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Buyers
Guide
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This
guide has been assembled to help novice and more advanced collectors
and fans make a good purchase of a Teddy Ruxpin.
It
outlines in brief what you need to look for and how to look for it.
Click the red  boxes
for pictures or links.
First,
if you have one available, always have a tape and batteries
with you when you go to a collectors/antique market. A small pack
that attaches to your belt is a good way to carry these items.
The rationale for them is to test run the Teddy Ruxpin before
you buy it. It's not uncommon for a seller not to have batteries
inside Teddy Ruxpin. So beware of one you can't test by yourself.
When
inserting the batteries make certain to inspect the
battery compartment. There shouldn't be any corrosion or white
granular deposits inside. If you see this, it's likely to have
been left with discharged batteries in it and they have leaked
acid. Such damage will mean a very low price, perhaps no more
than $3.00. Also make sure you have a battery cover. The early
designs didn't have it hinged
to Teddy Ruxpin's back.
Next
when you insert the tape, check the condition of the tape player
cover. Kids will sometimes carry Teddy Ruxpin using it as if it
were a handle, inspect the cover
for bends (A 'lightening' of the plastic) or for cracks. Also
look for any white 'fogging / blushing'
of the plastic. Sometimes Teddy Ruxpin gets repaired with Super Glue
(Cynoacrylate) by the child's parent/s after he has been broken. The
bottom edges (Right and left more corners) of the tape player housing
tend to crack easily. I see this in about 50% of the Teddy Ruxpin's
I look at. These edge cracks do not affect anything other than appearance.
When
you have the batteries and tape installed, gently turn the switch
(thumb wheel) on his back, note how well it works. It should
not feel loose and should operate fairly smoothly. The audio
should be easily controlled using the thumbwheel. Sudden jumps
or changes in the sound level indicate a possible problem. Slight
static while moving the thumb wheel however isn't unusual for
a toy that's 10 plus years old.
When
you have him up and running watch his mouth and eyes. Both his
upper and lower jaw (Yes, I know that's a major flaw, since
I'm not aware of any mammal that has a moving upper jaw :D ),
and his eyes will move. Check out these pages to learn more about
the mechanical animation .
If one or more of his animated features don't operate then either
there is an electronic/electical problem, which is somewhat rare.
Or it's a mechanical problem, which is much more common. These
items should also operate fairly smoothly. While the motors are pulsed
to make fine movements, there is such a large gear reduction that
this should not be noticable. Large mechanical shuttering (Different
than an eye flutter) or visable cracks on the surface of the eyes
bode for possible physical damage internally.
The
diminutive motors and gearbox assemblies are lubricated with grease.
This grease given time tends to migrate to the brushes and commutator,
cutting off electrical contact and the stopping the motor. Working
the eyes or muzzle carefully back and fourth sometimes
may move the commutator enough for it to make contact again.
Other problems
are a loose jaw caused by a break in the jaw pin support, this causes
the jaw to not animate properly. (Or the rare blunt force
trauma which cracks the internal frame that contains the animation
mechanism).
Repairing
this isn't a job for a novice, so if the Teddy Ruxpin you're thinking
of buying exhibits these symptoms I'd suggest you keep looking elsewhere.
Now
lets examine the rest of him. Looking for wear is easy on any teddy
bear, and Teddy Ruxpin* is no exception. The ear tips and
muzzle seem to take the brunt of the wear and tear, and they get
both dirty and worn. The ear tips typically wear down to the fur
backing, while the muzzle looses its light creme colour. Cleaning
is fairly easy, but you rarely end up with like new fur. Also give
his fur a good sniff. (Careful he may be dusty!) Remember, any cigarette
smell means once you get him home he may smell up the room you put
him in. It takes ages for that smell to go away and if it's very strong,
it may never go away.
Examine
how well limbs and neck are attached. The neck in particular shouldn't
flop every which way. It should seem attached by more than just
the material and plush.
Identifying
when the doll was made is tougher. Despite what you may think,
the date molded into the plastic back is not when he was made.
Every Teddy Ruxpin will have something like,
Inside the battery compartment you can
sometimes find a tag that will have a numerical date such as
my oldest Teddy Ruxpin:
I
assume this is read 50th day of 1986.
Prices
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Putting a value on a Teddy Ruxpin
is tricky at best. Worlds Of Wonder sold millions of them (The original
full size versions) which means there still are a lot of them out there.
They were also fairly well built, which means many of them still are
working, and the ones that are not functioning can actually be repaired.
The variation in values is based on my personal experience and others.
This is strictly for comparison use and is in not
in any way a guarantee that you will get or find these same
prices. The high and low variation represent prices that either I (Or
others) have personally seen. In general the higher end is the more
unusual value to see.
- Mint
condition, in box, all full size variations. $40 up to $100
- Mint
condition, in box, not working, all full size variations. $25
- Played
with condition, all full size variations. $25 up to $50
- Poor
condition, all full size variations. $5
- Poor
condition, not working, missing tunic, all full size variations. ¢75
- Poor
condition, physically broken jaw or equiv., etc., missing tunic, missing
battery cover, all full size variations. ¢5-¢75
- (Others
have typically seen these in the $1 - $5 range)
Santa
costume. Depending on, in box, box condition and the tape and book
set $25 - $50
Tuxedo
costume. Depending on, in box, box condition and the tape and book
set $25 - $50
Other
costumes, tape and book sets somewhat less.
Individual
hardcover books. $2 to $5 depending on condition.
- Individual
tapes. $1 to $5 depending on title.
- (Lullabies
tapes 1 and 2, and TR sings love songs are on the high end.)
.
- Grubby
in mint condition, in box. with CABLE $30 up to $50
- Grubby
in mint condition, in box. without CABLE $10 up to $25
- Grubby
in poor condition, physically broken jaw or equiv., missing battery
cover, etc. ¢5 - ¢75
- (Others
have typically seen these in the $5 range)
What
exactly is a rare item? Well, when it comes to artwork something
that exists in less than 300 copies. For mass production though
it's often much higher. With Teddy Ruxpin the raraity will only
happen with time since there were millions of them made. What
is a antique? Something that is 20 years old or more. What has
been traditionally been needed for an item to be considered a
collectable? Age + Rarity. Additionally if the manufacturer is
no longer in business. In the case of Teddy Ruxpin only two items
of those three is currently met.
Teddy
Ruxpin
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Age
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YES
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Rarity
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NO
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Manufacturer
Gone
(Worlds
Of Wonder)
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YES
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What are
the less common, harder to find or truely rare items for Teddy
Ruxpin?
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Baby
Teddy Ruxpin
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Common
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W.O.W.
Teddy Ruxpin
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Common
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Grubby
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Common
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The
Airship model
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Less
common
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-
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Taped
recordings of JUST the music without animation data.
Intended
for listening in a normal stereo tape player.
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Hard
to find.
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-
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-
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Hand-bult
prototypes of Gimmick, Amber, Princess Aruzia,
Prince
Arin, Wooly and Tweeg. (Unknown number exist)
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Rare
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One
of the 60 hand-built prototypes from early 1985
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Rare
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