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Not currently on display at the V&A

Baby Georgie

Teddy Bear
ca. 1905 (manufactured)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This bear belonged to the Cattley family who lived in Ealing, west London. The two boys, Gilbert and Donald, and three girls, Nellie, Constance and Maud, were all born between 1885 and 1892. Between them they owned a vast array of soft toys including nine teddy bears. These would have been among the first available bears in England. The children were devoted to their toys. They made beautiful clothes for them, took them on holiday, photographed them and painted their portraits. Drawings by the children tell us that this bear is called Baby Georgie.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleBaby Georgie (assigned by owner)
Materials and techniques
Stuffed and sewn woollen cloth and sewn cotton and lace
Brief description
Woollen cloth teddy bear probably made in Germany about 1906
Physical description
A brown wollen cloth fully jointed teddy bear. The eyes are large black beads and the nose and mouth stitched with black wool. It is wearing a white cotton lace dress with a lace pale green sash, a cotton petticoat, a flannel petticoat and cotton diapers.
Dimensions
  • Height: 17.8cm
Production typeMass produced
Credit line
Given by Mrs. Maud Evelyn Cattley
Object history
Given by Mrs. Maud Evelyn Cattley. This teddy bear belonged to her children, who also made their own elephant soft toy called 'Pumpie'. Together with their other soft toys and teddy bears that were very popular at that time, Ben was treated like a member of the family.
Subject depicted
Summary
This bear belonged to the Cattley family who lived in Ealing, west London. The two boys, Gilbert and Donald, and three girls, Nellie, Constance and Maud, were all born between 1885 and 1892. Between them they owned a vast array of soft toys including nine teddy bears. These would have been among the first available bears in England. The children were devoted to their toys. They made beautiful clothes for them, took them on holiday, photographed them and painted their portraits. Drawings by the children tell us that this bear is called Baby Georgie.
Collection
Accession number
MISC.64-1979

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Record createdNovember 6, 2003
Record URL
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