{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O37106"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O37106/"}},"images":null,"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O37106","accessionNumber":"B.95:1-1996","objectType":"Teddy bear","titles":[{"title":"Teddy or teddy","type":"manufacturer's title"}],"summaryDescription":"","physicalDescription":"1.  teddy bear.  The fur is artificial silk plush with the head, arms and legs of a brown looped stitch and the pads and inner ears of pale blue.  A piece of brown fabric has been sewn over the nose with a few strands of black cotton to represent the mouth.  The eyes are of black and amber glass on wire shanks, placed on face seams (one is discoloured).  The ears are large, cupped and sewn over the face seams; both have been restitched.  The nose protrudes slightly but there is no muzzle.  The whole is stuffed with solid wood-wool and is quite heavy.  The bear's arms and legs are jointed but the head is not jointed.\nThe bear is in poor condition  The body, arms and legs are completely encased in a baby's all-in-one acrylic garment which has been completely sewn up.  The fur is very threadbare and has been patched in places.  All the joints are loose - both arms and at least one leg have actually come adrift.  There is some loose stuffing.  The baby garment is basically holding the bear together.\n\nMarks on the baby's garment:-  for a one year old Tip Top Made in Israel.\n\n2.  photograph dated 21-3-48 (March 21, 1948).  The photograph shows the donor, the bear, a doll and two cousins; it was taken in the Netherlands before the donor moved to England.\n3.  photograph dated '51 (1951).  The photograph was taken in Lea Hoe House, Hertford, where the donor's stepfather and mother had a flat and the Hertfordshire Fire Brigade had its HQ.  The donor and family came to England in 1949 and in 1951, she and the bear were photographed for a selection of fire prevention posters.  In this photograph, the bear is being held by the donor while she is standing before an electric fire with her nightgown touching the bars.\n\n\n*Notes\nAlthough the teddy bear is in poor condition it has two very interesting points.  It is very like a bear known as ARTHUR VAN GELDEN, a Dutch bear of the 1930s which is solid and heavy as is this bear.  The history of the bear is also very important.\n\nThe donor, born Diona Marieta Thomas in Le Hague on March 31, 1944, received the bear in late 1945 or 1946 from Major John Redpath (who was to become her stepfather).  He was with the British Military Mission to the Netherlands and her mother, Claesina van der Vlerk, was working for the UNRRA (the UN Refugee Relief Commision as it was then known). The bear was bought for Stg 5 from the NAAFI.  Because of the severe conditions which existed in Holland at the time, many items were exchanged for food rations.  This was not a black market situation, rather a question of using items for bartering and the bear is likely to have fallen into this category.  The history of this particular bear gives an insight into the many problems which arose as a result of war and how the average person in an occupied country coped with the situation.  At the time, there was virtually no manufacturing of teddy bears or other toys, either in Great Britain or Europe.","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"artificial silk","id":"x34782"}],"techniques":[{"text":"stuffing","id":"AAT231130"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"stuffed artificial silk plush","categories":[{"text":"Soft toys","id":"THES274376"},{"text":"Toys and games","id":"THES262248"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"YVA","id":"THES48593"},"images":[],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"S8","id":"THES252785"},"free":"","case":"MB6","shelf":"5","box":""},{"current":{"text":"005","id":"THES324061"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"005","id":"THES324061"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Teddy bear","id":""}],[{"text":"photograph","id":"AAT46300"}],[{"text":"photograph","id":"AAT46300"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Holland","id":"x29020"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"late 1930s","earliest":"1935-01-01","latest":"1939-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"References: The Ultimate Teddy Bear Book\n\nsee details below","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"teddy bear, dutch, late 1930s","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["B.95:1-1996","B.95:2-1996","B.95:3-1996"],"accessionNumberNum":"95","accessionNumberPrefix":"B","accessionYear":1996,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Teddy bear","Photograph [1]","Photograph [2]"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-08-05","recordCreationDate":"2000-04-18","availableToBook":false}}