Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Very nice!  Love the detail in the fox's smile, I always find that's tough to accomplish with felted animals.

Thanks Michelle!  Still no clue who he is yet, but the research is fun. I've brain stormed some ideas for children's stories about this chap, might post some illustrations once I finally have the time to get around to that part. :D

Heather

For a bit of fun and education...I want to see your critters! Here are some of mine, mostly fairly old Steiff or Steiff like creatures. But you don't need to share certain brands - anything. Bears, dolls, other animals from whatever brand (even if you have any you don't think were made by a big brand, if they're unknown or homemade I'd still like to see them). Also say why you like that creature(s), maybe why you like the material it's been made with, and how you got them into your fabric family would be nice to hear

Group photo (although sadly the only ones in my personal collection are all tigers and the rare full sized Steiff ocelot, which was only made for 3 years in the 60s...I spent forever trying to get one of those at a good price! The others are stock I have to let go of, the elephant and modern ginger/blond woven fabric 'Mizzy' cat have since been sold):

I love Flossy the fish because she has a really strange characterful playful look to her...you wouldn't think a real fish would ever want to play, but there you go! Steiff seem to be great at working that kind of magic. There's also a giraffe, Bazi dachshund swivel head (another really cute one I'd love to keep!), tiny poodle, Poorly jointed Zotty bear and Tulla goose. 

A little close up of 'Liger' (unknown brand) and Ocelot:

Have you ever bought a used toy and felt it just gives off really nice warm 'vibes'? My green eyed Liger does more than any of my other animals (although others have sometimes done that, but to a smaller degree). I can't explain it. Something about his presence just feels welcoming - so I know he's never ever going to leave the collection no matter how many other creatures come and go.

I really adored this tiny elephant with his circus Steiff jacket and bells, I can see how he sold so quickly. I might need to make myself something similar (albeit from cheaper materials!) to help compensate for my loss :D

I also have a larger Steiff tiger on it's way He even has his button and a growler in tact! I'm supposed to be saving him to sell for profit neaer Christmas time...buuut, well. We'll see    As you might guess, I always have real trouble letting go of the big cats!  :cry:

I'm also in the process of making some of my own animals from velveteen fabric and actual rags on my artist's budget - I find them to be quite fun and unusual even though this means they're no where near as fancy as these mohair animals . Maybe they'll spice things up once they're done, I have lots of felt making, illustrations and paintings to do also though. So they're just a side project which is making progress for my rag animals slow, I'll have to share them once they're done

Thank you, I'll take a look at Berg. I've looked at Dakin and Schuco cats and tigers, but they look quite different to mine. I've asked a very knowledgeable collector (SteiffGal) for her opinion, and she agrees with the seller that Liger is a 50's animal at least. No idea what he is though, but I'm sure I'll enjoy looking through all these different European and Japanese brands :)

Heather

These are lovely Peterbear! I love all their facial expressions and how they've been posed for the photos. But, the Little Bitty John and Little Bitty Neeta one made me smile the most! It was impossible not to, I love how one of them is smiling right at the camera as though he's happy to see who's looking, or has a funny little joke he wants to say. Warming photos and wonderfully made bears!

Thanks Becky! I agree, the feet were the first thing that made me think the seller was wrong about him being Steiff. She confirmed he was from around the 50s and I know they had a totally different template - Steiff wild cat are 'chunkier' (in a very cute way still!).

The eyes are what made the sale! They make his face look so playful but earnest and far out in thought. I was eager to receive Liger and turn the lights out just so I could find that out for myself! But nope - his eyes seem to be made very well and look as though they were meant to mock the legendary Steiff eyes. By day they actually look almost the same as my Steiff tigers since they're so bright - but no radioactive paint.

Does anyone know about any specific Japanese brands I could look into? My tiger looks almost like she could pass for a scraggly Hermann - but that tiger in the ebay link has his same eyes, legs/feet and mohair by the looks of it, but I don't think that one looks Hermann shaped in the face at all unlike mine. The head is much too round - this makes me think maybe they could both be Japanese mocks made to look like those two German brands instead. I'd love to try and find out who it could be - I'd probably love more of their toys!

So I fell in love with this tatty tiger (who is almost like a lioness - so I've just been calling it a 'Liger') and bought it. I didn't really care who made it, since the cat was just giving off good vibes - the seller thought it was a 50s Steiff, but I don't think so as I've seen lots of Steiff tigers and this one doesn't share their template, squared nose, shape or stripe patterns. But I've seen a lot of animals similar to my Liger every once in a while and I quite like them. Can anyone tell me what brand made them? I've seen very few old Teddy Hermann tigers in mint condition, I think maybe if Liger were in good condition she'd look like one of them? Only their tigers usually have rounder back feet, too.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ANTIQUE-STEIF … 25935348e2  < Here are more a little like it on ebay. I wouldn't be surprised if the tiger on there were made by the same company as mine - the eyes, feet and stripe patterns look similar. That seller also assumes they're Steiff which I'm not sure about. Unless they made lying tigers before their 50s designs? I'm not aware if they have

Thanks for any help 

Wow, I'm very impressed! So lifelike. Love the different colour tones in the eyes also. Just wondering, what is Stormy's nose made of?