I am up to my ears making bears for the Bears on Parade online show, but thought I would pause to consider and appreciate the charm and charisma of some of the older bears in my hug.
Molly is a 1930s Merrythought and is a fabulous cuddle. I love her large soulful eyes and her beautiful blonde mohair. Patrick (on the right) has had his paw pads replaced at some time in the past. I'm not sure if his eyes are original. He was sold to me as a Chad Valley, but a knowledgable friend thinks he has some characteristics similar to Chiltern bears ... who knows. I just know he is a lovable chap.
I know little of the past of these three bears. The darker fellow at the back of the photograph had blue mohair at one time. I call him Blue (not very original). The colour can still be seen around his arm and leg joints. He is very elderly and stuffed with woodwool.
The little fellow on his lap, Sunny, is a beautiful yellow mohair, again stuffed with woodwool. I have no idea where he was originally made, but from his proportions I would say he was made no later that the 1930s. He is a handsome bear with classic good looks.
The bear to his right, Edward, looks English and has all the charm of 1930s English bears. He is also a lovely cuddle.
As a teddybear maker in a small way, myself, I find it really interesting to look at the construction of classic, manufactured bears. It surprises me how often the pile of the mohair lies in the wrong direction. Frequently, the mohair can be seen to run horizontally or upwards across the tummy or back instead of downwards. The mohair on the legs of my lovely Flossie (shown in an earlier post), runs in opposite directions, one upwards and one downwards? It seems strange to me that more care wasn't taken with, what has always been a very expensive material. Does this lack of care devalue the bear? I think it probably adds to his charm, but I don't think I will follow their example.
