The Wonderful History Of The Teddy Bear
January 27, 2010 by Lee Reid
Filed under Collectibles
Just about everybody had a treasured stuffed toy when they were young. The feeling of happiness and nostalgia of these toys is what makes some adults become collectors of them, namely stuffed animals from Steiff.
The original animals can demand high prices at auctions and fairs these days, particularly the bears.
The Steiff stuffed animals history begins in the town of Giengen an der Brenz in Germany, around 1880.
Margarete Steiff made toy animals from her own designs as a hobby, she was wheelchair bound at the time.
She created mostly cats, pigs, elephants and dogs.
The Steiff stuffed animals that we know of today began when Richard Steiff, a nephew of Margarette, created the first toy bear with jointed limbs in 1902.
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 was later named after President Teddy Roosevelt and became known as the teddy bear.
With their stuffed animals still produced today in the town of Giengen, the Steiff company is known for their high quality animals.
The town of Giengen is considered a mecca for lovers of stuffed animals, and visitors can experience an Adventure Museum as well as the Steiff factory.
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 top end of the product line, with hand made Steiff stuffed animals of wild animals, farm animals and the famous bears.
Several of the designs are said to date back to the early 1900's.
There is also a bear with a stitched on Valentine's heart, which makes a romantic gift.
Steiff creations include a wide range of popular characters such as Peter Rabbit, Mrs. Tiggy Winkle hedgehog and characters from Beatrix Potter.
Another children's favorite is available in Paddington Bear, with his trademark blue hat and red duffel coat.
The majority of Steiff baby animals are created with babies and toddlers in mind.
Teddy bears, kittens and puppies are included in this collection that is designed from durable, high quality materials.
The Cosy Animal selections by Steiff are machine washable. Other products in the line include clothing, bags, keyrings and gift sets made especially for children.
Another great collection is the Steiff Limited Edition selection that showcases a pink and grey replica of the world famous 1908 teddy bear.
This selection also includes a Pierrot Bear, a Moon Bear and a fantastic Grizzly Bear.
Another one of my favorites in this range is the famous character from story books, the Rubert Bear.
Although there is a wide variety of animals available, the Steiff company will be forever remembered for the teddy bear.
Looking for Steiff Stuffed Animals? Visit our site for more information.
Tags: Children, collectables, Collectibles, Gifts, home, Kids, parents, shopping, stuffed animals, Toys