Verna

The Verna doll company began production in 1941. Between 1941 and 1948 its dolls were made with a cloth mask face, fabric body and kapok filling, which meant that the larger dolls were very heavy. After 1948, teddy bears became Verna’s most successful product. The first bears were fully jointed and made from mohair. Each had glass eyes and a distinctive blunt muzzle. Tags read ‘VERNA/MADE IN AUSTRALIA’ in orange letters on white. By the late 1960s, the teddies were no longer jointed, with outstretched arms, and were stuffed with moulded foam rubber. Pads were often made from vinyl, though during the 70s these were then made from the same fabric as the body. In order to compete with cheap imported toys, Verna made a range of cheaper teddies, but was unable to remain in business and closed its doors in the early 1990s.