Click the KOSEN LOGO above to see our range  of toys in the UK

If you are looking for a Kosen Animal not on our website please call us on 01280 843000 or mail harriet@ptolemytoys.co.uk  and we will be happy to help.  Special orders can take a week or two but we always do what we can to help you get the toys you are looking for as quickly as possible.

For nearly 100 years, toys have been produced in Bad Kösen. Käthe Kruse founded the company in 1911/12 as doll-making workshop. About 100 employees were busy, producing her world-famous dolls. Käthe Kruse left Bad Kösen in 1949 to set up a new company in Donauwörth together with her children.

The first plush animals were shown together with dolls at the Leipzig Trade Fair in 1958. These plush toys met with high demand so that production was expanded, and doll production seized in 1964. In 1969, the company was renamed as VEB Kösener Spielzeug. Up to 80% of the plush animal production was exported. The number of employees, mainly women, grew to 195. For ten years, the company was subject to Burg Giebichenstein - College of Art and Design in Halle. These close ties resulted in many creative products, and some of its fine designers have worked for Kösen. The turning point in 1989 led to Kösen's markets disappearing virtually overnight. Like many other companies, VEB Kösener Spielzeug was left with no hope for survival. Awaiting privatisation under the Treuhand Agency, Steiff showed an interest in Kösen which led to a two-year co-operation and a transfer of know-how. When Steiff decided not to buy Kösen, the local family business Schache stepped in to prevent the demise of company, rich in tradition. Dr. Schache was mayor of Bad Kösen at that time. Kösen changed direction and concentrated on producing high quality, lifelike plush animals. Graduate designers developed their own distinctive style in order to develop new plush animals.  

Many Kösen products have received design awards and have been awarded "SPIEL GUT" distinction, for excellent play value. Our plush animals, dolls and baby products are washable. The gentlest treatment is washing by hand at 30° C, but baby products are machine-washable up to 60° C. Washing temperatures are indicated on our labels. Kosen work together with environment and nature protection organisations around the world and so do their bit for the protection of nature and animal life. Be enchanted by the Kösen animals and dolls which are elaborately hand-made in Bad Kösen. We invite you to join a tour through the Kösen manufactory in Germany where you can see it for yourself!

• Quality of the highest standard 
• True-to-life appearance of the animals 
• Top-quality materials without harmful substances 
• Quality workmanship with many quality control steps built in, 
• Regularly checked by the German TÜV production only in Bad Kösen, 
• Germany European safety norm EN 71 - CE-mark - 
• Washable at 30 °C (baby items up to 60 °C) 
• Excellent play characteristics, some toys have been awarded the "SPIEL GUT" distinction numerous design prizes
• In many cases one animal contains more than 10 different high quality fur fabrics and up to 89 individual pieces

The making process followed by Kosen to acheive the amazing animals

Study and observation - to achieve the life like animals many hours of animal observation is required. Designers will spend hours observing animals in their natural habitat or in zoos. They take pictures and make drawings which are revised at home and perfected.

Implementation Clay models are produced at the Kosen factory based on the designers' drawings.

Production Patterns are produced in line with the clay models which are then revised over and over again until the realistic looking plush animal is finally achieved.

Materials Many animals in nature are impressive because of the beautiful pattern of their furs. In order to represent these patterns appropriately, Kösen realises different alternatives. Sometime patterns are assembled from various patches , eg. the young wild board. In other cases patterned fake furs are available, eg. for the cows. It is not uncommon for a Kösen animal to consist of 10 an more different fur fabrics.

Often the prefabricated patterns intended for the garment industry are not suitable. Therefore, designs Kösen prints for several animals themselves. This is a rather time consuming process which demands a combination of careful studies of nature and technological expertise. 

If you are looking for a Kosen product not on our website please call us on 01280 843000 or mail mailto:harriet@ptolemytoys.co.uk  and we will be happy to help.  Special orders can take a week or two but we always do what we can to help you get the toys you are looking for as quickly as possible.