The Steiff Bears, Britain, United States, France and Australia. We refer to today s teds as one of the few cradle to grave toys. People purchase teddy bears as crib toys for babies. Young men buy them for their sweethearts as a token of affection. They are used for solace in police cars and hospitals.
Dealers buy for profit.
And collectors buy them for pure joy. People collect bears for a variety of reasons. Some collect just advertising bears, some collect bears made the year they were born. Old, new, big, small ceramic, Boyds Bears, Teddy music boxes, you name it, if it is a ted I collect it. I usually respond to the way the bear looks at me.