Soft toy, mohair and felt plush hen, made by Merrythought Limited, England, ca. 1935.

A plush mohair hen. It has been stuffed and then stitched. The beak, tail and feathers are all made out of felt and are sewn on. The beak and the legs are padded to make them more sturdy. It is mainly cream, though the legs and beak are yellow. Its hair is red and the mohair around the eye is also red. The tail is made out of black and grey felt, layered up to create texture. The chicken is standing in a walking position with its feet spread apart and its head looking towards the right. The 'Merrythought' makers logo is sewn on underneath on a cream label and reads, 'MERRYTHOUGHT, HYGIENIC TOYS, MADE IN ENGLAND'.

This soft toy is from Daniel Agnew's collection. He is best known for running Christie's famous Teddy Bear auctions from 2000 to 2007, but his passion for Teddy Bears and all toys goes back much further than that. His mother is a well-respected antique dealer known throughout Britain. As a child he was fascinated with the bits and pieces that she bought home from her various buying trips. Daniel started to attend auctions and shows with her at the weekends and as a child of 9 or 10, what caught his eye most were the toys.

Merrythought Toys first opened their factory in 1930 in Ironbridge. However Merrythought toys first began in 1919 when W.G.Holmes went into partnership with G.H Laxton, producing a mohair yarn for the toys in a small spinning mill. Some of the employees for Merrythought were previously employed by Chad Valley.

Florence Atwood was an employee who was hearing impaired and mute. She produced the entire range of toys for the first Merrythought line in 1931. She became the chief designer for Merrythought until her death in 1949. The company still operates from its factory in Ironbridge, Shropshire.

B.134-2010