Meet the Artist
Eunice Eiseman

Eunice has been making teddy bears for over twenty years, 18 years at Stanley. As a young woman she trained as a milliner in New Zealand and Melbourne and ran her own salon for a number of years.

She is married to Stewart, and has four adult children and eleven grandchildren.

Her studio is at Stanley in North East Victoria, one of the loveliest areas in Australia. Stanley is a centre for growing apples, pears, berries and chestnuts. It is situated only 10km from Beechworth, an historic old gold mining town.

Her garden is frequented with crimson rosellas, king parrots and bower birds. Wombats sometimes dig holes in the lawn.

Bear making is Eunice's life, after her family. She is a very creative person. Eunice was born in New Zealand but has lived in Australia since 1961.

It all began in Tamworth when her friend and neighbour, Joyce McKeon, and Eunice started making soft toys at home. They sold them to children all over the district. As they grew in confidence and expertise, they received orders from one of Australia’s leading department stores.

Since taking up residence at Stanley in 1990, what started out as a hobby has now become a successful business.

The name Stanley Bears® was registered in March 1996, and has become synonymous with a range of original teddy bears eagerly sought after by collectors from around Australia and abroad.

Stanley Bears® have found homes in the UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, New Zealand, Denmark, Japan and South Africa.