The Beginning (1865 – 1932)
Ignaz and Adolf Bing founded Gebrüder Bing in Nürnberg, Germany in 1865 as a tin and kitchenware manufacturer. Around 1890 the company began making enameled toys. In 1907 Gebrüder Bing made their first bears, joining the teddy bear revolution at its height.
To distinguish their bears, Gebrüder Bing used a metal arrow in the bear’s ear, with the initials G.B.N. set in a diamond. Later the tag was moved from the ear to under the arm. Around 1920 a metal label attached to the right arm replaced the tag.
Because of Bing’s background in mechanics, it was natural that they became famous for their mechanical bears and toys. They ranged from bobbing-head bears to walkers, climbers, and skaters.
From 1905 to 1909 Gebrüder Bing was the “Greatest Toy Producer in the World,” employing over 6,000 skilled workers. After Ignaz Bing died in 1918, his son Stephan took the reigns of the company. The next year Gebrüder Bing Nürnberg was renamed Bing-Werke. The company was very successful in the toy industry, but in 1927 the family started to separate themselves from the business. With the company in arrears by 1932, all of Bing’s tools and machinery went up for auction.
For a more complete pictorial history of Gebrüder Bing and their bears, we recommend the book Bing Bears and Toys by Ken Yenke.
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