Nisbet London Gold Bears
(Part of the "Nisbet Childhood Classics" range)
Nisbet London Gold Bears were, (together with the Nutmeg Bears), the very first bears produced by Peggy Nisbet Ltd, and were introduced in 1977.
There were six members of this family, and the majority of them were in production from 1977 to 1983 or 1984, when they were no longer listed in the catalogues.
They were re-issued in 1989, and in 1990, they were given a Dakin catalogue number. after 1990, we can no longer find them listed in any catalogues, and must assume that they went out of production. The table below carries all the key facts for these bears :
| Number | Size | Introduced | Discontinued | Dakin No (1990) |
| 5004 | 10 inch | 1977 / re-issued 1989 | 1990 / 1991 | 85-0040 |
| 5005 | 12 inch | 1977 / re-issued 1989 | 1990 / 1991 | 85-0050 |
| 5006 | 16 inch | 1977 / re-issued 1989 | 1990 / 1991 | 85-0060 |
| 5007 | 20 inch | 1977 / re-issued 1989 | 1990 / 1991 | 85-0070 |
| 5008 | 5 inch | 1979 | 1979 / 1980 | |
| 5014* | 10 inch | 1986 only | 1987 | Limited Edition |
Feb 15 2014 update :
Prompted by a question from Christine S, we researched these bears a bit further, and discovered that from 1981 onwards, these bears were issued with white bibs, rather than the multi-coloured ribbon bows. (See the "Nutmeg" bears page for a picture of Christine's son's (5002) 16" Nutmeg Bear, who was bought on his birth - and is a much loved family member, as every teddy should be!)
Below is a picture of our 5001 - 12" London Gold bear of 1981 vintage
1981 vintage, with bib instead of multi-coloured ribbon bow!
Image taken from the Silver Jubilee Reference Book 1977
Image taken from the House of Nisbet Catalogue 1986
Illustration (above) showing the 10th Anniversary Limited Edition London Gold and Nutmeg Bears
Jackie C's Bears - New Gallery added 25/10/2014
Our grateful thanks to Jackie C, who sent in the beautiful pictures you can see in the gallery above, showing her Peggy Nisbet "Childhood Classics" bears. What makes these bears special is that they were manufactured in 1977, and were among the very first bears ever produced by Peggy Nisbet. This is shown by the labels sewn to the bears' feet, as in 1978, the company name changed to the "House of Nisbet", and the label design changed to the more familiar version seen on the foot of our "5005 -London Gold bear", shown at the very top of this page.
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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