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Posts: 2My grandmother gave me these 3 bears in 1968. She purchased them in Houston, Texas. I don't know how to value them for sale on eBay since I can't identify their maker. There is no tag anywhere. Any help will be much appreciated.
http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae19 … ars011.jpg (without their clothes)
http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae19 … ars008.jpg (momma bear)
http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae19 … ars003.jpg (baby bear)
http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae19 … ars003.jpg (baby bear from side)
http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae19 … ars007.jpg (poppa bear's clothes)
http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae19 … ars010.jpg (poppa bear from behind)
http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae19 … ars004.jpg (poppa bear front)
FenBeary FolkThey are all Steiff's I think...............the top left one I own too
Do they have buttons in their ears? 
PennsylvaniaIf you go to almost any bookstore you can probably find a Teddy Bear Encyclopedia that will help you find out more about them. Even if you can't find the exact maker, you can determine the vintage and type.
You're right. They look like about 1960's to 1970's vintage Bears.
They look very nice and well cared for.
I don't know what to tell you about their maker. I don't have access to my Teddy Bear Encyclopedias right now. I can imagine about two or three makers that could have made Bears like those in the 1960's. I can't be sure.
Markets vary. What's hot at one time might not be at another.
If they were Steiff or some other "big name" maker they'd demand more.
I am pretty sure that they aren't Steiff or Merrythought or makers like that.
If they were Steiff, they'd have a brass button in their left ear. (The Bears own left.)
I would say, for value, Bears in good but "pre-loved" condition be worth $50.00 and up. Maybe as much as $100.00. If they are Steiff and they still have their button in their ears, they are worth more. 1-1/2 to 2 times, more or less.
If they DO NOT have buttons in their ears... EVEN IF THEY ARE STEIFF... They lose about half their value for a Bear in the same condition that still has his button.
New Bears of that size and type who are not Steiff, etc., would cost $100.00 to $150.00 or more. Pre-loved Bears would go for a somewhat lower value unless you can determine that they are from a specific maker and that maker produces Bears that are desirable in the market at this time.
But... Tell me... Why are you sending your Bears away? Did they do something bad? 
Posts: 2They don't have any buttons or labels of any kind. That's not to say that I didn't make someone take them off when I was a child. I remember being very disappointed when I received them. I wanted a soft, pillow type of teddy bear that I could sleep with. And these were rigid and hard. That's why they are in great condition, I never played with them.
I have no children to pass them onto and at this point, I'm happier with less clutter in my life, so onto eBay they will be going soon.
If anyone has a Teddy Bear Encyclopedia and would look mine up, I would be grateful. Thank you.....
They're all Steiff "Original Teddy Bears," with the momma bear being in the older style of the classic teddy. The color is called caramel.
How you approach your ebay auctions is up to you (You could watch similar auctions to see how they do; You could have a low starting bid and let the market determine the value, etc.) but be aware that IDs (labels) are pretty important to Steiff fans. The size is also very important. Your bears are nice and original, but probably not extremely valuable.
You can send me a private message with their sizes if you want my ballpark estimate of their value on ebay.
Good luck,
Becky
PennsylvaniaThe button in their ears would be a metal, brass button that looks like the kind that you see in the pockets of Levi's jeans. They are not easy to take out. If they did come out for some reason, there would probably be a hole.
Those Bears are made of mohair. Mohair is made from the wool of an Angora goat.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohair
You are right. Many people don't snuggle with mohair Bears. Mohair Bears are usually the kind of Bears that kids have tea parties with and keep as mascots in their bedrooms. They usually sit on the child's dresser or nightstand and stand guard at night to keep away the ghosts. (They are very good at their jobs! 
)
I understand that you wanted to have a Bear to snuggle with. That's okay. Different Bears for different folks.
On the other hand, your grandmother bought you some very nice Bears! If you can determine their pedigree you might find that they are worth more than $100.00 each, provided you can find the right person to adopt them. Consider what they would have cost in 1968 and you'll see that they have maintained or increased in value since you received them. Your grandmother was very wise in adopting those Bears for you! :thumbsup:
On top of that, she bought you THREE Bears! All the very best Bears come in threes, don't you know! :lol:
I wish I had the money. I'd adopt all of those Bears right now. They would be going to the very best home you could ever want them to live in. I assure you of that. But, sorry, I'm unemployed. I will only be able to afford one Bear for Christmas this year. Even that is going to stretch my Christmas budget to the limit! :(
I will check my Teddy Bear Encyclopedias next time I get the chance. I'll let you know what I find, if anything.
But let me tell you one thing. Even if some Teddy Bear book tells us they are worth a million dollars, this doesn't mean you're going to get that much money. Bears, like any collectible, are only worth what somebody is willing to pay. If I found the rarest postage stamp in the world, I could claim that it's worth a million dollars but, if I can't find somebody to give me a million for it, the thing is only a scrap of paper with some dead guy's picture printed on it.
I'm not saying you don't have something valuable. I'm just saying that you need to have realistic expectations.
Are you sure they don't have any sentimental value? Memories of your Grandma? Regardless of their monetary value, I would never sell one of my Bears. Every one of them is a memory. Every one of them brings back a tale of the time and place when we adopted them. We have some valuable Bears in our house but selling them would be like selling one of my children.
If you do adopt them, please make sure they go to a good home where their new human will take care of them! 
Past Time BearsHi, Sheshore . . . the large poppa bear on the far right is definitely a Steiff known as the Original Teddy design, introduced in 1966. I have a 14" one just like it in the honey color. According to Dee Hockenberry, a 9" Original Teddy was worth $110.00 in 1995 and a 14" one was worth $145.00 in 1996. I don't know about the other two bears. My guess would be that the dollar value would be less today because of the economic situation and these bears were produced in large numbers.
PennsylvaniaPauline & Becky;
I think you guys are right. I looked in my Bear encyclopedias. I found some Bears just like them. I agree with you guys.
I scanned the pages. Here they are:
https://files.me.com/randystankey/jqdufl
https://files.me.com/randystankey/2ybfrf
Click on the links and you can download my scans of the pages. I have other books that have more pictures but they are large and hard to scan without risking damage to the binding.
I had some other Bears pictured in my mind. When I didn't see a button, I didn't think "Steiff."
Hello.
Aww. I loved the first photo of them all together -- I've made that the wallpaper image on my computer. So cute!
The little teddy looks like a Merrythought to me, but that's just a casual glance. The other bear on the right is a Steiff, for sure.
-- Thomas Adam
Definitely at least the largest and smallest bears are Steiffs, and most probably the other one too!. Very distinctive look!
Ebay is an easy option in which to sell, but you probably won't get as much as you would if you sold them through a collector's auction, teddy bear fair, or privately via other methods. Have a look at ebay by typing in 'Steiff', and go to 'completed listings' to get an idea of what similar bears actually sold for.
Good luck!
