Antique and Collectable Teddies: Starting a Teddy Bear Collection

A shopkeeper’s wife made the very first teddy bear. Various old and new bears are collectible, but the most desired and priceless bears are those made by Steiff. Some of the most famous antique teddy bears are: the Steiff attached bear with a blank button in one ear, the Bing attached bear with glass eyes, the Farnell mohair bear, Steiff’s white bear, Kimbearly's "Rose", which is a mink bear, Diem’s mohair bear, and Steiff’s "Rough Rider" commemorative bear.

To collect antique teddy bears, look for teddy bear collections on a site such as Teddy Bears by Little Blue Flowers, or visit a museum in which pictures of bears, their prices, information on types of bears with the people who design, sell, and buy them are available. Before paying a vintage price, it is better to know the age of the bear, get a price guide of antique teddy bear, and be familiar with costs of the teddy bears that you already have and any you feel like adding to your collection.

Bears manufactured by Steiff are generally worth more than any others. To have a good antique teddy bear collection, look for bears with original eyes, fur, joints, and tags. These factors determine what makes teddy bears collectibles.

Set up a place where your antique teddy bear collection will be properly displayed, like a glass enclosure. Regularly clean the bears by taking them out of the case and vacuum their fur. To keep their fur clean, occasionally wipe the bears down with a damp cloth.