Old Bear No. 3 - Georgie

I have just finished cleaning and tidying up my 3rd old bear, whom I have called Georgie.  I am not sure if the bear is a male or female so with this name it can be either!
For the purpose of this blog I will refer to the bear as 'he'.

I am not sure of his make, but I believe him to be English circa 1940's 1950's as with my others.  This seems to be the era that draws me to the bears.

He is a lovely gold mohair with a few bald patches, but given his age not too many.  He has rexine paws which are a bit bare, but with no tears or holes.

When I got him he was advertised as a musical bear, but on investigation he has a very dilapitated squeaker that I left in even though it has gone to squeaker heaven a long time ago.
He has shivered in my freezer and had a 'teddy bear special' bath and now his mohair is lovely and fluffy and soft.

I have not touched his face apart from having to put a few stitches in one of his ears.  He has a lopsided quizzical smile and a bit of a wobbly head thing going on, but it all adds to his appeal.

I am not sure what to do about his eyes.  They are both there but one of them has lost the outer coloured bit.  They are old type plastic and if I replaced them it would have to be with same size and colour glass ones.  (the plastic ones available now have safety fastenings not the wire as with Georgie's).
I did wonder about giving him an eye patch or glasses, but think I will just leave him as he is and see what people think.  So far at the craft shop customers have said to leave them as they are as it is part of his character.


Anyway, here are his before and after shots:-



Looking a bit shy



Practicing his Regal wave



Squinting at the camera









Smiling at my craft shop cusomers

 

Looking a bit grubby




All spruced up and ready for his outing

Isn't he a cute little bear?  He is only about 11 inches tall.  I am beginning to fall for these old characters.  If no-one wants to buy them I will happily keep them for myself. 

Georgie will be available shortly in my Etsy shop (there is a link to the right of this page).