Meet Hobson: An Early Steiff Teddy Bear with a Remarkable Story

Every old teddy bear carries a little history in his paws. Occasionally, however, a bear arrives at Asquiths whose story takes us somewhere quite unexpected.

Meet Hobson.

Dating to circa 1906, Hobson is a wonderful early Steiff teddy bear – but it is the story of the little girl who once loved him, and the extraordinary house in which she grew up, that makes him particularly special.

An Early Steiff Bear

Standing approximately 13 inches (33cm) tall, Hobson has many of the characteristics we love to see in an early Steiff teddy bear.

He is made from golden mohair, with black boot-button eyes, a wonderfully pronounced muzzle and black-stitched nose, mouth and claws. He has a swivel head, long jointed limbs, felt paw pads and that distinctive little hump so associated with early bears.

Most importantly, tucked into his ear is a blank Steiff button.

More than 120 years have naturally left their mark. Hobson's hand pads have been neatly replaced, one foot pad has been carefully patched and his once-working squeaker has fallen silent. His mohair has thinned a little around his muzzle and tummy too.

To us, these aren't imperfections.

They're part of the story of a teddy bear who has actually been held, played with and loved.

A Bear Called Hobson

Hobson wasn't, as far as we know, his original name.

We chose it because this bear comes with something particularly precious: provenance.

He was the childhood teddy bear of Molly Hobson, born in 1902, and his history connects him with Pownall Hall in Wilmslow, Cheshire.

Suddenly, this little bear becomes much more than an early example of Steiff manufacture.

We know something of the world into which he arrived.

And what a world it was.

Pownall Hall

Pownall Hall is a remarkable Grade II* listed former country house in Wilmslow.

The present house dates principally from around 1833, when it was built for James Pownall, but between 1886 and 1890 it underwent extensive alterations for Henry Boddington, of the famous Manchester brewing family.

The work was supervised by architect William Ball and transformed Pownall Hall into an extraordinary showcase for some of the most progressive Arts and Crafts design of the period.

Historic England describes an interior featuring work by the Century Guild, De Morgan tiled fireplaces, stained glass by Shrigley and Hunt, and furniture and fittings designed by Arthur Heygate Mackmurdo.

There was even a dedicated Day Nursery, open to the roof with exposed timbers, carved window seats, a mural above the fireplace and a music gallery over the schoolroom.

It is rather wonderful to imagine a small child growing up amongst all this – particularly when we can now put a teddy bear into the picture.

Just Imagine...

Hobson dates from around 1906, when Molly would have been a small child.

So when we look at him today, we can't help wondering about all those ordinary little moments that aren't recorded in auction catalogues or history books.

Was he carried around Pownall Hall tucked firmly under one arm?

Did he sit beside Molly in the nursery?

Was he taken to bed each night?

Did he attend imaginary tea parties, listen to stories or get dragged along on childhood adventures?

We will never know.

But look closely at Hobson and there are tantalising little clues.

The thinning mohair around his muzzle. The small bald patch on his tummy. The repaired paws. The squeaker that no longer makes a sound.

They are tiny traces of a life already lived.

More Than an Old Teddy Bear

This is one of the reasons we find antique teddy bears so fascinating at Asquiths.

A collector can study the mohair, proportions, stitching, eyes, pads and button to understand what a bear is and approximately when he was made.

But provenance can sometimes tell us something much rarer:

who loved him.

And once you know that, it's almost impossible to look at the bear in quite the same way again.

So, more than a century after he first became somebody's childhood companion, we've given this handsome little gentleman a name taken from his history.

Hobson.

A circa 1906 Steiff teddy bear, a little worn around the edges, wonderfully full of character – and still carrying a small piece of Molly's childhood with him.

We think he's rather special.

Welcome to Asquiths, Hobson. 🐻