The Wonderful History Of The Teddy Bear
Everyone had a favorite stuffed toy as a child and fond nostalgia makes some adults become collectors, especially in the case of Steiff stuffed animals.
They are in high demand by collectors when available at fairs and auctions, namely stuffed bears.
The Steiff stuffed animals history begins in the town of Giengen an der Brenz in Germany, around 1880.
Margarete Steiff, a wheelchair bound seamstress, made toy animals from her own designs as a hobby.
She created mostly cats, pigs, elephants and dogs.
The world famous stuffed animals of Steiff that we know of today began with the idea of adding jointed limbs to a toy bear by Richard Steiff, Margarete’s nephew.
This bear with jointed limbs became popular worldwide, and as a result, it was the winner at the World Exhibition that was held in 1094 in St. Louis.
It later became known as the teddy bear, named after President Teddy Roosevelt.
With their stuffed animals still produced today in the town of Giengen, the Steiff company is known for their high quality animals.
Today, Giengen is the location of the Steiff factory and Adventure museum, and the town is a mecca for those who are fans and collectors of stuffed animals.
The Adventure museum details the history of Steiff products, and has a gift shop that sells bears, replica bears, historic catalogues and porcelain creations.
The Steiff Classic range is the line that is most sought after by collectors, featuring a wide variety of animals that are all hand made.
Some designs date back to teddy bears from 1906, 1909 and 1920.
You can even see the special Valentine Bear, with a stitched on heart. It is a wonderful and romantic gift idea.
Steiff creations include a wide range of popular characters such as Peter Rabbit, Mrs. Tiggy Winkle hedgehog and characters from Beatrix Potter.
One of my favorites is the Paddington Bear design, that is all dressed up in his traditional blue hat and red duffel coat.
The majority of Steiff baby animals are created with babies and toddlers in mind.
Crafted from high quality, durable materials, the collection includes kittens, puppies and lambs.
The Cosy Animal line has machine washable animals and there are also children’s clothes, keyrings, bags and gift sets.
Another great collection is the Steiff Limited Edition selection that showcases a pink and grey replica of the world famous 1908 teddy bear.
You can also find a Moon Bear, a Grizzly Bear and a cute Pierrot Bear in the selection.
This collection also includes the Rupert Bear, which is another one of my personal favorites.
However, the teddy bear will continue to be the toy that is most associated with the Steiff Company.
January 28 2010 03:45 pm | Collectibles