Antique American Ideal Teddy Bear at Miss. Museum of Natural Science

I'm very proud that one of my antique bears, Ernie, has gone to the Miss. Museum of Natural Science for a permanent exhibit. The exhibit will be telling the story of Teddy Roosevelt refusing to kill the bear cub, hence the beginning of the teddy bear. Of course, all happening there in Mississippi. Ernie is an excellent choice, as he's an early American Ideal teddy, dating to around 1906-1907. The exhibit will not be open for several months, but the museum  has promised to send pictures when it's finished, which I'll post later.

TEDDY BEAR YARD ART

You never know what you'll find at estate sales. This house was totally trashed, walking over mounds of junk and garbage, nothing marked as there was little worth pricing, no electricity in the basement, so you had to get out your handy flashlight. I couldn't wait to get out of the house so I went out the back door so I wouldn't have to walk back through the house. There sat my treasures in the back yard. A 2 1/2 foot cement bear with his baby climbing up the tree. I fell in love immediately and started wheeling and dealing. Hubby happened to be with me, and bless his heart, he got that 300 pound bear into the van. He wasn't in perfect shape...hubby had to make him a new foot and he needed some touch up paint. Then we were determined to get him a big stump to sit on...another 300 pound venture. Baby bear decided to climb up the architectural column in the yard as it all came together. 

ANTIQUE BING TEDDY BEAR WHEELED TOY

I was so thrilled at one of my newest acquisitions, a most wonderful antique pull toy. Most surely made by Bing, dating to 1900. The little bear is covered in mohair and is attached to a metal bell toy on wheels. The first time I saw one of these was at the Chelsea Teddy Bear and Toy Museum in Chelsea, Mich. I took pictures, and actually, this little toy was in one of my pictures on a previous blog about the museum. I was so excited to actually find one.