Alfonzo

In 1908, the Grand Duke of Russia commissioned a 13" bear from Steiff to be made for his 4 year old daughter Princess Xenia Georievna. This was a very special order as the most popular colors of bear were brown and white but the Duke ordered an exceptionally rare red bear for his princess. Xenia's nanny made the bear an orange outfit in the style of one of the Tsar's privileged Cossak horsemen and he was soon named Alfonzo. Xenia and Alfonzo made very fast friends and were quite inseparable.

In the summer of 1914 the princess traveled to Buckingham Palace for a visit with her English cousins, the family of King George V, and of course Alfonzo accompanied her. WWI broke out during her visit followed by the Russian Revolution in which her father was tragically assassinated in St Petersburg in 1919. Neither Princess nor bear ever returned to Russia and Alfonzo remained by her side her entire life as her best friend and the only connection she still had to her father.

All this, of course, is historical nonsense - but why spoil a good legend with the facts.......

This limited edition Alfonzo has been handed in for the Christian Aid Book Sale.