Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Hello all,

It struck me with my recent adoptions of Leo and Buddy from Dangerbears just how much information I like to collect about the teddy bears I am adopting, as well as the teddies themselves.

I've bought quite a few teddy bears from wonderful artists from these forums -- some of you I've even spoken to in person -- whether you realised it or not, and when I've done so, I've always asked for the artist's opinions and impression about the teddy bear, with typical questions being:

* What made you choose the design you did for the teddy bear(s)?
* What you like about the teddy bear(s)
* What inspirations you had for coming up with the design

etc...

Many of you when you're selling teddy bears produce wonderful tags for them with some lovely detailed information.  What I personally do is collate it all, I have a special folder which I put all this information in, including a little snapshot of the teddy bear so that I have a dossier on each teddy.

The information I am referring to above is oftentimes missing when adoptiong teddy bears, but I, as a collector, consider it vital -- it says so much about why the teddy bear came to be, and also reflects what the creator; the artist, thinks of the teddy.  :)  Why I purchase a teddy, I am not just buying the bear, I am buying a piece of that person -- the bear almost personifies that person -- so such information is important to me.

As an example, I asked Becky of Dangerbears if she'd be willing to, and the response I got was great.  I am going to share it with you all as an example of what I am talking about:

This is a great sample -- and I have already printed it out -- one for Leo and Buddy for their little dossier.  :)

It's something to think about, for sure.  As a collector, I am *just* as interested in this information as I am the teddy bear.  :)  So who knows, maybe we'll see more mini-bios being shipped with said teddy for future adoptions?  :)

-- Thomas Adam

Hello all,

If any of you like frogs, there's loads in my pond at the moment, as seen here:

http://xteddy.org/~n6tadam/frog_pics/

The first three photos listed there (frog1,jpg, frog2.jpg, frog3.jpg) have been scaled down by me -- but the remaining others have not -- which means some of you on slower speed bandwidths might have to wait awhile before the photo is downloaded.  You'll see why I have chosen not to scale the photos down -- my camera has done a good job at zooming in, as can be seen in this photo:

 
Hope those who like frogs appreciate them -- it's very amateurish of me.  :)  Very much a "point, click and pray" approach to photography.  :)

I think I will stick to teddy bears.

-- Thomas Adam

*cuddle* -- I will dream happy tonight.   I hope Leo and Buddy are enjoying their travels.  :)  Very holdable and very cuddly, yes.  :)

Ah, hehehe,  Well, unless the teddy bear is dressed in a dress, or is pink or somehing, and doesn't have a name to the contrary, I assume "male".  :)  Thankfully though, Becky, you've done the hard work with naming the teddy bear, and I am always faithful to honouring that name, if only because I *suck* at naming teddy bears, ending up with "TeddyA", "TeddyB", "TeddyC", etc.  Hardly very imaginative.   :)

I don't think Leo looks like a Lion, but I will certainly add that to his portfolio when I add his profile to my teddy folder.  :)

-- Thomas Adam

Aww,

How isn't he adorable?  Alas, I'm Dangerbear'd out for now.  :)  I agree with some of the others -- I like his hump -- and as with Leo and Buddy, all your teddies make me want to reach into the screen to cuddle them.  :)  I am not sure why -- as it's an odd thing to like I suppose -- but I adore his arms and legs; exactly the right proportions a teddy should have, especially with the shape and size of Bertie's head.  :)

Hehe, I even set the photograph of Leo and Buddy together as the wallpaper on my computer at work -- they look so cute, I can't wait until they arrive.  :D :D  I couldn't help but keep beaming at them, hehehe, I'm amazed I got any work done.  :)

-- Thomas Adam

P.S.  What's with the name Bertie?  There's been a few teddies here recently with the name Bertie -- even one I adopted recently.  Guess it's an interesting coincidence.   :)

Too slow guys -- these two barely had their photo on the website before I had enquired as to their status.  :)

I am so proud -- yayyyyyyy.

-- Thomas Adam

Well, that's bollocks -- well done EBay.

The problem isn't the damn number a seller gets (1 - 5) it's the fact that the entire rating means nothing because it is open to complete abuse -- with the requirement that a buyer is not obligated to give feedback in that regard -- I know I shamefully haven't when I have used EBay (all two times, I might add.)

To be honest, this is only giving other potential auction websites notes on what *not* to do, with the prospect of rival companies starting out.  Good, I'd say.

What a complete load of bunkom.  My suggestion would be to part with EBay --- yes, I appreciate that's where the masses go to look for stuff, but with things like etsy -- you've at least got a captive audience guaranteed.   :)

-- Thomas Adam

Alas, it's nothing new -- a lot of these things come in swings and roundabouts anyway, and I would have expected a decline this year anyway, if only due to the recession.

That's true.  It's naive to think the recession wouldn't affect teddy bears -- if anything it's bound to, teddy bears are a so-called "luxury" item, most people just don't have the money to spend on such things if it means putting the money towards food and clothing, for instance.  When you weigh that up with the perceived cost of teddy bears being high due to the quality, time, and effort, it isn't any wonder.

But that's still a slight over-generalisation.  Whilst there might have been less people at Stratford this year than last year, there were still many people selling *out* of bears.  :)  There will always be people who can afford teddy bears, even during a recession, it just means artists who are selling bears might have to come up with other ways to be inventive, maybe even to lower the price somehow, but then as this is their livelihood as well, I wouldn't recommend it.  :P  So it might be we see this become niche until the recession starts to disappear and the economy picks up.

-- Thomas Adam

I've just looked these Tiger snakes up on Wikipedia -- sod that!  I don't know what's worse, the snakes you have out there, or the damn spiders which are probably worse!  Nasty things.

-- Thomas Adam

It's a grass snake.

-- Thomas Adam

Hey all,

I know some of you like these off-topic things, and my mother certainly has found an interesting one!  She sent me through the following photo which was lurking in the hedge row at the bottom of her garden -- near Weymouth, Dorset, England.

Apparently it's a grass snake.  Yuck!

-- Thomas Adam

Updated:  (2009/06/24):  Added photo of Rupert.

Updated (2009/06/23):  Bertie added to mu hug.  (See:  http://www.teddy-talk.com/viewtopic.php?id=31223)

I've a new addition to my hug:  Bertie.  :)

He's lovely -- his mohair is really nice, and he's fitting nicely into my hug as seen here:

He was made by Sue Jennings.  He's technically "Bertie2" since the original Bertie was stolen in the post!  :'(  Sue worked really hard to replace him for me, and I can't fault her enough for that -- she's gone above and beyond what I would have expected, and whilst I can't compare Bertie2 to the original Bertie, the Bertie now in my hug is wonderful.  :)

You'll note in the second photo there's a little porcelain teddy with him -- he came in the same box with Bertie -- such a nice touch, presumably so he didn't get lonely.  :)

He also comes with a nice tag describing him -- and whilst I could tie it round his neck, I have a special folder I put such information in instead -- I did try and photograph it, but due to the glossy plastic covering his label it didn't work out well, alas.  :)

I am still very very annoyed that someone would have the audacity to steal a teddy bear, but then I suppose it happens.  Ah well, I only hope the Royal Mail cough up the meager sum of inconvenience that Sue is trying to claim off them, not that it will replace Bertie.  :)

So thank you, Sue, Bertie is settling in well.  :)

-- Thomas Adam

Yes I like him a lot.  It's funny -- everyone comments on Stitchy.  :)  I cuddle him a lot.  :D

-- Thomas Adam

Hello all,

I've updated the photos, as I've had several new additions to my hug.  Please see:

http://xteddy.org/teddies.html

-- Thomas Adam

Aww -- what's your husband's bear's name?  I never cared for Carebears myself -- way too girly and commercial for my liking.  Paddington Bear is where it's at, and remains, too [1].  :)

-- Thomas Adam

[1]  http://www.vagabondjourney.com/2008-1/0 … n-bear.jpg

Hehe, I love Paddington.  I have another Paddington which I bought from Paddington station in London, and I have a photo of me hugging the wax statue of Paddington which resides in Paddinton station [1].  :)

-- Thomas Adam

[1]  http://www.vagabondjourney.com/2008-1/0 … n-bear.jpg

Well, mine are on my website.  (http://www.xteddy.org)

-- Thomas Adam

Awww, that sound so nice.  Although *sod* being a detective, I can't imagine the horrors involved with that.  I just hope the teddy bears provided enough hugs for him as they did the children to be honest.  :)

-- Thomas Adam

Yes -- but the emphasis was on the children; the evacuees.  I have all manner of teddy bear books here as well -- and one thing that's mentioned in some of them is one of the reasons why no teddy bears from verrry early on (1902 onwards) is most parents considered teddy bears to be traps for various diseases, so they sent dear teddy bear to heaven.  :'(

That's never really bothered me, although I am fortunate in that all of my teddy bears can receive hugs, but not all of them are soft enough to cuddle.  :)  But I still try anyway, hehe.

-- Thomas Adam

I must update those photos at some point as I have more teddy bears, but Bringy is indeed special, hehe.     I admit to not giiving most of my bears names, unless they have one already -- that's bad of me,

-- Thomas Adam

Hello all,

I've a number of books on teddy bears (another hobby of mine -- I love anything to do with teddy bears), and in almost all of the books I have, they touch on the concept of the psychological power of teddy bears.

The study of the healing properties of teddy bears is nothing new.  Leading scientists have known for ages how children react to teddy bears -- going as far as to use them to help comfort children for pre-op jitters in hospital, etc.  And then again, during the secod world war. teddy bears were sent along with evacuees for comfort.

So I am curious if others here like teddy bears because they identified with how strong a reaction they felt as a child.  Indeed, for me, the teddy bear is very important due to my anxiety suffering -- I always carry a teddy bear with me incase I have a panic attack and need a cuddle; the teddy bear calms me down.  :)

If your answer is "yes" to this -- has this influenced the way you design/make your teddy bears, out of interest?

Explain/discuss -- ten points.  :)

-- Thomas Adam

Becky --

Well, I gave it some thought and came up with this:

http://xteddy.org/teddies.html

See the section "The Annotated Teddy Bear" on that page.  I've used Buddy as an example.  If using him is a problem due to Copyright, or you don't like the idea, just shout and I'll replace him with another teddy.  Naughty of me to do that without asking first.  ;P

-- Thomas Adam

Whar made you design him that way?

I am feeling terribly jealous still.  :)  He's gorgeous, and looks so cuddly.  :)  So, what made you make him the way you did?  :)

-- Thomas Adam

Heh, by all means.

-- Thomas Adam