Skip to content
Antique Vintage Bears
  • Home
  • Antique and Vintage Bears
    • Asian Bears
      • Chinese Bears
    • Bear Art
    • Teddy Bears
    • Metal Bears
    • Ornamental Bears
  • Bear Makers
  • Glossary of Antique Bears
    • Mohair Bears

Mohair Bears

Mohair Bears. Mohair  is made from the wool of the Angora goat and is thought to originate from the mountains of Tibet, reaching Turkey in the 16th century. However, fabric made of mohair was known in England as early as the 8th century. The word “mohair” was adopted into English sometime before 1570 from the Arabic: mukhayyar, a type of haircloth, literally ‘choice’, from khayyara, ‘he chose’.

In about 1820, raw mohair was first exported from Turkey to England, which then became the leading manufacturer of mohair products. The Yorkshire mills spun yarn that was exported to Russia, Germany, Austria, etc., as well as woven directly in Yorkshire.

Until 1849, the Turkish province of Ankara was the sole producer of Angora goats. Charles V is believed to be the first to bring Angora goats to Europe. Due to the great demand for mohair fiber, throughout the 1800s there was a great deal of crossbreeding between Angora goats and common goats. The growing demand for mohair further resulted in attempts on a commercial scale to introduce the goat into South Africa (where it was crossed with the native goat) in 1838, the United States in 1849, Australia from 1856–1875, and later still New Zealand. In 1849, Angora goats made their way to America as a gift from Turkey.

During the 1960s, a blend of mohair and wool suiting fabric known as Tonik or Tonic was developed in England. This had a shiny, color changing appearance and was popular among rude boys and the mod subculture.[8] Similar suits were worn by mod revivalists, skinheads, and fans of ska punk and Two Tone music during the early to mid-1980s.

Today, South Africa is the largest mohair producer in the world, with the majority of South African mohair being produced in the Eastern Cape. The United States is the second-largest producer, with the majority of American mohair being produced in Texas. Turkey also produces good-quality mohair. Because the goats are sheared once a year (different than South Africa), Turkey produces the longest mohair of the world. Reference: Wikipedia

Mohair was often used in the making of antique bears, including bears by Steiff. It is also a popular fabric for modern artist bears.

  • Home
  • Antique and Vintage Bears
  • Teddy Bears
  • Mohair Bears
14" UNMARKED STEIFF "ZOTI" BEAR.
Posted inAntique and Vintage Bears Mohair Bears Teddy Bears

Ivory Mohair Bears

Ivory Mohair Bears. Ivory is an off-white color that resembles ivory, the material from which the teeth and tusks of animals (such as, notably, the elephant and the walrus) is…
Read More
Posted inAntique and Vintage Bears, Mohair Bears, Teddy Bears
A Steiff teddy bear with apricot mohair
Posted inAntique and Vintage Bears Mohair Bears Teddy Bears

Apricot Mohair Bears

Apricot Mohair Bears. Apricot is a light yellowish-orangish color that is similar to the color of apricots. However, it is somewhat paler than actual apricots. Reference: Wikipedia Below are some…
Read More
Posted inAntique and Vintage Bears, Mohair Bears, Teddy Bears
A STEIFF MOHAIR TEDDY BABY NIGHT DRESS BAG, (1230)
Posted inAntique and Vintage Bears Mohair Bears Teddy Bears

Pink Mohair Bears

Pink Mohair Bears. Below are some examples of antique and vintage pink mohair bears including a Steiff teddy baby night dress bag and a scarce Cramer musical teddy clown bear.…
Read More
Posted inAntique and Vintage Bears, Mohair Bears, Teddy Bears

When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Copyright 2024 — Antique Vintage Bears. All rights reserved.
Scroll to Top