"Through The Years"
The Gospel According to Gary Lowenthal
I suppose someone had to design the perfect bear...and just my luck I seem to love every one of them that this strange man in Pennsylvania can think of. From the softest fur of plush mohairs to the sweet faces of the "Yesterday's Child" series, my admiration knows no bounds. Strangely enough, the only Boyds I do not like are the fairies, frogs and angels. Everthing else is on my "have to get" list.
Yesterday's Child or the Dollstone Collection was the first series of Boyds resins that I became serious about. It was not enough just to have each figurine, it had to be a first edition. It was not a task that was easy to accomplish. I made the rounds of all the stores in the area that carried Boyds products. I purchased other little goodies just to get on the "good side" of shop owners...a few beanies and Snowbabies and Cherished Teddies...but I am getting ahead of myself. No matter how many I was able to find, there were some that I just could not locate. Thank goodness I discovered eBay. Not only was I able to find the Dollstones that I needed to complete my collection, I was able to sell some of the higher editions. A new world had opened up for me. I had found a "store" that had everything I needed and it was as near as my keyboard.
QVC on "Collector's Day" and those rare occasions the the "Head Bean" himself visited were eagerly anticipated. Nothing could pull me away from the television on those days. I had found out that Boyds were listed about seventy two hours ahead on iQVC and I always tried to place my order ahead on time so I would not get shut out during the actual events. As confident as I was, ol' Gary always had a surprise premier edition that was not listed. I found out that...if you are going to collect...you have to watch.
The Boyds Bearstone Collection are a serious must for any bear lover. Each of the figurines portrays a bear doing "people things"in a beary special way. It seems that I always start collecting different things about two years after they have first been introduced. This is the case with the Boyds Bearstones.
I found myself tracking the bears all over the country until I had collected all that were available. I had two long years of catching up to do, plus finding the ones that had recently been released. It was not always possible to get first editions.
Sometimes I was fortunate and found a first edition here or there but without the help of friends who have retail shops, I would never have been as successful in my search as I have been. I have about a third of the Bearstone collection in "firsts" and I am always looking for the next "1E"!
Perhaps the greatest thrill for a collector is finding that buy of a lifetime at retail. I was at a local mall a few years ago and noticed some old Bearstone boxes sitting on a table marked 50% off. I figured these were all the high editions of Bearstones no one wanted. The first box I check had no identifying label and I checked inside. To my amazement, there was Father Chrisbear and Son. I could feel my knees tremble and my hands shake as I made my way to the cashier. I was sure that this was a practical joke and I was the patsy. As a walked out of the shop, I let out a scream...I was surprised mall security was not called.
As great a thrill as finding a first edition at retail is finding a long retired piece at a yard sale. I very seldom stop at them, I figure that the person who is selling does not have a use for it, why would I? One day last year was the exception. I walked around and glanced at the tables. I saw nothing that I could not really live without until...out of the corner of my eye I noticed a familiar figurine. I casually walked over and checked it over...yes, that was it! I saw no price and was almost afraid to ask how much it cost. I noticed that another lady was walking to the table. As she got closer, the seller told her that everything on the table was $1.00. That day I took Arthur 1E home with me.
Boyds Bearstones hold a special place in my heart. Each figurine has a personality of it's own. Whether reading love sonnets, playing tennis, or just being beary cute...Boyds are the best.
