LEGENDARY TEDDY
Bargain Hunt’s Charles Hanson gobsmacked by WW2 teddy with ‘harrowing’ story ‘like no other’
TANKY the teddy bear survived a “remarkable journey” during World War Two and was sold for a hefty sum at auction in a recent episode of Bargain Hunt.
For those unfamiliar, Bargain Hunt is a show where amateur collectors have an hour at an antiques fair to acquire the best bargains possible.
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Auctioneer Eric Knowles spoke with antique expert Charles Hanson about his 1920s teddy bear named Tanky, which came with an emotional backstory.
Charles mentioned a bear of its age could usually fetch £150 at auction - but what was so special about Tanky the teddy bear?
Charles said, “This teddy bear here, looking a bit bashful has a story like no other”.
As he inspected the bear, he identified the brand as Steiff. He noticed his “humpback, he’s got these long limbs and it’s early 20th century.”
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Owner, Tom Matthews Junior told us about this teddy’s heart-wrenching story.
“His father Tom Matthews Senior had a tank in World War Two. He was sent to Holland where he met a local town ravaged by World War Two by the Germans,” he began.
“The lady he went to help had no heating, no water and he put a stove into her house. Her husband had been taken away by the Germans, she was on her own and she thanked him.
“She said: ‘Look you’ve got a young three-year-old at home, have this teddy bear’. And she even at that moment in time stitched two eyes on and this snout and said ‘Give it to your three-year-old son’. “This teddy bear then enjoyed a remarkable journey.”
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Pulling on viewers heart-strings, Charles went on to explain that Tom Matthews Snr took the teddy on his tank and used him as a pillow to sleep on.
Other adventures of Tanky the teddy bear included getting shot at Rhineland and a victory parade in Berlin in 1945.
Tanky acted like a mascot and provided comfort to servicemen during “those harrowing nights of gunfire and this bear almost said: ‘Come on, put my arm around you I’ll keep you safe’ and he did.'”
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Auctioneer Eric said that Tanky deserves a medal after what he's been through.
When it comes to the auction, Charles said, “I really hope Eric, this teddy bear from the 1920s, worn and a bit bald, ordinarily under the circumstances a bear without that rich pedigree is worth £150.
“Add to the fact he was on board this Royal Artillery Anti-tank Infantry, he’s in a different league now. I’m hoping with a guide price of £400 to £600, he’ll put his back up, think of Queen and country and say: ‘I was there’.”
Bargain Hunt is available to stream on the BBC iPlayer.
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