Teddy Bear & Friends Magazine

Announces the Winners of the 2009 TOBY Public’s Choice Award

Quincy, Mass: During the August 2009 TBAI Show in Binghamton, NY,

Teddy Bear & Friends magazine announced the winners of its prestigious 2009 Teddy Bear of the Year - known as the TOBY - Public’s Choice awards program.

2009 TOBY Public’s Choice Winners  

Miniature Artist Bear, Dressed - Samantha Potter, “Grace” 

Miniature Artist Bear, Undressed  - Donna Griffin, “Pansy and Rosebud, the Panda Sisters” 

Small Artist Bear, Dressed - Silvia Gilles, “Marcula” 

Small Artist Bear, Undressed - Yoko Nakayama, “Milk” 

Large Artist Bear, Dressed Melissa Zemeski “Captain Zinfangar”

Large Artist Bear, Undressed  - Karin De Lorenzo, “Bubbele” 

Artist Vignette - Karin De Lorenzo, “Be Friends? Yes we can!!!” 

Artist “Friends” Karen Lyons "Cat and the Fiddle”
Artist Creation Nontraditional Materials Berta Hesen-Minten “Elf”

Small Manufactured Bear, Dressed - The Bearington Collection, Ltd., “Ms. Abracadabra”  

Small Manufactured Bear, Undressed - Gund Inc., “Zhen Zhen” 

Large Manufactured Bear, Dressed - Hermann-Spielwaren GmbH, “Old Bavarian Bear” 

Large Manufactured Bear, Undressed - Steiff North America, Inc., “Alexander, the Trademark Bear” 

Manufactured “Friends” - Steiff North America, Inc., “Snoopy and Woodstock , the Best Friends” 

Best in Show - Karin De Lorenzo, “Be Friends? Yes we can!!!” 

Special thanks to all of the artists, manufacturers, and readers for their participation in the 2009 TOBY Awards Program. Kathryn Peck