Banner Sponsors
For artists and collectors sponsored by Intercal...your mohair supplier and Johnna's Mohair Store
Posts: 52Hey teddypals! I just found out that Steiff created a bear called the "mourning bear" in order to commemorate and share sympathy for the victims of the Titanic. Only 500 bears were originally released, and they look like this:
It is said their eyes were rimmed red to appear as if they had been crying. They were also manufactured with a somber expression.
I thought this was incredibly sweet and a wonderful idea - while the Titanic was an extreme tragedy, I feel like gifting someone a "mourning bear" would be a really thoughtful (if somewhat sad!) gesture if they had someone who might have passed on or might need some sympathy from a stuffed friend.
Just thought I'd share as I thought it was a neat discovery!
BeauT BearsI thought Steiff made 600 of those bears (50 dozen = 600), but they are rare.
Here's a link referring to one of the black Steiff Titanic mourning bears: http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/lot_ … ID=5359760
And another one: http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_ … ID=2044731
In this link you can read that 'This bear is only one of 50 dozen black Steiff bears ordered for England. The sad reason for his black mohair was the Titanic disaster on the 14th April, 1912. The whole country was in mourning, there was hardly a single well-situated family who had not lost a relative or friend. Every thing and everyone was in black, including this bear.
I think the pictures in these links show the red-rimmed eyes better than in the picture with the starry sky.
Fulrfun BearsI have made mourning or rather memory bears for people out of clothes or fabric that were special to the deceased.
Dolls N DreamsThat is really cool!
Braille TeddiesWhere could I find one of these bears? Do you think I could afford one? I want an old bear so bad.
BeauT BearsWhere could I find one of these bears? Do you think I could afford one? I want an old bear so bad.
Hi Jessie,
Unless you are very very wealthy I don't think you could afford one, I mean a real old original one. An original Steiff Titanic Mourning Bear that was sold at Christie's in October 2010 was £13,750
But if you would like to get hold of a replica you could try and have a look 
on http://www.beaconsglow.com/steiff-bears … bears.html where they seem to have at least one available.
There are also some (3) on offer on ebay (different sizes including the big 70cm one). For details look on:
http://shop.ebay.co.uk/items/__steiff+b … 459_228459
Good luck!
Braille TeddiesI'm definitely not rich at ALL, in fact, I'm broke. We're both unemployed. I guess no Steiff bear for me, shucky darn.
Where could I find one of these bears? Do you think I could afford one? I want an old bear so bad.
Why?
You won't afford a Mourning Bear. I've seen one of these though at Teddy Bears of Witney. He was lovely, but not so cuddly being behind a lot of special glass. :)
-- Thomas Adam
Braille Teddies*shudder* I have a phobia of glass cases.
Posts: 751Like Clare I too have made a bear from a coat belonging to someone special - it was my Dad's old "donkey jacket".
The bear in question is aged to look, well older than the donkey jacket - and he has pads made out of 1930's rexin. "Norman" also sports a kharki jumper and my Dad's Normandy Veterans Badge.
He is actually Norman the Second - Norman the First was given to Emma as a reminder of her Grandad.
Dad died in 1997 and the coat hang in my craft room for about two years.
Karon
