Things to Note When Staring a Steiff Teddy Bears Collection

Steiff teddy bears hold the record for being the oldest in existence. They're iconic and a pioneer. After all, the more than a century old German brand was the first to ever release the design in 1904 and ever since these cuddly wonders have been nothing short of a groundbreaking success releasing not just its traditional set of designs but even churning out limited edition pieces that always make the market squeal with excitement.

It is also because of these that more and more people have found themselves collecting these teddy bears, amassing them into a pile of not just sentimental but also historically and financially valuable collections.

If you're interested in starting one or are planning to grow your stash, we've collected the following tips to guide you along. Read up and make sure to take some notes!

1. Know a bit of history. Well, at the very least. - With over a century's worth of these toys, it may seem overwhelming for a certified newbie so researching is pretty crucial. Not to worry though since there's a lot of resources on the internet plus you'd be surprised how these teddy bears have quite a colorful and interesting one!

2. Identify what you like. - Steiff teddy bears all share a common denominator which is quality. The brand has been known for this for years. How else do you think the oldest collectibles managed to survive all these decades? So with so many options, knowing what you want is necessary so you don't end up feeling confused in a sea of choices.

3. Learn how to authenticate. - Replicas and fakes abound. Not surprising since Steiff products are very covetable and promising so do know how to identify the real ones from the fakes. The button in ear and fabric tags are a start.

4. Invest in the right storage. - A collection needs to be well maintained and taken care of and one of the aspects to that is proper and adequate storage. Invest in them and don't skimp on quality.

5. Prep that pocket. - Steiff teddy bears range from affordable to crazy expensive so depending on your budget and how much you are willing to spend, there's bound to be a toy for you. Additionally, collecting them means also investing in storage and maintenance so having a budget for this hobby is a must.

Interesting Facts About Steiff Bears

Steiff bears have created a cult following ever since their introduction in 1904. Their charm is too real to the point that they’ve become so enigmatic. As a matter of fact, they have been on the forefront of the race for a century even after the influx of other toy brands and manufacturers.

For something as iconic as Steiff bears, there ought to be a number of interesting facts and information circulating around and so we thought why not compile them all for everyone’s enjoyment? That said take a look at the following list.

·      They’ve been around for 113 years. Would you believe they’re older than most of our grandparents? It wasn’t until 1904 when a bear design was first introduced thanks to Richard Steiff, the founder’s favorite nephew who joined the family company after finishing his art degree. He has a certain fondness for bears and used his sketches of them to design the very first model. Before teddy bears, the brand has however produced other stuffed animal toys in the likes of dogs and cats and elephants for instance.

·      But the brand itself has been in existence since 1880. The Steiff company was built by accident after Margarete Steiff fashioned elephant-looking pin cushions and sold them around town. She later noticed that the kids loved to play with them and so she turned her dress shop into a bonafide toy manufacturing facility with the help of her brother marking the very first existence of a commercial plush toy manufacturing company the world has come to see.

·      Richard’s first design and jointly the world’s very first teddy bear was called the “P55B”. Mohair was used for fur and it comes with metal rods for joints. It is ridiculously difficult to find one in good condition these days and if one ever comes out, it’s bound to rake in some serious amount of cash.

·      When it comes to the most expensive toys, Steiff bears belong to the top pile as well. As a matter of fact, the most expensive one to date was a $2.1 million teddy bear. A collaboration with international and renowned fashion house, Louis Vuitton, it’s a plush mohair toy dressed from head to toe in the iconic LV monogram travel gear. It even comes with a matching mini luggage set! It was sold in a 2000 Monaco auction to South Korea’s Jessie Kim and is now displayed at the Teddy Bear Museum in Jeju Island, Korea.

Read This Before You Buy Teddy Bears Online

Name something that you can’t buy online. Property? Nope. Jewelry? Nah. Car? Oh you could. A hotel room? Sure you can. Almost anything can be bought with a few clicks or tap of a button from the simplest down to the grandest both in terms of price and size. So it’s no longer surprising if we tell you that this day and age allows us to buy teddy bears online. It’s pretty much the norm these days. But before you do that, let’s school you in first.

Despite online toy shopping being popular these days, it is still something that was entirely absent just a decade ago. We could say that it is fairly new but with the speed by which technology has progressed these days, we’ve managed to jump further than ever. If you want to make the best out of it, make sure to live by these tips.

·      Only transact with trusted shops. To ensure that you only get the best, see to it that you only buy teddy bears online from established and trustworthy sellers. If it feels shady or smells fishy, look elsewhere. This is also the reason why it is a definite must to run a background check first.

·      Calculate overall costs. There’s more to the expense than just the stuffed toy’s price tag. Perhaps the most common would be shipping fees which can vary depending on the source, the destination and the weight of the item. If bought from a different country, expect to add custom fees, taxes and duties. Add all these up to come up with the total and actual price of the toy.

·      Be cautious when sharing information. Because everything happens online, we can’t help but have to share sensitive and confidential information such as our names, contact details, shipping address and payment information. This is why trustworthiness is important and so is reading the site’s Privacy Policy.

·      Read up reviews and feedback. Consider this as your homework. Aside from looking up the seller and the shop, make it a point to read customer feedback too. Their reviews and testimonials can help shed some light on the level of quality.

·      Know your rights. When you buy teddy bears online, make sure that you have carefully understood and assessed your rights to the transaction, for instance as pertaining to returns, refunds and replacements in case of a faulty or wrong item shipped.