Russ Enamel

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Teddy Bear Makers

After the Teddy Bears invention by Richard Steiff in 1902, many soft toy companies began producing their own versions of the Teddy Bear.  From country to country and from one maker to the next, Teddy Bear designs changed sometimes quite radically during the next hundred years or so.

Schuco (Germany) – In 1912 partners Heinrich Muller and Heinrich Schreyer began their own business under the trading name of Schuco.  This company was mostly famous for it's magnificent tin toys which were of super high quality and design.   The war years hampered this company's production and at the war's end Schreyer left the company and Muller started again with a new partner, Adolph Kahn.  By the mid 1920's their most enduring fabrications emerged.  Their famous teddy bear was called ‘Tricky' whose head nodded yes/no, being operated by a tail leverage.

Schuco was one of the very first companies to produce teddy bears for the adult market and this was done by producing teddy bear perfume bottles and teddy bear compacts.  These teddy bear items are hugely sought after today.    Schuco also produced the famous Bellhop Bear in 1923.  The Bellhop Teddy Bear is fully jointed and wears the clothes of a hotel Bellhop Boy, once again the bear's tail operates his moving head.  This bear also has a squeaker in  his chest.

Bing (Germany) -  Gebruder Bing had been making domestic  tinware items since 1865 and later they produced enamelled and clockwork toys.   Bing produced their first Teddy Bear in 1906, so they started Teddy production not long after he was created by Steiff.  As well as producing some wonderful Teddy Bears, this firm also produced some very high quality clockwork and mechanical toys.  Initially Bing Teddy Bears had a metal clip in their ear which was imprinted with the initials G.B.N. (Gebr. Bing Nurnberg), however, in 1909 Steiff took action to prevent  the then, probably largest toy manufacturer in the world, from using a button-in-ear trademark.  Steiff did allow Bing to use a button on the side under the arm, this button was also marked G.B.N. until 1919.   From 1919 until the company finished production in 1932 the initials were simply B.W. (Bing Werke).

In 1915, Bing produced a Skating Teddy Bear and a Walking Teddy Bear.  The Walking Bear had a large key in his belly that operated his walking mechanism.  Bing also produced a tumbling teddy bear as did Schuco and Steiff.

Gebr. Hermann K.G. (Germany) -  The Hermann Family have been making wonderful Teddy Bears since 1913.  Bernard Hermann started the industry in Sonnenberg, Thuringia.  In 1948, two of his four sons, Artur and Werner, started a new Hermann enterprise in Hirschaid (a small town by Bamberg).  To this day Hermann still produce wonderful Teddy Bears of great quality.  One of their highest priorities is that of customer/company relations and this company is always very willing to talk about and answer all questions on their company or their products.  Hermann Teddy Bears are extremely appealing.

Hermann Spielwaren GMBH (Germany) -  This company is an offspring of the original Hermann Company.  This firm has only been in business since 1979 and care must be taken not to confuse the two.  Recently, Hermann Spielwaren has made some great teddy bears who are themed such as Captain Smith of the Titanic and a Malcolm Campbell Bear, their quality and desirability is extremely high, if you are looking for this kind of Teddy Bear.

The Ideal Novelty & Toy Co. (U.S.A.) -  This company was the first company in the United States to produce Teddy Bears, it's roots going back to Morris and Rose Michtom, who transferred the cartoon Teddy Bear that appeared in The Washington Post to a loveable and huggable Teddy Bear.  Ideal did not use permanent tags or labels on their teddy bears in the beginning, but these teddy bears are very distinguishable.

AETNA (U.S.A.) -  This company was only in business for about two years from 1906.  Their label was stamped on their foot.

Knickerbocker (U.S.A.)  -  This company began in 1850, the first Teddy Bears being produced in 1920.  This firm experienced sale, bankruptcy and new ownership.  Many of Knickerbocker's early teddy bears can be found with their labels still intact to this day.  The company was originally based in New York but later moved to New Jersey.  Although this firm no longer exists, it is still famous for it's  Smokey Teddy Bears, produced in the 1960's – 1970's.

Pedigree (British) -  Pedigree had factories in both England and Ireland.  Sadly, however, they went out of business in 1988.  Pedigree Soft Toys was a subsidiary of Lines Brothers Limited, once Britain's largest and most successful toy companies.

Merrythought (British) -    Merrythought is probably one of the most successful toy makers in England, although it has had it's fair share of ups and downs.  Merrythought began making toys back in 1919.  When they began they had celluloid buttons in their ears together with foot labels and hang tags.

Merrythought is the maker of the famous Cheeky Teddy Bear and to this day they still produce wonderful Teddy Bears and a range of other  beautifulsoft toys.

Chiltern (British) -  Chiltern began in 1924 and was ultimately taken over by another famous toy maker, Chad Valley in 1967.  Chiltern Teddy Bears had labels sewn on and they read ‘Chiltern Hygienic Toys'.  However, once Chiltern was taken over by Chad Valley their labels read ‘Chiltern/Chad Valley'.  Today,  Old Chiltern Teddy Bears are certainly very desirable and collectible and are highly desirable for collectors around the world.

J.K. Farnell (British) -  The first teddy bear that Farnell produced was in 1908 and he is very distinctive and very desirable.  It's  most famous attribute being his ‘five joined claws' which are embroidered on his paw pads.  Of course, Winnie-the-Pooh is a Farnell Teddy Bear who was born in the early 1920's.

The company sadly ceased trading in 1968, but in the 1990's Merrythought took over the Farnell name and so, they are able to produce some items using the Farnell name.

Chad Valley (British) -  The first Chad Valley Teddy Bear was made in 1920.  They too had celluloid buttons put in their ears, followed by sewn-in cloth labels.  Chad Valley received the Royal Warrant in 1938, this has been shown on their labels ever since.

Dean's Rag Book Company (British) -  Deans Rag Book Company started in 1903, infact it is Britain's oldest existing soft toy company.  It was originally famous for producing cloth cut-out sheets of soft toys.  Deans started to produce teddy bears in 1915.  One of their most famous of their teddy bears being a bear called ‘Bertie' who was created at the height of their success.  Deans began their manufacturing in London and later moved to Wales, recently they have moved again, this time to Herefordshire.  Their labels are made of cloth and they are quite distinctive.

Gabrielle Designs Limited (British) -  Gabrielle Designs started life as a small ‘cottage industry' in Yorkshire, England in 1968 by a lady called Shirley Clarkson.  In 1972, Shirley Clarkson designed the very first Paddington Bear and was granted a licence to make and sell these bears by Paddington's creator, Michael Bond.

Listed above are just a few of the wonderful Teddy Bear Makers that we, as teddy bear lovers and collectors have come to know and to love but of course, there are loads more, indeed, far too many to list in this article at one time.  For example, some other great teddy bear makers include, W.J. Terry, Harwin, Steevans, Invicta, Wendy Boston, Russ Berrie, North American Bears, Helvectic, Jopi, Pintel and Wendy Boston and so the list goes on.  We must of course, never forget the famous Steiff Company without who, we would never have met the Teddy Bear.

As well as Germany, America and England, there are plenty of other countries who have also produced great Teddy Bears including France, Australia, China and many other countries.

I would like to end this article by once again stressing that every teddy bear that ever was, is very special in his or her own way and your own special teddy bear will always be the greatest teddy bear in the world ever to you and that is what loving teddy bears is all about, regardless of their monetary value or their famous or important label.  Your teddy bear is unique in his own right, he carries your personal history, stories and adventures so just love him or remember him if he is no longer with us.  Your Teddy Bear, the keeper of secrets and life most important memories.

About the Author

Gino loves fast cars, especially fast italian cars.  Gino also loves anything Italian. Gino heads a site specialsing in suppling Old and Antique Teddy Bears and some Old Tin Toys.

Please visit his website at www.ginosbears.co.uk

OUTDOORS: Pinned down, 02-28-10
There’s one in just about every tackle shop on the east coast and Bucko Brothers was no exception. 

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