Early bear found in Belgium

by Erin
(Antwerp, Belgium)

Dear Teddy Bear Collectors,

Can anyone help me to identify this bear?

I have always been very interested in old items and I found this jointed bear at a garage sale in Belgium and despite its very rough condition, I was drawn to its sweet face, its construction, and the fact that it just looked, well...OLD! I couldn't take my eyes off of it and immediately made the purchase. I spoke with the seller to see if he knew any additional information about the item, how old it was, who made it, etc. But unfortunately, the previous owner was unable to tell me anything about it except for the fact that he found it in his attic and just wanted to get rid of it. Either way, I thought he was adorable and would make a great addition to my home.

The bear appears to be constructed of mohair (which is very patchy...it appears that someone REALLY loved it) and filled with excelsior stuffing, which can be seen through some heavy damage to the feet and paws (please note that there are also no claws on the paws). It appears that what's left of the paws is original material. Additionally, there is also a slight hump on its back. The nose and mouth are stitched on and the eyes are black. Since buying the bear, I have done a bit of research about early bears and this appears to be old since there is so much wear on the fur and there is excelsior stuffing. I know that Steiff bears were very popular in this area of Europe earlier in the 20th century. However, I don't believe that it is a Steiff bear as there is no identifying button on the ear (or any other markings for that matter).

However, if there is someone who could assist me in identifying this bear, I would be very interested in learning more about its history and who made it. I am in no way a collector and have zero expertise in this area, so I have attached a few photos which I hope can help one of you pros to identify this bear.

Thank you in advance for your help in identifying my bear and I hope to find some answers here that can lead me in the right direction! Please let me know if you can help and I look forward to learning more about my bear!

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