Chad Valley'Chad Valley' was the trade name of the English brothers Johnson, who made office-supplies and party-games in their company in Harborne in Birmingham. In 1887 the company moved to a factory in the Midlands, named Chad valley Works, after a nearby stream. The first plush Chad Valley-bear with discs was made in 1915-1916, after a ban on importing German product into Great Britain. This because of the 1st WW. In 1938 they were appointed Royal Warrent holders. From then on, all the toy animals got a label which read: 'Toymakers to her Majesty the Queen', with who Queen Elizabeth, the wife of King George VI, was ment. After the crowning of the current Queen Elizabeth II, the words 'the Queen' where changed into 'the Queen Mother'. A useful indication when dating Chad Valley Teddy Bears. The new label, usually was square, with a blue imprinted text. It was sewn onto the foot with zigzag-stitches. Chad Valley was famous for his colored Teddy Bears, with blue being the most popular color. De bears from the 30's-50's are less round and chubby, like earlier bears. This was due to the rationing during the war years, when less material was on hand. The Chad Valley Company produced some new models. The first one was Rainbow Tubby Bear from 1926 with a collar and a clowns hat. The most popular design was Cubby Bear from the 30's, who was made from brown and light-yellowbrown alpaca plush. Sonny Bear, Cubby's little brother, was from lightbrown plush and wore a feeder. When Chad Valley celebrated their 100 year anniversary in 1960, the company had seven factories and had more then a thousand workers. In 1967, Chiltern Toys became a subsidiary company of Chad Valley, with which they became the largest toy animals manufacturer in Great Britain. The recession of the seventies led to the shutting down of six of the seven factories. In 1978 Chad Valley was taken over by Palitoy, which later was bought by the American company Kenner Parker. In 1998 the trade name was sold to the English Woolworth, which made a new series Chad Valley-toy animals, made in Asia. Trademarks
[1] - [2] - [3] - [4] The teddy bears from the twenties and thirties were marked with a metal, with celluloid covered button with overprint [1] or/and a woven label. The Aerolite-trademark [1] is a reference to the stuffing that was used for the Teddy Bears, a soft, light kapok. It was used from 1923 till 1936. Chad Valley used to place the trademark button on the right ear, but now and again on the chest or on the back. This probably due to problems with Steiff's patent on the button in the ear. Besides the with celluloid covered, metal button [2], all the Chad Valley bears from the thirties and forties, got a white, woven label with red letters [4]. The label was sown onto the sole of the feet. On smaller bears, it was sown on the leg. The by Chad Valley used label, when they became 'Toymakers to her Majesty the Queen' [3]. It reads: 'Chad Valley Co Ltd. by appointment toy makers to H.M. the Queen'. Teddy bearsThe early years were a experimental period for Chad Valley. Teddy Bears are found with a filling from pieces of cork and others with metal joints. From 1920 onwards Chad Valley used a kapok stuffing. The Chad Valley Teddy Bears from the twenties and thirties: a prominent, round forehead and a big, short, trimmed snout. Along with a less prominent hump, shorter limbs and smaller feet. In the early thirties, the company advertised Teddy Bears of fourteen different sizes, among which three bears with a hard or soft stuffing. At the end of the decennium only the soft kapok was used. In the same period the noses changed: the rectangle shaped, horizontal stitched and the triangle shaped, vertical nose, evolved into a thick stitched, oval shape, which is called the 'typical Chad Valley-nose'. During the war years of the 2nd WW, when mohair plush was difficult to obtain, Chad Valley made Teddy Bears from white sheepfleece. These bears traditionally had soles of black leather. The glass eyes were gradually replaced by Chad Valley for plastic eyes. Also they produced some Teddy Bears with a lifelike nose from casted plastic. The company also made bears from nylon and other synthetic material. Characteristic for Chad Valley are the big, flat ears which are almost at the side of the head. Chad Valley traits ('60-'80): characteristic head with a prominent snout. A broad, thick stitched nose and big, flat ears which are sown onto the face seam. The back is straight with broad shoulders and bent, small arms of the same length as the bear. The thick legs and big feet are also characteristic. Examples
left: year: 1923, height: 17"/43cm, An old Chad Valley bear with the Aerolite-button still in his ear.
left: year: 1930, height: 16"/40cm, A bear with a very chubby snout and a red label. |
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