Hamiro Miro 1910-1989

1910’s – Karel Pospisil founded Hamiro factory in a village iron mill near Rokycany, in what was west Bohemia, producing lead figures and tin soldiers.

1919 – as it was felt their customers may be tiring of military toys after WWI to introduce newness Karel’s wife Emilie (Miluse) designed a textile rabbit to boost sales. Emilie had spent the war years in France where she learned how to design and sew soft toys. She established a soft toy company at an old forge and employed 12 people. Hamiro exhibited at European trade fairs and exported 60% of production overseas.

1925 – 48 Wilhelmine Walter made Kersa bears at Lobosite, then in Bolivia, Eastern Europe.

1928 – 1988 their designer, Marcia Hybinova was most well known for her hand puppet designs.

1929 Hamiro moved from the country to a new and larger factory in small western town of Rokycany. Pospisil got a license for building the soft toy factory.

1932 the Hamiro trademark was registered. The name an acronym from “hamr” (iron mill), “Miluse” (pet name for his wife) and “Rokycany”.

1936 – 38 was now an international business with 500 employees and the 2^nd largest plush toy manufacturer in Europe. They offered a wide range of toys including: teddy bears, dogs, cats, rabbits, zebras, elephants, monkeys and lions. They also produced puppets and dolls. Mostly made from mohair, stuffed with wood wool with hand painted details. They won design prizes regularly.

1937 – Pospisil was asked by the Irish Free State to help with establishing a soft toy industry in Ireland.

1939 – 45 during WWII during the war years toy production was limited and Hamiro produced war materials i.e. military uniform repair and production of underwear.

1948 – the company was nationalised and operating as a ‘people owned’ enterprise in a small town of Pribram. Karel and Miluse’s son, Libor manages to hide the firms archive in the attic.

1973 - Libor Pospisil kept working in the company in quality control until his retirement and in 1973 he died.

1989 – the Velvet Revolution brought the end of Hamiro. Some pre-WWII designs were taken over by the company Sigikid, which then put out a signature line under the name “Miro” in 1992 (they had the tag “Made in CSFR”). The attempt to restart teddy bear production in Czech Republic was not very successful.

 Hamiro bears and friends are sometimes not readily identified or confused with the Austrian company Fletcher or even Schuco. Hamiro have a history of quality made products.

The company was a very successful manufacturer in the mid to late 20^th century in Czechoslovakia with a predominance of production exported into Western Europe. Their bears typically were big, chunky with inset snout and paw pads in a contrast clipped mohair. Other smaller bears had drop-shaped paws with a triangular chin.

Their company logo changed from a dove to a teddy bear head. Paper tags on their animals 1950’s – 1960’s, with a green outline of a coniferous tree, a red cogged wheel and the letters “Ha”.

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