The Schreyer Toy Company, more commonly known as Schuco, flourished during the first half of the twentieth century. It was founded in 1912 by Heinrich Muller who, after an apprenticeship with Gebruder Bing (toymakers), began his toy company with Heinrich Schreyer.

In 1913 Schreyer introduced it’s first range of soft toys, which were wheeled animals, one of which was a bear. It was very successful however the two owners were conscripted into the military after the outbreak of WW1, which closed the factory in 1914.

After the war, Muller recommenced the business, with a textile merchant, Adolf Kahn, in 1919.

In 1921, the trade name ‘Schuco’ was registered. Schuco also launched the highly successful ‘Yes/No’ bear in the same year. This bear’s little tail was a lever which moved his head left and right, and up and down. He spawned a huge range of toys using the same principle, for the next fifty five years, until the factory ceased production!

Schuco also produced many other novelty bears during the 1920s, often incorporating mechanical workings. The miniature range became one of it’s most popular ranges, each of which had a mohair covering over a metal frame, little felt paws and were only 6cm tall. The little bears appealed to children and also to women when the variety was extended to a range of accessories, including teddies which concealed a lipstick, perfume or a mirror.

The Second World War again closed the factory for toy production, and the buildings suffered several bombing attacks. The factory recovered after the war, though, and was able to export large orders to the U.S. Schuco teddies from the 1950s-60s are known for their large ears and big eyes, and it is this cute look that added to their success, and their appeal to collectors today. Another very successful range from the 1960s was the ‘Bigo Bello’ series, of teddies and animals with happy, animated eyes, partially dressed, and which included  ’soccer player’ teddies, bunnies and pussy cats.

From 1965, several factors caused the closure of many of the major teddy factories, including Schuco. It had experienced  a sharp decline in sales of its tin toy range, due to competition from the budget-priced Japanese toy makers. Whilst the teddy bear arm of the factory continued to do well, it ultimately wasn’t able to keep the rest of the company buoyant, and Schuco declared bankruptcy in 1976.

Labelling

Pre-WW2:’Made in Germany DRGM’

Post WW2:’ Made In US Zone, Germany’

Bigo-Bello range-’Schuco Made in Western-Germany(/Reverse)bigo-bello/HEGI-PRODUXTION….

The Merrythought toy factory was opened in 1930 in Shropshire, England by two business partners in a spinning mill,  H.  Lawton and W. Holmes.  The mill produced mohair yarn and so the toy factory was established to produce toys from this yarn. Florence Attwood (from the Chad Valley factory) became the head designer until her death in 1949. Merrythought was a very successful company from its inception, moving to larger premises on 1931, and is still in operation today from this factory! The word ‘Merrythought’ is an old English word for ‘wishbone’.

The first teddy bears were produced in 1930, from mohair, and with a long snout and soft-stuffed. In 1931 the original Merrythought teddies were also created in a range of artificial silk colours, amd in ten different sizes of mohair! Most of the work was hand-done, and the facial features, paw embroidery and stuffing are still completed by hand today.

During the early 1930s a range of animals was also made, including the Lawson Wood monkey. Now a famous example of Merrythought’s ingenuity, this monkey has a moulded face designed by the artist. The Bingie range of bears was also brought into production at this time. Bingie was firstly a sitting cub, then a movable bear with jointed legs, and in 1933 more versions were added, wearing a variety of costumes, such as a sailor.

The factory became, during the 1930s,  the largest producer of soft toys in England. WW2 halted production, though, when the factory was acquired for the war effort, and was responsible for making maps, and the company itself assisted the war effort by producing such items as gas mask bags.

Production began again in 1946. As materials were scarce, designs were altered accordingly to accommodate for this. The ‘print teddy’, for example, incorporated a fabric body with a mohair head, so as to reduce the amount of mohair used, which was in short supply. In 1971 synthetic plush was used for the first time.

During the 1950s, many Walt Disney characters were produced as soft toys by Merrythought. The Winnie The Pooh range was very successful, and was made until 1980.

One of the most popular ranges has been the Cheeky bears. First created and exhibited at a trade fair in 1956, he is very distinctive with his large head, velvet muzzle and wide smile!  The first Cheekies were made of mohair, stuffed with kapok and featured bells in their ears. Nylon versions were first produced in 196o. Other Cheeky characters were created, including glove puppets and muffs.

Merrythought teddies are highly collectable and early versions can command high prices.

Labels:

Earliest labels (1930s)-’MADE IN ENGLAND BY/MERRYTHOUGHT/LTD

1930s-57-’MERRYTHOUGHT/HYGIENIC TOYS/MADE IN ENGLAND

1957-1991 Cheeky label-’MERRYTHOUGHT/IRONBRIDGE SHROPS/MADE IN ENGLAND

Florence Upton first published her book ‘The Adventures of the Two Dutch Dolls’ in 1895, which told the story of her two wooden dolls and their friend, a black rag doll, given to her by her Nana. (These black dolls were popular toys for Egyptian children at that time, and were brought back to England by British troops stationed in Eygpt in the latter part of the 19th Century). Florence painted all the artwork for her book, and her mother, Bertha, wrote the verses. It was very successful, and inspired the two women to publish a further 12 books.

Her name for her black doll, ‘Gollywogg’, and its appearance, were soon widely copied. Golly dolls became a popular toy.

The popularity of gollies also saw many other related merchandise being produced in the 1900s-1920s, including playing cards, crockery and perfume bottles, all of which are now rare to find, and command high prices.

The earliest gollies were generally hand-made, and had noses which were protruding, and stitched separately onto the face. Linen buttons were often used for the eyes. Hair was made from real fur.

Steiff, though, made a commercial range. These smiling dolls were first produced in 1908, until 1917. Many were fully jointed, with felt clothes. The eyes were black shoebuttons, with orange, then white, felt backing. The nose was made of protruding black felt, with the hair being tufted black hohair. Steiff’s renowned attention to detail was shown in such touches as the gold buttons on the blue velvet jacket, and gloved hands, each with five fingers.

Later, the gollies had flat faces, and were produced by many companies. In the 1950s, buttons were often used as the eyes. The hair was wool, plush, or a mohair blend, and the clothes consisted of a pair of striped trousers, bow tie, vest and jacket. The body often was produced from felt or cotton, the nose simply two stitches, and the mouth was of red felt. Merrythought made a range at this time, though by the 1960s, many firms had also produced ranges, that are now very collectable.

1960s gollies were cut from synthetic fabrics, and often had plastic ‘google’ eyes. Wendy Boston gollies were distinctive with their expressive white eyebrows amd round eyes made from layers of white and black felt. Made from velvet and cotton, ‘all-in-one’, and with foam stuffing, each did not have removable clothes.

In Australia, Joy Toys and Jakas both made popular ranges of gollies. Joy Toys gollies from the 1960s had happy vinyl faces, with short fuzzy hair, and are very sought-after.

Due to negative publicity in the 1970s and 80s, popularity temporarily declined, however gollies had a resurgence in the 1990s, and continue to be very collectable.

Values

Early Steiff golly:$20,000-$30,000

Wendy Boston (1960s)-$60-$80

Joy Toys (1960s)-$60-$100

The Barton Waugh company produced a range of soft toys in Hurstville, Sydney, from the late 1940s till the late 1960s. Predominately a teddy bear company, it also made a small range of dogs and other plush toys.

The Barton Waugh ‘Bruno’ was the most distinctive pattern. Created in many sizes, from 30cm to 182cm, Bruno is now almost never labelled, as each was only identified, when leaving the factory, with a cardboard swing tag. Consequently, many remain unidentified. There are, though, several distinguishing features.

Bruno had a chubby head, with a long rather than round head. The ears were cut in the same piece of fabric as the panels of the head, and so were not attached later as separate features.

The nose was embroidered from black embroidery thread in an inverted triangle shape, with the  mouth being an inverted curved ‘V’.

Another distinctive feature is the paw pads. These were made from dark brown leatherette, and which were pointed at the front of each foot.

Glass eyes were used, as Bruno was produced before it became mandatory for safety eyes to be used in children’s toys. These were shades of brown, with black pupils.

As his stuffing was kapok, he was comparatively heavy. This silky cottonwool-like fibre was packed in quite firmly and so weighed far more than woodwool or foam rubber.

The fur used was mohair plush, though the quality is questionable as most Bruno teddy bears have lost a large percentage of their fur. It is common for Brunos to now be quite bald!

Reflecting changes in social views of child safety and of household modernisation, the Wendy Boston soft toy company developed the modern washable teddy bear.

Wendy and her husband, Ken Williams, began the company soon after WW2 (1945), in South Wales. The factory then expanded in 1948.

The Wendy Boston company was known for its unjointed teddy bears with their arms outstretched. The other distinctive feature was the invention of screw-locked plastic eyes, in 1948. These were amber-coloured plastic with a small black pupil, and fixed in place by a screw-locked nut on a bolt behind the pupil. This revolutionized the safety of teddy bears, as traditional glass or shoe button eyes posed a danger to small children, if pulled out and swallowed.

The earliest bears were made of mohair plush. However, in 1954 Wendy Boston produced the first fully washable teddy bear, made from synthetic fabrics and stuffed with moulded or granulated foam rubber. Later, though, foam rubber was found to be a fire hazard which emitted toxic fumes when alight.

Hygiene had been promoted throughout the 1930s amd 40s, and so a washable teddy was enthusiastically embraced by parents, and so was widely copied by other manufacturers!

In 1960 the company name was changed to Wendy Boston Playsafe Toys Ltd. During the 1960s it produced one quarter of the UK’s soft toy exports. In 1968, the company was bought by Denys Fisher Toys ( Palitoy), but was unable to compete in a changing market, closing in 1976.

Labels

1955: ‘PLAYSAFE TOY/Made in GT. BRITAIN/ by WENDY BOSTON’ (printed).

1960s:’WENDY BOSTON/Made in England/Wash in lukewarm suds’ (printed on satin).

1972:’WENDY BOSTON/PLAYSAFE TOY’ (printed on satin).

Many types of damage can occur to poor teddy! Play, insects, moisture, dirt and dogs can all cause grief!

With very valuable bears, family heirlooms or severe damage, it is advisable to leave the repair to an expert. Many advertise online, or in the Yellow Pages under ‘Doll Hospitals’ or ‘Teddy Bear/Toy Repairers’. Professional teddy bear makers may also be suitable.

It is important to clarify, with whoever you choose to fix teddy, how much you would like him repaired, before he comes home unrecognisable! The repairer needs to keep in mind what teddy would have looked like and how much you would like to retain of what he now looks like, before treatment.

Less serious repairs can, however, be undertaken at home. Some common problems include:

Eyes-missing eyes can be replaced. Look at pictures of other similar (and similarly aged) bears to see what types of eyes teddy would have originally had. Replacements can be purchased from the internet (eg. ebay), craft shops or from specialist teddy making suppliers.

Attach strong double thread (habadashery shops) to each eye, and then pass this thread through a long ‘doll’ needle (10-15 cm), and then through the head of the teddy, to the back. Pull the rest of the thread firmly, so as to pull the eye into place, and tie the ends together with a couple of knots. If the needle is brought out near the neck joint, and the ends tied off there, then the knot can be well hidden.

Stuffing- old bears were either stuffed with woodwool (excelsior) or kapok. Teddy bear making suppliers (shops or online)usually offer these, or similar alternatives.

Each limb and the back of the torso will have a seam. Carefully cut the seam open where stuffing needs to be added and insert the stuffing (moulding it into shape). Massage the edges of the seam back together, tack, then close using ladder stitch in a matching strong thread.

Split seams-use a strong thread in a matching colour. Massage the edges together and pin or tack. If the edges are fraying, apply a thin line of “Fraystop” (habadashery or craft shops), and allow to dry. Close the seam using using ladder stitch.

Holes-patches can be made from any matching mohair or plush, bought new or cut from old coats or toys.

Cut the matched piece about half a cm larger than the hole. Fold it to fit, tucking it to fit within the hole. Tack this into place, then sew the edges with tiny stitches.

Nose/Mouth-firstly research the faces of other similar bears.

Note the shape of any existing features, then using black embroidery thread, sew on the new nose and mouth, following the original needle holes if possible. Most noses are able to be sewn by starting the stitches in the centre, then sewing a line of vertical stitches out to one side, back to the centre, then out to the other side, and back again. Next, take the needle down to do the mouth, The end of the thread is then taken through the head, to the back, and pulled. Secure with a couple of small stitches or a knot, near the neck joint.

Margarete Steiff first began making soft toys in the 1870s. Confined to a wheelchair since the age of two, due to polio, she became popular with the children of Giengen, her hometown in Germany, with her happy stories.

She owned the first sewing machine in the town, and using the skills she learnt as a dressmaker, first produced a felt elephant in 1877. Soon after, many children were receiving gifts of felt animals, hand-made from scraps of felt from her mother’s family’s felt factory.

Her popularity soon extended across southern Germany. The success of her enterprise attracted toy buyers from around the world. She had a good business sense and increased production to meet the ever-growing orders.

Demand necessitated that she open her first factory in 1889, known as the Felt Toy Factory. She made sure it was well-lit and airy. Notably, it had glass walls, so that workers could see the nearby hills as they worked! Three of her nephews acted as managing directors, and were also astute businessmen.

From 1880 to 1897, the business continued to grow at a steady rate. In 1897 another nephew, Richard, joined the firm, who had finished art studies in England and Germany. He chose to study and sketch the brown bear cubs in Stuttgart Zoo. These sketches formed the design for the first stuffed toy which had moveable parts, a bear, introduced in 1902, the Bar 55 PB, which was subsequently registered in July, 1903. In 1903 the first shipments of jointed teddy bears went on sale in America. Soon after, they were christened “Teddy’ bears, after the President, Theodore Roosevelt.

They became highly popular with both boys as well as girls, and by 1908 were also very trendy for adults!

Margarete would individually inspect every toy before it left the factory, to ensure the highest quality. Imitations began to appear, and so in late 1904 a metal button embossed with an elephant was attached to the left ear to show that each toy had been inspected and found to be perfect, as a quality control measure. In May, 1905, however, the buttons were then embossed ‘STEIFF’.

By 1908, two thousand employees were needed to meet demand, in two huge factories. Then, as now, most of the work was done by hand. Giengen grew rapidly due to the success of Steiff. Appreciation and admiration for Margarete is now shown in the naming of its main street after her.

Today, Steiff is still known for its innovation, superb quality and extensive range. Vintage and antique Steiff teddy bears and animals therefore  command high prices.  Dating of each toy is possible through the button in the ear, as these varied over the company’s 130 year history, as well as by the materials used, and by reference to the old catalogues and advertisements.

Steiff Floppy Cocker Spaniel

Beautiful 1950s-early 1960s mohair cocker spaniel, in excellent condition! Still has his silver button in the ear! Approx. 35cm from tip to tip.

Quantity:

$40.00Price:

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The Chiltern teddy factory initially began in London, in 1908, when Joseph Eisenmann opened the  Chiltern Toy Works. It produced many types of toys, with the first teddy appearing in 1915, being the ‘Master Teddy’. Unusually, the body was made from linen, and was dressed in a shirt and overalls. His head was comparatively large, with large opaque glass eyes and small ears. The big grin is distinctive and appealing!  This teddy was produced in different sizes, and is highly collectable! In 1919, however,  Leon Rees took over the company upon the death of Joseph. It was not until 1920, though, that he went into partnership with H G Stone, to create the firm of H G Stone and Company. It operated from the Chiltern factory.

The business was successful, enabling the men to open a second factory in 1921, with the name ‘Chiltern Toys’ first used in 1923 when the ‘Hugmee’ range of teddy bears was introduced. These bears did not have a cloth label, but only a cardboard chest tag reading ‘Chiltern Toys Trademark/Made In England’. The Hugmee teddies became the main range produced from the 1920s to the 1950s. Distinctively, the embroidered noses on the bears resembled those of Joy Toys, Emil and some Farnell teddies, having an outer stitch raised higher on each side. Each bear was fully jointed though. Made from mohair, they had woodwool stuffing in the head and kapok in the body. Pads were often of velveteen or cotton, spoon-shaped, with four claws on each paw and five above each foot pad. Eyes were of clear glass with black pupils, whilst the embroidered mouth was of the typical happy smile. 1940s Hugmees, however, had blunter muzzles, in order to save fabric during war time, and often had rexine pads. During the 1950s, the Hugmees were similar, made of quality mohair, and now had a printed label attached the one foot pad.

A new factory opened in 1929, taking over all production, including the ‘Silky teddy’, made from art silk plush. Art silk bears of the 40s had a sadder face, with large round ears, smaller feet and were stuffed with cotton ‘sub’. Often they also had a music box inside.

Teddies from 1945-67 had a label which read ‘Chiltern Hygienic Toys/Made In England.

In 1967 Chad Valley took over the company. Tags at this point carried both names- ‘Chad Valley/Chiltern’ until 1973 when a further take-over closed all but two of the Chad Valley factories.

Trading as the Verna Toy Company, Eva Barnett began producing dolls and soft toys in 1941, in Melbourne. Known as a quality and creative doll maker, it was not until 1948, when ownership changed to Arthur Eaton, that teddies began to be produced.

1941-1948

Verna dolls were often made of fabric or felt, with cloth mask (buckram) faces, and were stuffed with kapok. This filling felt soft in smaller dolls but created a much heavier large doll!  It was also difficult to wash successfully as it tended to clump and settle in awkward ways!

1948-1960

Teddy bears became Verna’s main product. These earliest bears were fully jointed, usually made from medium pile golden mohair, and stuffed with kapok, or a kapok/woodwool blend. Therefore, they were quite heavy for their size. Eyes were glass, with black pupils, and painted orange on the backs. Often they had tilt growlers, with the paw pads made from heavy cotton or vinyl. Distinctively, Verna teddies had a blunt muzzle, which gave them a flat muzzle profile, and had a black kidney-shaped piece of felt on the nose. This often rubbed off over time, leaving teddy nose-less. Each came tagged with an embroidered tag saying ‘VERNA/MADE IN AUSTRALIA’ in pale orange letters, on a white background.

1960s-70s

With advancements in production, and changes in the expectations of consumers, toys became cheaper and more plentiful. Together with new safety regulations, plastic eyes were now required to be used in children’s toys and a greater range of synthetic fur was developed. Verna teddies from this period were no longer jointed, having arms outstetched, and with a moulded foam rubber filling. Pads were often made of vinyl during the 1960s, with later 1970s ones having pads of the same fabric. The distictive blunt muzzle was still retained, with the plastic eyes having black pupils and orange surrounds. The nose was a black, round and embroidered, or cloth, later ones being made of black plastic. A variety of teddies and pandas was produced, in various colours.

1980s

With a reduction in import tariffs, in the late 1970s-early 1980s, the subsequent influx of cheap Asian toys severely affected the Australian toy market. Verna attempted to remain in the market by producing a range of cheaper teddies. These were very similar to those made in China at that time, and could have been made in China rather than Australia. Each was jointed with plastic joints, made of synthetic fabric and with plastic eyes. They are often confused with the Chinese teddies, and are only distinguishable by the printed tag.

The company could not remain viable, and ceased production in the early 1990s.

Verna teddies and dolls are very collectable, with the earliest teddies fetching $200-$500 in the Australian market, depending on size, appeal and condition. 1960s unjointed teddies sell for between $30-$70.

Collecting teddy bears is now a popular, and often expensive, hobby. Collectable bears can cost up to six-figure sums! It is therefore important to care for teddy investments, both to preserve their value and their appeal.

CLEANING

How teddy bears are cleaned depends on the materials used, and their age.

ANTIQUE TEDDIES-  old teddies require very careful cleaning. Incorrect treatment can cause teddy all sorts of grief! It is not so much the fur used that can create a problem, but the stuffing. Cleaning should be avoided if possible.

       -woodwool (excelsior)-this stuffing feels ‘crunchy’ if you squeeze teddy and the bears are relatively light in weight. These teddies must NOT be washed. To do so will cause the filling to leach brown stains through the fur  as it dries. Only if teddy has suffered a corrosive mishap (such as pet urine) should this cleaning option be considered, and then only to the affected areas. Use wool wash in lukewarm water, and use towels to wrap the washed areas in. Use fresh towels to absorb further moisture, and then a hair dryer or heater to finish the drying process as quickly as possible.

Alternately, use only the foam from wool wash agitated in a bowl of water, and applied with a soft cloth, to spot clean teddy, then pat with a soft cloth. Dry with a heater or hair dryer. Again, use this method only if absolutely necessary.

Preferably, spot cleaning can be carefully done with a dab of dry cleaning fluid.

      -kapok-is the cream silky inner fibre of a tropical seed. It was used during the 1930s-60s as a teddy filling, and created a heavier, more solidly packed bear than those stuffed with woodwool.

Kapok is more resilient to cleaning than woodwool, though cleaning should still be avoided if possible. It is advisable to use the methods given for cleaning woodwool. Water and wool wash may result in the stuffing settling into some awkward places unless care is taken to avoid this, by keeping teddy horizontal and by removing moisture as quickly as possible with dry towels and a hair dryer.

      -modern mohair collectors’ teddy bears-may be stuffed with synthetic stuffing, such as polyester wadding, and come with washing instructions. Often these bears may be hand-washed.

      -synthetic fabrics- From the 1960s to the present, bears such as the unjointed Joy Toys, Wendy Boston, Jakas and Verna types, were often made specifically to be washed in the washing machine! They were marketed as ‘child safe’ and hygienic, with plastic safety eyes. These teddies usually have outstretched arms.

Handwashing of synthetic teddy bears is still advisable, followed by wrapping in a towel to remove excess water, and a blow-dry, to give teddy that coiffured look!

Keeping the teddy collection clean and dry will prolong the life of the fabrics and materials used. If humidity is a problem, either try storing them in an acid-free box with moisture-absorbing crystals (such as those inside vitamin bottles!), or inside a glass-fronted display case, again with the crystals.

PRESERVATION

Woodwool stuffing is a special favourite of insects such as moths. All antique teddies should be stored or displayed with cedar balls, moth balls, or a similar insect deterent. A regular brush will also help to lower the incidence of insect attack, by removing dust. Displaying in a glass case also helps to protect from insects, as well as dog attacks and sticky fingers!

If signs of insect infestation are aleady present (small holes, moth cases etc), teddy should either be wrapped in a  moisture-tight plastic bag and placed in the freezer for 48 hours, or secured in a plastic bag with moth balls for 48 hours.

It is also a good idea to give your teddies the occasional brush with a soft-bristled brush, so that dirt does not build up in the fur, and keeps them brighter.