More than just a fictional bear, Paddington has been described as a British icon. Tens of millions of author Michael Bond’s books have been sold worldwide and, since the publication of the first Paddington story in 1958, the marmalade-loving bear from Darkest Peru has appeared in numerous TV shows, films and commercials. But it’s the most recent film franchise that has transformed Paddington into a global mega star. The November release of Paddington in Peru struck H&A as the perfect opportunity to explore the world of Paddington…
SOFT TOYS
Kathy Taylor, valuer at the specialist collectables auctioneer Vectis, explains the burgeoning market for cuddly Paddington Bears
'I’ve been valuing toys and collectables since 1999 and, during that time, there have been so many different fluctuations and trends in the teddy bear market. Some collectors are interested in the very early bears made in the early 1900s; others focus on particular brands, like Steiff or Merrythought or Charlie Bears; or they might be interested in what we call Artist Bears – one-of-a-kind or limited-edition teddies made by contemporary artists.
Paddington is a true celebrity bear, with his own character and following. Of course, he’s not the only teddy to be inspired by books, films or TV – think of Rupert Bear or Winnie-the-Pooh. Some are quite obscure, such as Teddy Edward, who featured in a 1970s TV series, or Pip, Squeak and Wilfred – a dog, penguin and rabbit – who starred in a newspaper cartoon strip that ran from 1919 to 1956.
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But there’s something a bit different about Paddington. The recent films definitely created more interest in collecting Paddingtons but, more than anything, it was the lovely film that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth made not long before she died that breathed new life into the market. It feels like everyone has watched her eating marmalade sandwiches with Paddington Bear. I think that’s why so many people feel a special bond with Paddington – it’s the connection with the late Queen.
In recent years, lots of different companies have made Paddington Bears. Specialists such as Steiff
have produced limited-edition Paddingtons, ranging from miniatures designed to go on the Christmas tree, to life-size 42-inch-tall versions. As so few were originally made, they can do quite well in the secondary market. In December 2022, we sold a life-size Steiff Paddington for £1,400.
The original Paddington Bear teddies were made in the 1970s by Shirley Clarkson – the TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson’s mother – for a company she and her husband ran called Gabrielle Designs. She made the first bear for her own children, inspired by Michael Bond’s books, and in 1972 acquired a licence to sell them in the UK. It operated on a relatively small scale, with the bears handmade in a factory in Doncaster.
To help them stand up, their earliest Paddingtons wore size four Dunlop wellington boots, not just in red, but yellow, blue and green (on the later Gabrielle bears, the boots are marked PB, with a paw print). Paddington’s hat and clothes came in different colours, or shades of the same colour. Gabrielle didn’t do a huge range, but they also made a Paddington glove puppet, and an Aunt Lucy, who is quite rare.
In 1975, the US company Eden Toys acquired the licence to make and sell Paddington Bears throughout the rest of the world, but these were made on a larger commercial scale, so it tends to be the British Gabrielle Paddingtons that collectors are interested in.
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It’s difficult to find the early Gabrielle bears in really good condition. Most of them were bought as toys, after all. The bodies were made of synthetic plush, which tends to have survived quite well, but the hat and clothes were wool felt. Often they’ve been attacked by moths, or gone very bobbly. If the clothes have been through the washing machine, then they’re a write-off. We see lots of naked Paddingtons, or Paddingtons wearing only their boots, which might make £20 to £30 at auction. But an early Gabrielle Paddington in pristine condition, with all its clothes, and with the original cardboard label saying ‘Please look after this bear’ could make 10 times more.
Although Paddington is so strongly associated with Britain, we have buyers from all over the world. Who knows? One day perhaps we might even send one back to Darkest Peru.'
vectis.co.uk
OTHER COLLECTABLES
Inside the world of celebrity soft toys
For decades, toy makers have produced cuddly versions of children’s favourite fictional animals. As far back as 1903, Peter Rabbit became the first to be transformed into a patented soft toy. In the 1930s, Disney sold the rights to a company called Deans Rag Book to make a toy version of Mickey Mouse.
But famous soft toys don’t always remain famous forever. ‘Interest tends to fade in celebrity bears when they slip from people’s memories,’ explains Kathy Taylor.
While some star bears have faded away, others are gaining in popularity. ‘When people enter their 30s and 40s, they start feeling nostalgic about the soft toys they played with as children; they want to own them again. So there’s a market now for characters like the Care Bears or My Little Pony; even plushie Pokémon dating to the late 90s.’
Other celebrity soft toys never seem to go out of fashion because the films or books in which they feature are constantly being revived, says Kathy. Star Wars is a good example. ‘When people think of Star Wars toys, they mainly think of the little plastic figures, but they also licensed a plush Chewbacca – not a traditional teddy bear, but it’s still a soft toy. Vectis recently sold a high-grade example for £540.’
A big difference with the past, notes Kathy, is that while celebrity bears were previously bought by adults for children, now they’re also bought by adults for themselves.
‘In 2021, we sold a limited-edition white alpaca Karl Lagerfeld teddy by Steiff for £4,200 – the appeal wasn’t just to Steiff collectors but also to people in the fashion world. The world of celebrity bears
gets bigger all the time.’
