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Zwerggasse 1-3
96047 Bamberg
Germany
0951-22978 / Outside Germany: 49-951-22978
Info@GebrBING.com
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WDW Convention 2000
Gebr. BING And The 2000 Walt Disney World Teddy Bear & Doll Convention
by Patricia Breitenbach
My family and I arrived for the convention in Orlando, Florida early on Thursday, October 19th, 2000. After we checked in at the Dixie Landing hotel, it was time to head over to the Coronado Springs Convention Center to check out all the bears and dolls. We were able to spot the Gebr. BING auction piece right away on Lot 1. On display were “The Millennia’s Go to Walt Disney World 2000.” It was a one-of-a-kind white 30-inch mohair bear and a 13-inch white mohair bear, both with an individually hand dyed silk scarf bearing a “2000” gold-plated brooch of Swarovski crystal stones. The large bear had a genuine Gucci purse filled with a Levi denim bear – while the little one had a small brown mohair bear in her backpack. Many conventioneers were there to view all the different one-of-a-kind bears and dolls to be auctioned off later that evening.
This was my first auction and I was amazed how smooth and fast every bid went. It was very simple. They started out with a base price and you held up your numbered Mickey Mouse hand if you wanted to bid on the item. Even phone bids were accepted for these extraordinary bears and dolls. The auction was very successful with some pieces selling as high as $22,000. After the event, the winning bidder joined the creators of their one-of-a-kind pieces for some delightful refreshments.
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Friday started with a continental breakfast and a Limited Edition Private Sale. For this sale Gebr. BING had a smaller Millennia (12-inch) with each individually hand dyed silk scarf and “2000” gold plated brooch made of genuine Swarovski crystal stones.
The morning and afternoon passed by very quickly and many conventioneers left with a smile on their face and a Millennia Bear which was, of course, signed by either Eric or Margot Kluge, the owners of Gebr. BING. We also had a chance to attend some of the workshops and seminars that were going on.
That same evening we were treated to a night we will remember for a long time. The 2000 Collector’s Choice Awards Dinner took place inside the closed (especially for us!) attraction “The Living Sea.” They converted the attraction into a 2-story restaurant with an out-of-the-world buffet dinner. Artists and conventioneers enjoyed the evening together with Mickey Mouse under the water in a diving suit entertaining them by blowing air bubble kisses. It was great sitting at the same table as Helmut Engel, owner of the Engel Puppen and long-time member of the Walt Disney World Teddy Bear & Doll Convention. They even supplied a DJ who really got the crowd dancing until it was time for the fireworks. We were then led to a special roped off area where we had the best view you can get in the Epcot Center. What a day!
After a good breakfast in the American Adventure building on Saturday, it was off to do some more shopping. If we did not get all the bear and dolls the day before, we had another chance at the public sale in Epcot Center. Gebr. BING not only sold their Millennia Bear but also Wild Niko – which is small mohair Santa Claus Bear on a tin motor scooter. Again the artist signed the bears, answered all the questions, or just had a photo taken with the proud collector. If we were not too tired by now, we were able to enjoy all the rides we could get on. We surely took advantage of everything Walt Disney World had to offer. Too bad this trip had to end so soon, as we were heading back to the airport the next day.
What a treat this trip was! Walt Disney World did an outstanding job – special thanks to Marsha Chesko and Debbie Carlos who put this show together. This is the one of the only events where artists and conventioneer from all over the world get together. From here they can leave with a smile on their face, one or more new limited edition bears and dolls under their arm, and happy that they come back to this outstanding convention year after year.
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