For artists and collectors sponsored by Intercal...your mohair supplier and Johnna's Mohair Store
I really hope some of the bear collectors on the board chime in on this one as well as the artists.....
Do you prefer to receive a bear with just a hang tag or just a tush tag...or do you prefer both?
Do most of you provide hang tags as well as tush tags on your bears? I'm asking because I only use tush tags but I have been looking at the really great custom hang tags that can be ordered fairly cheap on Zazzle. (love their website!)
Do tush tags make the bear seem more commercial and less artist bear? I'm just curious to hear a few preferences. I am considering doing away with the tush tags but my worry with that is that years down the road when the hang tag gets seperated from a bear there won't be anyway to identify who made him.
I love the bear artists's that sew their label across the footpad! Unfortunately, my bears paws are too small for that.
You can put different information on hang tags versus tush tags.
Tush tags are smaller and can usually only hold a few lines of information like the artist's name/address, "Made from mohair" or "Not suitable for young children."
Hang tags have more space on which to put a logo, a slogan and some text that describes the Bear or the Bearmaker's mission statement.
Therefore, I would vote for both. However, even without such logic, I would say that hang tags and tush tags, together, would add to the perceived value of the Bear.
I use both on my bears. The tush tag has company name, my signature, and the year the bear/friend was created. The hang tag has my logo, address, name of bear/friend, date born, one-of-a-kind or # in the limited edition, and a statement of why Past Time Bears are created. My opinion is that using both seems a bit more professional.
I use a hang tag and I sign the bear on the foot. I have always signed my bears since the very beginning. I also use a certificate of authenticity. In that also goes bear details and care instructions.
Joanne
I like to have both on my bears, Lisa.
The tush tag always stays on the bear, so if you ever lose the hang tag or the certificate (like Joanne makes), you will still always know who made the bear.
I also like to know what kind of materials were used for the bear: the type of fur, eyes, filling, pawpads, any other distinguishing features and of course the number of bears that were made (OOAK or a limited edition).
A certificate of authenticity signed by the artist is of course a great idea and doesn't have to be very expensive either.
I keep al this information together with a fact sheet about when and where I adopted the bear (adoption fee, etc.) in a special binder (actually several binders ).
I know that some well-known artists don't bother with all this stuff, but I really like to have as much information about my bear as I can.
Hugs, :hug:
Peter & the bears
I think that is one of the things I like the most about the idea of the hangtags....being able to list the material used in the creation of the bear. I have (with all of your help) decided to order some hangtags once I decide the info I want it to show.
I will continue on with the tushtags as well. As Peter pointed out I have noticed that some of the "bigger" name bear artists don't use them and I think this is what started me thinking that maybe they were pointless. I do like attention to detail though and I have always liked seeing that little tag with my name on it. Sometimes I like to think about someone in the future a hundred years from now reading that tag.
I only have hang-tags and I hand-make them all using scrap-booking materials as I feel it gives a very personal touch to the bears. I would like to get some tush tags made too however I don't know where I would have them made. I would like both though, I would like both tags and also to sign the bear's foot as a sig can never come off lol.
Except on very small bears, I use a sew in tag (the little guys get initials on the paw). I also include a business sized laminated hang tag with all the authenticity, dates and signatures. I have found that, like most collectors, my customers like as much information as possible, so I also include a 9" X 12" laminated glossy with 3 or 4 of the photos on one side and a full description of the bear, all the accessories and a bear story on the other side.
I like what you do Thelma, that all sounds very profressional My bears come with a hang-tag and a "features" tag with a list of techniques used to create them and materials so people can read how special they are. I love the idea of the laminated glossy photos and details though.
This is about the 4th iteration of all of this! I started with a sewn in tag (it's 1/2" wide by about 2" long, made of silky polyester fabric with "A TC Folk Original" embroidered on it) and I still use it. The hang-tag was just paper! A laminator is around $70.00 to $80.00 and well worth the money! My customers comment on the photo/description page often.
Thelma that is a wonderful idea! I have never been "big" on the idea of a certificate but the laminated pictures with the materials and accessories is a very nice touch.
Gabriele- I order my tush tags from a lady on Etsy who just keeps my logo on file. They are very reasonable I'm think it was around $12.00 for 30 tags. I can't remember her name and I'm not at home but if you just search for custom tags you will find several shops to look at.
Thank you, guys
Thanks for the info there carlylebearco! Will try and find her