00:00:06The Value of Vintage Teddy Bears
00:06:22Rare Vintage Teddy Bear Collection Auction
00:19:42Global Vintage Teddy Bear Auction Details
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Welcome to the enchanting world of vintage teddy bear collecting, a fascinating realm where childhood nostalgia meets the art of high-stakes auctions. British teddy expert Daniel Agnew, has worked with Christie's South Kensington, the London Toy Auction, and now with SAS, Special Auction Services in the United Kingdom. Daniel shares his wealth of knowledge and passion for these timeless companions and the factors that contribute to the high market value of certain bears.
Listeners are treated to an inside look at the upcoming December 3, 2024, auction at Special Auction Services. This highly anticipated event promises to be a highlight for vintage bear lovers worldwide, with the potential to break world records. Daniel Agnew shares the excitement of preparing for this auction and the anticipation of connecting collectors with their cherished finds.
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Welcome to the Doll Podcast.
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I'm your host, louisa Maxwell.
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This is a Doll Podcast with a difference.
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It's part of our new feature entitled Collectible Conversations, where we talk about great collections, and today we're talking teddy bears with British teddy expert Daniel Agnew, because, after all, if you love dolls, you probably love bears too.
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So I hope you enjoy this new feature.
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Collecting antique and vintage teddy bears is a hobby rich in history and emotion.
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Each bear is an intimate portrait of itself and its owner too.
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Teddies are a comfort to us when we're young, becoming cherished confidants and companions.
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Often, that bond is never broken and some teddies remain with us for all our lives.
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And some teddies remain with us for all our lives.
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Over time, teddy bears have evolved from simple toys for children to cherish friends that hold a special place in the hearts of both children and adults.
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Antique and vintage bears are sought-after collectibles, and many rare bears have hit the headlines with price tags in the hundreds of thousands.
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These bears have gone on to become celebrities in their own right.
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So what makes these bears so valuable?
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Well, to help us answer that question, my guest is Daniel Agnew, one of the world's leading antique teddy bear specialists, having worked with Christie's South Kensington, the London Toy Auction, and now with SAS Special Auction Services in the United Kingdom.
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Daniel Agnew, welcome to our special teddy bear podcast.
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Well, thank you for having me.
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It's exciting, it's really exciting and we're recording live from SAS and I see that behind you you have lots of teddy bears all waiting to go under the hammer at some date.
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So all those boxes are full up as well.
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So that's all a big, huge collection of teddy bears that come from the Isle of man.
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Oh, my goodness.
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I mean there's something like well, there's over 12 huge moving boxes of wonderful bears, so we may hear some noises of people moving things around in the auction room.
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Yes, but I think that I'm in.
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I'm in that warehouse, so you know, I can't actually hear anything because I've got my headphones on, but presumably there might be something going on behind me, but, um, hopefully not to be honest, it makes it more fun and exciting, because this is really where I mean.
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We see the auctions as teddy bear lovers from front of house.
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But you are not only front of house bringing us the bears, but you're also the backstage expert who has to go through all these provenances, all these various bears, and it's an extraordinary process, isn't it?
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it is, yes, and it's great fun though, but, um, yeah, we, it's not not so glamorous in our warehouse, um and but we have a lot of stock coming in and out all the time, and you know I've been.
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You know our sales have just exploded over the last few years and I used to have two auctions a year.
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I've gone up to four auctions a year and now I'm this year I'm having seven, so it's it's really a bit full on at the moment, but, uh, enjoying it.
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But, um, a lot of people want to come here to sell, so that's exciting so do you think?
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teddy bear auctions worldwide is it becoming more of a phenomenon?
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Are more people entering the hobby?
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I don't know if it's more people entering.
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I mean, there's a steady flow of new people, but not en masse.
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I think the big en masse was in the 90s, but now, sadly, we've got to that stage in the world of dolls and teddy bears where a lot of our collectors are getting older and they're now choosing to sell their collections.
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So that's more why I'm busy, rather than there being loads more buyers, but they're still a bit.
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You know particularly teddy bears.
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They're still a very strong subject for the right thing.
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You know, the good bears are selling extremely well.
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Well, december 3rd 2024 is going to be a save-the-date event for vintage bear lovers around the world, as some of the most sought-after and precious bears go under the hammer in England.
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Daniel, you've sold some of the most expensive bears in the world, including the Paul Greenwood collection of bears, which sold for £1 million, and now you're about to auction another collection of precious bears.
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What makes a teddy bear so valuable?
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Well, not all teddy bears are valuable.
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I mean, I think I always say it's a very affordable subject.
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You know, you can buy a really quite an old teddy bear for as little as 10 or 20 pounds.
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But you can also spend many thousands of pounds on them.
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But they're generally the very best ones and they don't come along very often.
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So it's either it's like very rare and made by a very good maker and in very good condition, or it's got some really interesting provenance that excites people.
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So it's that individually, or it's a combination of the two, that can make them worth tens of thousands of pounds.
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Now it's very unusual to be worth a bear to be worth beyond ten thousand.
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Mostly expensive bears that I sell are probably between a thousand and eight, ten thousand, something like that in pounds.
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But every now and then something very special comes along and then it does make 10, 20, 30.
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I mean, the most expensive pair I've ever sold was a, a black steif, for 91 and a half thousand pounds.
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Um, and at christie's we we had the world record for a while, which was teddy girl, who belonged to colonel bob henderson, which was,000.
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The world record is more than that.
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Now I can't remember the exact amount, but it's well over £100,000.
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But you know we've got potential here.
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We've got world record breakers in this collection, so hopefully, you know we might get some good results.
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Vintage bear collectors are known as arctophiles, derived from the Greek arctus bear and philos love.
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Collections of bears are aptly described as a hug.
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Isn't that wonderful.
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Ian Pout of Teddy Bears of Whitney is a noted arctophile.
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His shop in England, which houses a distinguished collection of antique bears, is a place of pilgrimage for many a collector, including myself.
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Ian Pout has decided to part with many of his most famous bears in this auction, daniel, it must be a difficult decision for him to make.
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How did Ian decide what bears to part with?
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Well, you know, if anyone's been to ian's shop in whitney in oxfordshire, it's, it's such a beautiful, fabulous and.
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But the museum is fairly, fairly small.
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It's like a small room in the back of the shop and a few other cabinets, but it's just the most perfect selection of teddy bears and related items.
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So the shop is still there and it's still going to be there and it's still full of wonderful teddy bears to buy.
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But this is his museum and he's he's almost 80 now and he's having a little step back from it all and it's quite a responsibility to have all these wonderful bears.
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So he's just decided it is time now to find them new homes.
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I mean, he's already sold some of his bears.
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I know that his black stife, ophelo, went quite a few years ago and he's also sold his amazing red stife, which was Alfonso, and that's gone to a museum, which is great.
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I've always wanted to have sold that bear.
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That's one of the bears that was on my sort of tick list of I'd love to sell one day.
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But we've got no shortage of amazing bears and you know, on my I guess perhaps top of my tick list is one of the bears that is coming up for auction.
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But he's basically decided to sell everything that's in the museum apart from his own bear that he had as a child.
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He's hanging onto that.
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But everything else that you see when you go to Whitney is up for auction and it's all just to get the best price on the day.
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You know we're going to estimate things, but he just wants it sold.
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And what's so nice about this subject?
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He just wants them to go on to their next stage of their life.
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They go to their next collectors.
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Maybe some will go to museums, go to collections all over the world, and those bears will be around forever more and continue their journey.
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It's an amazing shop and museum.
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I mean you go thinking, oh, I'll be there for an hour and three hours later you're still there.
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There's just so much to see, so much to look at and such a warm and charming group of people who run the shop and the museum.
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It's an incredible place to visit.
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Nobody should miss it.
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Ian Pout such an amazing collector and collection.
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We've been so lucky to be able to explore the collection of rare bears while he had them at his shop, and the shop is still open and there are many wonderful bears still waiting there to delight.
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So Ian has decided that the collection must make its way to new homes and the bears have now travelled from their home at Teddy Bears of Whitney in the Cotswolds near Oxford to your warehouse at Special Auction Services in Newbury, berkshire, daniel.
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This is going to be a rare opportunity for people to meet these beautiful bears.
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Three or four weeks before the auction.
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We'll pick them up, bring them here and they'll be on view here for a good week and sale week as well.
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So you know you'll get to see them and most of them you'll probably be able to handle as well.
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So you know you'll get to see them and most of them you'll probably be able to handle as well.
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I think we'll probably restrict handling on a few of them, you know, because people want to see these things.
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If they're going to spend lots of money, you need to hand them.
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So I always say coming to an auction is so good, it's like going to a museum where you can actually handle things, and it's a really good way to learn about teddy bears by handling them.
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It's an incredible experience and even if you can't afford you know Happy or one of the other amazing bears that are going to be in this auction there'll probably be something you'll find.
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And meanwhile you've had this experience where you've learned so much.
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It's just incredible.
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Had this experience where you've learned so much, it's just incredible.
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So I mentioned Happy, and she's a beautiful jewel, plush Stiefmoor hair bearer who's going to be, I think, one of the stars of this auction.
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She's got those big brown eyes and she dates from the mid-1920s and she came to worldwide attention in 1989 when London auction house Sotheby's sold Happy for £55,000.
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She was the first teddy bear to appear in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most expensive bear in the world Vintage bear enthusiasts.
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On the day of that auction, they were astonished to find that the guide price was £700 to £900, and she went for such a huge price tag.
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What made Happy so special?
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Well, I've known about Happy, you know, for since 1989, which is the same year I started at Christie's actually and you know I'd never actually seen her in the, I think.
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Actually she was at one teddy bear fair in Germany years ago and I saw her from a long distance away because Rosemary was holding her.
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But this is the first time I've actually, when I went to visit Ian was the first time I actually got to hold her and she has huge presence.
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She literally took my breath away.
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She is so beautiful, she's in such a lovely condition and she is so beautiful, she's in such a lovely condition and she is just so rare.
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I mean, I have sold a similar bear before in very poor condition, but this is just exceptional and she was made in very small numbers, with these big eyes, and we don't really know why she was made.
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And at the time, you know, the world record price in 1989 was Alfonso, which was 12,000.
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So to make for something to suddenly go for 55,000 was a huge leap and it sort of shocked a lot of people.
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I recently spoke to Bunny Campioni, who was the specialist and auctioneer at the time, and she's the lady who appeared in all the newspapers at the time holding the spare.
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And, yes, she, she put seven to nine hundred pounds on it.
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But when it actually got into the auction, the interest, she raised the estimate a bit, but she didn't take it up too high.
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But yes, I think the the answer was.
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I asked her why she thought it had sold so much and, um, there was just two people who were quite determined to have it and they both left with individual people, their agent, a buying bid, just buy it.
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But no one thought that for a second, two people would be doing that and that would be going, you know, getting so high.
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So, yes, it was amazing and it stood as a world record for such a long time well, you know, fairly long time but slowly the market caught up with it.
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So I mean, a few years later, we, you know christie's we sold a blue steif for 49 and a half thousand and then a few more years later we had teddy gale.
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So then that record was finally beaten.
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But, yeah, no, it is, she is exceptional and she has gone on to.
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You know, I think after they were a bit, I think paul and rose revolt were a bit shocked when they got the, the bill for it, but they were delighted with it and they decided because it became such a famous bear that they would use it for good.
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So they then started traveling around the world and raising money for charity with the bear.
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So you know, it's gone on to do amazing things and, uh, ian bought him a few years ago.
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Um, and with the rest of the vaults collection it's all in the, the museum and you know they're going on to a new home and who knows?
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I mean I've estimated to her at just 20 to 30 000, but who knows who's gonna might want to spend more on it these days.
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Hopefully there'll be someone out, someone out there and we might get a nice result.
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She's priceless in many ways, she's a beautiful bear.
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I think so.
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Yes, she definitely is.
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So she is not the only star in this auction, because bears not only make the news for their rarity, but some bears have been known to steal the show in television dramas.
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A bear called Aloysius starred with Jeremy Irons and Anthony Andrews in the ITV 1980s drama Brideshead Revisited.
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Aloysius is another bear in Ian Pout's collection and he's expected to achieve a price tag of between $20,000 and $ 30,000 at auction in December.
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Besides his star quality and the marvellous acting ability he had in Brideshead Revisited, what makes him so valuable?
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Well, strangely, you know, as a bear he's not a very valuable bear.
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I mean, he's a 1910 American teddy bear.
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When he starred in Brideshead Revisited he was in really quite nice condition.
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But he was owned by a character actor called Peter Ball who starred in films and stages and so forth and he was one of the first teddy bear collectors in the world.
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And I think when they decided obviously they wanted to cast a teddy bear as the role of Aloysius, I think they must have known Peter was a collector, so they turned to him to supply a bear and he did and this bear sort of really did steal the show, um, and was actually.
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I mean it was a huge success this sort of period drama.
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But you know, I think it really was important in the world of teddy bears.
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So you know there wasn't that many collectors of old teddy bears before 1981.
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There were some, but not many.
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But just seeing this really wonderful, beautiful, antique teddy bear in this period drama really inspired a lot of people to start collecting teddy bears and I know many of people who have said that was where their interests started from.
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So he has that to begin with.
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After he was in the drama he then went on the road with Peter Ball and used to go on chat shows, used to go all over the place and he has since.
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You know he was needed patching constantly because he's a 115 year old teddy bear so normally it's best you just sit them in the cabinet, not play with them or hand them too much.
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But he was well and truly handled so he sort of had to have running repairs as he went and I think he's just this sort of myth has built up around him.
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He's such a key figure in the bear world but I think it's that's what's going to really attract the attention as just a teddy bear in his condition.
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Perhaps he's only worth a few hundred pounds now, as you know.
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But for his provenance and his history and you know just the fact that you own the original aloysius and you know just the fact that you own the original Aloysius is such a big thing that hopefully you know we've estimated 20 to 30,000 and hopefully he'll make a good price.
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I think so he's, you know he's so important.
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He's a huge symbol in the teddy bear collecting world.
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And Peter Bull, I mean he was on the Late Late Show in the United States.
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Peter Bull, I mean, he was on the Late Late Show in the United States.
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He was on every major talk show internationally with his bears and he wrote books.
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And so I think Aloysius has an amazing Hollywood pedigree really, not just as a bear but also as an actor.
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He's been, he's really tread the boards all over the world.
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Yeah, no, definitely.
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What is it like then?
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You're going to work with these amazing bears like aloe, vicious and happy.
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They're going to come into you at sas special auction services.
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What happens to the bears when they arrive?
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Do they have vip green room treatment?
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well, um, I think, because they're coming into us quite late, which is unusual.
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Normally we have the items in long before we publicize them or do anything with them, catalog them.
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But we're going to catalog them in situ.
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We're actually going there on monday to um, catalog them and photograph them all properly.
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Um, but they will.
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I think they'll come to, they'll be packed up nicely and then they'll probably be unpacked and actually there's a very good chance that they'll be unpacked and going straight onto a view.
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We've got a specific area for them which is all cabinets and they'll probably go on view straight away.
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And, yes, there will be a bit of red carpet treatment for them and I think certainly they'll look beautiful in view and that's when people can come in and we'll probably do a bit more press.
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Invite the press along as a preview.
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We're definitely going to have a teddy bears picnic on the sunday beforehand, so that'll be fun, you know it's.
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We're on view the sales on the 3rd of december and we'll view on the saturday and sunday as well, which just gives it a bit more chance for more people to come and see them and say hello or farewell to them.
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So, yeah, they'll definitely get the special treatment until the sale and you know we'll you know, just wait with anticipation to see what actually happens.
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It's a traditional room auction so people can come to it, but also it's going to be online, so it goes on to free auction platforms and will be shown to people all around the world and so anyone can bid on the pieces.
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Definitely, but we also you had mentioned it earlier I definitely wanted to make an auction where everyone can go away with something in a way.
00:20:03.240 --> 00:20:04.666
So it's going to be about.
00:20:04.666 --> 00:20:07.757
I think it's going to be between 250 300 lots.
00:20:07.757 --> 00:20:23.201
But ian's got a lot of little bits and pieces of ephemera uh, small, lesser value bears and postcards and all sorts of things, because he's a very talented artist ian is and creative, so his catalogs are beautiful.
00:20:23.201 --> 00:20:36.374
So there's lots of bits and pieces that we're going to add into the auction so that lots of people can come away with a souvenir of of such an amazing place and an amazing collector well, it's funny you said that about.
00:20:36.575 --> 00:20:56.641
you know you may not be able to come away with the high ticket item, but you may come away and I've had a companion with me since I think it was the last teddy bear auction at Christie's was Giles Branderit's collection, if I'm correct, that's right, yes, and what did I come away with but an Aloysius.
00:20:58.550 --> 00:20:59.011
Yeah, and.
00:20:59.051 --> 00:21:07.815
I was there as a journalist and I saw this bear and I'd seen Brideshead Revisited and £100, he was mine and he's still with me.
00:21:07.815 --> 00:21:13.133
He's been to Vienna, london, scotland, ireland.
00:21:13.133 --> 00:21:17.821
This guy really travels the world and I have no plans to part with him.
00:21:17.821 --> 00:21:35.039
He's a dear part of my collection, so you know you can be there you can't afford the big ticket item, but you can find something that will just steal a little bit of your heart, and that's what teddy bears for me anyway are all about yes, no, exactly.
00:21:35.059 --> 00:21:37.971
I mean that was the 2007, I think that was yeah.
00:21:37.971 --> 00:21:43.222
And giles, giles brandiff had this museum in stratford-upon-avon and he had a.
00:21:43.222 --> 00:21:50.375
He had a really quite a good cross-section of things and the I mean aloysius has been replicated a few times now.
00:21:50.375 --> 00:21:53.501
He was replicated by peter ball in the first place.
00:21:53.501 --> 00:22:06.994
That's what I've got, yeah and I think that's the one you've got um, the one that was yeah and then um, since ian's had him as well, he's done yes, they're lovely of him, so you can I think you can still buy a replica of our aloysius if you wanted to.
00:22:07.154 --> 00:22:09.582
I think they're still live on his website.
00:22:10.049 --> 00:22:19.013
It's a terrific story and it's lovely to add a bit of history to your collection that has, even if it's a reproduction bear or you know.
00:22:19.013 --> 00:22:22.487
It's all about creativity and the love of bears.
00:22:22.487 --> 00:22:37.326
So if somebody goes to this fantastic auction and they fall in love with a vintage or antique teddy bear and they don't know a lot about vintage or antique teddy bears, what should they be looking out in any auction or any place they're buying a bear?
00:22:50.069 --> 00:22:52.299
you collect in a way, but the first thing to do is always buy the best you possibly can afford.
00:22:52.299 --> 00:22:58.098
You know, and always you know I think that always proves right in the long run that you know the better pieces that you buy will always, you know, hold their own.
00:22:58.098 --> 00:23:05.063
But you've also got to go with something that you love and you know you've got to fall in love with that bear in the first place.
00:23:05.063 --> 00:23:08.759
And I mean I think there's always the other thing to say.
00:23:08.759 --> 00:23:14.788
I mean it's a bit different with this sale because it's got so many unique individual characters in that.
00:23:14.788 --> 00:23:19.590
I'm sure people will pay over the odds in some cases, you know, because they'll feel that they just have to have it.
00:23:19.590 --> 00:23:25.271
But generally at auction these days, you do know that there's another one coming along at some stage.
00:23:25.271 --> 00:23:25.712
You know.
00:23:25.712 --> 00:23:33.361
So perhaps not get I shouldn't really say this, being an auctioneer but perhaps don't get as carried away as as you used to, literally in the.
00:23:33.701 --> 00:23:43.738
When we were selling them at Christie's in the 90s there was no online auctions and eBay type things and very few places you could go to buy an antique teddy bear.
00:23:43.738 --> 00:23:51.340
So you know it was a hot subject then, so people were just buying them, no matter what really, and uh, and paying, you know, very strong prices.
00:23:51.340 --> 00:23:54.414
Fortunately, a lot of those prices have now caught up with themselves.
00:23:54.414 --> 00:23:56.501
But, yes, just buy what you like.
00:23:56.884 --> 00:24:03.762
Um, condition I think condition is quite important, but then some people really love a bear that looks old and battered like his age.
00:24:03.762 --> 00:24:07.020
So it's just it's knowing what you want out of things.
00:24:07.020 --> 00:24:20.760
But I think when you're first coming to collecting, I think you need to go, you learn about the subject first, so you know, go to auctions, get the reference books, really study it and know where your interests lie.
00:24:20.760 --> 00:24:36.069
And that's again that's why auctions are quite good, because you can actually go and look at all these things and learn what mohair is and and and what really good quality felt is like and how to tell whether a bear is in good condition.
00:24:36.069 --> 00:24:41.328
It's not just about looking at them, it's whether the material was strong and ask people.
00:24:41.328 --> 00:24:48.544
You know I'm here to help people, so you know I'm always happy to answer questions and walk people through the views and that sort of thing.
00:24:49.269 --> 00:24:54.623
When it comes to those damaged bears, I'm just terrible.
00:24:54.623 --> 00:24:57.619
They're the ones I always really go for.
00:24:57.619 --> 00:25:02.549
So what do you think about when people restore a bear or repair a bear?
00:25:02.549 --> 00:25:07.982
Do you think it's a good idea, or should we just leave them looking a little bit sad?
00:25:10.750 --> 00:25:13.157
good idea, or should we just leave them looking a little bit sad?
00:25:13.157 --> 00:25:21.659
Well, there's certain things you kind of have to do because you can't leave dirt on the teddy bear, because that rots the, the mohair and you know any sort of holes, a perfect place for a moth to get into.
00:25:21.659 --> 00:25:24.250
So really you should do something.
00:25:24.250 --> 00:25:26.034
But I think you have to be so careful.
00:25:26.034 --> 00:25:27.616
It's a, it's not anyone.
00:25:27.616 --> 00:25:31.684
Can you just come along and become a teddy bear restore just because you can sew?
00:25:31.684 --> 00:25:35.272
You know you've got to keep that character.
00:25:36.155 --> 00:25:51.917
And some people I see it time and time again where they get an 100 year old teddy bear and they treat it as if it's a new teddy bear and they want it as clean as possible, they want it as stuffed as possible and put new pads on it and new eyes, and it just loses its life.
00:25:51.917 --> 00:25:57.035
Really, you've got to just you've just got to take each bear on its merit and just.
00:25:57.035 --> 00:26:01.383
I mean my favorite repairs are what I call mum repairs.
00:26:01.383 --> 00:26:15.318
When you know, when I get a bear in from someone's attic, often mum has just done some very crude stitching on its foot or covered it's a hole with a flowery material and I think that's really lovely.
00:26:15.519 --> 00:26:16.382
But you, just you do have to.
00:26:16.382 --> 00:26:19.095
I do think you have to do a certain amount.
00:26:19.095 --> 00:26:33.922
But then, saying that, there's also, you know, you can get a very old, perfect condition or very near perfect condition bear that just needs a light clean and a hole in its pad, which these days they can do an invisible repair on.
00:26:33.922 --> 00:26:41.520
That is a good way of doing it as well, because you end up with a really, you know, magnificent, completely undamaged bear.
00:26:41.520 --> 00:26:46.181
But it's just, it's again, it's a personal choice and it depends on how bad he is in the first place.
00:26:46.181 --> 00:26:53.703
If they're really bad, I think you have to go it that as being their character and leave it as alone as possible.
00:26:54.309 --> 00:27:01.461
They're aging gracefully, yes, so how can we find out more about this auction in December?
00:27:01.461 --> 00:27:06.101
Anyone can bid from any place in the world on your website.
00:27:06.101 --> 00:27:08.406
Website on the SAS website or on.
00:27:08.426 --> 00:27:14.099
Yeah, we have our own platform, which is on SAS specialauctionservicescom, which you don't pay any extra for.
00:27:14.099 --> 00:27:21.782
But we also host it on sellroomcom and live auctioneers and you have to pay an extra five percent for being on those.
00:27:21.782 --> 00:27:27.286
So we always try and get people onto our platform because it's cheaper, but that's always.
00:27:27.286 --> 00:27:37.472
You know, some people are more comfortable bidding on a separate platform and so, yes, I mean already on our website we've got some previews about the bears.
00:27:37.472 --> 00:27:50.532
You can sign up anytime and actually I always say to people go to our website, sign up for any auction that's coming up and just have a look at it and you know you might be attracted and put in a cheeky bid somewhere.
00:27:50.532 --> 00:27:59.352
But just so you're comfortable with bidding and how it all works, make sure your password and all that sort of thing is ready, so you don't want to be doing that on the day and then go.
00:27:59.352 --> 00:28:02.137
I can't do it and uh, and it all goes wrong.
00:28:02.298 --> 00:28:14.950
So I've got quite a big presence on Facebook and Instagram, so from now on I'm going to be really plugging this auction so there'll be a lot more features coming up on that so you can follow me on Facebook.
00:28:14.950 --> 00:28:16.292
I think I'm the only.
00:28:16.292 --> 00:28:22.455
I mean it's quite easy to find Daniel Agnew surrounded by teddy bears on Facebook, so you should be able to find me.
00:28:22.455 --> 00:28:25.550
There's lots of ways and, as I said, it's going to be a fun auction.
00:28:25.550 --> 00:28:30.874
So it's one of those sales which I say is like the sale to come to if you can.
00:28:30.874 --> 00:28:41.269
You know definitely it's got so many lovely things in it there's going to be a real buzz about it I'd love to come, but I know the temptation would be terrible.
00:28:44.396 --> 00:28:53.000
It's going to be the most fantastic auction and we're going to be sharing lots of details and some pictures on our website.
00:28:53.000 --> 00:29:05.457
So thank you so much for sharing so many wonderful stories about this auction and so many details about these very, very special bears and we look forward to.
00:29:05.457 --> 00:29:09.597
I imagine we can just tune in and follow along with the auction.
00:29:11.573 --> 00:29:15.631
Yes, if you don't want to spend any money, don't actually sign up to bid, you can just.
00:29:15.631 --> 00:29:20.695
There's a watch button so you can just watch it go and that's great fun as well.
00:29:20.695 --> 00:29:28.556
You know, just, I've got lots of people who perhaps don't get out as much as they used to and can't get to the fairs and or to the auctions, and they just love it.
00:29:28.556 --> 00:29:33.765
You know, we're now as I said, we're now we've got four teddy bear sales a year.
00:29:33.765 --> 00:29:36.039
We've actually got five this year, so we've still got.
00:29:36.039 --> 00:29:41.020
We've actually got a november sale of teddy bears and the december sale teddy bears, um.
00:29:41.020 --> 00:29:42.405
So there's lots of opportunities.
00:29:42.405 --> 00:29:45.515
So just watching is just such fun and you learn so much as well.
00:29:45.816 --> 00:29:48.923
See how how much things are selling for and there's always bargains.
00:29:48.923 --> 00:29:55.271
I mean it might not be in the Teddy Bears or Whitney sale, but generally there's always things that go quite cheaply and people go.
00:29:55.271 --> 00:29:57.058
Why didn't I bid on that?
00:29:57.058 --> 00:29:57.672
You know?
00:29:57.672 --> 00:30:03.481
So you know, maybe it is worth signing up just in case something sells for £10 or £20.
00:30:03.481 --> 00:30:06.259
And you know, we ship in-house from here as well.
00:30:06.259 --> 00:30:11.898
So we and you know, in, we ship in-house from here as well, so we send all over the world um shipments in-house.
00:30:11.898 --> 00:30:14.609
We've got a very good packing team so they take great care of your teddy bears and dolls.
00:30:15.310 --> 00:30:22.952
So, yeah, it's been a great place to come well, this is going to be an event to look forward to and I can't wait.
00:30:22.952 --> 00:30:38.204
There's going to be so many ways we can share in the joy of this auction, whether we see it online, and we're going to, of course, put lots of links on our various pages, and plenty of links so that they can find your Facebook and Instagram.
00:30:38.204 --> 00:30:44.942
Daniel Agnew, thank you so much for joining us and sharing the tales of these wonderful bears.
00:30:44.942 --> 00:30:51.739
I'm sure we wish them well on their new adventures, giving these teddy bears new tales to tell.
00:30:53.031 --> 00:30:53.755
Thank you very much.
00:30:53.755 --> 00:30:54.815
It's been lovely talking to you.
00:30:56.211 --> 00:30:57.214
It's been a pleasure.
00:30:57.214 --> 00:30:57.998
Thank you, daniel.
00:30:57.998 --> 00:31:06.359
Thank you for joining us on the Doll Podcast and our new feature, collectible Conversations.
00:31:06.359 --> 00:31:21.103
If you'd like to find out more about Daniel Agnew and this fantastic auction, please go to our website, wwwdollpodcastcom.
00:31:21.103 --> 00:31:26.069
You can find the Doll Podcast on Instagram and Facebook.
00:31:26.069 --> 00:31:34.153
You can find Daniel Agnew on Facebook and on Instagram as TeddymanDan.
00:31:34.153 --> 00:31:39.221
The Doll Podcast is created by Niche Media Productions.
00:31:39.221 --> 00:31:42.369
Our music is by Kelty Conspiracy.
00:31:42.369 --> 00:31:46.310
Copyright Lisa Maxwell 2024,.
00:31:46.310 --> 00:31:48.132
All rights reserved.
00:31:48.132 --> 00:31:51.532
We look forward to welcoming you the next time.
00:31:51.532 --> 00:31:52.173
Thank you.
00:00:06.208 --> 00:00:08.092
Welcome to the Doll Podcast.
00:00:08.092 --> 00:00:10.516
I'm your host, louisa Maxwell.
00:00:10.516 --> 00:00:16.088
This is a Doll Podcast with a difference.
00:00:16.088 --> 00:00:35.746
It's part of our new feature entitled Collectible Conversations, where we talk about great collections, and today we're talking teddy bears with British teddy expert Daniel Agnew, because, after all, if you love dolls, you probably love bears too.
00:00:35.746 --> 00:00:38.252
So I hope you enjoy this new feature.
00:00:42.219 --> 00:00:46.951
Collecting antique and vintage teddy bears is a hobby rich in history and emotion.
00:00:46.951 --> 00:00:51.570
Each bear is an intimate portrait of itself and its owner too.
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Teddies are a comfort to us when we're young, becoming cherished confidants and companions.
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Often, that bond is never broken and some teddies remain with us for all our lives.
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And some teddies remain with us for all our lives.
00:01:06.859 --> 00:01:14.013
Over time, teddy bears have evolved from simple toys for children to cherish friends that hold a special place in the hearts of both children and adults.
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Antique and vintage bears are sought-after collectibles, and many rare bears have hit the headlines with price tags in the hundreds of thousands.
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These bears have gone on to become celebrities in their own right.
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So what makes these bears so valuable?
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Well, to help us answer that question, my guest is Daniel Agnew, one of the world's leading antique teddy bear specialists, having worked with Christie's South Kensington, the London Toy Auction, and now with SAS Special Auction Services in the United Kingdom.
00:01:52.155 --> 00:01:56.408
Daniel Agnew, welcome to our special teddy bear podcast.
00:01:57.120 --> 00:01:58.344
Well, thank you for having me.
00:01:58.364 --> 00:02:11.127
It's exciting, it's really exciting and we're recording live from SAS and I see that behind you you have lots of teddy bears all waiting to go under the hammer at some date.
00:02:11.668 --> 00:02:13.953
So all those boxes are full up as well.
00:02:13.953 --> 00:02:18.469
So that's all a big, huge collection of teddy bears that come from the Isle of man.
00:02:18.770 --> 00:02:19.693
Oh, my goodness.
00:02:19.693 --> 00:02:29.926
I mean there's something like well, there's over 12 huge moving boxes of wonderful bears, so we may hear some noises of people moving things around in the auction room.
00:02:30.007 --> 00:02:31.390
Yes, but I think that I'm in.
00:02:31.390 --> 00:02:46.170
I'm in that warehouse, so you know, I can't actually hear anything because I've got my headphones on, but presumably there might be something going on behind me, but, um, hopefully not to be honest, it makes it more fun and exciting, because this is really where I mean.
00:02:46.270 --> 00:02:50.429
We see the auctions as teddy bear lovers from front of house.
00:02:50.429 --> 00:03:06.349
But you are not only front of house bringing us the bears, but you're also the backstage expert who has to go through all these provenances, all these various bears, and it's an extraordinary process, isn't it?
00:03:07.292 --> 00:03:18.206
it is, yes, and it's great fun though, but, um, yeah, we, it's not not so glamorous in our warehouse, um and but we have a lot of stock coming in and out all the time, and you know I've been.
00:03:18.206 --> 00:03:24.936
You know our sales have just exploded over the last few years and I used to have two auctions a year.
00:03:24.936 --> 00:03:33.444
I've gone up to four auctions a year and now I'm this year I'm having seven, so it's it's really a bit full on at the moment, but, uh, enjoying it.
00:03:33.444 --> 00:03:37.724
But, um, a lot of people want to come here to sell, so that's exciting so do you think?
00:03:37.784 --> 00:03:41.379
teddy bear auctions worldwide is it becoming more of a phenomenon?
00:03:41.379 --> 00:03:43.685
Are more people entering the hobby?
00:03:44.426 --> 00:03:46.712
I don't know if it's more people entering.
00:03:46.712 --> 00:03:50.587
I mean, there's a steady flow of new people, but not en masse.
00:03:50.587 --> 00:04:03.953
I think the big en masse was in the 90s, but now, sadly, we've got to that stage in the world of dolls and teddy bears where a lot of our collectors are getting older and they're now choosing to sell their collections.
00:04:03.953 --> 00:04:10.616
So that's more why I'm busy, rather than there being loads more buyers, but they're still a bit.
00:04:10.616 --> 00:04:11.781
You know particularly teddy bears.
00:04:11.781 --> 00:04:14.610
They're still a very strong subject for the right thing.
00:04:14.610 --> 00:04:17.982
You know, the good bears are selling extremely well.
00:04:18.401 --> 00:04:30.591
Well, december 3rd 2024 is going to be a save-the-date event for vintage bear lovers around the world, as some of the most sought-after and precious bears go under the hammer in England.
00:04:30.591 --> 00:04:45.750
Daniel, you've sold some of the most expensive bears in the world, including the Paul Greenwood collection of bears, which sold for £1 million, and now you're about to auction another collection of precious bears.
00:04:45.750 --> 00:04:49.004
What makes a teddy bear so valuable?
00:04:49.564 --> 00:04:51.470
Well, not all teddy bears are valuable.
00:04:51.470 --> 00:04:54.303
I mean, I think I always say it's a very affordable subject.
00:04:54.303 --> 00:04:58.862
You know, you can buy a really quite an old teddy bear for as little as 10 or 20 pounds.
00:04:58.862 --> 00:05:04.110
But you can also spend many thousands of pounds on them.
00:05:04.110 --> 00:05:09.108
But they're generally the very best ones and they don't come along very often.
00:05:09.108 --> 00:05:20.418
So it's either it's like very rare and made by a very good maker and in very good condition, or it's got some really interesting provenance that excites people.
00:05:20.418 --> 00:05:28.125
So it's that individually, or it's a combination of the two, that can make them worth tens of thousands of pounds.
00:05:28.607 --> 00:05:32.779
Now it's very unusual to be worth a bear to be worth beyond ten thousand.
00:05:32.779 --> 00:05:40.442
Mostly expensive bears that I sell are probably between a thousand and eight, ten thousand, something like that in pounds.
00:05:40.442 --> 00:05:46.742
But every now and then something very special comes along and then it does make 10, 20, 30.
00:05:46.742 --> 00:05:53.440
I mean, the most expensive pair I've ever sold was a, a black steif, for 91 and a half thousand pounds.
00:05:53.440 --> 00:06:03.047
Um, and at christie's we we had the world record for a while, which was teddy girl, who belonged to colonel bob henderson, which was,000.
00:06:03.047 --> 00:06:05.853
The world record is more than that.
00:06:05.853 --> 00:06:11.620
Now I can't remember the exact amount, but it's well over £100,000.
00:06:11.620 --> 00:06:15.110
But you know we've got potential here.
00:06:15.110 --> 00:06:21.630
We've got world record breakers in this collection, so hopefully, you know we might get some good results.
00:06:22.540 --> 00:06:29.374
Vintage bear collectors are known as arctophiles, derived from the Greek arctus bear and philos love.
00:06:29.374 --> 00:06:33.468
Collections of bears are aptly described as a hug.
00:06:33.468 --> 00:06:34.312
Isn't that wonderful.
00:06:34.312 --> 00:06:39.100
Ian Pout of Teddy Bears of Whitney is a noted arctophile.
00:06:39.100 --> 00:06:48.850
His shop in England, which houses a distinguished collection of antique bears, is a place of pilgrimage for many a collector, including myself.
00:06:48.850 --> 00:06:58.411
Ian Pout has decided to part with many of his most famous bears in this auction, daniel, it must be a difficult decision for him to make.
00:06:58.411 --> 00:07:01.870
How did Ian decide what bears to part with?
00:07:03.180 --> 00:07:09.987
Well, you know, if anyone's been to ian's shop in whitney in oxfordshire, it's, it's such a beautiful, fabulous and.
00:07:10.288 --> 00:07:12.413
But the museum is fairly, fairly small.
00:07:12.413 --> 00:07:21.107
It's like a small room in the back of the shop and a few other cabinets, but it's just the most perfect selection of teddy bears and related items.
00:07:21.107 --> 00:07:26.824
So the shop is still there and it's still going to be there and it's still full of wonderful teddy bears to buy.
00:07:26.824 --> 00:07:38.161
But this is his museum and he's he's almost 80 now and he's having a little step back from it all and it's quite a responsibility to have all these wonderful bears.
00:07:38.161 --> 00:07:42.288
So he's just decided it is time now to find them new homes.
00:07:42.288 --> 00:07:45.954
I mean, he's already sold some of his bears.
00:07:45.954 --> 00:07:58.088
I know that his black stife, ophelo, went quite a few years ago and he's also sold his amazing red stife, which was Alfonso, and that's gone to a museum, which is great.
00:07:59.240 --> 00:08:00.927
I've always wanted to have sold that bear.
00:08:00.927 --> 00:08:04.826
That's one of the bears that was on my sort of tick list of I'd love to sell one day.
00:08:04.826 --> 00:08:14.312
But we've got no shortage of amazing bears and you know, on my I guess perhaps top of my tick list is one of the bears that is coming up for auction.
00:08:14.312 --> 00:08:21.007
But he's basically decided to sell everything that's in the museum apart from his own bear that he had as a child.
00:08:21.007 --> 00:08:22.223
He's hanging onto that.
00:08:22.223 --> 00:08:29.588
But everything else that you see when you go to Whitney is up for auction and it's all just to get the best price on the day.
00:08:29.588 --> 00:08:32.725
You know we're going to estimate things, but he just wants it sold.
00:08:32.725 --> 00:08:35.587
And what's so nice about this subject?
00:08:35.587 --> 00:08:38.929
He just wants them to go on to their next stage of their life.
00:08:38.929 --> 00:08:40.365
They go to their next collectors.
00:08:40.365 --> 00:08:48.485
Maybe some will go to museums, go to collections all over the world, and those bears will be around forever more and continue their journey.
00:08:49.065 --> 00:08:51.287
It's an amazing shop and museum.
00:08:51.287 --> 00:08:57.030
I mean you go thinking, oh, I'll be there for an hour and three hours later you're still there.
00:08:57.030 --> 00:09:06.196
There's just so much to see, so much to look at and such a warm and charming group of people who run the shop and the museum.
00:09:06.196 --> 00:09:08.778
It's an incredible place to visit.
00:09:08.778 --> 00:09:11.000
Nobody should miss it.
00:09:11.000 --> 00:09:14.586
Ian Pout such an amazing collector and collection.
00:09:14.586 --> 00:09:29.663
We've been so lucky to be able to explore the collection of rare bears while he had them at his shop, and the shop is still open and there are many wonderful bears still waiting there to delight.
00:09:29.663 --> 00:09:47.760
So Ian has decided that the collection must make its way to new homes and the bears have now travelled from their home at Teddy Bears of Whitney in the Cotswolds near Oxford to your warehouse at Special Auction Services in Newbury, berkshire, daniel.
00:09:47.760 --> 00:09:53.774
This is going to be a rare opportunity for people to meet these beautiful bears.
00:09:54.780 --> 00:09:55.943
Three or four weeks before the auction.
00:09:55.943 --> 00:10:02.892
We'll pick them up, bring them here and they'll be on view here for a good week and sale week as well.
00:10:02.892 --> 00:10:06.260
So you know you'll get to see them and most of them you'll probably be able to handle as well.
00:10:06.211 --> 00:10:08.354
So you know you'll get to see them and most of them you'll probably be able to handle as well.
00:10:08.500 --> 00:10:12.748
I think we'll probably restrict handling on a few of them, you know, because people want to see these things.
00:10:12.748 --> 00:10:14.988
If they're going to spend lots of money, you need to hand them.
00:10:14.988 --> 00:10:26.802
So I always say coming to an auction is so good, it's like going to a museum where you can actually handle things, and it's a really good way to learn about teddy bears by handling them.
00:10:26.822 --> 00:10:38.020
It's an incredible experience and even if you can't afford you know Happy or one of the other amazing bears that are going to be in this auction there'll probably be something you'll find.
00:10:38.020 --> 00:10:42.948
And meanwhile you've had this experience where you've learned so much.
00:10:42.948 --> 00:10:44.471
It's just incredible.
00:10:44.471 --> 00:10:48.958
Had this experience where you've learned so much, it's just incredible.
00:10:48.958 --> 00:10:55.206
So I mentioned Happy, and she's a beautiful jewel, plush Stiefmoor hair bearer who's going to be, I think, one of the stars of this auction.
00:10:55.206 --> 00:11:09.374
She's got those big brown eyes and she dates from the mid-1920s and she came to worldwide attention in 1989 when London auction house Sotheby's sold Happy for £55,000.
00:11:09.374 --> 00:11:18.985
She was the first teddy bear to appear in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most expensive bear in the world Vintage bear enthusiasts.
00:11:18.985 --> 00:11:27.322
On the day of that auction, they were astonished to find that the guide price was £700 to £900, and she went for such a huge price tag.
00:11:27.322 --> 00:11:30.167
What made Happy so special?
00:11:31.489 --> 00:11:42.504
Well, I've known about Happy, you know, for since 1989, which is the same year I started at Christie's actually and you know I'd never actually seen her in the, I think.
00:11:42.504 --> 00:11:49.630
Actually she was at one teddy bear fair in Germany years ago and I saw her from a long distance away because Rosemary was holding her.
00:11:49.630 --> 00:11:59.328
But this is the first time I've actually, when I went to visit Ian was the first time I actually got to hold her and she has huge presence.
00:11:59.328 --> 00:12:01.206
She literally took my breath away.
00:12:01.206 --> 00:12:07.902
She is so beautiful, she's in such a lovely condition and she is so beautiful, she's in such a lovely condition and she is just so rare.
00:12:07.902 --> 00:12:19.581
I mean, I have sold a similar bear before in very poor condition, but this is just exceptional and she was made in very small numbers, with these big eyes, and we don't really know why she was made.
00:12:19.581 --> 00:12:27.195
And at the time, you know, the world record price in 1989 was Alfonso, which was 12,000.
00:12:27.195 --> 00:12:33.567
So to make for something to suddenly go for 55,000 was a huge leap and it sort of shocked a lot of people.
00:12:34.160 --> 00:12:44.010
I recently spoke to Bunny Campioni, who was the specialist and auctioneer at the time, and she's the lady who appeared in all the newspapers at the time holding the spare.
00:12:44.010 --> 00:12:46.648
And, yes, she, she put seven to nine hundred pounds on it.
00:12:46.648 --> 00:12:54.448
But when it actually got into the auction, the interest, she raised the estimate a bit, but she didn't take it up too high.
00:12:54.448 --> 00:12:56.833
But yes, I think the the answer was.
00:12:56.833 --> 00:13:10.293
I asked her why she thought it had sold so much and, um, there was just two people who were quite determined to have it and they both left with individual people, their agent, a buying bid, just buy it.
00:13:10.293 --> 00:13:17.868
But no one thought that for a second, two people would be doing that and that would be going, you know, getting so high.
00:13:17.868 --> 00:13:28.019
So, yes, it was amazing and it stood as a world record for such a long time well, you know, fairly long time but slowly the market caught up with it.
00:13:28.019 --> 00:13:37.732
So I mean, a few years later, we, you know christie's we sold a blue steif for 49 and a half thousand and then a few more years later we had teddy gale.
00:13:37.732 --> 00:13:39.778
So then that record was finally beaten.
00:13:40.339 --> 00:13:43.735
But, yeah, no, it is, she is exceptional and she has gone on to.
00:13:43.735 --> 00:13:56.003
You know, I think after they were a bit, I think paul and rose revolt were a bit shocked when they got the, the bill for it, but they were delighted with it and they decided because it became such a famous bear that they would use it for good.
00:13:56.003 --> 00:14:01.618
So they then started traveling around the world and raising money for charity with the bear.
00:14:01.618 --> 00:14:08.639
So you know, it's gone on to do amazing things and, uh, ian bought him a few years ago.
00:14:08.639 --> 00:14:16.202
Um, and with the rest of the vaults collection it's all in the, the museum and you know they're going on to a new home and who knows?
00:14:16.202 --> 00:14:25.953
I mean I've estimated to her at just 20 to 30 000, but who knows who's gonna might want to spend more on it these days.
00:14:25.953 --> 00:14:30.442
Hopefully there'll be someone out, someone out there and we might get a nice result.
00:14:30.870 --> 00:14:34.674
She's priceless in many ways, she's a beautiful bear.
00:14:34.674 --> 00:14:35.418
I think so.
00:14:35.418 --> 00:14:37.054
Yes, she definitely is.
00:14:37.054 --> 00:14:47.535
So she is not the only star in this auction, because bears not only make the news for their rarity, but some bears have been known to steal the show in television dramas.
00:14:47.535 --> 00:14:57.682
A bear called Aloysius starred with Jeremy Irons and Anthony Andrews in the ITV 1980s drama Brideshead Revisited.
00:14:57.682 --> 00:15:08.100
Aloysius is another bear in Ian Pout's collection and he's expected to achieve a price tag of between $20,000 and $ 30,000 at auction in December.
00:15:08.100 --> 00:15:16.243
Besides his star quality and the marvellous acting ability he had in Brideshead Revisited, what makes him so valuable?
00:15:16.889 --> 00:15:21.163
Well, strangely, you know, as a bear he's not a very valuable bear.
00:15:21.163 --> 00:15:23.831
I mean, he's a 1910 American teddy bear.
00:15:23.831 --> 00:15:29.302
When he starred in Brideshead Revisited he was in really quite nice condition.
00:15:29.302 --> 00:15:41.922
But he was owned by a character actor called Peter Ball who starred in films and stages and so forth and he was one of the first teddy bear collectors in the world.
00:15:41.922 --> 00:16:00.121
And I think when they decided obviously they wanted to cast a teddy bear as the role of Aloysius, I think they must have known Peter was a collector, so they turned to him to supply a bear and he did and this bear sort of really did steal the show, um, and was actually.
00:16:00.121 --> 00:16:03.530
I mean it was a huge success this sort of period drama.
00:16:03.530 --> 00:16:09.061
But you know, I think it really was important in the world of teddy bears.
00:16:09.061 --> 00:16:14.623
So you know there wasn't that many collectors of old teddy bears before 1981.
00:16:14.623 --> 00:16:15.907
There were some, but not many.
00:16:15.907 --> 00:16:32.528
But just seeing this really wonderful, beautiful, antique teddy bear in this period drama really inspired a lot of people to start collecting teddy bears and I know many of people who have said that was where their interests started from.
00:16:32.528 --> 00:16:35.033
So he has that to begin with.
00:16:35.996 --> 00:16:46.451
After he was in the drama he then went on the road with Peter Ball and used to go on chat shows, used to go all over the place and he has since.
00:16:46.652 --> 00:16:58.553
You know he was needed patching constantly because he's a 115 year old teddy bear so normally it's best you just sit them in the cabinet, not play with them or hand them too much.
00:16:58.553 --> 00:17:06.217
But he was well and truly handled so he sort of had to have running repairs as he went and I think he's just this sort of myth has built up around him.
00:17:06.217 --> 00:17:15.673
He's such a key figure in the bear world but I think it's that's what's going to really attract the attention as just a teddy bear in his condition.
00:17:15.673 --> 00:17:20.226
Perhaps he's only worth a few hundred pounds now, as you know.
00:17:20.226 --> 00:17:35.584
But for his provenance and his history and you know just the fact that you own the original aloysius and you know just the fact that you own the original Aloysius is such a big thing that hopefully you know we've estimated 20 to 30,000 and hopefully he'll make a good price.
00:17:35.584 --> 00:17:37.865
I think so he's, you know he's so important.
00:17:42.430 --> 00:17:43.916
He's a huge symbol in the teddy bear collecting world.
00:17:43.916 --> 00:17:46.829
And Peter Bull, I mean he was on the Late Late Show in the United States.
00:17:46.829 --> 00:17:48.272
Peter Bull, I mean, he was on the Late Late Show in the United States.
00:17:48.272 --> 00:17:53.503
He was on every major talk show internationally with his bears and he wrote books.
00:17:53.503 --> 00:18:02.045
And so I think Aloysius has an amazing Hollywood pedigree really, not just as a bear but also as an actor.
00:18:02.045 --> 00:18:06.881
He's been, he's really tread the boards all over the world.
00:18:06.921 --> 00:18:08.042
Yeah, no, definitely.
00:18:10.130 --> 00:18:10.530
What is it like then?
00:18:10.530 --> 00:18:14.319
You're going to work with these amazing bears like aloe, vicious and happy.
00:18:14.319 --> 00:18:19.401
They're going to come into you at sas special auction services.
00:18:19.401 --> 00:18:22.009
What happens to the bears when they arrive?
00:18:22.009 --> 00:18:24.836
Do they have vip green room treatment?
00:18:25.338 --> 00:18:29.269
well, um, I think, because they're coming into us quite late, which is unusual.
00:18:29.269 --> 00:18:37.490
Normally we have the items in long before we publicize them or do anything with them, catalog them.
00:18:37.490 --> 00:18:39.173
But we're going to catalog them in situ.
00:18:39.173 --> 00:18:44.912
We're actually going there on monday to um, catalog them and photograph them all properly.
00:18:44.912 --> 00:18:46.536
Um, but they will.
00:18:46.536 --> 00:18:55.175
I think they'll come to, they'll be packed up nicely and then they'll probably be unpacked and actually there's a very good chance that they'll be unpacked and going straight onto a view.
00:18:55.175 --> 00:19:02.298
We've got a specific area for them which is all cabinets and they'll probably go on view straight away.
00:19:02.298 --> 00:19:12.573
And, yes, there will be a bit of red carpet treatment for them and I think certainly they'll look beautiful in view and that's when people can come in and we'll probably do a bit more press.
00:19:12.573 --> 00:19:14.602
Invite the press along as a preview.
00:19:14.602 --> 00:19:20.318
We're definitely going to have a teddy bears picnic on the sunday beforehand, so that'll be fun, you know it's.
00:19:20.318 --> 00:19:32.980
We're on view the sales on the 3rd of december and we'll view on the saturday and sunday as well, which just gives it a bit more chance for more people to come and see them and say hello or farewell to them.
00:19:32.980 --> 00:19:41.775
So, yeah, they'll definitely get the special treatment until the sale and you know we'll you know, just wait with anticipation to see what actually happens.
00:19:42.576 --> 00:19:55.171
It's a traditional room auction so people can come to it, but also it's going to be online, so it goes on to free auction platforms and will be shown to people all around the world and so anyone can bid on the pieces.
00:19:55.171 --> 00:20:03.240
Definitely, but we also you had mentioned it earlier I definitely wanted to make an auction where everyone can go away with something in a way.
00:20:03.240 --> 00:20:04.666
So it's going to be about.
00:20:04.666 --> 00:20:07.757
I think it's going to be between 250 300 lots.
00:20:07.757 --> 00:20:23.201
But ian's got a lot of little bits and pieces of ephemera uh, small, lesser value bears and postcards and all sorts of things, because he's a very talented artist ian is and creative, so his catalogs are beautiful.
00:20:23.201 --> 00:20:36.374
So there's lots of bits and pieces that we're going to add into the auction so that lots of people can come away with a souvenir of of such an amazing place and an amazing collector well, it's funny you said that about.
00:20:36.575 --> 00:20:56.641
you know you may not be able to come away with the high ticket item, but you may come away and I've had a companion with me since I think it was the last teddy bear auction at Christie's was Giles Branderit's collection, if I'm correct, that's right, yes, and what did I come away with but an Aloysius.
00:20:58.550 --> 00:20:59.011
Yeah, and.
00:20:59.051 --> 00:21:07.815
I was there as a journalist and I saw this bear and I'd seen Brideshead Revisited and £100, he was mine and he's still with me.
00:21:07.815 --> 00:21:13.133
He's been to Vienna, london, scotland, ireland.
00:21:13.133 --> 00:21:17.821
This guy really travels the world and I have no plans to part with him.
00:21:17.821 --> 00:21:35.039
He's a dear part of my collection, so you know you can be there you can't afford the big ticket item, but you can find something that will just steal a little bit of your heart, and that's what teddy bears for me anyway are all about yes, no, exactly.
00:21:35.059 --> 00:21:37.971
I mean that was the 2007, I think that was yeah.
00:21:37.971 --> 00:21:43.222
And giles, giles brandiff had this museum in stratford-upon-avon and he had a.
00:21:43.222 --> 00:21:50.375
He had a really quite a good cross-section of things and the I mean aloysius has been replicated a few times now.
00:21:50.375 --> 00:21:53.501
He was replicated by peter ball in the first place.
00:21:53.501 --> 00:22:06.994
That's what I've got, yeah and I think that's the one you've got um, the one that was yeah and then um, since ian's had him as well, he's done yes, they're lovely of him, so you can I think you can still buy a replica of our aloysius if you wanted to.
00:22:07.154 --> 00:22:09.582
I think they're still live on his website.
00:22:10.049 --> 00:22:19.013
It's a terrific story and it's lovely to add a bit of history to your collection that has, even if it's a reproduction bear or you know.
00:22:19.013 --> 00:22:22.487
It's all about creativity and the love of bears.
00:22:22.487 --> 00:22:37.326
So if somebody goes to this fantastic auction and they fall in love with a vintage or antique teddy bear and they don't know a lot about vintage or antique teddy bears, what should they be looking out in any auction or any place they're buying a bear?
00:22:50.069 --> 00:22:52.299
you collect in a way, but the first thing to do is always buy the best you possibly can afford.
00:22:52.299 --> 00:22:58.098
You know, and always you know I think that always proves right in the long run that you know the better pieces that you buy will always, you know, hold their own.
00:22:58.098 --> 00:23:05.063
But you've also got to go with something that you love and you know you've got to fall in love with that bear in the first place.
00:23:05.063 --> 00:23:08.759
And I mean I think there's always the other thing to say.
00:23:08.759 --> 00:23:14.788
I mean it's a bit different with this sale because it's got so many unique individual characters in that.
00:23:14.788 --> 00:23:19.590
I'm sure people will pay over the odds in some cases, you know, because they'll feel that they just have to have it.
00:23:19.590 --> 00:23:25.271
But generally at auction these days, you do know that there's another one coming along at some stage.
00:23:25.271 --> 00:23:25.712
You know.
00:23:25.712 --> 00:23:33.361
So perhaps not get I shouldn't really say this, being an auctioneer but perhaps don't get as carried away as as you used to, literally in the.
00:23:33.701 --> 00:23:43.738
When we were selling them at Christie's in the 90s there was no online auctions and eBay type things and very few places you could go to buy an antique teddy bear.
00:23:43.738 --> 00:23:51.340
So you know it was a hot subject then, so people were just buying them, no matter what really, and uh, and paying, you know, very strong prices.
00:23:51.340 --> 00:23:54.414
Fortunately, a lot of those prices have now caught up with themselves.
00:23:54.414 --> 00:23:56.501
But, yes, just buy what you like.
00:23:56.884 --> 00:24:03.762
Um, condition I think condition is quite important, but then some people really love a bear that looks old and battered like his age.
00:24:03.762 --> 00:24:07.020
So it's just it's knowing what you want out of things.
00:24:07.020 --> 00:24:20.760
But I think when you're first coming to collecting, I think you need to go, you learn about the subject first, so you know, go to auctions, get the reference books, really study it and know where your interests lie.
00:24:20.760 --> 00:24:36.069
And that's again that's why auctions are quite good, because you can actually go and look at all these things and learn what mohair is and and and what really good quality felt is like and how to tell whether a bear is in good condition.
00:24:36.069 --> 00:24:41.328
It's not just about looking at them, it's whether the material was strong and ask people.
00:24:41.328 --> 00:24:48.544
You know I'm here to help people, so you know I'm always happy to answer questions and walk people through the views and that sort of thing.
00:24:49.269 --> 00:24:54.623
When it comes to those damaged bears, I'm just terrible.
00:24:54.623 --> 00:24:57.619
They're the ones I always really go for.
00:24:57.619 --> 00:25:02.549
So what do you think about when people restore a bear or repair a bear?
00:25:02.549 --> 00:25:07.982
Do you think it's a good idea, or should we just leave them looking a little bit sad?
00:25:10.750 --> 00:25:13.157
good idea, or should we just leave them looking a little bit sad?
00:25:13.157 --> 00:25:21.659
Well, there's certain things you kind of have to do because you can't leave dirt on the teddy bear, because that rots the, the mohair and you know any sort of holes, a perfect place for a moth to get into.
00:25:21.659 --> 00:25:24.250
So really you should do something.
00:25:24.250 --> 00:25:26.034
But I think you have to be so careful.
00:25:26.034 --> 00:25:27.616
It's a, it's not anyone.
00:25:27.616 --> 00:25:31.684
Can you just come along and become a teddy bear restore just because you can sew?
00:25:31.684 --> 00:25:35.272
You know you've got to keep that character.
00:25:36.155 --> 00:25:51.917
And some people I see it time and time again where they get an 100 year old teddy bear and they treat it as if it's a new teddy bear and they want it as clean as possible, they want it as stuffed as possible and put new pads on it and new eyes, and it just loses its life.
00:25:51.917 --> 00:25:57.035
Really, you've got to just you've just got to take each bear on its merit and just.
00:25:57.035 --> 00:26:01.383
I mean my favorite repairs are what I call mum repairs.
00:26:01.383 --> 00:26:15.318
When you know, when I get a bear in from someone's attic, often mum has just done some very crude stitching on its foot or covered it's a hole with a flowery material and I think that's really lovely.
00:26:15.519 --> 00:26:16.382
But you, just you do have to.
00:26:16.382 --> 00:26:19.095
I do think you have to do a certain amount.
00:26:19.095 --> 00:26:33.922
But then, saying that, there's also, you know, you can get a very old, perfect condition or very near perfect condition bear that just needs a light clean and a hole in its pad, which these days they can do an invisible repair on.
00:26:33.922 --> 00:26:41.520
That is a good way of doing it as well, because you end up with a really, you know, magnificent, completely undamaged bear.
00:26:41.520 --> 00:26:46.181
But it's just, it's again, it's a personal choice and it depends on how bad he is in the first place.
00:26:46.181 --> 00:26:53.703
If they're really bad, I think you have to go it that as being their character and leave it as alone as possible.
00:26:54.309 --> 00:27:01.461
They're aging gracefully, yes, so how can we find out more about this auction in December?
00:27:01.461 --> 00:27:06.101
Anyone can bid from any place in the world on your website.
00:27:06.101 --> 00:27:08.406
Website on the SAS website or on.
00:27:08.426 --> 00:27:14.099
Yeah, we have our own platform, which is on SAS specialauctionservicescom, which you don't pay any extra for.
00:27:14.099 --> 00:27:21.782
But we also host it on sellroomcom and live auctioneers and you have to pay an extra five percent for being on those.
00:27:21.782 --> 00:27:27.286
So we always try and get people onto our platform because it's cheaper, but that's always.
00:27:27.286 --> 00:27:37.472
You know, some people are more comfortable bidding on a separate platform and so, yes, I mean already on our website we've got some previews about the bears.
00:27:37.472 --> 00:27:50.532
You can sign up anytime and actually I always say to people go to our website, sign up for any auction that's coming up and just have a look at it and you know you might be attracted and put in a cheeky bid somewhere.
00:27:50.532 --> 00:27:59.352
But just so you're comfortable with bidding and how it all works, make sure your password and all that sort of thing is ready, so you don't want to be doing that on the day and then go.
00:27:59.352 --> 00:28:02.137
I can't do it and uh, and it all goes wrong.
00:28:02.298 --> 00:28:14.950
So I've got quite a big presence on Facebook and Instagram, so from now on I'm going to be really plugging this auction so there'll be a lot more features coming up on that so you can follow me on Facebook.
00:28:14.950 --> 00:28:16.292
I think I'm the only.
00:28:16.292 --> 00:28:22.455
I mean it's quite easy to find Daniel Agnew surrounded by teddy bears on Facebook, so you should be able to find me.
00:28:22.455 --> 00:28:25.550
There's lots of ways and, as I said, it's going to be a fun auction.
00:28:25.550 --> 00:28:30.874
So it's one of those sales which I say is like the sale to come to if you can.
00:28:30.874 --> 00:28:41.269
You know definitely it's got so many lovely things in it there's going to be a real buzz about it I'd love to come, but I know the temptation would be terrible.
00:28:44.396 --> 00:28:53.000
It's going to be the most fantastic auction and we're going to be sharing lots of details and some pictures on our website.
00:28:53.000 --> 00:29:05.457
So thank you so much for sharing so many wonderful stories about this auction and so many details about these very, very special bears and we look forward to.
00:29:05.457 --> 00:29:09.597
I imagine we can just tune in and follow along with the auction.
00:29:11.573 --> 00:29:15.631
Yes, if you don't want to spend any money, don't actually sign up to bid, you can just.
00:29:15.631 --> 00:29:20.695
There's a watch button so you can just watch it go and that's great fun as well.
00:29:20.695 --> 00:29:28.556
You know, just, I've got lots of people who perhaps don't get out as much as they used to and can't get to the fairs and or to the auctions, and they just love it.
00:29:28.556 --> 00:29:33.765
You know, we're now as I said, we're now we've got four teddy bear sales a year.
00:29:33.765 --> 00:29:36.039
We've actually got five this year, so we've still got.
00:29:36.039 --> 00:29:41.020
We've actually got a november sale of teddy bears and the december sale teddy bears, um.
00:29:41.020 --> 00:29:42.405
So there's lots of opportunities.
00:29:42.405 --> 00:29:45.515
So just watching is just such fun and you learn so much as well.
00:29:45.816 --> 00:29:48.923
See how how much things are selling for and there's always bargains.
00:29:48.923 --> 00:29:55.271
I mean it might not be in the Teddy Bears or Whitney sale, but generally there's always things that go quite cheaply and people go.
00:29:55.271 --> 00:29:57.058
Why didn't I bid on that?
00:29:57.058 --> 00:29:57.672
You know?
00:29:57.672 --> 00:30:03.481
So you know, maybe it is worth signing up just in case something sells for £10 or £20.
00:30:03.481 --> 00:30:06.259
And you know, we ship in-house from here as well.
00:30:06.259 --> 00:30:11.898
So we and you know, in, we ship in-house from here as well, so we send all over the world um shipments in-house.
00:30:11.898 --> 00:30:14.609
We've got a very good packing team so they take great care of your teddy bears and dolls.
00:30:15.310 --> 00:30:22.952
So, yeah, it's been a great place to come well, this is going to be an event to look forward to and I can't wait.
00:30:22.952 --> 00:30:38.204
There's going to be so many ways we can share in the joy of this auction, whether we see it online, and we're going to, of course, put lots of links on our various pages, and plenty of links so that they can find your Facebook and Instagram.
00:30:38.204 --> 00:30:44.942
Daniel Agnew, thank you so much for joining us and sharing the tales of these wonderful bears.
00:30:44.942 --> 00:30:51.739
I'm sure we wish them well on their new adventures, giving these teddy bears new tales to tell.
00:30:53.031 --> 00:30:53.755
Thank you very much.
00:30:53.755 --> 00:30:54.815
It's been lovely talking to you.
00:30:56.211 --> 00:30:57.214
It's been a pleasure.
00:30:57.214 --> 00:30:57.998
Thank you, daniel.
00:30:57.998 --> 00:31:06.359
Thank you for joining us on the Doll Podcast and our new feature, collectible Conversations.
00:31:06.359 --> 00:31:21.103
If you'd like to find out more about Daniel Agnew and this fantastic auction, please go to our website, wwwdollpodcastcom.
00:31:21.103 --> 00:31:26.069
You can find the Doll Podcast on Instagram and Facebook.
00:31:26.069 --> 00:31:34.153
You can find Daniel Agnew on Facebook and on Instagram as TeddymanDan.
00:31:34.153 --> 00:31:39.221
The Doll Podcast is created by Niche Media Productions.
00:31:39.221 --> 00:31:42.369
Our music is by Kelty Conspiracy.
00:31:42.369 --> 00:31:46.310
Copyright Lisa Maxwell 2024,.
00:31:46.310 --> 00:31:48.132
All rights reserved.
00:31:48.132 --> 00:31:51.532
We look forward to welcoming you the next time.
00:31:51.532 --> 00:31:52.173
Thank you.
ข้อสงวนสิทธิ์: พอดแคสต์และอาร์ตเวิร์คที่ฝังอยู่ในหน้านี้มาจาก Louisa Maxwell ซึ่งเป็นทรัพย์สินของเจ้าของและไม่มีส่วนเกี่ยวข้องหรือรับรองโดย Listen Notes, Inc.
