Item SH 654 Teddy Bear - Jakas Soft Toys, White, 'Honeycomb' Bear, Melbourne, 1990s

Summary

Plush, white 'Honeycomb' teddy bear with intertwined red and white ribbons tied around its neck. Part of an archive of unsold stock samples donated by the manufacturer.

Jakas Soft Toys was a Melbourne-based company which designed and manufactured genuine high quality soft toys from 1956. Their range included teddy bears, golliwogs, animals and birds. They ceased production in the late 1990s outlasting many local toy manufacturers competing with cheaper overseas imports.

With children's health and safety in mind, the toys were made from wool and synthetic plush, quality fabrics, non-allergic filling and 'safety eyes'. The Jakas range of soft toys came with care and washing instructions and could be handed down for generations.

Physical Description

A plush white teddy bear with two-toned black and blue coloured plastic eyes and black embroidered nose and mouth, made in the seated position. Two ribbons, one red and one white, are intertwined and tied into a bow around its neck. The underside of the lower limbs have a cream coloured corduroy fabric sewn in as pads. There are two card labels attached to the body of the bear with a plastic tag, one is the triangular 'Australian Made' logo and the other shows the 'Jakas Soft Toys' brand name on one side and text providing information about the company and washing instructions on the other side. There is a synthetic fabric label sewn into the seam of one of the lower limbs with the Jakas Soft Toys brand name in green.