Teddy Bear
1955-1959 (manufactured)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The brown bear is one of Soviet Union's best-known animals, and is used as a national symbol. It appears in many toys exported from the Soviet Union to the West and was even used as a mascot in the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Many different types of mechanical bear were produced during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. This clockwork bear moves its head and arm to simulate playing the balalaika, a traditional stringed instrument from the Soviet Union. It was intended for export or as a tourist souvenir during the Soviet era, and was brought back from the Soviet Union by a friend of the donor.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts. (Some alternative part names are also shown below)
|
| Materials and techniques | Fur fabric, metal and wood |
| Brief description | Clockwork toy bear, with musical instrument (balalaika), made in the Soviet Union in the 1950s. |
| Physical description | Brown fur covered standing bear with black eyes. A small wooden balalaika, yellow with brown markings is attached to the front of the body and to the left paw. The right arm is attached loosely. When activated the right arm moves as if strumming the musical instrument. There is a socket for a key in the bear's lower back. The interior is of a hard material and houses what is presumably a metal clockwork motor. Small metal key with heart shaped handle. |
| Dimensions |
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| Production type | Mass produced |
| Credit line | Given by Anna Allan |
| Object history | Information on this toy is contained in the magazine "New Products" ("Novie tovari"), 1959. - № 1 the newsletter of the Union Chamber of Commerce It comes from the toy manufactures industrial plant Nevsky District Council General Directorate of the local industry in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg). |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | The brown bear is one of Soviet Union's best-known animals, and is used as a national symbol. It appears in many toys exported from the Soviet Union to the West and was even used as a mascot in the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Many different types of mechanical bear were produced during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. This clockwork bear moves its head and arm to simulate playing the balalaika, a traditional stringed instrument from the Soviet Union. It was intended for export or as a tourist souvenir during the Soviet era, and was brought back from the Soviet Union by a friend of the donor. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | B.159:1, 2-2010 |
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| Record created | February 1, 2011 |
| Record URL |
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