As Mal enjoyed a lovely cup of tea with Charlie and Will in the Charlie Bears Cub House, they discussed which characters they would create, in their first attempt at bringing Charlies Bears ceramics to life!
‘Puddle duck?’ ‘Hedge & Hog?’ – there are so many treasured Charlie Bears characters to choose from! Mal & Charlie got quite carried away…until Will said, ‘We have to start from the beginning! We have to tell the story of Charlie Bears through these pieces!’
So, where to begin…
Perhaps with the very bear that stars as the Charlie Bears logo!
The Famous 12
Meet Jake, one of the first and famous 12. When Charlie and Will started Charlie Bears, they launched with 12 bears, known as the First Twelve. These special bears can now be seen in the gallery at the Bearhouse, as they are all now incredibly rare and sought after! Displayed on whimsical keepsake boxes and suitcases, these original bears will all be transformed into charming, petite ceramic figurines by the English Ladies Co.
The first 12 bears were issued in a limited number of only 600 pieces, which is why the first the English Ladies Co. collection is limited to 600 pieces worldwide. As we expand the Charlie Bears collection, we will be launching more from this first set, so collectors can buy across the range or choose to collect just the first 12.
Can you guess who the next bear will be?!
Charlie Year Bears
Next to be introduced are two beary special bears.
Every Charlie Bear has a name, and the name is never used twice within the same collection. But Charlie’s name could never be retired! So in 2009, the first Charlie Year Bear was launched. Every year, collectors wait for the Year Bear which is kept a strict secret, and she is usually one of the most popular bears to collect each time!
The English Ladies Co. had to honour Charlie in this collection, so we have included the Year Bears, starting with the very first one from 2009, plus the very latest one from 2024! This will also become a future series, with each year launching the following Charlie Year Bear from the past and the newest Charlie Year Bear from the present.
If you don’t know Charlie Bears from the very beginning, you can start collecting from the current year – but if you do, eventually they will meet in the middle and you can collect the whole range of Charlie Year Bears!
We have designed these bears on books, adding a subtle nod to this year’s catalogue! As you can see with the current 2024 Charlie Year Bear, one of the books is the colour of the 2024 Catalogue with a tiny labyrinth symbol on the spine. Have you spotted it yet?
To continue this unique theme, we have produced complimentary teaware to tie it all together! Featuring designs from Charlie Bears Labyrinth artwork, including a heart shaped maze and the quote ‘Love Always Finds A Way’ around the inside of the cup. Our teaware pieces are finished with real platinum details for an extra sparkle in your display!
Each year we will bring out a tea set and plate to match that year’s catalogue, so collectors can build up a harlequin collection.
Another feature on all of our pieces made this year, is a unique year-mark on each backstamp. This is to symbolise the year of manufacture so that collectors and retailers can know when each of their products were made! This year has the Labyrinth themed Key as the year-mark!
Hatty Bears
Another range that Charlie and Will were keen to re-create is the ‘Hatties’ Series from the Isobelle Collection. Some of the most popular Charlie Bears are bears with hats, and we have found a real favourite!
Frost is one of Charlie Bears most recognisable bears, treasured by many around the world. We were so excited to design this bear and his wintery look. Our gorgeous Frost figure is full of character, with his long hat and shiny bell, painted in real platinum!
Like the other bears in this collection, we cannot wait to add more ‘Hatties’ to the range. Collectors who favour Hatty Bears will adore the ceramic bears as well, perfectly complimenting their displays.
Who will be the next Hattie? Coming BEARY Soon!!
Pandas
Whilst deciding on our last bear in the first range, Charlie mentioned that her Pandas were a really popular animal amongst her collectors. These bears delight Charlie Bears fans all over the globe, so we decided to choose Mr Widget as the perfect starting point for a little sub-collection within the English Ladies Co. range.
Look out for more Pandas in the future!
Each of the English Ladies Co. Charlie Bears are presented in a beautiful gift-boxed with an opening to the magical door of Hugsley Manor, revealing the ceramic bears inside!
The Teaware Range
To incorporate the English Ladies Co. signature style of beautiful handmade and hand-decorated bone china teawares into the Charlie Bears license, we just had to create a branded teaware collection. This range is made up of two cups & saucers and a matching plate.
One of Charlie’s favourite sayings is ‘Just My Cup of Tea with Two Sugars’ for things she especially likes! The ‘Just My Cup of Tea’ cup and saucer has been designed in a traditional Victorian style, that features a footed cup shape and a delicate raised handle, for the most elegant way to drink tea.
There is also a co-ordinating coffee-can shaped cup and saucer, with the classic Charlie Bears message ‘There’s Always Room for One More Bear’ around the inside. As well as a matching dessert plate featuring the Charlie Bears paw-print icon in the middle.
Each piece in the classic teaware collection is made from the highest quality ceramic material of fine bone china. The decoration for the collection is based on the Charlie Bears brand colours and signature scroll pattern in real 24 carat gold! They are presented individually in Charlie Bears branded gift boxes, creating an exciting experience from start to finish.
These pieces will be made each year, the only difference will be the year-mark on their backstamp! If you would like the original release with the Labyrinth Key year-mark, make sure to order before the second half of this year!
Happy collecting – be sure to share your displays and tag us on our social pages!
