GINORMOUS 26" Gund BIALOSKY Bear LTD ED #3098/4920 RARE RARE HTF Size! 1-Owner VINTAGE~LE~Hand SIGNED w/# MINT! Start Price USD 63.00 Current Price USD 63.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Saturday, July 05, 2008 End Time Tuesday, July 15, 2008 Location Pacific Northwest See more about 'GINORMOUS 26" Gund BIALOSKY Bear LTD ED #3098/4920 RARE' Description ABOUT MY COLLECTION: I collected (mostly bears) from the late 70's to mid-80's. All were bought new (no secondhands!) from stores here or in Europe. This is from an adult collection (mine) ... Bialosky was displayed, but never played with. I've been careful over the years to keep him out of direct sunlight, but after 20 years some degree of colour fading is to be expected. I'll let you judge for yourself from the pictures. Bears get dusty just sitting around doing nothing so, in anticipation of his journey to a new home, Bialosky had a gentle surface cleaning and his clothes washed! Gund have been making quality bears in America since 1898 ... longer than some better known European toymakers! Here is a rare opportunity to own a very unique Gund bear. But first, a little background ... if you collected bears in the 80's, you are probably already familiar with teddy historians Alan & Peggy Bialosky and their personal antique bear, who they named "Bialosky". Gund decided to reproduce that bear and created a number of Bialosky bears in various costumes and sizes. Not all of them were limited editions, and even fewer were actually signed by Alan and Peggy. This one was BOTH hand signed and numbered ... and limited to just 4,920 bears worldwide. I believe he was also the largest of Gund's Bialosky line!! Bialosky is +20 years young and in wonderful condition! If you only own one Gund bear ... THIS is the one to have! Comparable on-line store price (if you can find one) averages $290 ... offered here at a fraction of that cost! I have several Gund bears and, while it's been a tough decision to part with this particular one, he really needs a new home. A truly special, collectible bear that will make a wonderful centerpiece to any serious collection! Please take a moment to check out the "vital statistics" below and view the pictures. MAKER: Gund, USA; hand signed, #3098 of 4920 worldwide limited edition; 1985 (although bear's tush tag actually says 1982); fully jointed SIZE: BIG!! 26 inches (64 cm) standing (ears to toes!); he SITS 18 inches (46 cm) tall TAGS: ALL his original tags including numbered and hand signed ear tag COLOUR(S): Honey Beige with just a hint of Black which gives his fur more dimension; outfitted in fully removable blue & gold sweater, red "Save the Bears" vest and attached blue backpack CURRENT MARKET VALUE: ??? Hard to find others in this size for comparison; I've only ever seen TWO (priced through on-line stores at US $250 and $325!!) and neither of these were the "camper" theme Bialosky FLAWS/BLEMISHES: the transfer-on logo on his backpack is beginning to crack in the center (see pic) ... otherwise in MINT condition ... freshly cleaned and ready for his new home! I'll be listing many more items over the weeks to come, so please look at my other auctions and check back often. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or require additional photos. I am always happy to combine shipping for multiple purchases (although Bialosky will probably need his own plane ticket!?). Place a Bid!