Information AboutTeddy Bear |
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The teddy bear is a stuffed Toy Bear . It is an enduring, traditional form of Stuffed Animal , often serving the purpose of comforting children. In recent times, some teddy bears have become expensive Collector's Item s. Teddy bear collectors are known as arctophiles from the Greek words 'arcto' (bear) and 'philos' (lover). The name Teddy Bear comes from one of Theodore Roosevelt 's hunting trips. There were several other hunters competing, and most of them had already shot something. A few friends of Roosevelt captured a bear and told Roosevelt to shoot it. He refused, and it became the topic of a Political Cartoon . A small town toy shop owner saw the cartoon, and asked the president if she could manufacture stuffed bears named as "Teddy's Bears". He approved, and the name has stuck ever since. THE LEGEND OF TEDDY ROOSEVELT AND TEDDY BEARS The Teddy Bear made its entry on the world stage as a result of a hunting trip President Roosevelt made into the swamps of Mississippi in 1902. T.R. refused to shoot a young bear cub that had been cornered and tied to a tree. Had he done so, he said, he wouldn’t “be able to look my boys in the face again.” Washington Post staff artist Clifford K. Berryman (1869-1949) made the incident famous with a front-page cartoon. Among the many readers who saw the Berryman cartoon was Russian immigrant Morris Michtom , owner of a small novelty store in Brooklyn, New York. Seeing a potential market, Morris had his wife make a toy bear, with movable limbs, for sale. When it sold quickly, the Michtoms made others. After obtaining T.R.’s permission to use Roosevelt’s name in connection with the new toy, Michtom closed a deal with a large toy wholesaler to distribute the bears. KINDS OF TEDDY BEARS Commercially made, mass produced teddy bears are predominantly made as toys for children. These bears have safety joints for attaching arms legs and heads. They must have securely fastened eyes that do not pose a choking hazard for small children. These "plush" bears must meet a rigid standard of construction in order to be marketed to children in the United States and in European Union. By contrast, Artist Bears, are not mass produced and definitely not intended for small children. In fact, most carry a tag saying that "These bears are intended for an adult market of avid collectors. They are individually created by a whole host of artists around the world. Many of these artists design their own bears as well as making them by hand or stitching them up on home sewing machines. These bears are not mass marketed." They are available for purchase through the individual artists, specialty shops, web sites, and at art shows, Teddy Bear shows and craft shows across the globe. These bears are almost always jointed with movable heads, arms and legs. The jointing systems to attach these appendages and heads are most often disk and screw or disk and cotter pin combinations but can be done with buttons, simple string, chain or any other method an enterprising artist may devise. There are also companies that sell handmade collectible bears that can be purchased in stores or over the internet. Some examples of such companies are the German Steiff and the American "Original Paka Bear" . The "fur" from which these charming creatures are made is as varied and interesting as the bears themselves. Mohair, the fur shorn or combed from a breed of long haired goats, is woven into cloth, dyed and trimmed to produce a fascinating choice for any artist's palette. Alpaca teddy bears are made from the pelt of an alpaca because the fiber is too soft to weave. In addition to mohair and alpaca, there is a huge selection of "plush" or synthetic fur made for the teddy bear market. Both these types of fur are commercially produced. Some teddy bear artists specialize in the production of bears made from recycled materials. These artists haunt thrift stores, flea markets, garage sales and trash collection centers as well as their own and their families' basements and attics in search of forgotten treasures to be turned into a collector's dream. Old quilts, dresses, fur collars, coats and stoles as well as beaded bags and garments are quickly transformed into stunning teddy bears.''''' MUSEUMS The world's first Teddy Bear Museum was set up in Petersfield, Hampshire , England , in 1984 . In 1990 a similar foundation was set up in Naples , Florida , United States . This was closed in 2005, and the bears sold by auction. SEE ALSO
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