The Queen Elizabeth Teddy Bear Epidemic

We love stuffed toys. At least most of us do for a huge chunk of our juvenile lives. However, many never got to outgrow such fondness for our furry animal friends. In fact, many kids at heart and adults of today have turned into collecting these pieces. Apart from their childhood stash, they too have taken it upon themselves to get their hands on collectibles, one of which is the Queen Elizabeth Teddy bear.

Unlike vintage pieces that have been preserved for years, the Queen Elizabeth Teddy bear is actually a recent one and a limited edition design too. People went gaga over it the moment it hit shelves that they sold like pancakes. Only a few more pieces are up for grabs from first line sellers while others are already marked up and sold by scalpers knowing their demand.

You might be wondering what brought about such adoration for a piece of toy. Well let us tell you that the Queen Elizabeth Teddy bear is no ordinary toy.

Designed and manufactured by one of the world’s most renowned companies, the toy is a product of the Steiff brand, a German company known to be the original creator of teddy bears and the first one to put them in the market back in 1904. Steiff is known for its high quality toys that stand the test of time. In fact, many vintage pieces from the 1900s are still in good condition today and treated as collectible items. Apart from its regular releases, the brand is also known to create limited edition pieces.

The Queen Elizabeth Teddy bear also celebrates a historic salute to the royalty to which it has been named after and made for. As of the year 2015, Queen Elizabeth II has earned the title as the longest reigning British monarch surpassing the late Queen Victoria’s of over 63 years.

They toy was designed to be regal and timeless to resonate with her majesty. The five jointed bear is made of white Schulte mohair and stands 30 centimeters in height. It comes with a sparkling crown and a royal coronation robe in deep blue with spotted plush edging. On one of its paws, a musical staff embroidery can be found to represent that it is a musical bear that plays “God Save the Queen”, the national anthem. Because it is a limited and special release, the Queen Elizabeth Teddy bear comes with the signature Steiff trademark, the button in ear in gold plating.

How to Authenticate Real Steiff Bears from Fake Ones

With its top of the line caliber and the demand for such toys, many imitation and fake models of Steiff bears have appeared on the market. This is especially true for the limited edition releases and vintage pieces that many collectors tend to flock to and even bid at in auctions all over the globe. This makes it a necessity for everyone to learn how to differentiate authentic Steiff bears from the fakeones. Worry no more because we’ll teach you how.

First of all, let’s begin by establishing that knowledge is your best weapon. You have to bring your smarts into the game if you want to ensure authenticity. After all, one cannot make fool of the wise and sensible. This necessitates a lot of research and time put into getting to know the toys, the models and what separates genuine from sham. 

There are three basic identifiers of a true blue Steiff product. These are the ear tags, the Knopf Im Ohr or button in ears and the chest pendants.

1.    EAR TAGS

Beginning from 1908s, ear tags were attached to the toys together with the Knopf Im Ohr. The standard design is characterized by a yellow fabric tape with the company and the words "Made in Germany by Steiff" in red lettering. Limited edition replicas are given white ear tags with black lettering while special limited edition collections bear white tags with red lettering.

2.    KNOPF IM OHR (BUTTON IN EARS)

Of the three in this list, button in ears would have to be the most popular of all and one that greatly increases the value of any vintage or rare find with its presence. Its design has not dramatically changed over the course of years but it has had slight alterations in terms of size, material and letterings here and there. This helps buyers check not only the authenticity of the teddy bear but also its true age.

3.    CHEST PENDANTS

In 1926, the company began to place chest pendants around the neck of their Steiff bears. These often bear the company’s insignia alongside the toy’s name. Just like the first two identifiers, these have come to evolve over time. For example, from 1926 to 1928 they were made of white round sturdy paper with black lettering. By 1928 to 1950, red and yellow paper with a huge bear head was used. In 1950 to 1972, the bear head logo became smaller in size. In 1983 a white paper tag circle was employed and currently a white paper tag circle with red inner circle and the original elephant insignia is used.