How Do You Clean An Antique Teddy Bear?

On August 29, 2009, In antique bears, By admin

Firstly, do this at your own risk! By their very nature, an antique teddy bear is delicate, having often spent many years being handled by children and most have undergone some repair during their lives.

Some of the fillings used in the older bears were never designed to be washed, so never put your bear in the washer! Apart from it being traumatic for the owner watching the little thing spin, your antique teddy bear will probably come out in bits!

If your bear is really valuable, seek professional help and do not attempt cleaning it on your own. Professionals are insured (check first though) but you are not. If you must attempt to clean your bear do make sure it is in excellent condition first and wear cotton gloves to prevent the transfer of natural oils from your hands. Use a little luke-warm water with some very mild liquid detergent that is specially designed for fragile fabrics and swish it up. Dip a sponge or very soft cloth into the foam only and gently stroke the fur. Do not make the fur wet! Dab off any wetness with a dry soft cloth, but do not rub the material.

Leave your antique teddy bear in a warm and natural atmosphere to dry completely on his own. Then fluff up the fur gently with a soft brush.

There are not that many around, but a really useful book to read that is full of excellent tips and information about cleaning and restoring your antique teddy bear can be found HERE.

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What Goes Into Making An Antique Teddy Bear?

On August 28, 2009, In antique bears, By admin

There is no doubt that the bear of today is constructed from different materials than their ancestors, with today’s bears frequently being spotted spinning inside a washing machine! The stuffing and features now also have to be more child friendly and are controlled by various health and safety regulations. So what went into making the much loved antique teddy bears of the past before the regulations were dictated?

Let’s take it from the inside out. Antique teddy bears were originally stuffed with wood wool, this practice continued until just after World War I when wood wool was replaced by kapok. The construction of the bear itself was from mohair that is derived from Angora goats with the bear’s paws being cut from felt or suede. In order to make the bear ‘growl’, small bellows were attached to tubes of cardboard with a reed were inserted. These worked when the bear was turned over as a weight would force the bellows open and on turning the bear again, the bellows would release the air through the reed creating the ‘growl’. The joints that made the arms, legs and head move were quite basic and worked because of metal or card discs secured by pins.

Looking at the facial features of an antique teddy bear, the eyes themselves were derived from a couple of sources; either shoe buttons or glass that had been painted at the back that were attached via a hook. The nose and mouth tended to be embroidered by hand although the exact shape of the nose tended to differ between manufacturers.

Today, although antique teddy bears still retain the charm of the collectible bears, their construction is somewhat dissimilar which is especially notable by the colours and clothing. We now even have talking bears with flashing noses!

However, one thing will never change, our children’s love of these cuddly toys will often extend into adulthood. I know my children who are now in their twenties and thirties still have their stuffed bears, whether they are collectible bears, or a vintage bear or not.

antique teddy bears

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