The History Of The Teddy Bear by Victor Epand
It is hard to imagine a world of stuffed animals without teddy bears; they are a staple item of every toy collection. Oddly enough, the teddy bear did not develop simply as a stuffed version of a real bear. In fact, the teddy bear has only been around since the early years of the twentieth century.
According to most sources, the teddy bear first surfaced in both the United States and Germany in 1902. Popular recounts of the bear’s initial appearance in North America starts with a cartoon drawn by Clifford Berryman, called “Drawing the Line in Mississippi”. The comic showed then-President Theodore Roosevelt refusing to shoot a small, cuddly-looking bear. As legend states, Roosevelt had visited Mississippi to assist in a border dispute and during the trip, was taken bear hunting. Berryman was inspired to create the cartoon, displaying a recount of Roosevelt’s failed hunting experience and his attempt to play mediator.
The cartoon appeared in The Washington Post in late 1902 and was an instant hit with readers, leading to its eventual publication nationwide. Even Brooklyn-based Morris and Rose Michtom were motivated to design a stuffed animal that reflected the drawing, calling it ‘Teddy’s Bear”. The Michtoms placed the bear in their store window and its popularity grew so quickly that, in conjunction with the Butler Brothers, they helped to establish the Ideal Novelty and Toy Company – the first American manufacturer dedicated to the production of teddy bears.
During the same time, Margarete Steiff and her nephew Richard Steiff were involved in the stuffed toy business in Germany. Ironically, Richard created a new stuffed animal design that featured a softer-looking, cuddly bear – similar to the Michtom’s. Today, it is easy for designers and developers to research toy ideas and determine whether or not something has been done already, but in the early twentieth century, it was very likely that neither designer was aware of the progress of the other.
The following year, the Steiffs unveiled their first bear, “Baer 55PB”, at a toy fair. An American toy buyer saw the bear and was instantly intrigued, on account of the teddy bear fad sweeping his home country at the time.
It was only 4 years after the creation of the first teddy bear that its popularity grew incredibly. Teddy bears were featured on home products and collectibles, magazines were produced, and songs were developed in honour of the newest bear craze. Of course, teddy bears were a hit with children, who revelled in the appeal and gentleness of the teddy bear as we know it today.
About the Author
Victor Epand is an expert consultant about kids toys, stuffed animals, and dolls. You will find the best marketplace for kids toys, stuffed animals, and dolls at these sites for kids toys, tebby bears, and dolls.
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Classic 1920 Steiff Teddy Bear 25cm Blonde Mohair £69.95 Steiff Classic 1920 Teddy Bear. RRP £120. Fully jointed limbs with beautiful curly genuine blonde mohair coat that’s incredibly soft and tactile. His face has been aged and given character by a tiny sparseness of coat on his nose. He has the famous Steiff gold plated ‘button in ear’ and yellow ear tag with swing tag and care label to chest and foot. Surface washable and supplied with his own… |
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Nauticalia Steiff Brown-faced Rupert Bear £165.00 ***Only 200 left*** Rupert appeared on his album covers with a brown face from the 1930s until 1973, when the illustration was amended by the publisher to make him a white-faced bear. However a small number of the 1973 annuals were printed with the brown face as intended by the illustrator, and these are now very highly… |
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CHARLIE BEARS – KITTY £24.99 Kitty is an 11″ plush Charlie Bear designed by Isabelle Lee. Fully jointed and hand finished, Kitty is a gorgeous long-pile Plush Charlie bear. She has fluffy brown-tipped fur and is finished with a hand stitched nose. She wears a bell around her neck. Supplied in a collectable canvas Bag which has the Charlie Bears logo printed on it. Kitty – Charlie Bears Key Features: * Part of the Char… |
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Der Eisbär / Ice Bear (Till Schweiger) £18.90 Germany 1998 , 87 minutes (uncut) , german audio:… |
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Steiff Romper / Sleepsuit Nicki V-Neck longsleeve red striped Teddy cool red an white striped Romper / Sleepsuit, V-Neck, soft Nicki, longsleeve, without feet, head of a teddy set on the front, poppers on the front from neck to feet, little pocket on one arm… |
