Ann is our resident Webspresso expert on The Boyds Collection! Her specialty is the Boyds QVC exclusives. 

Dear Ann - I am a relatively new collector of Dollstones and keep hearing of QVC exclusives. Where does QVC air? I am in Texas and have never heard of such a channel. How can I buy QVC items? Please bring me out of the dark. As I said, I am relatively new at this, although I now have 49 dollstones, so I am serious in wanting them all. They are the most beautiful things I have seen.
Sincerely,  Lorna

Dear Lorna, 
Welcome to the wonderful world of collecting Boyds! Isn't it a fun hobby! QVC is a home shopping channel on cable tv. QVC stands for Quality, Value, and Convenience. You would have to check with your local cable company to see if it is available in your area. If not, never fear! They also have a website http://www.qvc.com and I think you would enjoy checking it out. Each day they have one item that is called the Today's Special Value and you can find that on the website, as well as the item that is one the air at any given time. Boyds Bears and Friends are regularly offered on QVC and Gary often appears on the programs to describe what is being sold. He usually comes dressed in some crazy costume and the shows are fun to watch. For those who don't have cable, many enjoy logging on to the qvc website and following along by clicking on the "current on air" button. To purchase from QVC you must register for a free member number and all the information about that is on their website, also.  The next QVC Boyds Show is coming right up - Saturday, Jan. 15th is "Collector's Day" and Boyds products will be presented in three different shows (different products in each show): - 3-5 am eastern time; 8-9 am eastern Resin Show; and 3-5 pm eastern Plush and miscellaneous items.
During the 8 am show, they will be selling the brand new Boyds Town Cottages in Premier Edition of 3000. There are going to be six Cottages from the Bearly-Built Village Series, so it promises to be an exciting show. Also, you are correct that Boyds does premier their Dollstones on QVC first and that is usually the only way to obtain a Dollstone Premier Edition.
Occasionally they also premier Bearstones, but I'm not certain about Folkstones. 
I hope you have access to QVC on cable, but if not, do take a few minutes to visit their website and find out more. If you click on "More Search Options" at the top of the homepage, it will take you to a screen where you can enter Boyds Dollstones in the space that says "Search by Description" and it will show you the Dollstones that are currently available from QVC.
I hope this has answered your question. After every Boyds show on QVC, I write a report for my "Ann Nonimous" page so be sure and check there for information about each show!

Dear Ann, If you still have your notes from possibly, but I'm guessing, the January 1999 Collector's Day show I'm trying to find out if Jocelyn Thistleberry and Carson Bibbly were an Exclusive to QVC. I know it was a show somewhere between October 98 and October 99. Thanks in advance for your help! ~Mary

Hi Mary, 
Here is what I have in my notes about Jocelyn and Carson: 
JOCELYN THISTLEBEARY AND CARSON T. BIBBLY PLUSH BEARS C56965 $42.00 Launch. Jocelyn is a 16" plush bear wearing a dark blue print dress with a tea dyed collar and trim - this exclusive to Boyds fabric has a tiny bear paw print hidden in the mini floral print. Carson 6" wearing a blue print bib with a red heart. Shown on March 24, 1999. I also had jotted down that this set was Mary Beth's pick of the show and that Jocelyn is a traditional 1914 German loooking bear with a wide nose, hump on back, hockey stick arms and elongated paw pads and big feet. Carson is a big ear bear. The print fabric used for the dress was the introduction of a new fabric which has been used on several bears since then. It has a navy background and tiny tan flowers and also tiny paw prints hidden among the floral mini print. The dress was described as an A-line shape with puffed sleeves and a tan tea-dyed collar and trim. I sure hope they do eventually make it into the regular retail line!
I also checked the qvc website just for the fun of it and they are still listed, but when I tried to see if they can be ordered, it just said they are a waitlist item. It might be worth a try to get on the waitlist. Once in a great while they do come up with an item that they find in the warehouse! I hope this helps and that you are successful in finding them.

Hello Ann,  Just wanted to thank you for all you do. I'm so glad I've discovered this site and I appreciate all the hard work, comments and observations. 1 question - Do you know if Doodle and Yankee McBear are a QVC launch or exclusive??
Thanks again, Jennifer

Hello Jennifer, 
Thanks for your nice email. I really enjoy my Boyds Collection and have fun watching the QVC shows and writing the reports. I'm grand that you've found Sally's great Webspresso website. It certainly is a treasure trove of information and fun.
I've double checked my show notes and my VCR tape of the 11/13 show, and they just didn't ever say on the air if Yankee and Doodle are exclusives or launches. I purchased them myself and love them, and wish I did know for sure! Sorry that I can't answer your question. If I do find out, I'll certainly let you know.

March 2000
Hello Ann,  I'm really new at this wonderful site. I started with a Boyd's bear about three years ago. I just never thought I would get "involved" with a such a hobby or should I say habit? This past Spring I bought two more bears, then thought I should have more and then more. I now have 160 wonderful plush Boyd's bears,with a wish list for more. I did see Ingrid on the QVC show in Nov. I hesitated to call in,altho my husband kept saying "get her."You see this ordering on Qvc was new to me. I wish now I had listened to him as they sold out almost immediately. My question is, does Ingrid have "Blue" eyes? If so,indeed she is the bear I wish I had ordered. I will have to go on a BEAR hunt for her. Also,can you tell me how important it might be for the name tags to have the "style numbers" on them? The numbers are on the tags from stores,but not from QVC. Thank you for such a wonderful web site. ~Jane

Hello Jane, 
Yes, these little cuties are habit forming, aren't they! Now for your questions: I believe Ingrid does have beautiful blue eyes which match her outfit and set off her white plush. 
As far as your question about the Boyds # on the hang tag, it is a relatively new thing for Boyds to be printing the style numbers as well as the names on their paper hang tags. I believe that they only started doing this with the Fall 99 line. My older plush don't have any numbers and the names have always had to be handwritten in the space on their paper tags. This is certainly a help for those who like to keep track of their collection by style number, as long as that hang tag doesn't get lost! From
what I can determine by checking in the Collector's Value Guide and Check N It III by Mary Jo Truax, if a plush was an exclusive for QVC, it may not have had a Boyds style number. Both of those Boyds reference books just list them as "QVC". I'm not absolutely positive about this because QVC usually ships the plush sealed in a plastic bag and there is usually asticker on the bag with the QVC item "C" number and often a second number is also on the sticker or there is a second sticker with a number on it. I don't know if that number is a Boyds style number or not.
Happy collecting,

If you decide to hunt for Ingrid and Tasha Norbruin with Toggle, try the Webspresso   WOWsie Buy, Sell & Wanted Board.

Hi Ann, When and where did the head bean introduce the first Boyds Mohair Bear?
Thanks, Debi

Hi Debi,
The first ever mohair bear by Boyds was presented on QVC. It was a set of two bears and a resin bearstone piece called "Gary and Uncle Gus". I'm very sorry that I don't know the exact date, but it was sometime in 1997 or possibly early 1998. The item number was C37639 and the QVC price was $106.00 plus shipping and handling. I hope this information helps.

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