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Can you imagine a world without our favour bear toys; without our Teddy Bear?
With their soft coats, sad eyes and gentle expressions teddy bears were created
to demand caresses and love. Cherished by everybody all over the world,
the charismatic Teddy is unique.
The teddy bear, that cherrished companion of both the young and old,
seems always to have been around, played with by generations of children
as far back as anyone can remember. For collectors is difficult to believe
that there was was ever a time before they existed. But surprisingly, their origin
is relative modern and he is just 105 years old.
First appearance of Teddy Bear
There are many theory's where the teddy bear first appeared (The English story
that teddy bears were named after King Edvard VII or some people say he was German) but the most
popular version of how the teddy bear came into being maintains that his
true father was another famous Teddy - Theodore Roosevelt, former President of
the USA.
Teddy Bear picture
Theodor Roosevelt and toy Teddy Bear
The basic story of the original toy teddy bear goes like this:
Theodor Roosevelt was well known for his love of hunting. On a hunting trip
in Mississipi in 1902, the president found himself nose to nose with poor little bear
cub.
Because the president does not have real taste for an easy victory he uttered his
now famous remark: "If i killed this little bear, I could never look my
own children in the face".
One of the most famouse cartoonists of the day had heard of the incident and
immortalised it in the cartoon. He was looking for a humorus way to comment on
the political events of the day. The cartoonist's name was Clifford L. Beryman of the
Washington Evening Star and its initial appearance on November 18, the drawing was
soon being republished all over America.
Mr. Gregory Wilson, in his article "The Birth of the Teddy Bear" closes his
fascinatig report with the statememnt 'Thus, The Teddy Bear was born as a result of racial pun"
C. Berryman cartoon of President
and the bear cub he refused
to kill in 1902 in Washington Star
Neither the President nor C. Berryman could have possibly realised that they had
played crucial parts in creating the Teddy Bear.
The first American soft toy maker to recognise the marketing possibilities of Clifford Beryman
pathetic little bear cub was Moris Michtom who ran a Brooklyn stationery and candy shop.
His wife Rose created a brown plush bear that was filled with wood-shawings and fitted with boot button eyes.
The toy was displayed alongside a coupy of "Drawing the Line in Mississipi" and labelled "Teddy Bear".
Teddy bears and toy company Steiif
The German toy company Steiif has made teddy bears that are consistently popular with both children
and collectors. While other companies produce millions of stuffed teddy bears,
non has ever achieved the status that Steiff continues to hold.
By 1907, Teddy Bear enthusiasm had reached manic proprotions. Beside the actual bears
themselves, there were boxed games such as Teddy's Bear Huntand ranges of clothes
especially for Teddy boys and Teddy girls. In addition there were numerous types of Teddy bears
paper, books, postcards, card games, boad and automobiles specially made for Teddies.
Furry animals - Teddy
Teddy bears were thought of as toys for boys but it was soon discovered that little girls
liked them as well. There were complaints that the mothering insinct in girls was destroyed by their obvious
affection for these furry animals - Teddy. One great advantage of the new toy was its equal appeal to
both genders and advertising and contemporary photographs reveal boys as ofts os girls playing with the Teddy toy.
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