Teddy Bears
Original Teddy Bear: Why were Teddy Bears Invented?
“I grew up in the spotlight. At night, my teddy bear let me be me.” – Patty Duke
When were teddy bears invented? Who invented them?
It’s 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 was not developrd simply as a stuffed version of a real bear. In fact, the teddy bear has only been around since the early years of the 20th century.
According to traditional sources, the teddy bear first surfaced in both the United States and Germany in 1902. Popular accounts of the bear’s initial appearance in North America starts with a cartoon drawn by Clifford Berryman. Who titled it “Drawing the Line in Mississippi.”
The comic showed then-President Teddy Roosevelt refusing to shoot a small, cuddly-looking bear. As legend goes, Roosevelt was visiting Mississippi to assist in a border dispute. And during the trip, he was taken bear hunting. After a few failures, his buddies captured a small bear and tied him to a tree. An indignant Roosevelt shouted, “Do you think I’ll shoot that poor little fellow? Turn him loose!”
Berryman was inspired to create the cartoon, illustrating the story of Roosevelt’s humane hunting encounter.
The cartoon appeared in Washington Post in 1902. It 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. The called it ‘Teddy’s Bear.”
The Michtoms placed the bear in their store window. 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.
“Okay, I’ll take the pink one with the torn ear.” The guy behind the counter scratches his neck, “Are you being serious?” Her face is stoic, “Absolutely. I never kid about teddy bears.” – Jessica Sorensen
During the same time, Margarete Steiff and her nephew Richard Steiff were involved in the stuffed toy business in Germany. Richard created a new stuffed animal design that featured a softer-looking, cuddly bear.
The following year, the Steiffs unveiled their first bear — “Bear 55 PB” –at a toy fair. An American toy buyer saw the bear and was instantly intrigued. The teddy bear fad was sweeping his home country at the time. And the buyer knew it.
In just four years after the creation of the first teddy bear, 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.
“A Teddy bear’s virtue is that he cannot love himself — only others.” – Ted Menten
Some of these teddy’s were dressed in a vest that was full of color. Including one called “Teddybu,” which was a classic bear that was white, golden, or dark brown. Other teddy bears had brightly colored fur – Teddy Rose – a pink, long-haired bear that was available in 1925.
One of Steiff’s most popular novelty bears was Teddy Clown, which was introduced in 1926. It was available in 11 sizes that ranged from 9 inches to 45 inches. And wore a distinguishable white Pierrot’s hat and ruff around its neck.
As we all know, teddy bears were a hit with children. They reveled in the appeal and gentleness of the teddy bear as we know it today. For over a century, Teddy bears have been just as beloved by boys as girls.
How Were Teddy Bears Invented?
“A bedroom without a Teddy is like a face without a smile.” – Gil Davies
When the teddy bear was first created by Margarete Steiff in 1902 — based on the widespread news story of President Teddy Roosevelt sparing a young bear on a hunting trip — the initial design was based upon the grizzly.
Since that time, manufactures have drawn on other kinds of bears for inspiration in creating stuffed bears. In particular the American black bear, the polar bear, and the panda.
Like their teddy bear ‘cousin’s,’ stuffed bears are extremely popular plush toys. Bears are a familiar, if not relatable animal, to children. As they can often be seen in zoos and on television, not to mention the countless book and movies where bears are also featured.
For children that live in places inhabited by bears, they may even be lucky enough to see them in their own backyard. It’s through their visual connections, that children are so interested in stuffed bears. While they likely have a teddy bear or two, eventually they may request having stuffed bears added to their growing inventory of plush toys.
“At sales, every other toy looks simply worn, dilapidated, grubby. A bear looks lost and abandoned and desperately in need of a loving home.” – Helen Thompson
There are eight species of bear of which toy manufactures can draw upon in creating stuffed bears.
Some are more well known than others; there is the Sloth bear, the American black bear, the Asiatic bear, the Grizzly or Brown bear, the Giant panda, the Polar bear, the Andean or Spectacled bear, and the Sun bear.
The original Steiff teddy bears (which were the first teddy’s ever created) were made with mohair, but after the war it was very hard to come by in Germany.
In order to resume the production of teddy bears, other types of materials had to be found. The creator of the Steiff company, Margarete Steiff decided to use a cellulose plush which was made from nettle fibres. This particular bear was called ‘Brennessel Bear,’ and it was quite uncomfortable to hold since the fibers it was made from were very coarse.
“Okay, I’ll take the pink one with the torn ear.” The guy behind the counter scratches his neck, “Are you being serious?” Her face is stoic, “Absolutely. I never kid about teddy bears.” – Jessica Sorensen
Between 1919 and 1921, a total of 19,556 of these bears were produced and today they are highly valued by collectors because of their novelty value.
After the war, Steiff also returned to using boot-button eyes on their teddy bears but as soon as they could get glass eyes again (which is what their original bears’ eyes were made of), they were used universally. Most of the teddy’s from the early 1920s had clear glass eyes with backs that were painted brown and black pupils.
The classic teddy bear Steiff was known for, stayed very close to its 1905 design — a bear that had long arms, large feet with narrow ankles, a humped back and a protruding muzzle.
In 1921, Steiff introduced kapok stuffing and every bear from then on was lighter and fatter than before. In the same year, a conveyor belt system was introduced in the Steiff company which ultimately sped up production, but all the work on the soft toys was still done by hand (as it is today).
“Long before I grew up, my Teddy bear taught me what love really meant: being there when you’re needed.” – Jim Nelson
“A Teddy bear is your childhood wrapped up in faded yellow fur, and as such, he commands affection long after he is outgrown.” – Pam Brown
“Yup, I had a Teddy Bear of my own so many years ago. But some nights Hunter, my grey Manx tomcat would jump in my bedroom window and take Teddy’s place. Hunter often brought me a mouse from the horse barn out back.” – Brian Alan Burhoe.
CONCLUSION: As we all know, teddy bears were a huge hit with children, Who reveled in the appeal and gentleness of the teddy bear as we know it today. For over a century, Teddy bears have been just as beloved by boys as by girls.
NOTE: This is an abridged version of a longer, now-archived article.
CONTRIBUTORS: Angeline Hope is a collector of life size stuffed animals — you can view a selection of life size stuffed animals at MyBigPlush. Ted Menten ran the magazine Teddy Bear Review (later merged with Teddy Bear & Friends), has written 19 books on that subject and conducts teddy bear-making classes.
RESEARCH: “A teddy bear, or simply a teddy, is a stuffed toy in the form of a bear. The teddy bear was named by Morris Michtom after the 26th president of the United…” Go to Teddy Bear.
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“There’s just something about a Teddy bear that’s impossible to explain. When you hold one in your arms, you get a feeling of love, comfort and security. It’s almost supernatural.” – James Ownby
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