[edit] Kinds of teddy bears
10 modern day Teddy bears of various type.
Commercially made, mass produced teddy bears are predominantly made as toys for children. These bears have safety joints for attaching arms legs and heads. They also have securely fastened eyes that do not pose a choking hazard for small children. These "plush" bears must meet a rigid standard of construction in order to be marketed to children in the United States and in European Economic Community.
By contrast, Artist Bears, are not mass produced and definitely not intended for small children. In fact, most carry a tag saying just that. These bears are intended for an adult market of avid collectors. They are individually created by a whole host of artists around the world. Many of these artists design their own bears as well as making them by hand or stitching them up on home sewing machines. These bears are not mass marketed. They are available for purchase through the individual artists, specialty shops, web sites, and at art shows, Teddy Bear shows and craft shows across the globe. These bears are almost always jointed with movable heads, arms and legs. The jointing systems to attach these appendages and heads are most often disk and screw or disk and cotter pin combinations but can be done with buttons, simple string, chain or any other method an enterprising artist may devise.
The "fur" from which these charming creatures are made is as varied and interesting as the bears themselves. Mohair, the fur shorn or combed from a breed of long haired goats, is woven into cloth, dyed and trimmed to produce a fascinating choice for any artist's palette. In addition to mohair, there is a huge selection of "plush" or synthetic fur made for the teddy bear market. Both these types of fur are commercially produced.
Some Teddy Bear Artists specialize in the production of bears made from recycled materials. These artists haunt thrift stores, flea markets, garage sales and trash collection centers as well as their own and their familys' basements and attics in search of forgotten treasures to be turned into a collector's dream. Old quilts, dresses, fur collars, coats and stoles as well as beaded bags and garments are quickly transformed into stunning teddy bears.
Source from Wikipedia
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