- Collectible Antique Teddy Bears -

The picture of antique teddy bears was originally created by a shopkeeper´s wife. This tiny business was owned by the Ideal Novelty & Toy Company & because of the popularity of the collectible antique teddy bears, teddy bear collection became such a hit.

The antique teddy bears date back to 1902. This all started when the Washington Post printed a cartoon that showed President Theodore Roosevelt sparing the life of a bear during two of his hunts.

The new factories mimic the elderly styles of the factories that have been around longer. If you are collecting antique teddy bears, you should be sure that what you are getting are actually vintage designs, if you are paying at a vintage price.

A lot of antique teddy bears factories have been producing different designs of these collectibles for years now. In fact, there's some that have been in the business for over 100 years.

Collectors of antique teddy bears are on the lookout for those distinctive buttons behind the ears. This is because it is the trademark of Steiff, a manufacturer of antique teddy bears that has collaborated with Spanish manufacturers.

It was in 1903 when an American buyer viewed these at the Leipzig Fair & imported several thousands. Those faithful collectors see these as treasures.

Nowadays, the newer antique teddy bears that are collectible are those that have been restored. They call these the "heirloom" bears. These are the damaged or unwanted stuffed bears that have been restored.

In fact, some collectors have these restored at a cheap rate & add these to their collection. They see the results as bizarre. Sometimes, these bears have movable hips, shoulder joints, & necks which add character to the appearance of the toys.

For affordable antique teddy bears, collectors seek "Rare Bears." These are very cuddly & are made with mink. They are manufactured in different combinations & whenever they show up in stores, people flock these.

Then there's the hand sewn eyes as well as the embroidered noses which make them special for any collector. Manufacturers also add special features such as sizable, shiny bow ties on the necks. If these are given as gifts, it is the perfect touch to it.

Then there's the new antique teddy bears collectibles like the Boyd´s series. These are stuffed bears that have a wide variety of characters. These are very in demand during the Holiday seasons.

They also have other occasional themes which come with the human personalities & human poses. The attentions to details as well as the smart costuming are the reasons why these antique teddy bears are very desirable.