Festus - William Simpson Teddy Bear Collection

This teddy bear was named Festus and belonged to Mr William Simpson, an avid collector of more than 250 teddy bears. Festus has a swivel head, an open mouth, jointed limbs and downward facing front paw pads. He wears a turquoise ribbon around his neck. 

Festus was manufactured in Austria by Fechter in the 1950s or 1960s. Mr Simpson purchased him in 2006.

Fechter existed from 1949 to 1979. In its early years, the company supposedly made teddy bears out of American army blankets. Fechter teddy bears were well-made and relatively expensive.