Shopping for Schuco Bears


The house of Schuco is one of the most celebrated manufacturers of Teddy Bears. Today the antique bears made by the company are regarded as a top quality product and collectors will pay high sums for the genuine article. But the company has not had the smoothest of rides and has undergone great highs and great lows in its history. In 1976 the company hit rock bottom and was forced to close down. However, because of the superb quality of all the products it manufactured, the Schuco name has never lost its good reputation and in the late 1990s a new buyer bought the Schuco name. The teddy bear collecting community waits to see if it will regain its former glory.

In the meantime the market for antique Schuco bears is healthy. The company dates back to 1921 when Heinrich Muller and Heinrich Schreyer formed a partnership based in the great toy-manufacturing city of Nuremberg, Germany. It was Muller who was to be the company’s guiding light. He had gained his experience at the Bing Toy Company which specialised in mechanical toys and set the trend for mechanical toys at Schuco. The company had already enjoyed a modicum of success before the war but things really began to take off after World War I. Their speciality was mechanical teddies and animals that would nod or shake their heads if you shook their tail. Teddies from the period 1948 – 1954 are the most sought-after Schuco and a bear in mint condition will fetch around $1500. Schuco also produced some commercial teddies such as a Mickey Mouse range in mohair. These are delightful – with hand painted faces and dressed in perfect little Mickey Mouse suits. Another popular purchase for the antique teddy bear shopper is the Schuco range of mini bears. Like their big brothers, these were designed to stand up and were manufactured to exacting standards. A 10 cm high 1950s Schuco mini bear is valued from $200 - $300. To identify a 1950s Schuco, look for the red plastic ‘Tricky’ tag, felt cardboard lined foot pads and clear glass eyes, carefully painted brown at the back.