Who's My Maker- What is my story

by Jessica
(Florida)

My bear was given to me as a gift and is cute but I want to know some history like who his maker is, era he came from, possibly what he originally was named or model etc. Any information is greatly appreciated as well as a guestimated value. The gifter of my bear had given it to me as a gift and knows no history on it. My bear has a very distinct smell. I recognize it as an old smell from my years of drifting through antique shops handling the dolls and other antique bears etc. He is a fully jointed bear with a working growler. His hair is mohair that was originally a brown color with white tips. He has faded and discolored to a lighter mousey looking brown. Eyes of glass in a black and reddish amber color. Eyes have a metal loop back on them. I do not know if the blue bow is original or not. Seems to be a ribbed pattern silken material but unsure on the blue bow.

My bear has a brown horizontal stitched nose and mouth with a slight upturned smile. His muzzle is shaved tapering to more of a point and is a contrasting color to the body mohair. He has felt paw pads which look as though they have been replaced covering over the original felt but this had to have been done many, many years ago because of the felt discoloration and again the distinct smell. I am unsure if his paw pads have been replaced for sure or if they have just pulled enough from the seem to see some of the original color beneath that has not been exposed to the elements to discolor it as much. The original color is more of a peachy pink tan colored felt. He is stitched down both sides of his body, horizontally at his groin as well as the top side of his legs and undersides of his arm. His head is stitched with 2 seams running vertically down each side of forehead and back of head. One seam vertically below his muzzle to neck. He has ware marks in various places on his body from sitting etc. and across his muzzle above the nose threads. Not sure if some nose threads are missing across that area or not.

The joint attachment disks are made of hard pressed cardboard or thin wood type material disks with a small metal bracket holding them in place through the center (I can see in a hole on his upper leg near body.) His ears are original and stuffed with some excelsior at the tips as well but they are loosely threaded on. His body is hard and compact towards the lower ends of limbs and body while the shoulders and neck are looser. All parts make a crunchy crackly sound when squeezed. His filling is excelsior which is very settled and compact. You can tell the way it is broken down and kind of sticking together that this has been in place for a long time.

The body length is longer than the arms. Arms end at the top of leg/hip area. The hands point slightly upward. The overall length of bear (not including the ears)is 20". The arm length is approximately 7 1/2". The leg length is approximately 8". Body length approx. 9" and head length approx 6". He does not appear to have a hump on his back. Over all there are no major rips on the body, head or limbs. One seam around top of leg to hold onto the joint has been repaired with thread for a tight hold onto joint disk. Thank you for your time.

FYI As an Amazon/Ebay Associate I earn a small amount from qualifying purchases.

---

---