Bears and Soft Toys
The Bears
The very first Nisbet Teddy Bear was announced in the September 1976 "Tower Treasures" leaflet by Alison Nisbet, and was available in two colour choices - Nutmeg Brown or London Gold, and in 10, 12, 16, and 20 inch versions.
In later years, the House of Nisbet would enter into a number of collaborations - including one with Peter Bull, the much loved British actor and Arctophile, and a host of other well known teddy bear designers, too. These would increase the variety of bears eventually produced by the company to over 80 different characters!
(Collectors might also want to see http://www.peggy-nisbet-dolls.co.uk/the-dolls/special-collectors-sets-limited-and-signature-editions/le-peter-bull-in-memoriam/ for the Peter Bull "In Memoriam" doll)
Image taken from Page 3 of the Dakin Nisbet Catalogue 1990
Most Nisbet Bears can be easily distinguished by their foot label, (which is sewn onto the sole of the left pad), and the sewn in tag, (usually on the left side), which may carry such information as the model number, and the Limited Edition number
Soft Toys
As far as our records allow us to ascertain, soft toys were first introduced into the Nisbet range in 1970 or 1971. We don't have access to a 1970 catalogue, (and don't know if one was published), but by 1971, 25 characters, (a mixture of rag dolls and soft toys), was listed in the catalogue. They included "Bedtime Comforters for small children", "Souvenir Rag Dolls", "Large Rag Dolls", BBC TV "Watch with Mother" Characters, ("The Herbs" and "Pogles Wood"), and "Dick Bruna Characters". By 1976, a range of delightful characters from the world of Beatrix Potter were in production, made under license from Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd.
News
21st September 2023
Important Announcement
My dear wife, Christine, passed away on the 8th December, 2021, after 8 weeks in hospital. I was by her side, when she slipped away from me peacefully, with no pain or suffering.
Chris had been struggling with a slow decline in health, associated with a progressive, untreatable, and ultimately terminal lung disease, and finally succumbed to her old adversary, Pneumonia.
We had been friends for 55 years, together as a couple for 50 years, and married just a month short of 48 years, when she died.
This website was Chris's idea, and I did all the technical stuff, to make it work. After news of Chris's passing reached her close friends in the doll collecting world, I was deeply touched and gratified to hear their tributes to my dear wife, and I must thank them all for their kindness and support. Ultimately, it was her doll friends that gave me the courage to continue with the website.
In the months before her eventual hospitalisation, Chris had outlined a number of additions and changes she wanted to make to the website, and it is my intention to honour those wishes, and to implement the changes we had considered, over the coming weeks and months.
I must apologise to all those who have written to us via the website, only to have your emails go unanswered. Unfortunately, the email system had been hacked aroung the time Chris was going into hospital, and many emails must have been lost, as a result.
As you might imagine, I felt completely broken by Chris's loss, and it is only now, almost 22 months after her passing, that I have felt strong enough to even look at the website again.
My aim is to continue with the website, and to implement Chris's aims for her many new ideas as soon as I can. In the meantime, I have hopefully got the email system sorted out, and I will attempt to answer any enquiries as soon as I can, and to send replies with the same high degree of accuracy that a reply from Chris would have had.
From now on, I will be flying solo, whilst my co-pilot and guide will be soaring much higher, (though she is always in my heart, and in my thoughts).
My thanks to all our website visitors for your continued support
Dave (also known as Arthur), and Chris, (my lost love, Guinevere)
Christine Poulten
25th December 1949 - 8th December 2021
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