BY SASCHA BERNHARDT Markt Schwaben - The little bear sits a little crooked and looks at the people with large, innocent eyes. His fur is obviously old, but well cared for. This funny fellow is not to be found in the zoo, but belongs to the range of Manuela Scheininger from Markt Schwaben. The passionate stuffed animal collector has turned her hobby into a profession: On August 1st, "the stuffed animal shop" opened its doors.
Between the countless dogs, bears, cats and birds, there are also isolated dolls in the small shop on Bahnhofstrasse. The old collector's items exude a special charm on an extra shelf: their fur looks more matt, but also somehow more lively, almost real. "That's because it's real," explains the experienced collector. Until the 1960s, only the hair of the mohair sheep was used for the animals. During the Second World War, they briefly switched to synthetic plush. "I want to keep the level of my business high," she says. The old pieces as well as the new ones are all of high quality. Scheininger thinks it is unlikely that collectors will come to her shop: "I will hardly find any collectors here in town." She has set up a website specifically for trading in collectibles.
Despite all the quality, Manuela Scheininger also has a heart for customers on a tight budget: children can purchase second-hand stuffed animals from her for as little as three euros. "After all, that's how it started for me," she recalls. With her parents - who are also passionate toy collectors - she has been to markets since she was six. "Back then I carried home an entire arm full of animals for five marks," says Scheininger. Hardly conceivable in today's collector's scene. "It's always like Christmas when I get or buy a stuffed animal that I don't have yet. I couldn't imagine my life without this passion."
The stuffed animal friend now has around 800 collector's copies. "The old specimens interest me a lot more," she says. They would have had a life before her, a relationship would arise. Her collection also includes a dog from before the First World War. "What should you do there? She is just hereditary," jokes her mother Doris. What a real collector's teddy is also needs to be looked after: Over time, Manuela Scheininger has acquired a great deal of knowledge about it. "I use my own wash brew." She does not reveal the recipe. "Bad things can happen if they are not cared for. And just don't put them in the washing machine," she warns.
Scheininger also finds many injured wild animals on her trips to the flea markets and swap sites. "I'll take that with me straight away and fix it. It just hurts to see the animals like that," she says. She also wants to offer repair work for her customers.
After investing almost 14 hours a day in renovation and preparation, the young entrepreneur is confident of establishing herself successfully. "In winter I'll be walking through Markt Schwaben in a bear costume," she says. But not in the heat this summer.