Giraffe may know...)

haha! (if we are going to blame a Royal, my vote would be for Phillip)

...however this remark was indeed famously made in the 80s by our (ex) Federal Minister for Tourism, John Brown.

His actual comment - based on a recent woeful experience in which the intention had been that he pat a koala for positive publicity purposes - was, I think, that the koala was a "piddling, smelly thing" - and this did, yes, create somewhat of an uproar.

In spite of the fact that "piddling", certainly, was unarguably demonstrated in the television footage of his much-too-close encounter with that particular koala.

And as such, the footage was replayed many times, to the glee of the voting public .

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But wait! There's more.

This Steiff bear is a HUNTER TEDDY. It has a growler AND a wooden rifle. (You have been warned.) The HUNTER TEDDY is 35cms (14") high/tall:

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I have more Steiff bears to list, but here is something different: a limited edition ROBIN RIVE mohair bear entitled "Celebration Ted".

This 5-way jointed bear is part of the Countrylife Series, hand made in New Zealand.

It is #65 in an edition of 300 and is 37cms (15") high/tall:

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David Harcourt
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And lastly (for today, anyway) I have three bears from the English company MERRY THOUGHT.

This first one is a Scottish bear named "Balmoral". It's a "five-way jointed" bear wearing a kilt, sporran and bonnet, and has a loud growler.

It is #89 in an edition of 950 and is 36cms (14") high/tall.

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Next is this limited edition Merry Thought "Attic bear" - on a wooden tricycle!

It is #170 in an edition of 500 and is 32cms (12.5") high/tall.

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The third and last MERRY THOUGHT bear is "Branson", a 5-way jointed bear was made exclusively for Richard Branson's Virgin Atlantic Airline.

It is #1402 in an edition of 2000 and 27cms (10.5") high/tall.

And if you have read this far you must be really keen on bears, so here's a small reward: any member of TUW who would like to purchase any of these bears will be given a 10% discount on the Buy Now price (which is the same as the reserve in each case).

If interested, please contact me through this site, or post a message here. If there are no bids I will end the auction.

These Steiff and other bears have been priced very keenly - at about two-thirds (and in some cases even less) of the price which other sellers on trademe are asking. The condition in all cases is near-new.

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Tragic news for bear lovers:

TEDDY BEARS' MASSACRE

Elvis Presley's cherished teddy bear Mabel on loan to a British museum has been mauled irreparably by a guard dog hired to protect it.

The toy was on loan by local aristocrat Sir Benjamin Slade and was disemboweled of her stuffing and had her head severed in the attack.

The rare toy, made in 1909 by German manufacturer Steiff, was valued at more than A$100,000.

Mabel was to have formed the centrepiece of a valuable collection on display at Wookey Hole Caves in Somerset in south-west England.

However the bear upset Barney, the Doberman pinscher charged with protecting Mabel and other fluffy exhibits, and the dog launched into a frenzied attack.

All I've been able to find to illustrate the story so far is this tiny pic from CNN:

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David Harcourt
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There's a long report in the New York Times which I can't copy for some reason, but you may wish to read. Here's the link:

http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/08/03/europe/web.0803teddy.php

And here's a better (?) photo, from the Washington Post:

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David Harcourt
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Finally, here is the Independent's version of the story:

London - Elvis Presley's cherished teddy bear Mabel was all shook up after being mauled by an apparently jealous guard dog hired to protect her at a British museum, newspapers reported on Thursday.

The rare toy, made in 1909 by German manufacturer Steiff and valued at £40 000, was to have formed the centrepiece of a valuable collection on display at Wookey Hole Caves, in Somerset, south-western England.

But for some reason Barney, the Dobermann pinscher charged with protecting the precious cuddly toy and the other fluffy exhibits, turned against them, going on the rampage in a frenzied after-hours attack.

Mabel was disembowled of her soft stuffing and had her head severed. The damage is believed to be irreperable.

"Barney has been a model guard dog for more than six years. I still can't believe what happened," security guard Greg West was quoted as saying after the attack on Tuesday night.

"Either there was a rogue scent of some kind on Mabel, which switched on Barney's deepest instincts, or it could have been jealousy. I was just stroking Mabel and saying what a nice bear she was."

Mabel was bought by local aristocrat Sir Benjamin Slade at an auction in Memphis, Tennessee, and was on a work surface while a glass case was being built for her.

Wookey Hall general manager Daniel Medley was quoted as saying he had spoken to Sir Benjamin.

"He is not very pleased at all," he added.

yowie_power
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That Dobermann ain't nothing but a hound dog!

David Harcourt
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yowie_power wrote: That Dobermann ain't nothing but a hound dog!

In the NYT article the (British) reporter says that there's no question of the dog being put down.

They may have a different view in Steiff. Oy maybe not, as it's a German breed.

And another thought:

During the Second World War, did Steiff make bears dressed as little stormtroopers and Gestapo officers, with one paw stretched?

I would really like to know (or is it impolite to ask?).

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I shouldn't have thoughts. Now I really have to find out whether German toy manufacturers made Nazi bears during the Second World War. The first thing I've come across is this 2005 report, which is only tangentially relevant, but interesting just the same:

Teddy bear manufacturers go classical in tough market

It's official. The trend in teddy bears this year is strictly classical, as manufacturers from across Germany confirmed at this year's "Teddy Baerlinale" in Berlin.

The German teddy bear industry stretches back generations, and manufacturers take their furry creations very seriously.

Susanne Ludwig, co-founder of Balu-Baeren in Braunschweig, was among the dozens of bear makers from across Germany displaying their wares in Berlin. Ludwig talked solemnly about the recent spate of terror attacks worldwide, saying they had increased people's "feelings of insecurity and fear."

"No teddy bear or soft toy can change such things, but they can help transmit a sense of security, comfort and warmth in dark moments," she said without a trace of pathos.

Baerenstark is probably Berlin's largest teddy bear shop, just off the central Friedrichstrasse. Renate Ernst, the store manager, says the return by bear makers to classical designs points to a difficult time for the market. "You still find bears of zany, odd-ball appearance, produced by teddy artists. But with the market tougher, there is now less experimentation," she said.

The 1980s saw a boom in teddy bear sales in Germany, but with unemployment at 11 percent, people have less money to fork out on branded bears, she said.

Steiff, Hermann Teddy Bear, Grisley Spielwaren GmbH and Clemens are among the heavyweights in Germany's teddy bear manufacturing. Their products, made with the finest mohair, are found in shops and department stores nationwide, alongside the creations of countless independent teddy designers.

With the domestic market in the doldrums, most are now looking to overseas markets to shore up their sales. The US, Canada, UK, France, Belgium, Japan, Australia and New Zealand have all become importers of German teddies in recent decades.

German manufacturers are hoping for a boost on the home front next year when a film about Margarete Steiff (1847-1909), the founder of the famous Giengen toymaking company, will be shown on prime-time television. The talented German actress Heike Makatsch plays the role of the doughty Steiff, who faced discrimination for most of her life as a polio sufferer and displayed enormous willpower, courage and skill, in building up the family empire.

Horst Wieder, organizer of the annual Teddy Baerlinale, admits the German market for teddy bears has shown signs of fatigue. "It's not that Germany is without rich people, but rather it's a case of the middle and lower ends of society having less money to spend on items of pleasure," he said.

The Nazi rise to power sounded the death knell for several famous names in the industry, including the Bing Spielwarenfabrik toy factory in Nuremberg, which specialized in metal toys. In 1907 Bing employed 6000 people and was hailed the world's largest manufacturer of toys. The artist-inventor Kunz Weidlich played an enormous part in that success, after he began designing traditional, fully jointed bears for the firm. Their clockwork bears moved their heads from side to side, while others walked, skied or skated along when their mechanisms were wound up. Such inventiveness helped the firm to flourish in the years after World War I, but when Hitler came to power it was clear the company's days were numbered. The Bing family were Jewish.

In the early 1930s the factory's contents had to be auctioned off. Today surviving Bing bears are regarded as collectors items, and fetch huge prices at auctions in London, Munich and New York.

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I now have 49 collectable bears to list or already listed on trademe, seven of which have already been sold, so I have been getting further and further behind with my pictures of them here.

("Thank God for that," murmur the arctophobes in the audience.)

I must show you this one, however, because it has been sold to one of us i.e. a member of The Unscrambled Web, thereby earning for this lucky person a 10% discount on the auction price.

It is a Steiff Millenium Bear made for the Danbury Mint (US). It is a 5-way jointed bear with a woollen jersey and a gold-plated Millenium medallion around its neck, and is 30cms (just under 12") high/tall.

I thought it was a charming bear, but what do I know?

("Not very much," murmur the majority of the audience.)

If the first seven sales are any guide, traditional/conventionally appealing bears are selling rather better than bears which are obviously designed for the collector.

Why do I find this encouraging?

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A quick thought which I will write down before I forget it:

Do the children of people living in areas where bears are a menace have teddy bears?

Teddy Bear
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In regards to the Teddy Bear massacre, as a Teddy Bear lover & collector I am horrified at the thought of my own bears being ripped apart by a dog, and have great sympathy for the owners of the Bears in this case. What has amazed me is any one I have spoken to about this incident, thinks it's the funniest thing they have heard in ages. Why is it so funny? If it had been antique vases or paintings the same people would say "oh no that's terrible' . But Teddy Bears, well it's a great joke so thay say....so can anyone explain to me the funny side, I just dont get it.

giraffeinfall
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I can't answer your question, teddy bear, but I do know that anyone who injects even a shade of surprise into the comment " it could have been jealousy"

when that comment is followed by

" I was just stroking Mabel and saying what a nice bear she was"

either doesn't know much about how dogs' minds work,

or simply didnt think to put that ( fairly basic, in the circumstances) essential knowledge into practice on this occasion.

Given that the poor old aristocratic Pom who owned those fragments that were Once A Bear apparently specifically stipulated that the security arrangements MUST include a guard dog... there's a more than a touch of irony about that little lot.

giraffeinfall
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... those fragments were once about a hundred bears, in fact, I find upon reading the artice linked to above.

Yep, that's how many bears Barney the Badly Broken-hearted got through, before his handler could stop him, once he got started...

He was all shook up, alright, wasnt he?

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I listed some more bears today. While I'm watching/listening to the rugby, and praying for a Springbok victory, I will add photos of some of them.

These are Steiff bears. Paddington Bear is wonderful.

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David Harcourt
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Here are three more Steiff bears. The Chimney Sweep will be listed tomorrow.

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This group comprises, from the left:

* an Anniversary Bear made for the famous London store, Harrods. The "anniversary" is the 100th anniversary of the first teddy bear, made in 1902. This is a polyester bear, not mohair. It is 45cms (18") high/tall. The reserve is $149.

* a limited edition Merrythought (UK) plush bear made for Harrods. It is "Cheeky Bear", #97 in an edition of 500. It is offered for sale in its original Harrods gift box.
It is 23cms (9.5") high/tall. The reserve is $149.

* a Merrythought (UK) plush bear - a Guardsman Bear. It is 45cms (18") high/tall. The reserve is $49.99.

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That guard dog was probably bored and got playful. Muffin slaughters all soft toys that are left within easy reach.

I started making my own bears because the named brands were beyond my meagre means.

That is a fine collection of bears you have for sale, David. My pick is still the koala.

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I have sold a second Steiff bear to a member of The Unscrambled Web (the 10% discount still applies, people: don't hold back).

It is the VICTORIAN GENTLEMAN bear, a five-way jointed bear 36cms (14") high/tall.

If you search for COLLECTABLE BEAR on trademe you will get a list of 339, but the 39 which are mine are on the first page, with pictures of reasonable quality, so you won't have difficulty finding them.

More this weekend!

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Teddy Bear
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Hi, I'm interested in buying one of your bears just listed on Trade Me, tried sending you an e-mail but I'm doing something wrong.....looking forward to your reply.

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Send me an email.

thorndon@paradise.net.nz

LadyTrojans01
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David Harcourt wrote: yowie_power wrote: David Harcourt wrote: yowie_power wrote: I've been an arctophile ever since I got my first bear at age 1.

But do you still have your first bear?
Yes I do, although he's rather worn out and decrepit. But he holds a special place in both my bear "hug" (a group of teddy bears is called a "hug") and my heart.

I'm impressed.

The condition doesn't matter.

That he survived is all that matters.

David Harcourt! It was such a pleasure for me to know that you are impressed. You are right when you said that the condition doesn't matter but not at all time. It also depends on how you will manage it.