Minka's Bear Passion

Great Brittain

History

The first British bear was made by J.K. Farnell in 1906. Other early bears were made by W.J. Terry, Dean's Rag Book Co Ltd, Chad Valley and Chiltern. While early British bears copied the German look, later on they began to change - their bodies became fatter, their faces flatter and their arms and legs shorter.

British makers also experimented with different materials. Artificial silk plush was first used in the 1920s and sheepskin was popular for a while in the 1950s. Bears made by different companies developed their own characteristics. Chad Valley bears are instantly recognisable from their bulbous noses. Early Farnell bears have webbed claw stitching, and Chiltern noses of the 1920s and 1930s have two long stitches going up at each end.

Companies

company, city, years and year of the first teddy bear

Chad Valley Co. Ltd., Birmingham, 1820 - 1978, first teddy bear in 1915
Chiltern, Chesham, 1919 - 1967, first teddy bear in 1923
Dean's Rag Book, Merton, 1903 - ????, first teddy bear in 1915
Ealontoys, London, 1914 - 1950, first teddy bear in 1926
J.K. Farnell & Co. Ltd., London, 1840 - 1968, first teddy bear in 1908
Harwin & Co. Ltd., London, 1914 - 1930, first teddy bear in 1914
Merrythought, Shropshire, 1919 - ????, first teddy bear in 1919
Peacock & Co. Ltd, London, 1853 - 1939, first teddy bear in 1930
H.G. Stone & Co. Ltd., 1919 - 1967, first teddy bear in 1923
William J. Terry, London , 1890 - 1940, first teddy bear in 1913

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