Banner Sponsors
For artists and collectors sponsored by Intercal...your mohair supplier and Johnna's Mohair Store
Posts: 32I found a really good time line page, its at tp://www.luckybears.com/encyclopaedia_pedigree.asp
Posts: 32I think I have solved the Piggerlet bear mystery, the likeness is uncanny to this Lefray English bear!
Lefray
Lefray produced good quality mohair bears and plush toys during the 1950s and 60s. Their lovely, expressive faces are enhanced by their, typically British, big floppy ears. They were founded in 1958 in London but moved to St Albans in 1960 and to Gwent, Wales in 1969. Although still going modern production focuses on modern 'child friendly soft toys.
So thank you for all who helped me with him!
Angie
Posts: 32Here is my little Zotty called oscar, who I think could be a Fechter bear he is 11" tall, has a red felt tongue and is extremely solidly stuffed!
...and also, introducing Pete the bear, I have no ideas on him at all, if you look at the set of his mouth it is quite different to the more well known zotty makers, perhaps a clue of origin to someone out there in bear land! he has frosted tipped fur and his eyes are glass and painted on the back with an odd shade of brown (not the amber we usually find)...he seems stuffed part wood wool and part something softer, he has a blue piece of thread in his chest where a tag may have been....he is 15 inches tall & probably more modern than the others, he has broad hips and large steiff style feet, but I doubt he is one of those as doesnt have the peach bib. I hope someone has a clue because I am also awaiting his adopted brother who is smaller and mohair but has that same odd set mouth!
Posts: 32Also Pete is one of the only ones I have seen with the contrasting muzzle fur used as the inner ear. he has the turned down paws as well.
Posts: 1Hello there, I am wondering what info there is out there about Zotty bears, I have a little hermann one and have just bought one from ebay, 11" which seems to have a red insert in his mouth rathr than the peach colour, does and one know who made the red mouthed Zotty bears, apparently it has no tag or label
Many thanks
I bought a copy of "A Collector's History of Teddy Bears" (c.1981) recently and saw a photo of a standing Zotty-type bear with upraised arms which did show a red tongue in his open mouth. Caption said it was an "Anker" bear and was only jointed at the head. Hope this helps.
I saw a smallish (8-9 inch tall) open-mouthed bear with longish hair in a case at an antique mall this past weekend and asked to see him up close. The tag said "Stiff" (I think they mean Steiff) bear, priced at $98.00. He looked like a Steiff Zotty, but lacked all tags and buttons, had loose joints in both legs and one arm, and was missing one eye.
I said no to purchasing him, as I don't know how to identify bears without tags, and I wasn't too happy about his flaws. Did I pass up a bargain?
Any advice on good bear guides? How do you date a teddy without tags?
Also, I was wondering about repairing a bear? Is it a bad idea? Would fixing the problems described above cost a lot, do you think (IF I went back and bought him)?
Thank you in advance from a befuddled collector,
Pat D.
Did I pass up a bargain?
In my opinion, you did not. Depending on the year, you should be able to find a Steiff Zotty of that size with an ear button and/or tags for about half that price. (and fixing the problems costs quite a lot if you send the bear to a restorationist.)
There are many good books on antique teddy bears, and ebay is an excellent resource. You can watch the auctions and begin to get a sense of values and even age (tags or no tags).
Let us know if you find your Zotty. 
Becky
