Starting a Teddy Bear Collection

Collecting Teddy Bears began as an American Inspiration. While it is now an international hobby, the bear was originally inspired by a hunting trip in 1902 made by President Teddy Roosevelt. As the tale goes, Roosevelt's companions captured a bear cub and tied it to a tree. They then invited President Roosevelt to kill it. Being the extreme champion of conservation, he just could not do it, and refused.

Once the story spread, and it spread extremely quickly, a Russian Immigrant in Brooklyn, New York decided to market stuffed bears that he had his wife make. They were dubbed "Teddy's Bear". Teddy's Bear was difficult to say, and eventually became Teddy Bears. In 1904, the German Steiff Company marketed their own teddy bears and by 1907 had produced almost a million of these cuddly creatures.

Naturally, the Steiff company became the créme de la créme of the teddy bear market, and it's quite obvious when reflecting on their extremely high prices. It is recommended by several experts that collectors eager to add yesterday's bears to their shelves, might consider bears made by American Companies, such as the Ideal Novelty and Toy Company, Gund and the L.L. Knickerbocker Toy Company. These companies have huge fan base, and typically an avid collector will have several from each.

While some "arctophiles"-the term coined in the 1980's that describes teddy bear collectors, will continue to seek out the highest priced, and most in demand teddy bears, the average collector is happy with anything that's cuddly and cute.

Beginning a collection of anything is time consuming and costly, considering that you are beginning with nothing. However, as your collection builds you will cherish each individual bear.

How can you tell when it's the right bear for you? There are two factors that a collector keeps in mind when choosing a teddy bear for their collection, quality and condition.

Quality
Quality is an important factor to consider when purchasing a bear for your collection. You should be interested in the longevity of the life of the bear. Careful selection and detailed research is easy with the many resources available on the Internet. Be sure and check out many different teddy bear manufacturers. Every collector is different, and what they are seeking in quality also greatly differs. Many collectors seek out mohair only bears. Mohair comes from the Angora goat and is both short and curly. It is typically preferred to cloth or plush fur by very avid collectors. Naturally, because of it's anomaly, mohair covered bears are much more valuable then its counterparts. There are many more budget friendly bears available that are equally as interesting and charming.

Condition
Most teddy bear collectors will at some time or another, purchase a gently loved teddy bear. The condition of these bears can vary greatly. If the bear in question happens to be a highly sought after bear, obviously the better the condition, the more valuable it becomes. It is important to note however, that a threadbare and/or moth eaten bear will depreciate in value greatly, it matters more what the face looks like and how the bear has held up over time. You want to be careful to inspect the eyes, muzzle and nose for damage. This is what will devalue the piece the most. Of course on any gently loved item, there is certain to be wear and tear, which is completely normal for a cuddly item that was meant to be held. It is your decision, as the collector, on how much wear and tear you are willing to accept.

Always collect what you like. Keep an eye out for teddy bears that turn your head, that make you smile, and that you truly appreciate. If you keep this rule in mind, and collect the bears you decide that you like best, it will help combat the disappointment when a teddy bear depreciates over time, or perhaps only appreciates slightly.