273. Bear Essential: BABY BEAR PULL TOY

I had it in my mind, that in the near future, I will open an antique toy museum in Pampanga, based on my rather extensive collection of vintage toys and playthings. I had already pitched the idea to a university in my province, which welcomed the unique idea of showcasing toys that shaped and defined our childhood. I have been stashing old toys I could find, ever since.

Toys, however, are not exactly hot collectibles in the country, rarely showing up in traditional antique shops. I have seen a few sungkaans lying around, largely ignored--but not old commercial toys from the 20s and 30s that were once staples in downtown bazaars and emporia like I. Beck's, Aguinaldo's and La Puerta del Sol.

 So it was a major 'eureka' moment for me when I found this whimsical pull toy from the 1930s from an online seller on sulit.com.ph , of all all places--the Philippines' largest online shop. I hardly noticed this seller, who advertised a couple of steel Wyandotte trucks and cars on his site. When I called him up, I was disappointed to know that he had sold most of his motor toys, which are so desirable today.

He told me, however, he still had a few toys from the 30s, toys which his grandfather had played with, and which now they are trying to dispose. One toy that caught my fancy was this baby bear pull toy; it was a stuffed, plush bear mounted on 2-sized wooden wheels. When pulled, the bear nods forward, which certainly would have delighted kids.

There is no marked on the straw-stuffed, glass-eyed bear; it may be a Steiff or a Schuco, German companies that specialized in stuffed toys. Saved for a few bald patches and a missing screw on one of his paws, the toy was in good shape after all these 70 plus years!!!

This example is the first I've seen locally--the other in my possession is a camel push-toy that's larger and meant for older children. For a few hundred pesos, I bought this huggy bear home. Cleaned, oiled  and restored, it is stored in a cabinet, ready to grin and 'bear' it--when the toy museum opens.