Happy 95th Anniversary, Merrythought
2025 is a very special year for Merrythought Bears. It is their 95th anniversary, which is a significant milestone when you think that this business has survived all the turbulence of the mid to late Twentieth Century and beyond.
As part of their celebrations, Merrythought have released their 95th Anniversary Commemorative Teddy Bear. Mine arrived today!
Marrying Sapphire (45th) and Golden (50th) anniversary years, the Merrythought 95th Anniversary Commemorative Teddy Bear is a most distinguished bear, who has been beautifully hand-crafted from two tones of the finest golden mohair, combined with pure cotton velvet. Merrythought’s stunning 95th anniversary colours subtly feature throughout the bear’s design, including the simplified logo embroidered upon his left paw. A special edition 95th anniversary foot label is stitched on his right paw, marking what is a significant milestone in Merrythought’s longstanding history. The Merrythought 95th Anniversary Commemorative Teddy Bear. is adorned with a luscious double satin bow, in the centre of which is a detailed twenty-four carat gold-plated pendant embellished with the iconic Merrythought wishbone, framed by sapphire crystals. The reverse is engraved with the Merrythought logo, and ’95 years, 1930-2025’
Each Merrythought 95th Anniversary Commemorative Teddy Bear. is individually numbered as part of a limited edition of 1930 pieces to mark the year of Merrythought's commencement. Mine is number 23.
The story of Merrythought began in 1930. William Gordon Holmes, owner of a spinning mill in Yorkshire called ‘Holmes & Laxton’, recognised the opportunity to make premium soft toys from the luxurious natural fibres they sourced. He found a beautiful brick foundry building in Ironbridge, Shropshire, home of the industrial revolution, and with the help of a team of skilled local seamstresses, Merrythought was born.
The first collection was designed by Florence Attwood, a remarkable pattern maker who overcame many challenges associated with being deaf and unable to speak, to create some of our most iconic designs. This included the original Merrythought and Magnet teddy bears, which still have a strong influence upon the designs they create today. With cheap imports increasingly affecting the traditional British toy sector in the 1970s, Merrythought focused on the growing teddy bear collectors market. Impressive collections of beautifully-designed limited edition bears were created and sold through British retailers, and also distributed across new export markets, including the United States and Japan. Even His Majesty King Charles III has a Merrythought hippo, gifted to him when he was still the Prince of Wales during a royal visit to Marks and Spencer’s flagship London store in 1982. Today the Merrythought teddy bear is still widely regarded as the ultimate childhood toy, treasured by children and adult collectors across the globe. The company’s timeless traditional characters continue to be hand-made in the original factory, alongside stunning limited edition bears that commemorative occasions such as the Olympic Games and Royal occasions.
Happy 95th Anniversary, Merrythought
2025 is a very special year for Merrythought Bears. It is their 95th anniversary, which is a significant milestone when you think that this business has survived all the turbulence of the mid to late Twentieth Century and beyond.
As part of their celebrations, Merrythought have released their 95th Anniversary Commemorative Teddy Bear. Mine arrived today!
Marrying Sapphire (45th) and Golden (50th) anniversary years, the Merrythought 95th Anniversary Commemorative Teddy Bear is a most distinguished bear, who has been beautifully hand-crafted from two tones of the finest golden mohair, combined with pure cotton velvet. Merrythought’s stunning 95th anniversary colours subtly feature throughout the bear’s design, including the simplified logo embroidered upon his left paw. A special edition 95th anniversary foot label is stitched on his right paw, marking what is a significant milestone in Merrythought’s longstanding history. The Merrythought 95th Anniversary Commemorative Teddy Bear. is adorned with a luscious double satin bow, in the centre of which is a detailed twenty-four carat gold-plated pendant embellished with the iconic Merrythought wishbone, framed by sapphire crystals. The reverse is engraved with the Merrythought logo, and ’95 years, 1930-2025’
Each Merrythought 95th Anniversary Commemorative Teddy Bear. is individually numbered as part of a limited edition of 1930 pieces to mark the year of Merrythought's commencement. Mine is number 23.
The story of Merrythought began in 1930. William Gordon Holmes, owner of a spinning mill in Yorkshire called ‘Holmes & Laxton’, recognised the opportunity to make premium soft toys from the luxurious natural fibres they sourced. He found a beautiful brick foundry building in Ironbridge, Shropshire, home of the industrial revolution, and with the help of a team of skilled local seamstresses, Merrythought was born.
The first collection was designed by Florence Attwood, a remarkable pattern maker who overcame many challenges associated with being deaf and unable to speak, to create some of our most iconic designs. This included the original Merrythought and Magnet teddy bears, which still have a strong influence upon the designs they create today. With cheap imports increasingly affecting the traditional British toy sector in the 1970s, Merrythought focused on the growing teddy bear collectors market. Impressive collections of beautifully-designed limited edition bears were created and sold through British retailers, and also distributed across new export markets, including the United States and Japan. Even His Majesty King Charles III has a Merrythought hippo, gifted to him when he was still the Prince of Wales during a royal visit to Marks and Spencer’s flagship London store in 1982. Today the Merrythought teddy bear is still widely regarded as the ultimate childhood toy, treasured by children and adult collectors across the globe. The company’s timeless traditional characters continue to be hand-made in the original factory, alongside stunning limited edition bears that commemorative occasions such as the Olympic Games and Royal occasions.