This treasury contains all you ever wanted to know about amusing bear love, those charming toy bears, and some of the most famous bear makers over the years. Today, toy bears continue to enchant people of all ages as they have since the beginning of this century. The book celebrates over 400 of the most appealing toy bears and their makers the world over (including manufacturers Steiff, Bing, Schuco, Hermann, Gabrielle, Ideal, Knickerbocker, Farnell, Chad Valley...and talented individual makers found everywhere). Author Dee Hockenberry points you to the leading public collections in England, Europe, and the United States and guides you to find other enthusiasts at bear shows, conventions, and private shops. She defines and explains their components and terminology and comments on their values, including price ranges (some quite hefty!) as part of her detailed captions.

Dee Hockenberry brings home some of the world's favorite storybook characters and cuddle partners in a pictorial review of teddy bears and dolls. Enjoy Raggedy Ann and Andy, Beatrix Potter's delightful creatures, the Golliwog, all the absurd characters from Alice in Wonderland, and Winnie-the-Pooh and his adventurous pals. Explore the bear's evolution since first made famous, and welcomed indoors, by Teddy Roosevelt. Punkinhead, Paddington, and storybook characters like The Three Bears and The Busy Bears are pictured and described. A collectors guide, this book provides current values for memorabilia about these lovable characters in their many incarnations.

Images of bears are found throughout the world on many objects in everyday life, from advertising and postage stamps to clothing and tablewares. The intense popularity of stuffed toy Teddy Bears today has ignited the search for images of bears on antiques, in old books, and upon modern items--and many are displayed and identified here. The chapters present old and new images of bears made as both useful and decorative items from diverse materials such as metals, wood, glass, ceramics, paper, and textiles. Over 475 color photographs show bears on, as, and about everyday objects, and each one is dated and identified with historical facts and a current value range. Current bear enthusiasts will cherish this book and skeptical readers will be converted. Beware of increasing bear sightings!

Four of the world's most beloved storybook characters are the focus of this delightful new book. A.A. Milne's Winnie the Pooh, Johnny Gruelle's Raggedy Ann Stories, Florence K. Upton's Golliwogg's Adventures, and Seymour Eaton's Adventures of the Roosevelt Bears have inspired related books, art works, beloved stuffed toys, licensed products and interpretations for several generations--highlighted here in this delightful collectors' guide. Each of these famous four storybook characters has an individual history which is charmingly related after extensive research by author Dee Hockenberry. The other books in each of their series, major playmates of the principal characters, dolls inspired by the characters, and modern products based on the characters all are featured in this interesting presentation. Over 600 color photographs show the tremendous variety of material that can be found relating to these characters. The useful price guide provides current market value. Readers will be enchanted by these stories and their far-reaching influence world-wide.

Teddy bears have been made and loved for more than a hundred years. Over 600 beautiful color and black & white images present the toy in all its forms, from the earliest produced in 1902 right up to today. The manufacturers include Ideal, Steiff, Bing, Columbia Manufacturing, Gund, North American Bears, Merrythought, Bruin Manufacturing, and many others. An engaging text provides a history of the toy bears, their manufacturers and artists, and the passionate collectors who have pursued them. Additionally, valuable information covers associated memorabilia and teddy bear auctions. A bibliography, index, and values in the captions complete this loving tribute to teddy bears. Collectors, connoisseurs, and everyone who had a teddy as a special friend will enjoy this book.

This beguiling book takes you to the fantasy world the Steiff*r toy company has been busily creating for over one hundred years. In over 860 beautiful color photographs, you will discover more than one thousand toys, some as recent as yesterday and most many decades old. A menagerie of stuffed animals awaits, including the beloved teddy bears, as well as cats, dogs, birds of every sort, denizens of the forest, and wildlife from the Savannah. Puppets, dolls, and wheeled toys also grace these pages, accompanied by large studio figures and enchanting mechanical villages filled with busy figures. The book includes a preface by Susanna Steiff Pinyuh, the great grand niece of the company's founder, Margarete Steiff. Also included are catalog copy displaying many items produced by the firm, and an examination of the company's identifying marks. Values are included in the captions. This delightful book is a must for every toy collector.