The blue one is bought at an antique shop in Brookings, SD where I had one-month residency at South Dakota State University. He looks handmade. I love the color combination of blue and pink. He still has a price tag on his right arm that says “$2”!
The middle one is from an antique shop in Hopkins, MN. The nostalgic design is probably 60’s? She is very charming in the gingham check clothes with a white apron.
The brown one is a gift from my former professor Karl Bethke and his wife Rose Marie Bethke. He has a yellow tag on his left ear that says “Original Steiff”. I don’t know how old he is. He has really gentle eyes and is always calm. Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Bethke for giving me such a wonderful treasure!
My friend Lois gave this hand-knit bear to me. The gift made me so happy. I named him “Shima-jiro”: "Striped Guy" in Japanese.
He got a sweater and a hat, too. They are necessary to survive a harsh winter in Minnesota.
This is my vintage roundup toy. He is drinking milk sitting on a box. What an adorable toy! These kinds of toys were imported from Japan to the US in the 60's.