Limited Edition

Peter Bull - In Memoriam

Limited to 5000 Sets - Issued in 1986

P/1044 Peter Bull – In Memoriam

This is the standard production model of this popular doll.   He is wearing a replica of the famous pullover, on which was knitted an anecdotal review of Peter's life.   Under his arm is his famous teddy bear "Delicatessen", (who went on to have his own career as “Aloysius”, starring in the TV Drama “Brideshead Revisited”).  A closer look at this doll will show that, although the head is a portrait sculpture of Peter Bull',  he is based on the "Henry VIII" mould, and has Henry's arms and feet, too

 

Peter Cecil Bull, March 1912, London – Died May 1984, London

Peter was the Son of Sir William Bull, who served as the MP for South Hammersmith for 30 years..   He made his stage debut in 1933, aged 21, his first film, (The Silent Voice), a year later.   A Broadway bow followed the next year, and his first Hollywood movie role in “Marie Antoinette”, soon after.   It was while making this film that he met his lifelong friend and fellow Briton, Robert Morley.  

In films, the corpulent Bull was often cast as unpleasant prosecuting barristers, hard-hearted businessmen or officious government men (including the memorable camera-happy Russian ambassador de Sadasky in “Dr. Strangelove”.   On stage, he enjoyed a wider variety of roles, and at one time ran his own repertory company.    Other notable films he had appeared in included “Beau Brummel”,  “The African Queen”, and “Dr Doolittle”.  

His career was put in abeyance for war service, during which he served his country with honour, and  won the Distinguish Service Cross.

Outside of his theatrical work, Bull was well known for his interest in astrology, and even better known for his fascination with teddy bears. He owned perhaps the world's largest and most valuable collection of teddies, and wrote several witty, informative books on the subject.   His interest in Teddy bears led to his forming a close association with the Nisbet factory, and by combining his interests in astrology and bears, he developed the famous “Zodiac Bears” series, for the House of Nisbet.   Peter Bull was the proud owner of the 1907 American Ideal Bear “Delicatessen”, (named for the place Peter found him), who won worldwide acclaim when he starred alongside Jeremy Irons and Anthony Andrews in the television adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's novel Brideshead Revisited.

Peter Bull died following heart surgery in May, 1984.   He was 72.

News

21st September 2023

 

Important Announcement

 

My dear wife, Christine, passed away on the 8th December, 2021after 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