Past Times Blog

Collectible British Bears & London 2012 Memorabilia

07/07/2011 at 11:43 Leave a comment

Merrythought to Create Olympics Teddy Bear

When Great Britain won the bid to stage the 2012 Olympics it was a much-needed boost to the morale of a country in a recession – and a great excuse to celebrate the very best of Britain.

So when British teddy bear manufacturer Merrythought was asked to make a commemorative bear for the Olympics and Paralympics it was absolutely delighted that a British-made bear would become a symbol for such an important event. The traditional jointed mohair bears with a choice of pink, blue or green detailing will be produced in a limited edition of only 2012 and are expected to be released in May of this year.

History of Merrythought Bears

The very first Merrythought bear – the Magnet bear – was made in 1930. The founders of Merrythought – Mr Holmes and Mr Laxton – initially had a spinning mill in Yorkshire, specialising in mohair, but in 1930 they moved to Coalbrookdale in Yorkshire and with the help of leading personnel from two other British bear manufacturers, J.K. Farnell and Chad Valley, started to make their own traditional bears. The Merrythought name, taken from the 17th century word for wishbone, a symbol of luck, was registered the same year, and the wishbone is a feature on every new bear’s tag.

Today, over 80 years after the first Merrythought teddy bear came out of the Coalbrookdale factory, teddies are still being made there using the same high quality materials and techniques. Each jointed mohair bear is lovingly handmade and individually hand finished, giving every one its very own special character.

Value of Merrythought Bears

It is no surprise that because of the love that goes into making Merrythought bears they are so highly sought-after today. Early examples command a premium amongst collectors, but new Merrythought bears are just as desirable, their appealing faces and excellent quality making them a first choice gift for newborns, as well as a favourite bear for children and adults alike. Any Merrythought bear given as a gift will become a treasured friend that will stay with its owner throughout their life and hopefully be passed down from generation to generation.

Nearly everyone we talk to has a story about a Merrythought bear to tell. Rosie, our web buyer, still has the bear she was given at the age of two when her baby sister was born. It may be a little worn around the edges now, but still sports the hand-knitted scarf she made for it all those years ago!

Here at Past Times, we just adore Merrythought bears, which is why we have asked Merrythought to make us our own commemorative bear to celebrate our 25th birthday this year! It’s early days yet, and the bear is still being developed, but we can’t wait to see it and share it with you, our customers, so please do watch this space for an update.

We know that there are hundreds of teddy bear stories to be told, not just ones about Merrythought, and it would be great if some of you would like to share these stories with us. We would love to hear them!

Entry filed under: Gift Inspiration. Tags: Collectible teddy bears, Gifts, Merrythought teddy bears, Past Times, Steiff bears, Traditional teddy bears.