Bad repairs

As a repairer I do come across some bad repairs many done by family members trying to do their best, often bears arrive with bandages or socks holding limbs together or to just stop more stuffing falling out. This week I went to our local boot sale and picked up a lovely Steiff, a modern bear. It was dark and I only had my torch light and he looked ok I paid £20.00 not a lot for such a beautifully made bear or so I thought.

Once home I could feel something was not right with this bear I removed him from the bag to find one of the worst repairs I have come across, he must have been attacked by moths as all the back fur was gone and someone had stuck fake fur with glue (horror moment) as he is made with mohair a natural fur, and it was not even a good colour match 🙁 this will not be easy to remove and will probably damage what backing cloth that is there.

I am keeping him, to use on display as a way to show other people that you must make sure you find a good restorer as he could have been recovered in matching mohair, sewn on so it can always be removed. This was an expensive bear when he was bought and the repairs will cost a lot more as now I will need to remove that glue which is already deteriorating, after about ten years it starts to go very brittle I have named him Booty Bear.