Dolls & Bears Auction - Thursday 9 January 2025 | 10:00

Pair of vintage mohair teddy bears, includes: (1) Chad Valley golden mohair, missing eyes, remains of nose stitching, fully jointed, felt pads (sole of right foot is missing along with leg stuffing), remains of black claw stitching, left foot is card lined, inoperative tilt growler, hole to muzzle, ears are torn, Poor, 16"/41cm; (2) American golden mohair teddy bear, black boot button eyes, black nose stitching with outer drop stitches, fully jointed, inoperative tilt growler, missing paws, large hole to rear of head and missing both ears, 95% bald, Poor, 20"/51cm; (2). Provenance: The vendor states: "My 95 year old Mother has had the brown Teddy Bears since childhood. At a young age of only 4, she was taken to toy manufacturer Chad Valley in Harborne, Birmingham and chose one. The other bear with the growl initially belonged to her Brother, but he didn’t take care of him, so he joined my Mother’s collection.  She would put them in a row, along with a cat and a sailor boy from the Queen Mary liner, in her bed at night and tuck the bedclothes up nearly under their necks, very careful not to ‘suffocate them’! She can still visualise the line up – always in exactly the same order! She loved them all; they were her own little family. When my parents moved to Germany in the 1950s, the bears were left at her parents’ house. They subsequently survived a few house moves but sadly became a bit worse for wear over the years. It was only when my parents downsized recently after 66 years in the same house that we re-discovered the bears in the eaves. The other stuffed toys were bought in the late 1950s and early 1960s for my Sister and me. The white bear was bought for me when I was born in 1960 and was much loved. It would mean a lot to know that they can all find a new loving home and maybe be restored some way to their former glory!

Gillian and Julie