The Wonderful History Of The Teddy Bear

We all had a most favorite stuffed animal when we were young, and as adults, this fondness of our stuffed toys has prompted us to become collectors of them, especially those made by Steiff.

Stuffed animals that are in great condition are sought after by collectors at auctions and fairs.

The story begins in the German town of Giengen an der Brenz in 1880.

A wheelchair bound seamstress called Margarete Steiff started a hobby and made toy animals from her own designs.

She created mostly cats, pigs, elephants and dogs.

The company, as we know it today, began when Margarete's nephew Richard Steiff invented the first bear with jointed limbs in 1902.

This bear rapidly became popular in the US and around the world, as it won first place at the World Exhibition in St. Louis in 1904.

It was later named after President Teddy Roosevelt and became known as the teddy bear.

Steiff is well known for its superior quality stuffed animals, and they are still produced today in the town of Giengen.

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.

By visiting the Adventure museum, you can learn about the history of Steiff creations and visit a great gift shop that features the latest bears along with reproductions of classic bears, browse through historic catalogues and view fantastic creations made from porcelain.

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.

A majority of the creations date back to the early 1900's up to the 1920's.

There is also a bear with a stitched on Valentine's heart, which makes a romantic gift.

The range of Steiff creations includes characters from Peter Rabbit, Beatrix Potter stories and even Mrs. Tiggy Winkle hedgehog.

One of my favorites is the Paddington Bear design, that is all dressed up in his traditional blue hat and red duffel coat.

With babies and toddlers in mind, Steiff created the baby animals collection.

Teddy bears, kittens and puppies are included in this collection that is designed from durable, high quality materials.

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.

This selection also includes a Pierrot Bear, a Moon Bear and a fantastic Grizzly Bear.

This range also has a stuffed Rupert Bear, another favorite character from story books.

Although Steiff produces several categories of stuffed animals, the will always be known for creating the teddy bear.

Looking for Steiff Stuffed Animals? Visit our site for more information.