Swarovski Crystal Figurines to Be Arriving in Mid-September

Beacon's Glow Collectibles is absolutely thrilled to become an authorized Swarovski retailer.  We are expecting our first shipment of crystal holiday figurines and ornaments towards the middle to end of September.

Swarovski, an Austrian company, has been creating dazzling precision-cut crystal for fashion, collectibles, jewelry and lighting since 1895.  Its founder, Danial Swarovski,  had the foresight to continually expand his company by exploring new realms and always kept his company run by family members.  Today it is still family-owned and is now run by 5th generation family members.

We are pleased to carry the 2014 Holiday lineup of crystal figurines and Christmas ornaments which is comprised of several pieces limited strictly to production in the year 2014.

Additionally, we hope to continue offering our customers other Swarovski figurines and holiday items in the future  A Swarovski figurine is truly a sight to behold and will certainly be a treasured heirloom for years to come.

Quote of the Day - "There is only one success - to be able to spend you life in your own way." - Christopher Morley

Boyd's Bears Closing Their Doors December 31, 2014

We were saddened to hear that Boyd's Bears announced today that they are closing their doors effective December 31, 2014.  If there are any collectible plush or resin that you might be interested in, please contact us and we will do our best to track them down for you before the deadline approaches.

A copy of their press release dated August 15, 2014 -

Important News - August 15, 2014

Dear Friend of Boyds,

In 2008, Enesco® purchased one of the leading plush and figurine brands in the industry, Boyds® Bears. Its reputation for excellence in the gift market had been well established by you in your support and devotion to Boyds. From the upscale materials used for the hand-cut fur in varying colors on each bear, the design of the muzzle and overall face, the apparel grade fabrics used in outfitting the bears, to the technology in their jointed bodies, Boyds Bears symbolized a recognized look and renowned quality to loyal fans and collectors.

Enesco carried that mission even further by updating the costuming, introducing on-trend themes and launching innovative new formats such as Cuddle-Bums™ to the collection. Along each step of the way, it was your dedication to the well-appointed plush collection, Treasure Boxes, Bearstone figurines, and our Friends of Boyds® Collectors Club, which made our job in bringing Boyds to market so rewarding.

Due to the rising cost of manufacturing and materials, and the labor intensity required to deliver this award winning collection, it has become much more difficult to develop this beloved brand to the standards you deserve. This is true not only in plush, but also in the figurine collection, based on the level of detail required for Treasure Boxes and Bearstone figurines.

Sacrificing quality, detail or workmanship of this beautiful brand is not even a remote consideration, so we’ve made the difficult strategic decision to place Boyds into hibernation effective December 31, 2014.

Will Boyds re-emerge at a later date? It is a possibility, but for now it deserves the respect of a well earned “rest.” In 2015, Snowpinions™ Plush will move to Department 56 to join the Snowpinions brand.

We thank you for your many years of loyalty and devotion to the Boyds brand, whether it has been bringing it into your home, or bestowing it as a gift to someone very special. We encourage you to take advantage of the next few months to search for all of your Boyds favorites in retail stores while they are still available. You may use our retailer locator function on www.boydsstuff.com to find those last must-have bears that you simply want to add to your collection.

It’s never easy to say farewell. We can assure you that we are going to miss you as much as you will miss Boyds.

Sincerely,
Your Friends at Boyds 

Quote of the Day - "It is hard to fail, bit it is worse never to have tried to succeed." - Theodore Roosevelt

How to Identify your Teddy Bear

Steiff "Button in Ear" Tags

Not sure whether or not you might have a Steiff Bear?  (Steiff Bears, in my opinion, are currently one of the few collectibles that either holds or increases in value).  Auction sites sell older Steiff teddy bears for values in great excess from their original prices.

To identify whether or not you might have a Steiff, take a look at the following 3 things:

1.  Chest Tag
2.  Button In Ear
3.  Ear Tag

A bit about each of the previously mentioned items:

1.  Chest Tags - Steiff chest tags are made of paper and are always circular in shape.  Unfortunately, this is the first item on a Steiff item that is lost or misplaced.  The chest tags on both these teddy bears and animals have changed often over the years.

2.  Button in Ear - this is considered the most famous of the Steiff animal identifiers, and they have also changed dramatically over the years.  (Your teddy bear or animal might have a visible hole in his right ear which could signify that he is in fact, a Steiff).  Steiff occasionally uses an old-fashioned button in ear on one of their replica pieces.

Taken from an excellent article on hubpages.com here is their listing of various button types over the years.

Years in Use	Description	Button Size
1904/1905	Silver toned button with elephant	6mm
1904/1905	Blank button	6mm
1908 - 1927	Nickel and Iron button with word Steiff on it	4mm
1925 - 1934/35	Iron and nickel plated button with word Steiff	8mm
1933/34 - 1943	Brass button with word Steiff	6mm
1948 - 1950	Grey-blue Lacquered Blank Button	7mm
1948 - 1950	Blank Nickel Button	5mm
1950 - 1952	Button with word Steiff	6mm
1952/53	Nickel Button with Steiff in Script	5mm
1960 - 1972	Nickel Button with Steiff in Script	5mm
1967 - 1977	Nickel Button in Form of Hollow Rivet with word Steiff in Script
1969 - 1977	Nickel Button with Small Steiff Lettering, inset instead of raised	5mm
1977 - 1982	Brass Button with Steiff in Script, Recessed Letters	8mm
1982 - 1999	Brass Button with Steiff in Script, Slightly Rounded	8mm
2000 - Present	Same as above but with more modern rivet fixture on the back	9mm
2004	Replica Pieces have a special gold-plated button with original elephant design

3.  Ear Tag - This is the actual tag attached to the button in ear which distinguishes each and every Steiff teddy bear or animal.  An EAN (European Article Number) is contained on each tag.  This numbering system has been used exclusively by Steiff since 1905.  Incidentally, limited edition tags (North American Exclusives, Worldwide Limited Editions, and Replicas) include the edition number the the total size of the limited edition itself.

Quote of the Day - "Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve." - Napoleon Hill

5 Things You Did Not Know About Charlie Bears

Soo Lee Panda by Charlie Bears

We love learning more about the history of Charlie Bears and interesting facts.  Here is hoping that you will find these 5 tidbits of interest:

1.  Tickly Toes on a Charlie Bear refer to their foot paws when the stitching reveals their pronounced toes as well as a padded foot pad.

2.  Once a Charlie Bear is retired, he (or she) never comes out of retirement.

3.  Each Charlie Bear is handmade and therefore, has his or her individual character.  In other words, no two are alike.  (That is why we here at Beacon's Glow Collectibles have absolutely no problem with emailing collectors photos of bears).

4.  Currently the back-order for these collectable bears is 30 weeks.  (This is greatly improved as at one time it was a 62 week back-order!)

5.  Most Charlie Bears are purposely made with floppy jointing in their head, arms, and legs.  This is to done to give each bear more personality as well as the ability to pose them.

Quote of the Day - "Knowledge of what is possible is the beginning of happiness." - George Santayana