Collecting Tips:

Notes for The Beginning Bear Collector by
Dee Hockenberry

Buy only what you really like. If you purchase a teddy because you can not live without it, changes are you will always be happy with your choice. If the bear happens to increase in value over time, count that as a bonus, but don't let investment be your first criteria.
Buy the best you can afford.
Before embarking on really expensive vintage bears, do your homework first by reading what you can, handling old bears at shows, and working with an established dealer whom you can trust.
If you want a bear that has a great face but lacks a great deal of mohair, do be sure that the price reflects the condition.
When buying new bears, be sure to keep all tags intact and don't dispose of the box if it comes with one. Although most of us don't think we'll ever sell, sometimes circumstances change. Changes for resale are greater if the bear and accessories are complete.
Above all, have fun!

Storage Tips:

Storage Tips for Your Teddy Bear Collection by
Margaret Mandel

Many collectors like to rotate their collection according to the seasons and the holidays. But how can you safely store your treasured teddy bears.

Locate old cotton sheets that you can recycle into storage wraps for your teddy bears. (Yard sales are great sources for old cotton sheets.) Do not use plastic because it will not allow the fibers to breath.
Before using any cotton sheet, wash it. Then double-rense in distilled water or rain water. The double-rinse removes any chemical residue from detergents.
When the sheet is dry and cut to size, wrap your bears. Then relax, for your bear is now safe. The cotton sheet protects your bear from the harmful acid found in tissue paper and cardboard. Once wrapped, your bear can be tucked inside its original box, if you have it.

More Resources

To learn more see the Teddy Bear and Friends
Bookshelf
for Dee and Margaret's many books for teddy bear collectors. Also, look in every issue of the magazine for Margaret's column title "Rare and Unusual" and Dee's "Price Guide", a regular report on current values for collector bears.