Teddy Bears – Over a Century of Soft Plush Toys
Cuddly Animals Popular Collectibles with Children and Adults
Dec 3, 2008
Teddy bears are popular gifts for kids, but collectible teddy bears are also great gifts for adults. Teddy bears have been a popular plush toy for over a century.
In real life, a bear is quite a scary and potentially dangerous wild animal. Turning the bear into a cuddly stuffed toy was an ingenious idea that seems to have sprouted in Germany and the United States nearly simultaneously. Plush bears from longtime manufacturers Gund and Steiff have been cuddly companions to children and adults for over one hundred years. Teddy bears, from various manufacturers have lined the shelves of toy departments ever since.
According to the website of Hotel Colorado in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, the first teddy bear was stitched together by maids and presented to then president Theodore Roosevelt, nicknamed Teddy. Another legend related to Theodore Roosevelt is that he refused to kill a bear cub when unsportsmanlike behavior presented him the chance to kill a cub that had been captured for the purpose of letting him shoot the cub.
Steiff in Germany and Gund in Connecticut starting manufacturing teddy bears for sale at the beginning of the twentieth century. Both companies still manufacture collectible plush bears of high quality. Vermont Teddy Bear is a more recent manufacturer of teddy bears that produces high quality, hand-made teddy bears.
Steiff Teddy Bear
Steiff was a family company founded by Margarete Steiff, who spent her life in a wheelchair as a result to childhood polio. Margarete sold handmade garments and household goods. In 1880 she created the first Steiff plush animal, a felt elephant. The elephant became a popular children’s toy and the family business expanded. Steiff’s nephews joined the business at the turn of the century. The most famous of their products, the Mohair plush bear was created by Richard Steiff in 1903. Steiff continues to manufacture collectible teddy bears, treasured as adorable gifts. Steiff can be found in retail stores and on-line.
Gotta Getta Gund
Gund was founded by a German immigrant named Adolph Gund in Connecticut in 1898. Gund manufactures collectible teddy bears, as well as many other soft plush toys adored by children and adults. Gund toys are available in retail stores.
Vermont Teddy Bear
Vermont Teddy Bear are proudly hand-crafted in the USA. Personable bears each have an individual personality and are shipped with care in a free gift box with air holes, a personalized gift card and gourmet caramels for the bear to snack on while in transit. Vermont Teddy Bears can be purchased on-line and through mail order.
Teddy Bears are terrific gift items that have delighted children and adults for over a century. Whether purchasing the stuffed plush animal as a play toy or a collectible, a teddy bear is a gift that is often treasured for many years.
Resources:
Steiff Teddy Bear
Gund
Vermont Teddy Bear
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