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BlackmoonBear Oct 29, 2012

So I'm wondering if I'm a black sheep in my collecting habits.....I've got more than my share of artist-made teddies, but since I prefer big and cuddly, and that tends to be in short supply in the artist's realm, my hug mostly consists of high-end manufactured bears, most from the late 80's and 90's, when manufacturers truly cared about design and quailty. I have a particular love for Gund Signature, Gund Design, Dakin Elegante, Douglas, and FineToy.
I'd love to network with like-minded collectors and share info on identifying, history and such.

....anybody? 

dangerbears Oct 30, 2012

I'm a Steiff fan, so I can relate. Even though my pieces from the 80s and 90s aren't valuable to Steiff collectors, who want the more vintage critters (in mohair), I really appreciate the velvety soft acrylic plush, the adorable designs, and the high standards of craftsmanship.

I think there definitely are people here who appreciate the brands you mention. I hope you get some replies.

Becky

Miser Nov 1, 2012

I love the big cuddly teds, I find I cant hug jointed bears too well, because they are often stuffed hard. I have a lot of Gund bears which I love to bits, and a couple or random "i have no idea what their brand is" bears that I have rescued from charity shops.

peterbear Nov 1, 2012

Sorry that I can't help you there, Chris.
In the 80's and 90's I was in my twenties/thirties and, although there were still plenty of childhood bears in my home, collecting teddy bears was not something on my list of priorities.  :D
I really started collecting (a bit obsessively  ) in 2007 and my first bears were Steiff, Merrythought and Charlie Bears.
I do have some Gund bears (e.g. the platinum collection), but they would probably date from around 2007-2008 (so definitely not collectors items).