Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!!! Here is hoping that 2014 proves to be a great year for everyone. . .

We are excited to start ordering new 2014 inventory.  There looks to be some great bears from Boyd's Bears, magnificent dolls from Heidi Plusczok, and more wonderful bears from Steiff.  Well, these are the only manufacturers from whom we have gotten a sneak peek from so far.

Please stay tuned. . . . we will provide more information as it becomes available.

Quote of the Day - "The universe is change; our life is what our thoughts make it." - Marcus Aurelius

Happy Holidays!

We hope that you and yours have a wonderful holiday season!

Just as a reminder, you have until Wednesday, December 18th to order for a guaranteed Christmas delivery!  (Orders will ship UPS Ground).

And as in the past, we are once again participating in "Free Shipping Day" again this year. We understand that more than 1000 other merchants are participating. 

Happy Holidays!

Happy Halloween!

We hope that you have a fun and safe Halloween!

Out there on the Facebook Charlie Bears page, we have been admiring little knitted winter hats for Charlie Bears Minimos.

Our version is attached on one of our OOAK Minky Bears. . . little Bubbles is all bundled up for Halloween.

Sending Christmas Cheer 51865 Madame Alexander Doll Re-released

Today we received in our Sending Christmas Cheer Doll from the Madame Alexander Doll Company.  This cute Christmas-themed Wendy doll has been re-released to coincide with the 2013 holiday introduction of Hallmark's ornament. 

This collectible doll was originally debuted back in 2011, and is as cute as ever.  She has dark brown hair in braids and freckles across her cheeks.  Her traditional Christmas outfit is comprised of a green and red plaid Christmas dress, and red flocked coat.

We think that it would be adorable to display both the Wendy doll and Hallmark ornment next to each other.  What do you think?

Quote of the Day - "Do not go where the path might lead go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." - Anonymous

Brutus Charlie Bear On His Way from the UK

Just got word from our wonderful Charlie Bears rep that Brutus is on his long journey from the UK to Texas.  We expect that he will be arriving mid-week.

Several customers have expressed interest in this massive teddy bear and we can certainly see why. He is 23 inches tall and has a very serious look on his teddy bear face.  His plush fur is a beautiful brown color and the fur around his nose and eyes is just a bit shorter with a touch of darker airbrushing to add to his realistic look.

We are sure that this Charlie Bear will sell out quickly, so please either email us or give us a call if you would like for us to put one to the side for you when he arrives.  As is the case with most of these collectible teddybears, once they are sold out, they can no longer be ordered.

Quote of the Day - "Storms make oaks take roots" - Proverb

Just In time for Halloween Decorating - Scary Cat by Steiff, EAN 682513

We were very impressed that Steiff overnighted the Scary Cat EAN 682513 Halloween cats so there would be plenty of time for customers to receive them by Halloween.

This black mohair cat stands 13 inches to the tips of his ears and measures 17 inches to the top of his tail and is collectible in every way.  His green cat eyes make him a tad spooly, and his orange ribbon highlights his black Schulte mohair perfectly.

This collectible cat was brought back into Steiff production exactly 111 years from the original.

Why not add him to your Halloween Collection?

Quote of the Day - "The destiny of man is in his own soul." - Herodotus

Lorella Falconi Violet Skye Doll Has Finally Arrived!

Lorella Falconi's 2013 Violet Skye doll has finally arrived.  She is quite amazing and even more stunning in person (and we thought that her photos were really nice) :). 

She stands 15-1/2 inches tall and has hand-blown German violet glass eyes and light brown human hair wig.  Her hair is styled in pigtails. 

We were very fortunate to get edition #6 out of an edition size of 50.  Please email us or give us a call if you would like more information.

And of course, please remember that we offer layaway plans and can customize one to suit your specific needs.

Quote of the Day - "The great thing in this world is not so much where you stand, as in what direction you are moving." - Oliver Wendell Holmes

Helen Kish Piper Big Sis and Peyton Are Here!

The long-awaited 2013 Collection of dolls from Helen Kish Dolls are finally starting to arrive.

Last Friday we received in both Peyton and Piper Big Sis.  Both are excellent and they are so very different. It is definitely Helen's hand-painted eyes that set these dolls apart from other limited edition dolls.

Piper Big Sis is a platinum blonde-haired beauty while Peyton has carrot-top red hair.  They really make a cute couple.

Please stay tuned for the arrival of Bethany Falling Leaves and Tatum Gotta Dance.  Hopefully, they will be arriving shortly.

Quote of the Day - "We bring forth weeds when our quick minds lie still." - William Shakespeare

Just Announced - Rory Carrot Top by Helen Kish Dolls

Just got word that Helen Kish Dolls has introduced a 4 inch BJD cutie named Rory.  Her eyes will be hand-painted by Helen and she comes from a limited edition of only 100 collectible dolls.

Rory is a brand new addition to Helen's line of tiny dolls and this collection is called the Vest Pocket BJDs.    She wears a cute sleeveless green cotton dress with a geometric pattern and hot pink ribbon waistband and tulle underskirt. 

She will go nicely with the other members of the 2013 Helen Kish Collection.

Quote of the Day - "If you accept the expectations of others, especially negative ones, then you will never change the outcome." - Michael Jordon

Charlie Bears 2013 Part 2 Mohair Collection Shipping Schedule

Charlie Bears has done it again!  Another spectacular collection of mohair bears and such was recently revealed.  We are referring to this as the "Charlie Bears 2013 Part 2 Mohair Collection".

Anyway, please keep in mind that one should allow 12 months for all mohair teddy bears from this collection to ship.  And both Minimos and Minimo keyrings will ship out in their entirety in 24 months.

Well worth the wait, that is for sure. . .

We should be receiving our allocation numbers from the Charlie Bears Bearhouse any day now.  If you are interested in any special item from this collection, please feel free to contact us.  We will take your information and contact you immediately after receipt of the Charlie Bear.

Quote of the Day - "Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful." - Joshua J. Marine

Labor Day Savings!

Happy Labor Day!  For today only, September 2, 2013, take 20% off of your order if you spend $!00 or more.  (Please use coupon code LABOR20 upon checkout).  And as always, there is free shipping for orders $100 and above.

Charlie Bears Arriving More Frequently in 2013

We are thrilled that we are receiving shipments of Charlie Bears at least twice a month, and in some months we have received 3 shipments.

It appears that Charlie Bears has gotten their manufacturing glitches taken care of and production is abuzz.

Charlie Bears are taking the US by storm, and we are certainly not surprised that this was going to happen.  Each Charlie Bear has so much personality and charm.  And they are always of a high-quality plush, mohair, or alpaca.  Their floppiness adds to their charm as well.

It truly feels like Christmas each time we receive a shipment and can't wait to open up those Charlie Bear boxes all taped up in white tape.  It is quite incredible how quickly the boxes get to Texas from the UK. 

Please stay tuned as we are expecting in another shipment in the next couple of days. . .

Quote of the Day - "Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant." -
Robert Louis Stevenson

Steiff's Wicked Witch of the West Teddy Bear (EAN 682407) Has Finally Arrived

After a very long wait, we are pleased to announce that Steiff's version of the Wizard of Oz' Wicked Witch of the West Teddy Bear has finally arrived.  This mohair bear is made from the finest green Schulte mohair and wears the classic black witche's outfit.

The "Wizard of Oz" still remains one of the most beloved films of all time and this year marks the 75th anniversary of the movie.  (Wicked Witch of the West Bear Steiff EAN 682407) wears a commemorative 75th anniversary medallion around her neck.

This limited edition Steiff North American Exclusive comes from an edition size of 1939 pieces.

Sure to be a Steiff collector's favorite!

Quote of the Day - "People with many interest live, not only longest, but happiest". - George Matthew Allen

More Charlie Bears on Their Way. . .

Sherlock Charlie Bear

We are pleased to announce that another shipment of Charlie Bears is expected sometime next week.  It is great to see that the Charlie Bear Bearhouse is expediting their shipping schedule so we do not have long to wait to receive in these incredible bears. 

There will be a good mix of both plush and mohair bears included in this shipment:

Bray		CB131340
Geoffrey		CB131384
Hughes		SJ5071
Jumble		CB131360
Kennett		CB131391
Kuma		CB131349
Mitchell		SJ5061
Rebus		SJ5045
Sherlock		SJ5035
Solitaire		SJ5032

(Please keep in mind that if the SKU starts with CB, it is a plush teddy bear, and if it starts with SJ it is a mohair teddy bear.)

For a sneak peek, please take a look at our "Coming Soon" Charlie Bears subcategory.

Quote of the Day - "Where all think alike, no one thinks very much." - Walter Lipman

For Those Madame Alexander Doll Collectors!

We received this news release "Madame Alexander Fun Facts" from the Alexander Doll Company and thought you might enjoy reading this article:

Madame Alexander Fun Facts!

Alexander Doll Company, Inc. was founded 90 years ago by Madame Beatrice Alexander Behrman, the daughter of Russian immigrants. She was raised in her father's doll hospital—the first in America—and often played with the dolls waiting to be mended. Her love of dolls led this dynamic woman to creating her own line of dolls. Madame Alexander infused a sense of excitement and wonderment in her fine quality, handcrafted dolls. She initiated a series of firsts in the toy industry: the first doll based on a licensed character (Alice in Wonderland), which led to the creation of dolls based on characters from popular motion pictures; the first to bring feature baby dolls to market; the first to create dolls in honor of living people (Queen Elizabeth, the First Ladies, the Dionne Quints). Madame Alexander was also the first to introduce the first full figured fashion doll (Cissy) with haute couture outfits.

 

Did you know…?

 

o   Before beginning the Alexander Doll Company, Beatrice Alexander and her sisters designed a cloth Red Cross Nurse doll in honor of the women who risked their lives on the front lines of the war. The girls were determined to help provide for their family and to create a doll that didn’t break like the German porcelain dolls of the time. The dolls were an instant success.

 

o   In 1923, at the age of 28, Beatrice Alexander founded the Alexander Doll Company. The original workforce consisted of the Alexander sisters and neighborhood men and women who were looking to earn a little bit of extra money.

 

o   The first dolls designed by Madame Alexander were made of cloth and had flat, painted faces. The next set of dolls were also made of cloth but had molded faces with three-dimensional features.

 

o   The original Alexander Doll Company factory was the family kitchen above Beatrice’s father’s doll hospital. It was quickly moved to a studio in downtown Manhattan, which Beatrice rented for $40 each month. The Alexander Doll factory was located in the old Studebaker car factory in New York until 2012 when Kahn Lucas Lancaster acquired all intellectual property and select assets and moved the company to Midtown NY.

 

o   Madame Alexander was the first manufacturer to issue a doll based on a licensed character. The 1930 Alice in Wonderland doll led to the creation of dolls based on characters from literature and popular motion pictures.

 

o   Madame Alexander invented “sleep eyes” (the innovation that allows a doll to close its eyes when its head is tilted back) in the late 1930s.

 

o   In 1942, Madame Alexander created Jeannie Walker, one of the toy industry’s first “walking dolls.”

 

o   In 1944, Madame Alexander created the first line of patriotic dolls. They were made to honor the U.S. Armed Forces bravely fighting in World War II.

 

o   The extremely ornate Portrait Series of dolls was introduced in 1946. They were renderings of film heroines, opera and ballet principals, artists’ muses, public figures, literary characters and members of royalty. The first twelve Portrait dolls were: the June Bride, Carmen, Mary Louise, Renoir, the Groom, Judy, King, Queen, Camille, Orchard Princess, Princess Rosetta, and Rebecca. They sold for a remarkable $75, $15 over the average weekly income in that year.

 

o   Madame Alexander pioneered the use of hard plastic as a new medium for the creation of dolls. The first face mold to be made in this new medium was the Margaret O’Brien doll in 1947.

 

o   The Fashion Academy bestowed their Gold Medal upon Madame Alexander four consecutive years. The first award was presented to Madame Alexander in 1951 in the Alexander Doll Company’s Fifth Avenue showroom.

 

o   Madame Alexander brought all the pomp and circumstance of Queen Elizabeth’s 1953 coronation to life in a collection of 36 dolls dressed in historically accurate costumes. Attention to detail was so strict; the cloth used for the dolls’ robes was obtained from the same mill that had produced the actual coronation mantles. The final result was so convincing that CBS television used the dolls to enact the ceremony for their viewers on air! Today, the original set of Alexander Coronation Dolls resides in the permanent collection of The Brooklyn Children’s Museum.

 

o   Madame Alexander introduced the very first full-figured, high-heel-wearing fashion doll (Cissy™) that was used in ads for Yardley toiletries and cosmetics that appeared in magazines like Ladies’ Home Journal and McCalls in 1956 and 1957.

 

o   Madame Alexander was so well loved that there is a plaque in Disney World’s Market Square that says her visits in 1955 and 1973 resulted in the park’s highest attendance ever.

 

o   In 1965, Madame Alexander was honored on United Nations Day for her series of international dolls.

 

o   Madame Alexander Dolls have jointed and articulated bodies. The Coquette Cissy and Jacqui Doll have 8 points of articulation: the neck, waist, knees and shoulders. The Cissy Doll has 10 points of articulation: neck, waist, knees, shoulders and elbows. Madame Alexander’s Alex Doll has 18 points of articulation that allow movement from head to toes.

 

o   Madame Alexander believed in honoring the people who helped build the country she loved. Therefore, in 1976, the Alexander Doll Company introduced the First Ladies series. The first 14-inch set included Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, and Dolly Madison. Ultimately, there were six different sets, each with six first ladies in their inaugural gowns. These dolls had a brush with fame when featured in the 1990s on the CBS show “Murphy Brown” as decoration in Corky Sherwood’s office.

 

o   Madame Alexander Dolls: An American Legend was publishing in 1999 and was the first ever book about the company that was produced with the cooperation of the Alexander Doll Company and Madame Alexander’s family. The book contains full-color photographs of 758 mint dolls dating from 1930 to 1998.

 

o   In 2000, a line of eight storybook character dolls from Madame Alexander was featured in the McDonald’s Happy Meal. These celebrated storybook couples included Cinderella and Prince Charming, Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf, Alice in Wonderland and The Mad Hatter, and Hansel and Gretel. Each of the eight miniature Alexander Happy Meal dolls has “sleep eyes.”  This was a “first” for a Happy Meal toy.

 

o   In early 2001, Madame Alexander broke out of the closet and into the limelight with cameo appearances on the HBO “Sex & the City” and VH1’s “Rock of Ages”. In one episode of “Sex & the City” a gay couple decides to take their relationship “to the next level.” As the relationship progresses, it is revealed that one of the men is an extremely devoted doll collector – and obsessed with Madame Alexander’s “queen” dolls – Queen Elizabeth, Queen of Sheba, etc. – and prefers to display them in his bedroom, principally on his bed.

 

o   Madame Alexander was also featured on VH1’s video critique show, “Rock of Ages,” a segment of the show was shot in the Alexander Doll showroom. For producers designing a segment where women of “a certain age” would be invited to view a selection of modern videos and asked to offer their comments and impressions, the Madame Alexander showroom was the perfect backdrop.  Sitting in the midst of dolls that looked as though they belonged to another era, a group of women who did belong to another area laughed, opined, and generally sounded off about select music videos from contemporary artists. 

 

o   The Smithsonian Institute houses several Madame Alexander dolls in its permanent collection.

 

o   In 2005, Madame Alexander’s historic Cissy doll celebrated her 50^th anniversary.  Cissy™, the “classic haute couture” doll first introduced by the Madame Alexander Doll Company in 1955, was the toy industry’s first true fashion doll and is still as elegant and stylish today. The company also worked with Madonna to create dolls based on the characters from her line of children’s books, The English Roses.

 

o   Madame Alexander partnered with ABC Entertainment and Touchstone Television in 2007 and 2008 for two lines of dolls based on the characters of the hit show Desperate Housewives. Dressed in outfits inspired by those seen on the show, the miniature recreations of Bree, Edie, Gabrielle, Lynette and Susan were models of poise and style and, of course, figures of mystery and secrecy.

 

o   In 2008, for the first time in over 15 years, Gray Line New York Sightseeing Hop-On-Hop-Off Double Decker Bus Tour had revised its famous itinerary to include Alexander Doll Company in Harlem. Madame Alexander offers free daily tours and behind-the-scene tours by appointment.

 

o   Madame Alexander introduced Mr. Alexander – Distinguished Gentleman as an escort for Cissy, the ultimate fashion icon.  With his leading-man good looks, Mr. Alexander – Distinguished Gentleman, the first male Cissy, made his debut in 2009 in his finest formalwear.

 

o   Madame Alexander collaborated with designer Jason Wu--famous for designing Michelle Obama’s inaugural gown--in 2010 to give its classic Cissy doll an exciting new look. Wu created two collections: the futuristic NEO Cissy By Jason Wu collection consisting of three fashion-forward dolls with a dramatic flair, and the more traditional Cissy Collection Styled by Jason Wu, featuring four dolls with unique texture, bold color and exquisite make-up.  Both the Cissy and NEO Cissy dolls are unconventional. They possess a higher range of movement than most dolls, due to their newly engineered jointing that allows them to be posed in lifelike fashion model poses.   

 

o   In 2010, Alexander Doll Company acquired the business assets of Lee Middleton Original Dolls, Inc., the Ohio-based manufacturer of authentic collectible, baby and play dolls.

o   A new male sculpt was introduced to the Madame Alexander line in 2011.This 10” sculpt was used for Gomez in The Addams Family Musical collection, King Henry VIII for The Tudors collection, and currently, Rhett Butler from the Gone with the Wind collection.

 

o   As the glamorous 1960s recaptured America’s heart with ABC’s show “Pan Am,” Madame Alexander introduced new dolls to bring to life this era: Pan Am Stewardess’ Cisette, Alex and Cissy.

 

o   Author and socialite Candy Spelling is a huge fan of Madame Alexander dolls. Her collection of Madame Alexander dolls was given its own gallery in the chateau she lived in with husband Aaron Spelling. 350 dolls from this collection were auctioned off on November 20, 2011 at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. The collection included many rare dolls, including “Rachel” from the 1954 Biblical Series, which sold for $11,000. 

o   On November 23, 2011, Madame Alexander was featured on NBC’s hit comedy “Up All Night,” starring Christina Applegate and Nick Cannon. The scene takes place in a candy shop where Madame Alexander dolls line the walls.

 

o   Madame Alexander’s millions of loyal fans include Demi Moore, Cindy Crawford, Barbara Streisand, Oprah Winfrey, Britney Spears, Tori Spelling, Margaret O’Brien, Mrs. Michael Jordan, the Hilton family, Mrs. Andy Garcia, and Dakota Fanning.

 

o   In 2012, Kahn Lucas Lancaster, Inc., a leading global designer and wholesaler of branded girls’ dresses and fashion collections, acquired all intellectual property and select assets of Alexander Doll Company, Inc. Kahn Lucas had been a long time licensing partner with Alexander Doll under Kahn Lucas’ award-winning Dollie & Me® brand of matching girl and doll apparel and related fashion accessories.

 

Bearington Bears Are Back!

We are pleased to announce that we have decided to start carrying Bearington Bears once again.  Thanks to those of you who participated in our survey.  A few customers were very interested in us bringing them back in our inventory.

Many Christmas bears have already arrived, and we should be receiving in the Halloween teddy bears shortly.  (Their arrival is anticipated for mid-August of 2013).

Bearington Bears has been in existence for more than 15 years now and it still remains of the few family-owned businesses in the collectibles world.  Bearington still offers their teddy bear collectors reasonably-priced plush bears and they have won several awards over the years for their dressed and undressed teddy bears.

Please let us know if  you see a bear that is not on our site, and as always, we will do our best to get it ordered for you.

Quote of the Day - "When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us." - Helen Keller

Steiff Gold Sequin Teddy Bears from Enchanted Forest Collection

Just wanted to share a photo of both the large and small Steiff Bears Gold Sequin Teddy bears.  We loved both of these bears the minute that we saw them but unfortunately, there were not very popular with Steiff collectors.  Many told us that they did not care for the Enchanted Forest Collection from last year because the materials that the bears were made from were not the traditional mohair.

Anyway, the material of these teddy bears is a gold sequin material and their bear paws are made of white velvet material.

We still have both of these bears in stock.  The larger sequin teddy bear is EAN 025990 and the smaller sequin bear is EAN 025945.  (Please note that we were not very fond of the stock photo of the smaller bear as he looks a bit mean, but as you can see by the photo, that is not the case at all).

Quote of the Day - "Happiness depends more on the inward disposition of mind than on outward circumstances." - Benjamin Franklin

New Boyds Bears Have Arrived

Our long awaited Boyd's Bear order which is supposed to ship in June and July has finally started to arrived.

We have received in three Limited Edition Plush - Carley Teddy 4035273, Zoey Teddy 4036721, and pictured left, the limited edition Frederick Q. Bearmore 4034007. He is quite the massive and furry teddy bear. . .

In addition, part of the Appleseed Fashion Family arrived to include Cortland Appleseed 4034125, Jonnie Appleseed 4034126, and Gala Appleseed 4034127. Each one features corduroy material in their outfits and a cute apple theme.

We are still awaiting the much anticipated Patriotic plush bears and several Boyds Treasure Boxes (formerly know as Uncle Bean's Treasure Boxes).

Please stay tuned!

Quote of the Day - "Wisdom is the sunlight of the soul." - German Proverb

International Online Ordering is Now Available!

For those international customers who wanted the ability to order online from Beacon's Glow Collectibles, the time is finally here!

We are using USPS (US Postal Service) for shipping international orders, as we have always done.  But now we are utilizing live rates from the USPS which means that you can see exactly what your shipping charges will be while checking out with your international order.  (Three USPS shipping options are available:  USPS Express Mail International, USPS Priority Mail, and USPS First Class mail. 

At this time, we ship to the following countries:

• United States;
• Australia;
• Austria;
• Belgium;
• Brazil;
• Canada;
• China;
• Denmark;
• France;
• Germany;
• Italy;
• Japan;
• Mexico;
• Netherlands;
• Norway;
• Scotland;
• Singapore;
• Spain;
• Sweden;
• Switzerland;
• United Kingdom

Please see our website page titled "Our Policies" for additional information.  And as is always the case, please do not hesitate to contact us through email should you have any additional questions or need any assistance whatsoever.

We are quite excited to be able to offer our international customers the ability to process their orders online.

Quote of the Day - "It is best to learn wisdom by the experience of others." - Latin Proverb

Charlie Bears Update

As of July 1, 2013 - Charlie Bears Bags for Plush are being phased out.  Overwhelming feedback from Charlie Bears Collectors and Stockists highlighted the concern that an excess of bags were being delivered to stockists and collectors with no use for so many bags.  As a result, Charlie Bears has decided that it is time to stop including a free bear bag with each Charlie Bears plush purchase.  (Please note that this does not affect the Limited Edition Charlie Bears Mohair Isabelle and Minimo bear bags, which will still be shipped with each collectible mohair bear free of charge.)

Quote of the Day - "Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." - Marcel Proust

New 2013 Spring Collection of Helen Kish Dolls Introduced

Today we got word that Helen Kish Dolls is adding two additional dolls to her 2013 lineup - Bethany Falling Leaves and Tatum Gotta Dance. 

Both dolls look like perfect additions to Helen's Piper Big Sis and Peyton.

Per Kish & Company's decription of both Tatum Gotta Dance and Bethany Falling Leaves:

"Tatum Gotta Dance is so excited about her almost matching penguin pinafore.  But she goes one better with her penguin style cap and shoe covers, so convincing that she is ready for Halloween.  Underneath her colorfully decorated grey wool felt pinafore, Tatum wears a simple little frock with a black knit bodice and sleeves, and gathered skirt in a black and white print.  Her tights are a bright yellow burnout knit and her shoes simple black Mary Janes.

Bethany Falling Leaves is resplendent in her autumn dress and wool felt pinafore ensemble.  The dress is a combination of a soft lime green top, with lightly embroidered and beaded 3/4 length and a dropped waist with  full gathered print skirt.  The strawberry red pinafore is embroidered in black outlines to catch the falling leaves of soft lime green and dark turquoise, each leafe affixed with a tiny red bead."

Please stay tuned as both dolls are expected to ship late July - early August.

Quote of the Day - "Hear the meaning within the word." - William Shakespeare

Coming in July - Lorella Falconi Dolls

We are very excited to annouce that in July we will be receiving in two of Lorella Falconi dolls - Solace II and Violet Skye.  (Solace II is pictured above).

Each doll is a ball-jointed resin doll with glass eyes, real hair and wears a handmade outfit.  Lorella's dolls each come from a very limited edition of only 50 dolls. 

Please stay tuned. . . we can't wait to get these incredible dolls in stock.

Quote of the Day - "Imagination is more important than knowledge." - Albert Einstein

Coming Soon - Helen Kish Dolls

We are very excited to announce that we willnow be carrying Helen Kish Dolls of Kish and Company. 

Helen has actually only created two new dolls for 2013 but is continuing to produce the Riley 'Little Belle' doll from 2012.

The Riley 'Little Belle' should be be in stock shortly and Piper Big Sis should be arriving towards the end of June.

Please stay tuned!

Quote of the Day - "I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past." - Patrick Henry

Heidi Plusczok Receives Jone's Publishing Lifetime Achievement Award

We were very pleased to hear the announcement that Heidi Plusczok is going to be presented the Jone's Publishing Lifetime Achievement Award at this year's IDEX, which will be held in April.

Heidi has been creating her magnificent dolls for more than 22 years now.  Her dolls are even more special in 2013 as Heidi has decided to make her vinyl limited editions even smaller in number this year.  This will allow her to hand-paint each and every doll herself.  She will not let any doll go on to a collector unless the finished design is perfect.

As most of you probably know, this is the first year that Beacon's Glow Collectibles has carried Heidi's dolls.  We are carrying only the 4 special 10-1/2 inch vinyl dolls at this time.  (Heidi calls these dolls the "Little Ones".  But if a doll collector would like one of Heidi's larger dolls, just contact us and we will get one special ordered for you.

Heidi's 2013 collection is called "Celebration".  Each vinyl doll is emblamatic of a certain celebration - Oktoberfest, Easter, wedding, and the First day of school.

Anyway, we are very pleased that Heidi is being recognized for her incredible artistic talent by being awarded this very special lifetime achievement award.

Quote of the Day - "Keep steadily before you the fact that all true success depends at last upon yourself." - Theodore T. Hunger

A Bit About Heidi Plusczok Dolls

Thought you might find this interesting regarding Heidi Plusczok Dolls that we are now carrying - http://www.pr.com/press-release/478143.

(By the way, we sold out of the Linette dolls and have more on backorder.  They are expected to ship towards the end of April).

Heidi's dolls are exquisite and the detailed outfits that they come dressed in are quite incredible.

Quote of the Day - 'People with many interests, live, not only longest, but happiest' - George Matthew Allen

Charlie Bears on QVC UK

Did you get to watch Charlie Bears (William and Charlotte (aka Charlie) on QVC UK last week?  Even though the show does not air on US television, one can watch it on their computer.

The owner of Beacon's Glow Collectibles got the opportunity to watch all except one of the shows and she thoroughly enjoyed it.

Will and Charlie make the most adorable couple as can be seen by the image above.

Here are some interesting tidbits mentioned during the shows:

- Charlie and Will's first date was at a Fish and Chips restaurant.  William took Charlie to the best Fish and Chips restaurant in the UK.  To celebrate their first date, Charlie Bears produced a wonderful trio of teddybears that each represent part of that first dinner together.  The bears are named Fish, Chips, and Mushy Peas.  Each has a unique charm that hangs around their neck.  Fish has a fish trinket, Chips a fish and chips chip, and Mushy Pea a Fish and Chips fork. 

William mentioned that there are currently 200 Charlie Bear stockists worldwide.  They are not able to let any more retailers become stockists as there are not enough Charlie Bears to go around as it is.  They will never produce a bear in a limited edition of more than 500 pieces.

William designs all of the Charlie Bear catalogs and Charlie was very pleased that her 2013 Charlie Bear was featured on the front.  She is an incredible bear and Beacon's Glow Collectibles should be receiving their allocation of these bears in the next week or two.

Charlie Bears began in 2005 and currently stockists span 30 countries.

Charlie had mentioned that she will be producing a catalog of all Charlie Bear plush bears ever produced and it should be ready in November of 2013.  We are definitely looking forward to that.

They have introduced a new line of bears called the 'Bearhouse Collection".  These bears are all 11-1/2 inches seated and have been named after famous British places and castles.  This first collection represents the first 12 produced.  Already, these bears have been quite popular.  The difference between a regular Charlie Bear and a Bearhouse Bear is that a Bearhouse bear is unjointed and is suitable for ages 18 months and up.

Charlie Bears is coming out with some adorable wooden and canvas cloth deck chairs to display your teddy bears (or dolls) in,  They were modelled after some high-end deck chairs from cruise liners.  Beacon's Glow Collectibles will also be carrying these deck chairs so please stay tuned.

Mohair Charlie Bears (mostly designed by Isabelle Lee) are appropriate for ages 14 and above.  These are the true collectible Charlie Bears, and they are made of mohair or alpaca which increases the cost of each teddy bear.

William mentioned that his grandmother's name is Brenda, and they will definitely be making a 'Brenda' Charlie Bear in the future.  Brenda, owner of Beacon's Glow Collectibles was pleased to hear this.

Hope that you find the above-mentioned items as interesting as we did.

Quote of the Day - "A light heart lives long." - William Shakespeare

In Case You Missed It - Background on Steiff Bears

Steiff - Famous hand-made German teddybears with Steiff "Button in Ear"

(Written by Brenda Mize, Owner of Beacon's Glow Collectibles)

History

Margarete Steiff, the founder of Steiff Bears, started her company in 1880. She beat all odds at the time by building a successful business, as she was wheelchair-bound as a result of polio. During this timeframe it was also unusual to find an aspiring female entrepreneur. Women had few legal rights or social standing during this period. Despite her handicap, she ultimately molded one of the most successful (and enduring) high-quality collectible toy companies in the world. After more than 128 years in business, this company continues to thrive and its products are in as much demand by collectors as they have ever been. This family-owned company makes about 15 million stuffed animals every year, which includes more than a quarter of a million Steiff teddy bears.

Steiff's plush animals are all designed by hand in their factory in Giengen, Germany. Each piece is hand-produced in their same traditional manner which results in the highest quality teddy bears and plush animals. Margarete Steiff's motto, which is still carried on by the company today, was "Only the best is good enough for our children".

Steiff "Button in Ear" Trademark

The Steiff "Button in Ear" trademark truly distinguishes each and every teddy bear and plush animal as a symbol of ultimate quality for toys. The "Button In Ear" trademark was invented in 1904 by Franz Steiff, one of Margarete's nephews, to distinguish Steiff bears from all others. Since 1904, each and every piece that Steiff has produced has the Steiff trademark button attached to its left ear.

To differentiate between Steiff's various collections, each teddybear and animal produced wears a distinctively colored tag as well as metal embossed button. For example:
Original Collection: comprised of a yellow Steiff ear tag with red writing and brass embossed button. Easily recognizable as an authentic Steiff Teddy Bear or Steiff animal.

　

Limited Edition: comprised of a white ear tag with red writing and gold-plated embossed button. Recognized by Steiff collectors as a piece from a limited edition.
Replica: comprised of a white ear tag with black writing and silver-plated embossed button. These replica animals are reproduced exactly according to Steiff's historic role models from the past.
Materials Used

Steiff Bears only uses the finest materials for their heirloom-quality teddy bears and animals. Two of the most popular materials used are mohair and alpaca. Both retain their long-lasting beauty which allows all of Steiff's pieces to be passed down from generation to generation.

Mohair has been used by Steiff since 1901 to make their teddy bears and animals. Angora goats took their name from the ancient Turkish city of Ankara, which was very close to where they originated. The Turks thought so highly of these special goats that none left the country until the sixteenth century. The first exports landed in Spain and France, but Angoras didn't reach American shores until 1849. The most valuable characteristic of the Angora goat is the value of the mohair that is clipped. The average goat in the U.S. shears approximately 5.3 pounds of mohair per shearing and are usually sheared twice a year – once in the spring and once again in the early fall.

Mohair fleece has always been the superior fabric for making teddy bears. There are many reasons for this:
1) mohair has an incredible luster to it, and dyed mohair resists fading caused by time and the elements
2) mohair is naturally almost non-flammable
3) mohair is considered the most durable animal fiber and is very resistant to hard wearing
4) the natural fibers from mohair have the ability to absorb and release atmospheric moisture
5) mohair is characteristically resistant to soiling
6) mohair possesses great tensile strength - diameter to diameter it is stronger than steel

Alpaca wool, on the other hand, is derived from the alpaca, a domesticated animal species from South America, that resembles a small llama. Alpaca fur is prized for its use in teddy bears, as well as many other items, and comes in more than 52 natural colors. It is light-weight, lustrous, and silky in nature which makes it a perfect medium for teddy bears.

Steiff at Auction

It is a well-known fact that Steiff Teddy Bears are true heirloom pieces, and increase in value as they gracefully age. They continue to fetch top prices among collectors and Steiff lovers. On October 14, 2000, the highest amount every paid for a teddy bear occurred at the Monaco "Teddies de l'An 2000" auction. Mr. Jessie Kim of Korea bought a "Louis Vuitton" teddy bear for 418,000 DM, which equates to nearly $195,000.00 USD.

The next highest amount paid for a Steiff bear at auction was $171,700 in 1994 for a bear named 'Teddy Girl'. This very valuable bear was a 1904 cinnamon Steiff bear sold to Yoshihiro Sekiguchi, founder of the Teddy Bear Museum in Izu, Japan.

Currently the latest teddy bear collector trend is for everyday collectors to buy reproductions of plush animals that are anywhere from 90 to 100 years old. Collectors desire the antique look, but don’t want the actual antiques themselves. Steiff teddy bears fit these requirements perfectly, and delight collectors of all ages by providing a lifetime of pleasure and enjoyment.

References
Margarete Steiff GmbH All About Your Collectible Teddy Bear’s Mohair, An Overview by Beacon’s Glow Collectibles
Pfeiffer Gunther (2001) 100 Years Steiff Teddy Bears. Koelbin-Fortuna-Druck GmbH: Baden/Germany.
Steiff Website (Germany)
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