Featured Manufacturers' Awards

The Teddy Baron offers bears from many award-winning manufacturers and artists. A sampling of their awards and recognition includes:


Annette Funicello Collectible Bear Awards

The Annette Funicello Bear Company earned a Golden Teddy Award in 1996 for "Mitzi," a bear designed by Genie Buttitta with Annette Funicello for the Annette Funicello Collectible Bear segment of The L.L. Knickerbocker Company. In 1997, the company won another Golden Teddy Award for "Tiara" by Christy Firmage.

Angel bear "Whisper" by Luckye Medford and dog "Sara" by Sandy Knapp were both nominated for 2003 Golden Teddy Awards, but it was the MS Angel bear "Babs" who won the Golden Teddy award in 2004.

Annette Funicello Collectible Bears also have won several Teddy Bear of the Year (TOBY) awards. AFCB took home awards in 1997 and 1999, and early in 2004, won three TOBY Industry's Choice awards with the "Crystal & Snowflake" polar bear set by Ellen Kislingbury, Yorkshire Terrier "Bear" by Sandy Knapp, and "Zen" by Donna Rife.

But the bears and artists aren't the only honorees at AFCB. In 1996, Annette Funicello received the Teddy Bear Review Lifetime Achievement Award – the first person ever to receive the honor. Annette's bears also were the first collectible bears offered on the QVC shop-at-home network.


Bearington Collection Awards

The Bearington Collection earned its first Golden Teddy Award nominations in 2003 with plush bears "Ima Spinster" and "Tori," and plush hare "Professor Hoppenheimer." More Golden Teddy Award nominations followed in 2004 for plush bears "Beary Heartwarmer," "Iceman," and "Iggy & Lou."

In 2005, "Harry Heartstrings," "Ima Tree," "Scare and Crow," and "Teddy" – all of whom were designed by Betty and Jamie Stray – garnered still more Golden Teddy nominations for the Bearington Collection. The design duo earned five more Golden Teddy nominations in 2006 for "Big Rascal," "Duke McSpook," "Samantha & Salem," "Snowshoe," and "Victoria Rose."

"Ima Spinster" earned the Bearington Collection its first ever nomination for a National Association of Limited Edition Dealers (NALED) Achievement Award. The plush set was nominated for the 2002 NALED Plush Collectible of the Year. Although she didn't win top honors, "Ima Spinster" was the first runner-up.

The Bearington Collection also has earned numerous Teddy Bear of the Year (TOBY) awards including 2001 Industry's Choice and Public's Choice awards for "Donald and Duck"; 2002 Industry's Choice and Public's Choice awards for "Raining Cats and Dogs"; and a 2002 Industry's Choice award for "Chipper."

The awards continued in 2003 with four TOBY Industry's Choice awards for "Black and Jack," "Buddy," "Paige," and "Tori." "Buddy" and "Paige" were further honored with 2003 TOBY Public's Choice awards in their respective categories.

But that was only the beginning as the Bearington Collection won six 2004 TOBY Industry's Choice awards – that's a win in every manufacturer category except one! The TOBY Industry's Choice awards recognized plush bears "Grizwald," "Iceman," "Iggy & Lou," "Liz," and "Olivia," and plush rabbit "Natasha."

Bearington Collection bears "Dorothy Bearington," "Lila," "Jump and Jack," and monkey "Sir Darwin" earned Industry's Choice TOBY awards in 2005. "Dorothy Bearington" and "Jump and Jack" went on to win Public's Choice TOBY awards, as well.


The Boyds Collection Ltd. Awards

The Boyds Collection's plush bears and figurines have garnered numerous Golden Teddy Awards over the years.

"Wilson" earned the first honor in 1990, followed by "Otto von Bruin" in 1992 and "Chanel and Percy" in 1995. Boyds brought home two awards in 1996 thanks to "Humboldt" and "Becky." The figurine "Graffitie... Put on your happy face" won an award in 2001. Also nominated that year were plush "Einstein Q. Scaredybear," "Tumble F. Wuzzie, " and "Tipton F. Wuzzie."

The next year in 2002, "Bailey" and "Sammy Bearmerican... I pledge Allegiance" both won awards. Other Boyds nominees in 2002 were "John Henry" and "Sebastian" from The Boyds Collection's new line, Bear & Co.

Two more Boyds Collection bears – "Mumbley B. Bean" and "Krystle B. Bearbright with Joelle & Paz" – were up for Golden Teddy awards in 2003. "Krystle B. Bearbright with Joelle & Paz" took home the award for best Manufactured Dressed/Accessorized bear, 12 inches and over.

In early 2004, Boyds was nominated for three more Golden Teddy awards for plush bears "Polly Peapod" and "Harlan," and plush cow "Moocha Latte."

Boyds also has been repeatedly honored by the National Association of Limited Edition Dealers (NALED) since the group introduced its Plush Collectible of the Year Award in 1998.

"Alexis Berriman" was the first runner-up for NALED's 1998 Plush Collectible of the Year award while "Mrs. Trumbull" was the second runner-up. In 1999, the Boyds Limited Edition set "Omega T. Legacy and Alpha" won the NALED Plush Collectible of the Year award.

"Mr. Noah and Friends," another plush set, brought the NALED Plush Collectible of the Year award home for Boyds in 2000. The first runner-up was "Eleanore Bearsevelt," but "Einstein Q. Scaredybear," "Miss MacIntosh," and "Rebecca Bearimore" also were nominated.

The Boyds Collection swept the NALED Plush Collectible of the Year award category in 2001. "Bailey" from the Fall of 2001 won the top award, while "Cora B. Applesmith" was first runner-up and "Gloria Bearsvelt" was second runner-up.

"Mr. Snozzles," "Mumbley B. Bean," and "Yeti A. Bominable" were all nominated for the 2002 NALED Plush Collectible of the Year. "Mr. Snozzles" was the second runner-up for the award. The award was renamed to honor the Plush Company of the Year in 2004, and once again The Boyds Collection, Ltd., won the top honor.

Last but certainly not least, the Boyds Collection has won multiple Teddy Bear of the Year (TOBY) awards for its plush bears, hares, and friends, including:

• 2000 TOBY Industry's Choice and Public's Choice awards for "Patches B. Beariluved"
  
• 2001 TOBY Industry's Choice award for "P. Gallery Trunkster"
  
• 2002 TOBY Industry's Choice awards for "Nellie's Baby Buckles," "Slim B. Woodsley," and "Archie Strutencrow"
  
• 2002 TOBY Public's Choice award for "Archie Strutencrow"
  
• 2003 TOBY Industry's Choice awards for "Potsie Daisydew" and "Trevor T. Elfbeary with Giddyup"
  
• 2003 TOBY Public's Choice award for "Trevor T. Elfbeary with Giddyup"
  

Although the details are not available, the Boyds Collection Ltd. also took home TOBY awards in 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1999.


Gund Awards

Gund has earned several Golden Teddy Awards over the years, including "Playthings Past" in 1987; both "Tinker" and "Bear Tales" in 1988; "Pawtucket" in 1991; "Annie Arctic" in 1993; "Something's Bruin" in 1996; and "Tundra" in 1997.

In 2000, two members of Gund's newly introduced Barton's Creek Collection – "Chip" by Janet Wilson and "Amy" by Janet Wilson – brought the company more awards. The Barton's Creek Collection's "Snowball" by Janet Wilson, "Barton" by Marsha Friesen, and "Ashley" by Rosalie Frischmann earned three more Golden Teddy Awards for Gund in 2001. Marsha Friesen's "The Luv Bear" won another award for Gund's Barton's Creek Collection in 2002.

Gund was nominated for more Golden Teddy Awards in 2003 for bears "Hiccup," "Carly," and "Butterscotch," dog "Dreyfus," and the Barton's Creek Collection bear "Megan" by Janet Wilson. "Dreyfus" won the 2003 Golden Teddy award in the "Manufacturer, All Other Plush" category.

"Buddy" was nominated for a Golden Teddy in 2004, followed by 2005 nominations for "Chauncy," "Know It All," "Benson Sr.," "Bart," and "Yorkshire Terrier" – the last of whom went on to win its category. Gund earned still more Golden Teddy honors in 2006 with nominations for "Goober" and "Fleming."

Numerous as they are, Golden Teddy awards aren't the only honors that have been bestowed on Gund. The company also has multiple Teddy Bear of the Year (TOBY) awards from 1991, 1993, 1994, and 1995. In 2000, the company earned TOBYs for both its regular Gund line and for its Barton's Creek by Gund collectible line.

More of Gund's Teddy Bear of the Year awards include:

• 2002 TOBY Industry's Choice award for "Lavendar and Lace"
  
• 2003 TOBY Industry's Choice awards for "Megan," "Lilac," and "Dreyfus"
  
• 2003 TOBY Public's Choice award for "Dreyfus"
  
• 2004 TOBY Industry's Choice awards for "Manni" and "Buddy"
  
• 2005 TOBY Industry's Choice awards for "Yorkshire Terrier" and Bart"