Dakin Inc, USA - Company History of Stuffed Animals

R. Dakin & Company / Dakin Inc USA - Company History of Stuffed Toys

Dakin began as a family business in 1955 importing expensive handcrafted shotguns from Italy and Spain, founded by Richard Y. Dakin.  His son Roger B. joined the firm in 1957 and began to diversify the types of products being imported which included bicycles, wooden products, sail boats and TOYS. In a shipment of battery operated trains from Japan were six velveteen stuffed animals, often used by exporters in the Far East as packing material. Roger ordered a small amount of the stuffed animals and they were an instant sales success! Dakin began to design stuffed animals at their USA Headquarters, and launched them as "Dream Pets". Thus began Dakin's "official" launch into the stuffed toy business!

Two examples of early Dream Pets, political mascots for the Democratic and Republican Parties, an Elephant and a Donkey!

Made of velveteen and felt with glued-on features, embroidered tush seam tags intact.

In 1964, R. Dakin & Company acquired Dardenelle Co of Lindsay California who manufactured infant plush toys. All domestic manufacturing moved to this facility.

By the mid-1960's Dakin had production facilities in Japan, Hong Kong and Mexico and by 1970 sales had expanded to 35 countries and production was transferred from Japan to Korea.

An example of a plush R. Dakin Bear on all four's with his original hang tag from 1975.

  

His name is Little Hickory Bear!

In the 1980's and early 1990's Dakin expanded their licensed product base to include Garfield, Muppets, Enesco's Cherished Teddies, and Pink Panther among others.

Garfield (licensed product) from 1981 in two sizes. 

  

Made in Korea by R. Dakin, embroidered tush tag. In French and English for the Canadian market.

Arlene, Garfield's girlfriend, dated 1984.

In 1987 R. Dakin & Company became Dakin Inc.  In 1989 Dakin acquired House of Nisbet, a family owned British business founded in 1952 by Peggy Nisbet.  This was Dakin's entry into the "collectible" plush market.

Dakin made a limited number of collectible teddy bears, with dated medallions.

Teddy wears a lovely brass heart shaped dated medallion!

In 1990, Korea lost its duty free status as a Most Favoured Nation so by December of that year, Dakin had switched Korean production over to Thailand.

In 1995 Dakin Inc and Applause Inc merged, ousting Hallmark with whom they had signed an agreement in principle in 1990, but had called off the acquisition in that same year, when Applause expressed interest in Dakin. Applause was founded by Wallace Berrie in 1966 as The Wallace Berrie Company. The Applause Division was acquired from Knickerbocker Toys in 1982 but it wasn't until 1986 the company changed its name to Applause Inc.

With this 1995 merger came other licensed products including Smurfs, Disney, Sesame Street, Raggedy Anne, California Raisins, Star Trek and many others.  By the early 1990's Dakin alone was already selling in over 80 countries with more than 10,000 production workers throughout the world! 

In 1997 the merged company was acquired by a holding company formed by a management group and Frontenac Co. but retained its name.

Though a bit of a complicated history, stuffed animals, teddy bears and other plush items such as this lobster puppet are still labelled as Dakin, copyright Applause and continue to be acclaimed for producing high quality plush.

To see more details or to purchase any of the Dakin plush shown, along with many other vintage and modern examples, please click DAKIN

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