by Jo Ann Wentzel

Created on: June 16, 2009

Collecting teddy bears can be a fascinating hobby. Teddy bears are a popular collectible for everyone. The teddy bear has often been thought of as a substitute soft toy for boys in place of a girl's doll. Today, many males as well as females collect teddy bears. With the prices vintage teddy bears have fetched at auction, this is definitely a respectable collection for men to pursue.

The teddy bear came into vogue after the famous story about Teddy Roosevelt appeared in the news. The story goes that Roosevelt, an avid hunter, was on a hunting trip with his cronies, but that no bear was found for him to hunt. The others in the party tied a small bear cub to a tree so he could shoot it, but he refused due to the un-sportsman like quality of such an act. The newspapers took the story and ran with it calling the bear cub, Teddy's Bear. That name was even used for some of the earliest manufactured bears until the name Teddy Bear came into vogue.

Vintage bears are valued for their personality. Since even modern bears possess that; they have also become collectible. The look of the bear is a deciding factor in choosing one for you collection. Bears have a surprising amount of personality which is produced by the type and set of their eyes and ears, angle of their head, type of muzzle and length of limbs to name just a few items. The fur they are given and whether or not they are jointed can really change the look of a bear. Basically, their expression is a key factor in who they appeal to and why they are chosen.

If you are looking for vintage bears keep in mind the most important companies that produced bears. A collector of bears will advise you that the most important examples usually come from Steiff. Their bears are considered top of the line. They also made other animals which are probably even more valuable.

Vintage teddy bears have become a major investment so be prepared to spend thousands of dollars if you are interested in purchasing early bears from the first decade of the 1900's. Later bears can sometimes be found in the high hundreds, but you will need to be lucky to find them much cheaper. In years past Sotheby's auction sold a Steiff bear for a record $100,000.

If these bears are a bit 'rich for your blood,' why not collect present day designer or artist bears which can be found in very limited series. Some of the great bears of yesterday are often produced for special anniversaries which give collectors a chance to own

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>