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Rupert the Bear

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Rupert the Bear and his Extraordinary Friends and Adventures

Rupert Bear began life on November 8, 1920, in the Daily Express a UK popular newspaper and has appeared ever since.

In the 1930s there was a vogue for children's cartoons in British newspapers. The Express decided that they should have their own cartoon and turned to Mary Tourtel, who was the wife of one of their sub-editors. She invented the little bear, Rupert, devising the stories and drawing the illustrations herself.
Two drawings appeared each day, with a short text of story beneath them.

Mary Toutel continued to draw Rupert until 1935, when her eyesight began to fail. Casting round for someone to take over, The Express asked an artist and magazine illustrator named Alfred Bestall to fill in for six weeks. Alfred Bestall wrote and illustrated his last Rupert story in 1965, but continued creating annual covers until the 1973 episode.

The Rare Brown-Faced 1973 Rupert Bear Annual

These are worth a fortune

The 1973 annuals feature the work of long-time Rupert illustrator Alfred Bestell, who as was his tradition, drew Rupert with a brown face, hands and feet for the front cover while inside his face was white.

She added: "However the publishers had received letters from children asking why was Rupert always white on the inside and brown on the front. And although they had already run off between 12 and 15 of the books with the brown-faced Rupert they decided to change the cover and printed Rupert with a white face.

"This incensed Bestell, who vowed never to illustrate an annual again."

More than 100,000 white-faced 1973 Rupert annuals were published, making the brown faced annuals extremely rare and collectible.

"Those dozen brown-faced copies are now sought-after the world over by Rupert Bear fans and collectors of comics alike.

"They have sold in the past for £16,000.

Be aware however that Rupert is always Brown Faced on any other year's Annual, it is only the 1973 annual which is significant

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Vintage Collector Rupert Bear Plush 1996 Kinderlov

Vintage Collector Rupert Bear Plush 1996 Kinderlov

Vintage Rupert Bear Plush by Kinderlov 19960 points

Best Rupert Bear Websites

The Followers of Rupert Bear : Official "Rupert the Bear" Website
The Followers aim to increase awareness, enjoyment and appreciation of the quality of storytelling and illustration in Rupert.
Official Rupert Bear Website
Activities for children
Rupert Bear Museum
The Rupert Bear Museum is part of the Museum of Canterbury

Rupert Bear Copyright

In 2003, the Daily Express reclaimed exclusive control of Rupert with a view to increasing his visibility and presence as a character. As of 2006, most of Rupert is owned and controlled by Entertainment Rights PLC

Rupert Bear Hot Water Bottle (Rare) 

Alfred Bestall Autobiography

Alfred Bestall was an artist of enormous breadth and talent. As well as his celebrated Rupert Bear stories, he was also a cartoonist.

n 1935, Bestall was selected to take over the Daily Express's Rupert Bear stories from Mary Tourtel. Bestall improved the stories and plots of Rupert but more importantly he created the most beautifully crafted illustrations in the Rupert Bear Annual publications. Much of the landscape in Rupert is inspired by the Snowdonia landscape of North Wales, notably around Beddgelert, where Bestall's family had a cottage.

Caroline Bott spent years researching the life of her godfather, drawing on his diaries, sketchbooks, letters, and photos, all of which were bequeathed to her. In recounting his experiences in World War I and his remarkable travels to Egypt and the Middle East, the man who emerges is gentle, generous, and loved by all who met him. Abundantly illustrated with Bestall's work, this book is an enchanting piece of pure nostalgia and a slice of time gone by.
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Who is your favorite Rupert Character Poll?

Apart from Rupert of course!

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Raggety is a grumpy woodland troll from Rupert the Bear

Raggety is a grumpy woodland troll-creature made from twigs 

Before Television before Children were Noticed there was Rupert Bear

Rupert was many children's first access to a fantasy world, today's children have access to so many but we only had Rupert. He lived in an apparently normal English village but which was populated by humans and talking animals if that wasn't enough there were magicians, unicorns, castles in the clouds, mischievous pixies and dragons. Although there was danger there was nothing sinister or threatening.

I have been reading some really old Rupert annuals which haven't aged but you occasionally notice a 1930s car or the human children wearing old fashioned clothes.

My children have also been fascinated by Nutwood even though they also have Star Wars, Doctor Who, Dvds and Games Consoles.
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Rupert the Bear collecting for Charity in Burford in the Cotswolds

Rupert the Bear and Chums Teddy Bears in Witney

Rupert the Bear teddies in the famous Witney Teddy Bear Shop, Edward Trunk, Bill

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