Deans

Dean's Rag Book Company was founded in August 1903 by Henry Samuel Dean. The first rag book was produced in 1902 and was so successful that the Dean’s Ragbook Company was formed on the back of this in 1903. However although it was registered on August 5th 1903 as a company, Henry Samuel Dean had been using the 2 dogs logo the year previously when this logo had been registered in the USA. It is said that Dean's were producing unbranded bears as early as 1906 however their first catalogued teddies were 1915. In 1922 they registered the trade name A1 Toys. They came into their own in the 1930s with a good range of teddies

Dean's bears are identified by:-

• label
• very rare button
• short thick set curved arms
• stocky legs
• triangular heads with flat ears
• or round heads with ears set on the sides (mouse eared)
• Most are fully jointed and made of mohair

More info Background: Dean’s Rag Book Company Limited was founded by Henry Samuel Dean in 1903, and is one of the oldest surviving toy companies in Britain. The firm started with the indestructible rag books for children but it was not until 1915 that teddy bears were first introduced. Large scale teddy bear production was around 1920. Deans were well known for dolls, bears were made in far fewer numbers and are quite hard to find nowadays. Most that survive date from the 1930’s, Dean’s most productive period before the austerity of WWII. In 1936, the factory in Merton in south London was opened but struggled to get fully operational because of the outbreak of the WWII. The factory produced items to help the war effort.

After the war, recovery was very slow due to staff shortages and lack of materials and also synthetic plush led to greater competition elsewhere. In 1948 the first post war catalogue came out. It included two ranges called Golden Teddies (irrespective of colour) one range in a short pile in three colours, the other in a curly mohair. In 1949 at the London Zoo a Polar Bear gave birth to a cub and Dean’s made Ivy the Mum and Brumas the cub, produced in 1950 and made in white wool. By the 1950’s teddy bears again became important to Dean’s with Sylvia Wilgos’s designs of Tru-to-Life bears. In 1954 their range of the 1949 bears were made in seven sizes (10”-28”) both made in honey and gold mohair. To reduce overheads the Merton factory was sold in 1956 and production moved to Rye, Sussex.

In 1965 three former directors of Chiltern established a soft toy company in Pontypool, Wales called Gwyntoys. They started in 1967 to make some of Dean’s bears and in 1972, Dean’s merged with Gwyntoys; from this time toys were made in both factories. In 1980 the Dean’s factory in Rye closed with all production of bears being made in Wales.

In 1987 a new Dean’s Company was formed by Neil and Barbara Miller and in 1991 re-established their brand with collectors buying replicas of bears made in their old designs. This is still flourishing today. 

To find bears for sale, go to the Search Box and type "Deans for sale"