Description
A rare large Steiff brown tipped mohair Teddy Clown bear, with provenance circa 1927, with brown tipped white mohair, clear and black glass eyes with brown backs, pronounced muzzle, black vertically stitched nose, mouth and claws, swivel head, jointed elongated limbs with felt pads, hump, inoperative tilt growler, underscored FF button, with remains of original white tag, conical felt hat with pink pom poms and muslin ruff --26 1/2in. (67cm.) including hat (hat reduced in size at some stage possibly due to loss at rim, missing some mouth stitching, very small hole to left hand pad at point) and a photograph of the original owner Josefina González González with this bear dated Havana 1927 - Josefina González Gonzales was born in La Habana in 1927, and received the bear as a gift from a close relative at birth.There were high-quality European shops in Cuba where the rich purchased household appliances, technology and toys. It was in one of these shops that this Steiff bear was acquired. Josefina's family, of Spanish origin, had settled in Cuba, where they ran a business selling Cuban cigars. In 1948, aged 21, she married Agustín Gómez de la Riva, and they had three children in Cuba. The bear accompanied her throughout her childhood and youth on the island, until 1959, when Fidel Castro came to power following the Cuban Revolution, the family was forced to leave the country, abandoning their home, their business, and much of their belongings, the bear managed to travel with them to Spain, becoming one of the few objects they were able to preserve from their life in Cuba. She gave the bear to her only granddaughter, as the rest of her grandchildren were boys; she has carefully preserved it to this day, 100 years after its purchase and it has always remained in the family.
Buyer's Premium
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A rare large Steiff brown tipped mohair Teddy Clown bear, with provenance circa 1927,
Estimate £8,000-£10,000
Starting Price
£6,000
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Fine Dolls, Teddy Bears & Traditional Toys
Jun 23, 2026 6:00 AM EDTNEWBURY, West Berkshire, UK
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