Teddy Bears Past & Present: A Collector's Identification Guide

This volume contains a wealth of critical background information on the history of leading bear manufacturers and over 600 photographs, 80 in color, of the bears they produced. This book makes it easy to determine the price of your favorite bears because of its visual and chronological order. Best presentation about the distinguishing characteristics of bears, labels, and tags. 304 pages.

Linda Mullins was born and raised in England. She emigrated to American in 1969. She vividly remembers the comfort and security she received from her first teddy bear as a child.

Her lifelong love affair with the teddy bear never ended. Her present collection of more than 2,000 bears began in earnest when her husband, Wally, gave her an antique teddy bear as a gift. That hobby of love escalated to a full-time profession and today Linda Mullins' knowledge and expertise are in demand throughout the United States, Europe and Japan.

A Southern California (Carlsbad, CA) resident, the San Diego and Los Angeles areas benefit from her extensive travels and interest with Linda's San Diego Teddy Bear, Doll & Antique Toy Show and Sale. She has now produced 38 of these popular two-day shows, featuring antique, collectible and artist Teddy Bears, Dolls and Toys by Linda and other dealers and celebrities from around the world.

The semi-annual show, is now in its second decade, drawing more than 3,000 people each time. With more than 200 dealers participating, the show is known for both the quality of bears and toys displayed, as well as for the charitable donations made locally to San Diego's Children's Hospital and internationally to Good Bears of the World.

In addition to collecting, speaking, educating, and traveling, Linda writes books and articles on her favorite subject, teddy bears, their past, present and future. To date she has written 11 books on the subject and more are on the horizon.

She has been seen on the Q.V.C. network as national television spokesperson for a well-known soft toy manufacturer. Her personal appearances continue to grow and expand. She has been honored at the Disneyland and Walt Disney World's Teddy Bear Conventions, in this country. Internationally Linda has been an integral participant at Glenn and Irene Jackman's "British Teddy Bear Festival," the Teddybar Total in Germany, Rob and Inge Kulter's "Amerongen Bear Festival" in Holland, and also the Japan Teddy Bear Association Convention.

Among her hundreds of exceptional, antique and highly collectible bears are her favorite early Steiff, Bing and Schuco creations. She is honored to be working with the prestigious companies of Gebr. Bing Inc., Schuco and Little Gem Teddy Bears in projects to reproduce some of her early rare bears.

After an all-out effort coordinating a charitable auction of international artist's bears designed to raise funds for Kobe, Japan's earthquake victims, Linda Mullins became instrumental in shaping Huis Ten Bosch's Teddy Bear Kingdom. She is a supervisor and honorary director of the museum. The Teddy Bear Shop is named after her and one of the museums most popular exhibits is the reproduction of one of her teddy bear display rooms replicated from her residence in Carlsbad, CA. This elegant museum, built as part of a beautiful European-style resort near Nagasaki, Japan is just one more step in Linda Mullins' lifelong goal to elevate the teddy bear to its rightful position as ambassador of world love and peace.