In 1984 Lowenthal started sculpting miniature Gnome Homes that were made of resin and also designed his first jointed Merino Wool Teddy Bear. It was named after their son Matthew.
Plush, Figurines, Giftware, Home Decor
Over the years the company has always had a sense of humor, evident in the whimsical nature of their products and the writing on their web site. This fun attitude, along with their affordable prices has appealed to bear lovers and gained a strong collector base over the years.Boyds has evolved from the original duck decoys and plush animals, to resin figures, tableware, gifts and jewelry.
Where to find Boyds Bears? Look in your local gift shops for these collectible items. Although The Boyds Collection did make line of Boyds Baby Push several years ago, their items are not considered toys or for children under eight years old.
Lots of Bears, Lots of Series!
Boyds has produced numerous series of bears over the years, according to Boyds Tracker Plush. These series include the Himalayan Dancing bears (pronounced hump); Bailey and Friends (8" bears in different outfits); Woolies (100% wool); Bubba bears (double-jounted faces); Bears in the Attic; and Message Bears. But there are many more series than those mentioned and to learn more, an excellent resource on Boyds Plush is Boyds Tracker Plush published by Bangzoom. the book as loads of information on the different series, as well as hundreds of pictures.Here are a few special bears from Boyds over the years:
Boyds Bear Cookie Jars
Barb Crews
The first cookie jars were a series of seven of their popular bears in vignette settings. Several years later other jars were added to their line, including limited editions available only in their retail store in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and jars that were part of the dinnerware lines.
Our American Hero Bears
Two special edition bears were shown to Boyds' dealers in January 2002 and sold out in just 10 days. The "Our American Hero...Strength, Dedication and Courage" Bears are done in both Bearstone and in Crumpleton.$450,000 from the sale of these two special Limited Editions, created as a tribute to the rescue workers, was given to the 9-11 Disaster Relief Fund. An additional $150,000 was raised from the Sale of Teddy B. Bear on October 13, 2001. The special event mohair bear was sold out in one day and Boyds donated $1.00 for every Teddy B. Bear sold.
Bearstone Version
Boyd Collection Ltd
Our American Hero Bear.
- Size: 5"
- Material: Resin
- LE of 65,000
- Issue Price: $15.
Crumpleton Version
Boyds Collection Ltd
- Size: 12.5"
- Material: Mixed Media
- LE of 30,000
- Issue Price: $40.
Red Hat Society Bear
Boyds
From Boyds Collection;
The Red Hat Society started with a group of older ladies in California who were inspired by a poem entitled "Warning" by Jenny Joseph. In the poem Joseph mentions, "When I am an old woman I shall wear purple…".
Issue price: $28.
The Starlight Children's Foundation
On September 29, 2002, The Boyds Collection Ltd. donated $1,000,000 to The Starlight Children's Foundation, an organization dedicated to brightening the lives of seriously ill children and their families. Each year, Boyds donates 100% of its profits from the sale of a limited edition resin figurine and a plush bear to Starlight. Their third figure resin figurine, created exclusively for Starlight, reached the one million dollar mark.Boyds Pottery Collections
Boyds Collection Ltd
Six collections were offered:
- The Homestead Collection features primitive folk art farm scenes and country-check borders
- Bountiful Collection features a colorful fruit and ribbon motif
Starry nights Collection with whimsical watercolor snowmen.
- I've been a Very Good Bear Collection, inspired by the popular Kringle Bearstone characters.
- Home Sweet Home Collection featuring a smiling Boyds character and a country style that's ideal for display in most country kitchens
- Bless Us All Collection inspired by Boyds' angel bear designs
Santa Bear
Boyds Collection Ltd
