The bear facts

Are you wondering how the teddy bear tale began? The first stake to claim is actually undecided. Most believe that Theodore Roosevelt is responsible for starting the teddy bear craze.

In mid-November 1902, Theodore Roosevelt, an avid hunter, was on a four-day expedition in Smedes, Miss. By the end of the hunt, though, Roosevelt came up empty-handed. Thinking he would like to take home a prize, Roosevelt's cohorts tethered a cub to a tree for him to shoot. Clearly in his right mind, the president refused to shoot the helpless cub and spared his young life.

Two days later, Nov. 16, Clifford Berryman, a political cartoonist from The Washington Post sketched a pen and ink cartoon of the incident and titled it, "Drawing the Line." Berryman was referring to both a boundary dispute, which the president was trying to resolve, and the obvious question at hand.

Was it Berryman's cartoon or was it Theodore Roosevelt himself that evoked the teddy trend?

Rose Michtom, a Russian émigré and wife to stationery and novelty store owner Morris Michtom, crafted a plush bear soon after reading Berryman's cartoon. Upon approval from the president, she named her plush creation, "Teddy's Bear." Morris Michtom experienced immediate success after displaying "Teddy's Bear" in his store window in Brooklyn, N.Y.

In August 1903, Morris Michtom, backed by Butler Brothers, founded Ideal Novelty and Toy Company. It is this company that has been credited with being the first teddy bear manufacturer in America

Is it Rose Michtom who should be credited with the first teddy bear creation?

Avid archtophiles would beg to differ. At this same time in history, in Giengen, Germany, Steiff was becoming a world leader in the toy industry. The first teddy bear designed by Steiff was actually not a design of Margarete's, the company founder, but a creation of her nephew Richard, a skilled sculptor and devoted Stuttgart Zoo attendee. Margarete was reportedly unimpressed with Richard's new creation he called "Friend Petz."

The first shipment of Steiff bears was sent to Paul Steiff in New York in February 1903 and at first the bears were poorly received. One month later, Hermann Berg of George Borgfeldt & Company in New York City attended the Liepzig World Fair and purchased 3,000 Steiff bears for distribution in the American market.

Perhaps it is Steiff who should be credited with initiating the teddy bear rage?

Interestingly enough, none of the above patented the teddy bear design or the name. Any depiction of the teddy bear was fair game in tying a product to the popular fad.

One fact is clear however; it wasn't long after the Steiff teddy's debut that everyone had to have one. In 1908 Ideal Novelty and Toy Company placed a specific teddy bear advertisement in PLAYTHINGS, and in 1906, Horsman Toy Company placed an ad with PLAYTHINGS for "Teddy's Bear." Advertisers even used teddy bears to help sell totally unrelated merchandise. From 1908 to 1920, children were rarely photographed without a teddy bear. Even powder compacts and perfume bottles were fashioned in teddy bear style.

According to Paul Johnson, current president of Steiff, the years between 1903 and 1908 were known as the 'Steiff Bear Years.' "During this time the number of Steiff teddy bears produced annually rose from 12,000 to nearly one million worldwide; never before had a toy made such an impact," Johnson says.

Toy companies leapt on the teddy bear bandwagon almost immediately. Hundreds of factories sprang up in Europe and the United States producing a wide variety of bears. Few of those original companies, such as Britannia Toy Company Ltd., Ealontoyd Ltd. and The Teddy Toy Company, remain today.

In 1929, the Wall Street stock market crash and ensuing Great Depression took its toll on teddy bear production as well as the economy, resulting in the manufacturing of low quality bears. The outbreak of World War II in 1939 didn't help the teddy niche either. The war forced many European toy factories to close or turn to war work.

The Dean's Company, in Whales, England, whose first bear in 1908 was referred to as the "Knockabout" teddy bear, made life jackets. Merrythought Ltd., in Ironbridge, Shropshire, responsible for the introduction of the first stuffed panda, made military uniforms while Steiff made munitions.

By 1945 companies like Steiff were back in business, albeit with low quality plush due to a shortage of supplies. Other German companies relocated from the Soviet Occupied Zone of Germany to the American Occupied Zone. Nylon and rayon plush were commonly used for teddies during the postwar period. By the 1950s and '60s synthetic plush and stuffing (e.g. polyester) became popular.

During this same time period, new toy companies formed in the United States.

And through the years, the depiction of the teddy bear has evolved along with its manufacture and materials. "The teddy bear market, like any other, is somewhat 'fashion' driven and generally follows trends," notes Steiff's Johnson. "There are always minor shifts in the designs. Neutral colors give way to brights and dressed bears change places with non-dressed bears. Antique bears have always been a constant," he adds.

"Whether the consumer be a child or a grandmother, the appeal of the teddy bear is omnipresent," states Judy Berwick, director of marketing for Gund. "Similar to the way we choose our friends we choose our teddy bears," says Berwick, adding that, "a Gund bear has a way of 'talking to' his prospective owner, giving them that warm and fuzzy feeling."

Next to Steiff, which was founded in 1880, Gund, established in 1898, is one of the oldest surviving teddy bear manufacturers in the world. Certainly, it is likely the oldest in the Americas. As the teddy bear grew in popularity, new companies emerged to keep up with demand.

Mary Meyer, established in 1933, is a family-run company with son Walter at the helm and grandson Kevin as chief artist and designer. Today the company supplies bears to more than 15,000 retailers.

Ganz, established in 1950 by brothers Sam and Jack Ganz, is currently the largest teddy bear manufacturer in Canada. Ganz was among the first to introduce a collection of artist-designed bears known as the Ganz Cottage Collectibles. Gund also has an artist-designed line known as Bartons Creek.

Russ Berrie, who started his company in a rented garage in 1963 has seen it grow to a $300 million publicly traded corporation. This New Jersey-based company is among the largest in the industry and shouts of innovative fabric and design when it comes to teddy bears.

"We are very positive about the future of the teddy bear," Berrie tells PLAYTHINGS , "particularly today, as Russ develops new special, soft fabrics with color tones that make today's teddies totally unique but with the warmth, comfort and security of years past."

North American Bear Company, established in 1978, is best known for its Muffy VanderBear line. "As we mark the end of the teddy bears' first centennial, it is clear that the future of this classic companion is strong and diverse," notes Lorene Shiraiwa, public relations coordinator. Shiraiwa believes "the changing collectible market will spawn a resurgence for more elaborate bears that are truly special to collectors."

"Teddy bears will continue to be- come more popular as people look for more things to make each day a little brighter," says David Miller, vice president of marketing for Boyds Collection Ltd. Founded in 1979 by Gary Lowenthal, Boyds has successfully developed a niche and brand identity in its "Folksy with an attitude" market, Miller says.

Founded in 1992, California-based plush company Aurora is one of the newest entries into the teddy bear market. Paul Roche, president of sales and 34-year industry veteran believes the variations are endless when it comes to teddy bears. "The bear translates nature to nurture perhaps best of all animals," he tells PLAYTHINGS.

Bestever Ltd. has been in the plush manufacturing business for over thirty years but only in U.S. distribution for four years. "Teddy bears launched the plush toy business and will remain the cornerstone of the industry," says Ann Nelson, director of product development.

"There is no limit to the interpretation of what a teddy bear can look and feel like. Manufacturers recognize the inherent appeal of teddy bears and will try new fabrications and body styles to keep the category fresh and exciting," adds Nelson.

Likewise, the possibilities for retailers are endless when it comes to teddy bears. Over the past year Gund ran a 'Centennial Celebration' contest offering dealers the opportunity to send in photographs of store and window displays using Gund product. Displays were judged on style, design, and creativity.

"We had several entries," says Berwick. "There were construction site themes, teddy bear picnics, teddy bear nurseries, bears in the park flying kites and lots of Americana. It was difficult to make a selection from among all the different themes."

Bonnie Stout, owner of Youngs Pharmacy in Bethlehem, Pa., won second place in the Gund contest with her Americana theme. "I don't have any problem moving a teddy bear," Stout says. "It has always been a very popular item and we try to keep a variety of different styles and colors in stock at all times."

In Estes Park, Colo., Estes Ark took first place in Gunds's "America's Teddy Bear" contest with a display of Gund bears in vintage ice cream cartons. " 'Celebrate with a Gundy Sundae' was the signage," Berwick tells PLAYTHINGS. "The authenticity of the scene was classic," she adds.

Steve Swickard, owner of Estes Ark, home of the Talking Teddy, says the store is ready for the second half of Gund's contest. "Our new window display went up long before the Sept. 11 attacks and is most appropriate now," says Swickard. "It is very patriotic with lots of flags, military uniforms and the appropriate signage celebrating America's Teddy and today's heroes."

Estes Ark has been around for 18 years and has several plans for celebrating the Teddy Centennial. "Our plans have been going on all year," says Swickard. "In June we will celebrate our 18th annual teddy bear picnic to raise money for The Good Bears of the World. Throughout the year we have had artist and historical company owners come into the store for signings." Barbara Isenberg founder of NABCO is scheduled for an appearance and Swickard hopes to have Bruce Raiffe, president of Gund, on his calendar too. Build-a-Bear, established in 1997 in St. Louis, Mo., by Maxine Clark has planned many events to celebrate Teddy's 100th birthday. "We plan to break the year into four quarters," says company spokeswoman Katy Hartrich. "In the first quarter we will highlight the Roaring Twenties with an accent on flapper costumes and Charles Lindberg. In the second quarter the emphasis will be on the Golden Age and special movie stars like James Dean and Marilyn Monroe. The third quarter will accentuate the '60s through the '80s with a focus on the flower-child era and disco. Finally, in the fourth quarter we will focus on the '90s and the birth of Build-a-Bear as well as Teddy Roosevelt's Birthday," Hartrich explains. Several plush manufacturers have special centennial products available. Bestever is celebrating with the introduction of 'Bearrenial,' an old-fashioned jointed teddy bear. Bear artist Sally Winey has designed 'Teddy of the Year,' a golden mohair, hand-sewn bear, limited to an edition of 100. Aurora has developed 'Crystal,' a white bear with a crystal around her neck. She comes with a numbered certificate and only 2002 will be manufactured. Mary Meyer has created 'Teddy,' a 9-inch jointed bear wearing a Rough Rider hat and an emblem that says, "Teddy, 100 years, 1902-2002." Retailers can expect more offerings from Steiff, Enesco, Boyds and others.

The most avid collector could not begin to acquire all the teddies available on today's retail shelves. There are teddy bears that celebrate Hannukah, New Year's, Christmas, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Fourth of July, Halloween and Thanksgiving. Some are simply dressed in seasonal garb while others actually sing out holiday cheer. Some teddies are mass-produced while others are singularly hand-stitched and hand numbered.

Holy Bears is the Christian icon for teddy bears, while The Dov Bear Company provides Jewish bear collectors a line of their own. "We hope collectors will find something they may be missing in their lives by reading the spiritual messages," said Larry Saichek, CEO for the Dov Bear Company.

The IMA Hero Collection by StarRise Creations is filling schoolhouses with an educational line of bean bag bears.

"As children, we love our teddy bears as if they were real people. We name them, feed them, clothe them, care for them and take them on family vacations," says Kathy Malowney, president of StarRise Creations.

Undoubtedly, the most important contribution the teddy bear has made to our nation is the security and comfort it has brought to so many lives. A teddy bear can serve as a reminder to people that others care and want to help. Bears have been sent to people who lost family members in the Oklahoma City bombing, families of the TWA Flight 800 crash, victims and fellow students of the Columbine High School shootings, those who lost homes and family members after fires, tornadoes, earthquakes and other natural disasters, and most recently to the victims and relief funds of the Sept. 11 attacks.

Retailers can contact the following companies and become a part of their ongoing philanthropic efforts: Beverly Hills Gift Company, the distributor of the Stars in the Wild Hero collection, is currently assisting our real life heroes by donating a portion of sales profits to the United Way, the American Red Cross, the F.D.N.Y. and N.Y.P.D. Boyds introduced both a resin piece and a plush bear to raise money for the Starlight Children's Foundation. NABCO has created bears to raise money for the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois and other charities. Steiff recently partnered with the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Classic Collecticritters, Herrington Teddy Bears, Timeless Toys, as well as others, have designed teddy bears to raise money for Relay for Life and the Y-me foundation—charities that support the fight against breast cancer.

The amount of support from teddy bear manufacturers aligning with charitable causes is without limits. Good Bears of the World was established in 1969 with a single purpose: to give teddy bears to the traumatized, the sick and the lonely. They are always open for bear donations from retailers as well as manufacturers. GBW is currently in all 50 states and 14 foreign countries.

The custodian of the teddy bear's "birth certificate" might always be disputed, but the comfort and joy this plush icon brings to both young and old will never be questioned.