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Brand Profiles

GUND

For more than 110 years GUND has combined the richness of tradition with the excitement of innovation by using unique materials to create quality, original products with unparalleled huggability. Each and every character is unique, its appeal ageless, and its place in the hearts of consumers timeless.

For more than a century, GUND has been creating unique teddy bears and other soft toys recognized the world over for their quality and innovation.

The leading soft toy manufacturer in the U.S., and also the oldest, GUND was founded by German immigrant Adolph Gund in Norwalk, Connecticut in 1898. GUND was one of the first companies to design and produce teddy bears in the early 1900�s.

The Willowtree Story

Artist Susan Lordi hand carves each original Willow Tree® sculpture. Using family and friends as models, Susan tries to capture a moment in time, or express a feeling. Pieces are cast from her original carving, and then individually painted by hand. Softly washed colors, carved and metal accents, and representative icons of nature mark Susan�s work.

"I try to keep the interpretation of Willow Tree open. I hope this makes it more personal, and allows the viewer to decide its meaning."

Willow Tree was introduced in January 2000. The line has grown to encompass those sentiments that we most want to express. To our friends, to our family, to our teachers; to those near and dear, to those far away.
The original inspiration for Willow Tree still holds true today: Willow Tree is an intimate, personal line of figurative sculptures representing qualities and sentiments that help us feel close to others, heal wounds, or treasure relationships. Susan Lordi carves each original piece with this thought in mind. Her figures continue to evolve as she identifies emotions so important for us to convey, and renders them in simple, pure gestures. These art forms beautifully express love, closeness, healing, courage, hope... all the emotions of a life well lived.

The name Willow Tree was chosen to symbolize that which is gestural and beckoning. The figures are columnar in design, like a tree, and often carry natural objects or animals as metaphors for human virtues or qualities... rosemary for remembrance, a bird for healing, flowers for beauty.

The sculptures are rendered so as to suggest elegance, simplicity, peace and serenity. Forms reveal their expressions through body gestures only... a tilt of the head, placement of the hands, a turn of the body. Emotions are left to the viewer to discern, which makes them personal and powerful. Willow Tree is an understated line that speaks in a compelling way.

Old Tupton Ware

Since 2002, the name Old Tupton Ware has been attributed to this range of exquisite ceramics, consequently much of the earlier tubelining designs were sold unbranded. The name originated from the lovely village of Old Tupton, just south of Chesterfield in Derbyshire, England. The creators� objectives was to achieve excellence in British design using the ever increasing quality of manufacture from the Far East to produce affordable ceramics that are a pleasure to own and admire.

Old Tupton Ware is pottery made to the highest standards. Each Old Tupton Ware piece requires more than a dozen steps from original master to the finished product on the shelf. Old Tupton Ware clay pieces are first prepared to give a blemish free surface then fired to 1250 degrees Celsius. The original Old Tupton Ware artwork is then skilfully drawn onto the product followed by hand-crafted tube lining giving the raised effect much admired. Metallic oxide based colours are painted by hand, dried and then repeatedly coloured washed until the desired effect is achieved - that is uniquely Old Tupton Ware. Transparent glaze is applied and the clay is fired again to 800 degrees Celsius to seal the finished product. As each Old Tupton Ware piece is hand made, there will always be small differences from one piece to another which can enhance the product and its collectibility.


Jeanne McDougall is a successful designer of ceramic, glass, textile and enamel. Graduating with a Masters in Ceramic Design from Stoke-on-Trent, England she has since worked with and commissioned by various ceramic manufacturers. In collaboration with Old Tupton Ware, Jeanne has produced some stunning designs extending her creations based on influences of Art Nouveau, flora, and fashion. Her previous work has, over time, gained understanding in the art world and collectors are only now appreciative of her individual abilities.

Kaloo

Kaloo began with a dream.

A father's dream, to invent different soft toys for his little boy. As a modern father, his vision was softness and comfort using innovative materials in a rainbow full of colours. His aim was to create the doudou his little boy had dreamt of. A little bear, an emotional symbol for all toddlers, was then chosen as the brand's emblematic animal.

Because dreams can come true, Kaloo came to life one beautiful morning in late 1998.
Kaloo, whose name was inspired by this one little boy, Lucas.

Because a child's everyday life should be filled with wonder and softness to encourage their evolution, Kaloo, with its' modern design and innovative themes creates a complete world for children to revisit timeless classics.

Goebel -Rosina Wachtmeister

Rosina Wachtmeister

Artist Biography

Born in Vienna in 1939, Rosina Wachtmeister studied art in Brazil and currently lives with her family and many animals in a picturesque village near Rome. She is world-renowned for creating distinctive artwork that is whimsical, fresh and fun. A lover of nature, Rosina has mastered the use of bright, powerful colors with playful shapes to create distinctive works that captivate art and animal lovers around the world. Goebel is proud to partner with Wachtmeister to showcase her happy animal motifs and offer you the ability to admire her work through a variety of highly crafted gifts, figurines and home décor accessories.

Country Artists

The origins of Country Artists can be traced to 1978 and a small country cottage in Tanworth-In-Arden, Warwickshire, England. It was at this stage that the potential of utilising traditional materials mixed with resins was first appreciated.

Over the years, so much has changed, not least the skills of the modellers and artists who incorporate such detail into the sculptures for which, Country Artists is now renowned throughout the world.