VTG Knickerbocker Brown Mohair Teddy Bear Tin Nose 13" Moving Limbs Glass Eye

Description

VTG Knickerbocker Brown Mohair Teddy Bear Metal / Tin Nose 13" Moving Limbs Glass Eye
What a delightful surprise to open a box from this estate to find such a well-loved but well taken care of vintage / antique Teddy Bear!  This Teddy Bear has the silky sheen of mohair for its dark brown fur, fully jointed / moveable legs, arms, and swivel head.  Teddy Bear has light beige felt pads for the palms of its hands and the bottom of its feet.  The mouth is sewn silken thread and alas, the teddy bear was loved just enough to lose one of its amber glass eyes. Nose is metal/tin.
There are a few spots where little boy hugs, tummy rubs, and nose kisses show just a bit of wear but IMO this little guy is looking darn good with very few small spots of missing fur.
Although I am not a Teddy Bear collector or expert, I am pretty darn good at sleuthing on the internet. Everything about this Teddy Bear tells me its from the early 1930s -- type of fur, length of limbs, felt pads, metal / tin nose, and crunchy sounding innards. AND this little guy looks almost identical to other Knickerbocker identified bears.  Unfortunately no tag on the backside. I understand, however, that the earliest bears did not have tags and there does not appear to have any remnants of a tag, another indication it is a very early bear.
A perfect gift under the tree for the teddy bear collector in your life or if you need just one more person sitting around the table to have a tea party with your other dollies.
Based on final price paid, I am recommending adding additional insurance as USPS Priority only covers up to 0.
Ear to foot: 13"Head to foot: 12-1/2"Arms:  4-3/4"Legs:  5-1/2"Torso: 5" x 3-1/2" x 2-1/2"
About Knickerbocker Teddy Bears
The first bears ascribed to Knickerbocker are from around 1925, when the company started to use permanent labels. The company was proud to produce high  quality toy animals and called them 'Animals of Distinction'. The Knickerbocker bears were by far the best American bears from that period, but still quite affordable.
The Popularity of Teddy Bears
In November 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt visited the southern United States to help settle a border dispute between Mississippi and Louisiana. While on the trip, Roosevelt went bear hunting, but had little luck. Others in his party did find a bear, which, cornered near a water hole, fought with and killed one of the group's hunting dogs. When Roosevelt saw what had happened, he ordered his men to humanely put the wounded bear out of its misery.
Clifford Berryman, a newspaper cartoonist for the Washington Post witnessed the incident and turned it into a cartoon. Called "Drawing the Line in Mississippi," the cartoon depicted Roosevelt's dual accomplishments on the trip - negotiating border disputes and protecting wildlife. To Berryman's surprise, the cartoon was published in newspapers across the country. However, the bear had not really been the helpless animal Berryman had first drawn, but, rather, an angry animal that just killed a dog. So, the cartoon, as well as the story of Roosevelt's hunting trip, was given a new spin.
Berryman redrew the cartoon, changing the angry bear to a small, frightened-looking cub. The story changed too. The newly invented legend said that, after having poor luck hunting, Roosevelt was given the opportunity to shoot a bear a cub that his staff had captured. Of course, Roosevelt refused. This account of Roosevelt's trip caught on and soon the cub was appearing in all of Berryman's cartoons featuring the president. "Teddy's bear," as it came to be called, quickly gained popularity with Americans of all ages.
The small cub sparked the imagination of Morris Michtom, the owner of a small novelty store in Brooklyn, New York. Michtom's wife stiched several plush toy replicas of the bear for sale in the family store. When they sold quickly, Michtom decided to send Roosevelt a bear and ask his permission to use the president's name on the bears. Roosevelt responded positively, and the Teddy Bear was born. The Knickerbocker Teddy Bear the most authentic reproductions of original teddy bears are manufactured by the knickerbocker Toy Company, established by the Van Whye family in 1869. The toy bear inspired by President Roosevelt was mass-produced by Knickerbocker from 1920 to 1960. The company has journeyed back into its archive to recreate the early craftsmanship of its first bears.
About the Estate
From the estate of a man with Scandinavian heritage that traveled extensively throughout Europe, North America, the Pacific Islands, and Asia. He had a keen eye for great craftsmanship, artistry, and mid-century modern design aesthetic. Pieces from his estate are in either new/never used condition or have been kept in exceptional shape. This most likely was the estate owners bear as a child. He was the original owner.
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