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Post by DollyPrince on Apr 4, 2016 19:18:16 GMT -7
Hello! I have ordered an Italian version of Teddie Talkins, a very rare talking teddy bear from the 1980's. He is new in his box and has his original cassette tape. He is non-working, but I will restore him to perfect health again! He has gone to a very good home. I will keep you updated on his progress. It will take me a very long time to build up my collection again. Prices for vintage and antique toys, especially battery operated and mechanical toys, have skyrocketed in the past few years. However, I consider myself very lucky to have this beautiful bear as my first cassette talker in the new collection. Here is a link to a picture of an English version, in his box. The design of the box is very different! Italian version's tape is black with no label. The writing and style of the Italian box is resembling of Gabby Bear. s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/18/56/a9/1856a9cba2d7b563713f49fad2e17256.jpg |
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Post by kaylathehedgehog on Apr 5, 2016 15:53:54 GMT -7
He looks pretty cute, and not as blatant as some of the other Teddy knockoffs. You planning on taking pictures of him?
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Post by DollyPrince on Apr 5, 2016 18:39:44 GMT -7
Yes, I will take pictures, and record a video.
I will also take pictures during his restoration! There are many pictures of the mechanisms of WoW and Playmates cassette talking toys, but not many of other brands. So I think it will be interesting!
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Post by kaylathehedgehog on Apr 6, 2016 15:10:06 GMT -7
Awesome! Can't wait to see them.
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Post by DollyPrince on Apr 12, 2016 20:53:04 GMT -7
Hello! I found interesting information! My talking Teddy Bear, is not Teddie Talkins! He is the Italian version of Tell Tale Teddy. I discovered this English version yesterday: My bear has same box design, but Italian: i.ebayimg.com/images/i/262246284722-0-1/s-l1000.jpgMaybe they are like Gabby Bear and My Talking Bear, or T.T Bear and Lucky Bear. Same toy, but different tape! Now I am more curious! My bear has still not arrived... He is coming from far away. |
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Post by kaylathehedgehog on Apr 13, 2016 15:18:42 GMT -7
He is a cutie. How much did you pay for it?
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Post by DollyPrince on Apr 13, 2016 15:56:38 GMT -7
He was around $70 or 49£.
Expensive, but I was saving to buy a talking toy! I think he is worth it ♡
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Post by kaylathehedgehog on Apr 14, 2016 15:15:44 GMT -7
I'd say that was a fairly good deal, given that it's such a rare toy.
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Post by DollyPrince on Apr 14, 2016 21:19:35 GMT -7
Yes. Such rare toys can be much more expensive! But you know what? My bear is here! He has arrived! And he talks! I have no need to repair his cassette player.. But, his animations do not work. His motors make noise, but he does not move.. His mouth will sometimes move very slightly. He has a belt-driven system, like Playskool Teddy Ruxpin. Many rare cassette talking toys work this way... Including Fievel, and Pound Puppies Cooler. His belts are likely bad... I can repair it, but his head seems to be of very cheap plastic. I have not taken the fur off to see, but he seems to have no screws, just like the Playskool Teddy Ruxpin. I don't know if I should risk damaging his plastic skull to reach his motor system... He is very rare, and his cosmetics are in perfect condition.. He and his box are like if I just bought him at a store in the 1980's! Do you think I should try to repair him? If he was a Playskool Teddy Ruxpin, I would try to repair him... But because he is so rare and very dear to me, I am not sure if I should.. I have experience prying apart plastic bodies of talking dolls to reach the mechanism. But, they are usually of very hard, thick plastic... This bear's skull is very light and thin.. Anyways, as stated, he is in very good condition, besides his motor belts. I have owned a Gabby Bear long ago, and his fur feels much the same. It is much softer than Teddy Ruxpin's fur! The tension of the eyes when moved manually (gently!) is also similar to Gabby Bear. He has a play and stop button, and also a dial switch similar to WoW toys. His tape is unlabelled, and it reminds me of the tape for My Talking Bear. There are three stories on each side, one is about magical pants! Haha! I forgot to say, Italian version's name is actually "Funny"! This bear has many names! He is very cute! I will show pictures. Please click them to see facing upwards! 
 
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Post by kaylathehedgehog on Apr 15, 2016 15:11:02 GMT -7
You could always bill him as a ventriloquist. My Playskool Teddy's had that profession for quite a while now.
The cassette player looks very similar to Teddy, but I've got to hand it to them for not making the bear himself such a blatant clone of him. He's really rather cute.
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Post by DollyPrince on Apr 15, 2016 20:27:59 GMT -7
Yes, haha!
His Play and Stop buttons reveal him as a non-WoW toy! Because as you know, they never had such buttons! But his switch is just like WoW!
Yes, he is not a direct bootleg, unlike such toys as T.T Bear. I think he is a "cheap alternative" to Teddy Ruxpin.
It is funny, over the decades, such toys become more expensive and valuable than the "real" toy!
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Post by kaylathehedgehog on Apr 17, 2016 5:53:47 GMT -7
I was thinking the same thing. A "cheap" alternative that ends up fetching more money down the road than the actual Teddy. I guess it's because Teddy had such a big market saturation, whereas this little guy probably didn't see as much.
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Post by DollyPrince on May 2, 2016 20:30:43 GMT -7
I have found out some parts of the stories. Since I speak a similar language, I can find out the meaning of some words..
The first story talks about pants... And I heard them say, "magical pants"! So that is the subject of this story..
The second story tells of talking animals. There is a fish, and a bear..
The third one is about a man who meets the devil.. I think he outsmarts him.
Very interesting stories. There is more stories on side 2, but I must listen to them closely, and Funny mustn't be played so long, or he smells of stressed motors..
Which reminds me, I thought Funny was in perfect condition, in the box.. He even has the plastic ties which hold him in it! But I was inspecting him, and he has a hole in the seam on his neck! He is made like Teddy Ruxpin, and this is the seam which allows them to be dismantled for repair. It is big enough so I can see the white plastic! As I thought, it looks like Playskool Teddy...
It would be easy to take off his fur...
But I am not sure if I should do it.... I have no belts, so I must replace with rubber bands temporarily.. Which will not last. I am not sure if he is glued like Playskool Teddy... But I think he is.
But maybe I am worrying too much..
I should not try to repair him until I order belts from online. I do not know the size, so I will probably buy a large pack of different sizes..
And, I am sorry I have not shared a video! My iPad cannot record such long video.. And I do not own a computer or camera. Perhaps I can use my cell phone.
But, Funny is not working properly, so I don't want to record him unless many people really want to hear his tape...
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Post by kaylathehedgehog on May 3, 2016 16:34:17 GMT -7
A story that includes the devil? Brave people.
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Post by DollyPrince on May 4, 2016 2:59:03 GMT -7
Yes! I don't think there is another toy that includes such a story! Haha
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