Teddy bear

TheodoreRooseveltTeddyBear

Making of a teddy bear 1 cutting

Making of a teddy bear 2 sewing and turning

Making of a teddy bear 3 filling

Making of a teddy bear 4 assembling

IWM CH2526

Teddy bear is a soft toy in the form of a bear. Developed apparently simultaneously by toy makers in the United States and Germany in the early 20th century, the teddy bear became an iconic children's toy, celebrated in story, song, and film. Since the creation of the first teddy bears which sought to imitate the form of real bear cubs, teddy bears have greatly varied in form, style, color, and material. They have become collector's items, with older and rarer "teddies" appearing at public auctions. Teddy bears are among the most popular gifts for children and are often given to adults to signify love, congratulations, or sympathy.

History

The name "teddy bear" comes from former United States President Theodore Roosevelt, who was commonly known as "Teddy" (though he loathed being referred to as such). The name originated from an incident on a bear hunting trip in Mississippi in November 1902, to which Roosevelt was invited by Mississippi Governor Andrew H. Longino. There, after a day of hunting, the other members of the party had cornered, clubbed, and tied an American black bear to a tree. They called Roosevelt to the site and suggested that he should shoot it. He refused, deeming it unsportsmanlike, but instructed that the bear be killed to put it out of its misery, and this act of compassion was immortalized in a cartoon by Clifford Berryman in The Washington Post on November 16, 1902. Inspired by the cartoon, Morris Michtom, the owner of a candy store in Brooklyn, New York, and his wife Rose, created a stuffed bear cub and put it in their shop window, advertising it as "Teddy's bear."

At the same time in Germany, the Steiff firm, unaware of Michtom's bear, produced a stuffed bear from Richard Steiff's designs. Steiff exhibited the toy at the Leipzig Toy Fair in March 1903, where it attracted the attention of Hermann Berg, a buyer for George Borgfeldt & Company in New York. He ordered 3,000 to be sent to the United States. By 1906, teddy bears were immensely popular in the U.S.

Design and Construction

Early teddy bears were made to look like real bear cubs with extended snouts and beady eyes. Modern teddy bears tend to have larger eyes and foreheads and smaller noses, baby-like features that enhance the toy's cuteness. Teddy bears are also made from a wide variety of materials, including fabric, plush, and fur, both synthetic and natural. The teddy bear filling can range from beans and plastic pellets to soft polyester fiber.

Cultural Impact

Teddy bears have played a significant role in children's literature, appearing in stories like Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne and The Teddy Bears' Picnic, a song by Jimmy Kennedy that was later turned into a book. They have been the subject of films and television shows, such as Teddy Ruxpin and the movie Ted. Teddy bears are also used in therapy, providing comfort to children and adults alike during times of stress or trauma.

Collecting

Collecting teddy bears is a popular hobby, known as arctophily. Collectors often seek out rare or antique bears, and some of the earliest teddy bears can fetch high prices at auction. The record price for a Steiff bear is £110,000, sold in 1994 at Christie's in London.

See Also

• Stuffed toy
• List of fictional bears
• Toy collecting

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