The Third Generation of Merrythought
With cheap imports increasingly affecting the traditional British toy sector, Merrythought focuses on the growing teddy bear collector market. Impressive collections of beautifully-designed limited edition bears were created and sold through British retailers, and also distributed across new export markets, including the United States and Japan.
Master Mischief
Master Mischief was the flagship design of Merrythought’s 1992 collector catalogue; a charismatic 14 inch golden mohair bear dressed in short, patched dungarees, and holding a catapult behind his back. The mischievous personality of a little bear feigning innocence over some naughtiness appealed to collectors and judges alike, with the bear receiving that year’s acclaimed TOBY award (Teddy Bear of the Year).
The Merrythought Hippo
First introduced in 1967, Merrythought’s original hippo has been one of the brand’s longest-standing animal characters, appealing to generations of children and adults alike. One was even gifted to His Royal Highness Prince Charles during a royal visit to Marks and Spencer’s flagship London store in 1982.
William Oliver Holmes
William Oliver Holmes, known as Oliver, joined Merrythought in 1972, working alongside his father Trayton before becoming Managing Director in the early 1980s. Although the third generation of the Holmes family to run the company, Oliver was a pioneer in his own right and brought a huge amount of energy and vision to Merrythought.
Oliver was a charismatic salesman who took the Merrythought brand to new markets, including the US and Japan, where he established successful distribution of its premium teddy bears. Merrythought built up a strong collector following in both countries, with Oliver and other members of the Merrythought team representing the brand at various trade and collector events. Enthusiasts would travel hundreds of miles to meet Oliver and take home a bear that was hand-signed by him.
Such was Oliver’s flair for adventure, that in his spare time he enjoyed high octane exploits such as car rallying and hot air ballooning. One of his greatest achievements was to pilot the custom-made Merrythought hot air balloon on a challenging flight across the North Pole.
Merrythought Diamond Jubilee
Merrythought celebrated its Diamond Jubilee in 1990 by launching the first international collector teddy bear. The unexpected demand of this limited edition product encouraged the team to develop a separate collector’s range of teddy bears in 1991, which was offered alongside the traditional soft toy collection. The age of the teddy bear collector had begun!
