Matsko

We were asked a few months ago to repair the Steiff Bear belonging to Uri Geller. Matsko was collected from Uri's home in Sonning and brought back to our workshop for his makeover.

Matsko being collected for his makeover as featured in the Weekly News. Click Here

Whilst we were with him Uri told us the story of when he was baby and lying in his pram at the age of about 6 months old in Palestine, now Israel.

In the pram was a Steiff Teddy Bear called Matsko. Uri's Mother had placed the pram near a window and Uri could clearly remember the sound of a shell exploding and glass shattering. During the blast Matsko fell onto Uri's face and protected him.

The present Matsko was the inspiration for the creation of a limited number of bears for Uri.

When Matsko arrived he was tired from his long journey but all ready for a makeover.

Matsko is a rare and beautiful large Steiff Teddy Bear.

He is approximately 100 years old and has a fabulous covering of fur for his age. The famous Steiff button is clearly visible in his left ear.

Matsko's limbs are so big that his wooden joints are held together with large nuts and bolts.

He has the largest and deepest growler we had ever heard and to lift him we had to cuddle him firmly around his chest.

After some weeks of intensive and very careful restoration Matsko was ready to leave us.

Pausing for a last photo before the rain. He is so big that he had a seat to himself all the way back to Sonning.

Sharing secrets along the way....perhaps how to bend spoons!

Link to Uri's site here.

Hello Janice,

Thank you for the information on Teddy, it is nice to know some of his past history.

I would like you to go ahead and repair teddy, £100 to £120 is very reasonable. I am a member of quite a few teddy bear groups and I have a photo website for them on the link below. My bears have lots of friends around the world and they are all following the story of teddy being a patient at your hospital. I hope you enjoy looking at the photos and would appreciate it if you could have a look at the photo attached to this message because I was wondering if he could be the same bear.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/growleruk/

Kind regards

Susan

Teddie Atkinson

Ted's Story

As written by Miss A. Atkinson

I was born at the Chad Valley toy makers sometime in the late 1930’s. I am special as I have a label on my paw saying I am by appointment to H,M, The Queen although it is now difficult to read.

In 1940 I sat on the counter of a Drapers shop in Boston Lincolnshire I was advertising Bear Brand Stockings. One day a Kindly lady came into the shop to make a purchase,
She immediately asks if she could buy me. Unfortunately the owners of the shop said I was not for sale. Undeterred by this
the lady didn’t give up, there was a war going on and handsome bears like me were difficult to find. She eventually managed to buy me and I was taken to my new home.

I came to live with my new owner a little girl nine months old., the persistent lady was her aunt. I had my photograph taken
It would be in October 1940.

Ted's story
In 1942 we had to go into then called a Fever Hospital as my owner developed a nasty infectious disease called Diphtheria, lucky I was on hand as she was not allowed to see her parents for over three months only through the glass.
Before we could go home I had to go into a very frightening machine called an autoclave after that experience I lost my voice and my special label wasn’t so readable.

A lot of years later my owners mother thought she would cover my paws with clean material I have not be the same bear since.

I am hoping the Wellfield Bear hospital will restore me to my handsome self with new paws a new growler and a wash and brush up plus any thing else they think I need.
I am getting on a bit now and my owner is 69yrs old in February

I’m looking forward to my big adventure and to meeting you all in Monmouthshire.

A Big Bear Hug.
Ted xx

Well it is now May 2009 and although am pleased to be back home again I am sorry to have left Janice and all my friends

at Wellfield Bears in the beautiful Monmouthshire countryside with the many birds and rabbits who I enjoyed watching.

I can’t tell you how good I feel. My paws no longer hurt, I can see so much better and can smell every thing now my nose has been fixed . Everyone says I look so handsome now I have had a good scrub and all my Bear friends are all envious of my lovely white ribbon

I live with a few other bears of different sizes and a very nice duck one or two have a button in their ear and think they are a bit special. While I have been away they have been getting out of hand it is a good thing I am back to give them all a good talking to especially now I have my voice back.
After all I am the oldest and far the wiser..

Ted told them they had to mend their ways.

We knew as soon as we saw Janice’s photograph on her web site that I couldn’t go anywhere else than Wellfield Bears.
I knew I would be safe and receive a lot of TLC. How right I was, if I had been the Prince of Wales I couldn’t have received better treatment. Mind you I don’t think he is into Bears goes more for Dogs and plants
.

Before my trip to             This is me After my
Wellfield Bears                TLC & Make Over

I feel half my age so 'Thank You' Janice and Mike

From a grateful old bear Ted.

(Name and address supplied)

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