Issy the bear was introduced to the world in January 2001. Not only was the Bear a US Exclusive, it was a city exclusive and for collectors, worse still, exclusive to one Hotel. The Four Seasons Hotel, on East 57th Street in New York City. This upmarket hotel (it will cost you about $500 for a night's stay) was to offer the bear to guests at and extra $7 to be added to the bill - the $7 going to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan a charity to aid paediatric cancer research. The bear came with a small card inviting guests to buy the bear. Originally the bear was left in the room, but due to various issues (mostly due the popularity of this bear with collectors!) there was then a card left in the rooms inviting the guest to purchase the bear on checkout.

Issy is named after Isadore Sharpe, founder and chairman of the Four Seasons chain. Issy proudly wears the emblem of the Four Seasons hotel across his chest.

The hype surrounding this bear quickly grew, and the bear was offered for pre-sell all over the internet. There was chaos at the hotel with guests and collectors trying to get their hands on this elusive bear. Developments were made quickly though. Soon the bear was limited to one per guest rather than one per night, and the price flew up to several hundred pounds each on the secondary market.

However on 1st March 2001, something strange happened to Issy the bear. Reports circulated the internet that Issy was turning up at retail.

The picture soon became clear. Issy was the ultimate variation. An Issy bear was released for every hotel in the Four Seasons chain, they were all identical apart from inside the hang tag and on the tush tag the name of the hotel. The profits from the retail Issy were to got to the Terry Fox Foundation for Cancer Research.

In keeping with the confusion that generally surrounded Issy it appeared in May 2001 that Issy had been retired, only for Issy to re-join the current list in June! The retail Issy's retired at the end of 2001 - but New York Issy did not retire until February 2004 in the end.

New York Issy comes with a six generation hang tag, other versions of Issy either have 7th or 8th generation, depending from which part of the world they come

The original New York Issy (even without the card) remains the ultimate prize when it comes to collecting this small, blue bear.

Issy Checklist here..