German Strunz and Schuco
Schuco manufactured antique and vintage teddy bears
from the early 1920s until the company declared bankruptcy in 1976. Their most prominent periods for bear production were the 1920s and again in the 1950s.
| Feature | Production Period | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Founding | 1912 | Schuco (Schreyer & Co) was founded in Nuremberg, Germany. |
| Early Bears | From the 1920s | The company started making teddy bears after World War I. Early bears had short mohair and black boot button eyes. |
| Miniature "Piccolo" Bears | From 1924 | A renowned line of small, fully jointed bears ranging from 9-15 cm. Early 1920s examples had felt paw pads, a feature discontinued in the 1930s. |
| "Compact" Bears | From 1927 | Novelty bears designed to fit in a handbag, often containing a mirror, powder compact, lipstick, or perfume bottle. |
| "Yes/No" Bears | From the 1920s | Bears with an internal mechanism (operated by a small tail) that allowed the head to nod or shake. |
| "Tricky" Yes/No Bears | Introduced in the 1950s | These later "Yes/No" bears had distinct features like downturned paws, broad flat feet, shaved muzzles, and often a plastic medallion on their chest saying "Made in the US zone of Germany" (indicating manufacture before 1953). |
| "Janus" Bear | Introduced in 1954 | A tiny 9cm (3.5") bear with two faces (one smiling, one ugly with tongue sticking out), operated by a knob at the base of the body. |
| "Talisman" Bears | Reintroduced in 1957 | Miniature bears, a return of the Piccolo line, available in 7cm and 9cm sizes. |
| Bankruptcy | 1976 | Schuco declared bankruptcy due to declining sales in its tin toy range, marking the end of its original antique bear production. |
Collectors can often date a Schuco bear by looking for specific construction details, such as the presence or absence of felt paw pads, the style of eyes, the type of internal mechanism, and original tags or labels
