JSLB's 1930s Bear

by Mark
(London)

I believe this bear is from the early 1930s. My father said it was a Steiff, but I have never had this verified. His father did travel to Germany in the 30s so it is very possible he bought it back as a present from there as there are several other German toys we have from the same period. He is about 27 inches/70cm tall and he has been in the family consistently since when have been led to believe he was bought new - or longer if he was from another owner. It passed to my elder brothers first then eventually to me. It has been loved and played with over the years and so is in worn condition. Most of the fur is still there but it is not as plush as it once was. However, all the parts (arms, legs, ears and head) are still relatively firmly attached and they all still rotate and are moveable. The eyes are missing and he had "surgery" in the 1950s. Apparently this was to remove a growling mechanism from the abdominal area which scared my elder brother. The tummy has been stitched back up but the bear still has the scar on his abdomen as the photos show. There is also a small amount of darning to one foot. The stuffing feels like straw. It is hard and crackles when squashed. There are no signs of labels or maker’s marks. There is no hump on the back and to me the most notable feature is the curve at the end of the arms where the paws/hands are. The feet look fairly normal and he is the normal sandy yellow classic bear colour. I would really like to know more about him. Is he rare? Is he valuable? Is he even older than I think Perhaps it wasn’t from Germany. Maybe it was a hand me down from another member of the family. Any information is appreciated.

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