When teddies started .....
The 1st Teddy Bear was invented and constructed by Rose and Morris Michtom. The Michtoms were impressed by Teddy Roosevelt and Clifford Berryman.
It appears that in November 1902, President Theodore 'Teddy' Roosevelt visited Mississippi to conciliate a border conflict between Louisiana and Mississippi. The President, having a little spare time, went along on a hunting trip. The additional people of the hunting company attached a American black bear cub to a tree for the president to shoot but he declined.
Hearing the story, political cartoonist Clifford Berryman drew a sketch showing Roosevelt declining to shoot the bear.
Upon seeing the cartoon, Brooklyn market keeper Morris Michtom asked his wife, Rose, to make 2 stuffed bears to display in the show window. The excelsior stuffed bears with the black, shoe button eyes acquired national fame. Michtom had an idea to associate the bears fame with Teddy Roosevelt; Michtom wrote the President and requested permission to call his stuffed bears 'Teddy Bears'. President Roosevelt concurred and the first Teddy Bear was given birth.
Morris Michtom called his shop The Ideal Novelty and Toy Company, and started the first Teddy Bear manufactory in the United States. In the same year the Steiff firm in Germany, began making it's adaptation of the jointed bear, on it's own. This firm, managed by Margarete Steiff, has been making toys since 1880.
Margarete's nephew, Richard Steiff, after seeing acting bears at a touring circus, had an idea to make a toy bear that stood erect. Richard was a adept artist and after visiting a nearby zoological garden to make cartoons of the bears, configured the first articulated bear. The bear was 2 feet high and, because of the jointed arms and legs, was able to stand erect or on all 4 legs just as an actual bear can[2].
The Teddy Bear is the most popular stuffed toy. Other playthings may come and go but the Teddy Bear is more than 100 years old and has stood the trial of time. Teddy Bears are employed daily for assorted reasons. Pink and/or blue Teddy Bears are joined to baby shower gifts; and they are imparted as presents for newborn babies. Teddy Bears donning cap and robe are given to high school alumnae. We decorate our bridecakes with Teddy Bears attired as the bride and groom and a hospitalised acquaintance may get a grinning Teddy Bear dressed in a nurses costume and hat.
Teddy Bears are particularly in demand during the holidays. Santa Bears and Snow Bears abound at Christmastide. Teddy Bears are available for every holiday or festivity, and almost everybody has named the Teddy Bear a buddy at one time or other.
When we were kids the delicate, cuddlesome Teddy Bear was a ceaseless comrade who got us through numerous scarey nighttimes and accompanied us everyplace. We cherished them as if they were a part of the family, feeding, dressing and even washing them when they got grimy. A dearest buddy our Teddy Bear was forever nearby.
Labels: All About The Teddy Bear, plush toy, stuffed toy, teddies
The Teddy Bear, A Master Of Disguise
While
teddy bears come with their own furry coat, some of them prefer to dress in different costumes to show off the many facets of their personalities. They are available for adoption in stores, gift shops and on internet sites.
One of the best disguised teddy bear is Turkey Day Teddy. He can be found at:
http://www.auntbonniesgiftbaskets.com/bearholiday.htm. Other teddy bears on this site with disguises of their own are, Happy Birthday Bear, Angel Bear, Santa Bear Teddy, Halloween Witch Bear, Halloween Pumpkin Bear, 4th of July Teddy, Easter Bunny Teddy, St. Patty's Bear, St. Valentines Bear, and New Year's Teddy. Each of these wonderful bears sell for $21.95.
A site offering a vast array of
teddy bears in disguise, is:
http://www.vtone.com/teddybearsholiday.htm. They have Biker Bears, a Patriot Collection, and a Military Collection, to name a few. The site also offers holiday teddy bears and is a great place for those who love dressed teddy bears.
A great site with bears dressed in costume for the holidays would be:
http://abgb.stores.yahoo.net/holtedbear.html. Hope, is a bear dressed in a pilgrim outfit, her counterpart, Jacob, is also a 12" bear dressed in pilgrim costume. Valentine teddy bear, arrives carrying a bracelet asking, ' Will You Be Mine?' His costume says, 'I Love You. Cupid bear, is a great choice to send your significant other. Other bears available are, Mr. & Mrs. Clause, Irish Bears, Bears in bunny disguises for Easter, a Graduation bear and a birthday bear in a clown outfit.
For a wonderful experience visit,
http://shop.vermontteddybear.com/. There you will find many wonderful dressed bears for your adoption approval.
At,
http://plushteddybears.com/product.php/bpb/75220.html, you will find many dressed bears from famous teddy bear makers.
Send a dressed bear for any occasion at,
www.giftsbearsetc.com. This site offers many unique gift baskets that include
teddy bears.
The site,
www.offerasmile.com, offers various specialty teddy bears for sale. If, after seeing the bears on this site, you still can't find that special bear, you can make costumes and disguises for any bear with sewing, knitting and crocheting patterns. These sites are plentiful on the internet.
You may want to choose a bear of distinction and dress them yourself. Whether you choose to make the costumes yourself or purchase what your bear will wear, you might want to check out these sites.
www.buildabear.com is an excellent site to choose a bear and dress it as you like right down to the shoes. Go to the site to find the nearest Build-A-Bear Workshop near you.
At,
www.tbears.de, you will find the most unique one of a kind, and limited edition bears I have ever seen. This teddy bear artist spends hours on each bear's face to give them a real personality. This site is a must for teddy bear enthusiasts. Hurry, these teddies sell like hotcakes.
There are some pretty unique bears on,
www.designsbyterri.com. These are miniature teddy bears and one of them, Domino, comes with his own die cast pedal car.
Whether you decide to buy an already dressed teddy or do it yourself, I'm sure you will find the perfect teddy bear at one, or more, of these sites.
Labels: homemade teddy bears, old teddy bears, teddy bears
Teddy Bear Tales
Stories featuring teddy bears performing like a human and having great adventures, have been written about some pretty amazing bears. The first teddy bear that comes to mind is, of course, Winnie The Pooh.
Alan Alexander Milne, wrote mostly plays and novels. However, his most popular works are his Pooh stories. You can find excerpts from a few of his well known stories at:
http://www.just-pooh.com/stories.html.
Another teddy bear, that is quite famous in his own right, goes by the name of Paddington bear. Christmas Eve, 1956, author Michael Bond, saw a small, toy bear on a shelf in a London store. He felt sorry for it, bought it, and took it home as a gift for his wife. He named the toy bear Paddington because they lived near Paddington Station. He wrote a few stories about the bear for fun; at the end of 10 days he had a book on his hands. He has since written several books about Paddington Bear. You are able to purchase 7 episodes of the BBC series, featuring Paddington Bear, on this site:
http://www.sendit.com/video/item/7000000078397.
Of course there are other, less popular, bears with a story or two about them. At,
http://members.aol.com/AnglWhisps/bears.html, you will find A Teddy Bear Story. This is more a poem than a story, but it does bear looking into.
Go to:
http://www.beartime.com/, and you will find fantastic stories about teddy bears, as well as, other teddy bear related activities.
Visit:
www.theodoreroosevelt.org/kidscorner/trteddy.htm, if you really want to know where teddy bears came from. There you will find the true story of how the teddy bear began, and the role President Theodore Roosevelt played in the birth of the stuffed animal.
On Theodore and Tilly Bear's Fun-site, :
http://j4tb.com/funsite/index.htm, you will find lots of teddy bear stories, poems, and games to play.
The adventures of Chocolate the teddy bear can be found at:
http://skyscraper.fortunecity.com/cray/695/story.html.
Chocolate The Naughty Teddy, Chocolate's Trip, A New Friend For Chocolate, and Chocolate And Cake Don't Mix, are all stories about a teddy bear who seems to always get into mischief. Care Bears are teddy bears that began as an animation. These cute little bears have seen their share of adventure. Care Bear videos and books are available for purchase.
Yogi Bear, that pi-in-ic basket stealing bear from Jellystone Park, Has been a teddy bear. Created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera in the late 1950's Yogi began his life in automation. His best friend and sidekick, Boo-Boo has also been a teddy bear.
Rupert is a bear who started out at the business end of the pen, of artist, Mary Toutel, in 1920 and still appears as a comic strip in The Daily Express. He has also been a teddy bear and stars in his own series on PBS channels. I'm sure if you do some research on Teddy Bear Tales, you will be able to find many sources. From web-sites and books, to animation. The teddy bear, and bears in general, are very popular subjects.
Labels: homemade teddy bears, old teddy bears, teddy bears
Teddy Bear Songs And Poems
Even though the teddy bear is over 100 years old, it is still one of the most popular toys with children of all ages.
Teddy bears are often the constant companion of small children. The stuffed bear inspires courage in the dark, friendship when we are lonely, and comfort when we aren't feeling well.
The cute, cuddly, stuffed bears have been known to bring out warm feelings in even the toughest of men. We have been inspired by the teddy bear to the point of writing songs and poetry about them.
One poem entitled, 'Egbert and Me', concerns a bear that wakes in the night and sits on the window sill to watch over a child. When pirates break in during the night, the bear quietly fights them off with a sword, and when the one-eyed bogey-man breaks silently through the wall; Egbert scares him off with a fierce look. A wailing ghost comes down the chimney and the teddy bear blows him away with quiet breaths. When the child wakes the bear seems to have lost an ear during the night. When asked about the missing ear Egbert just looks smug and wise.
This poem was written by an anonymous source. This poem shows the comfort a bear can give a child when the night is very scary. Another poem, ' A Boys Verse: To My Teddy', is about a teddy bear that came to live with a child when he was 4 days old, and gave him love without reservation. The boy professes his love still lives for the bear even though they are both 43, and very nearly men.
This poem was also anonymous. The poem tells how we feel about our first, best, friend, even though when we are an adult.
Teddy bear songs are very popular, especially with small children. They love to think of their teddy bears as being like them, a bit more human.
Teddy Bear's Picnic, seems to be the best known song about teddy bears. The author starts by warning the reader not to go into the woods. If they do go into the woods, they should go in disguise; because all the teddy bears will be there having a picnic. Good teddy bears will have plenty of wonderful food to eat, and under the trees they'll play hide and seek. If the reader goes down to the woods today they will be able to see the teddy bears gad about, and when they play they like to shout. The picnic ends when the teddy bear's Mummies and Daddies come for them at 6p.m., and take them home to bed. This was written by John Bratton and Jimmy Kennedy.
Winnie The Pooh sings a few songs of his own. I will include one of them here.
It's a very funny thought
that, if Bears were Bees
They'd build their nests at the bottom of trees
And that being so (if Bees were Bears)
We shouldn't have to climb up all these stairs.
Labels: All About The Teddy Bear, homemade teddy bears, old teddy bears, teddy bears
Teddy Bear Patterns And Materials
Teddy bear artists are responsible for some unique and interesting teddy bears. A number of these artists are willing to share a few patterns with the public. You will find teddy bear patterns, or links to patterns, on the sites below. A number of these patterns are free. You can also purchase kits to make your own bear, not to mention, materials and accessories to make your teddy complete.
You will find teddy bear patterns, kits designed by Chris Cotton, as well as teddy bear making supplies here, Easy and Fun Teddy Bear Patterns.
At,
http://www.christiebears.co.uk/acatalog/Patterns.html, you will find pattern packs. Each pack includes, pattern, joint nuts and bolts, and 1 pair of black, glass eyes. You may browse the materials and accessories for bear making. Miniature bear patterns are also available. When you visit,
http://www.judilynndesigns.com/Rumbles.html, you can purchase teddy bear patterns with a complete materials list for $10. A great site to find teddy bear patterns, kits and teddy bear making materials is,
http://www.admiral-bears.com/. Teddy bear kits are available on,
http://www.bearmania.com.au/bearkitn.htm.
This Australian based site offers unique and wonderful bears. Kits to make your own teddy bear include, all materials needed to make the bear, except the stuffing. Also included, are various other articles to make each specific bear. Pattern sizes range from 4" to 24" teddy bears. Links to various sites featuring teddy bears, teddy bear patterns, teddy bear kits and materials to make teddy bears, can be found here,
http://www.teddybearsden.com/art-dir/index.html. Would you like to make a knitted teddy bear like the bear seen in Mr. Bean videos? You can do so by visiting,
http://www.knitting-and.com/knitting/patterns/toys/beanbear.htm. Here you will find a pattern and material list for this amusing, big eyed teddy bear.
Needle Felting is a new way to make teddy bears and other soft toys without stitching or stuffing. This is accomplished by poking carded wool fiber many times over with a special, barbed, needle so that it felts together. As you felt the wool you are able to turn and mold it into any shape you desire. The result is a firm toy that is solid wool. You can learn about this technique by visiting,
http://www.bearycheap.com/info/felting1.html.
At, http://www.crochetnmore.com/Becky'sLittleBearPattern.htm, You will find a tiny teddy bear pattern designed especially for babies. The finished bear size is 4.5 to 5 inches. This is a crocheted bear. Another crocheted teddy bear pattern can be found at:
http://crochet.about.com/library/weekly/aa110897.htm?once=true. If you love miniature teddy bears, you will find an adorable, 3" bear by visiting: http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/tbear.html. If you want to make a pilgrim outfit for your teddy bear,
http://crochet.about.com/library/weekly/aa112297.htm, has a great pattern with instructions and materials list. Learn to make a teddy bear at:
http://www.fuzzybee.com.au/fuzzbears/make_a_teddybear.htm. Looking for teddy bear and felting supplies? Then,
http://www.woodlandteddies.co.uk/, is the place for you.
This site has very unique patterns for teddy bears and stuffed toys.
http://www.funkyfriendsfactory.com/?gclid=CITwr5XW3ooCFSM9UAodlFyzcA.
You should find everything you need on the above sites to make your own teddy bear. You may want to try some of the craft sites to see what they have to offer along the line of teddy bear making supplies.
Labels: All About The Teddy Bear, old teddy bears, teddy bears
Teddy Bear Museums
Teddy bears have been around for over 100 years. It is reasonable to assume, in all that time, some of them have been well loved and it is time for them to retire. Since there is no old-folks home for teddy bears they are given to collectors, or a museum to sit comfortably and be admired.
Greenfield Village and the Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan, is one of the museums where a teddy bear may live his life in peace. This museum has hundreds of items on exhibit. There are several antique exhibits that include some of the first teddy bears ever made. Be sure and see all of the exhibits, as I recall, the bears are in more than one place.
The Teddy Bear Museum in Naples, Florida, has over 4,000 bears on exhibit. Nearly 40,000 visitors from around the world visit the museum yearly. This 'dream home for teddy bears' has many displays, including, antique and limited edition bears, as well as, bear paintings, sculpture, posters and collectibles. The museum highlights work by some of the worlds most imaginative bear designers working with various materials. The museum sponsors community events throughout the year including, teas, workshops and bear shows.
The puppet, teddy bear and toy museum, located in Germany, provides a history of puppets and toys from 1845. A special rarity is the Stiff Teddy Bear School from 1910.
The Dorset Teddy Bear Museum, located in the UK, is a wonderful place for children and adults who still know what it is like to have fun. With such favorites as Rupert Bear, Winnie The Pooh and even today's TV favorites, are included in a century of teddy bear history. If viewing this exhibit prompts you to adopt a bear of your own, there is a teddy bear shop on nearby Trinity Street. The Northam House Museum of Early Childhood features an antique teddy bear museum and an antique doll museum. There are over 700 antique and vintage teddy bears and more than 200 antique dolls on display at the museum in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Quite a few of our soft, fuzzy friends have been thrown into the trash or destroyed by one thing or another over the years. My own childhood teddy, Cinnamon Bear, was lost on a trip to a relatives when I was young. I have never stopped missing him.
Museums are a great place to visit teddy bears that used to belong to someone else. The attachments we form to our teddy bear goes beyond that of any other toy. He is our hero when the dark, night gets scary, our guest when we need a partner to play a game or join our party, a companion when we are embarking on a very dangerous adventure and a best friend when we are feeling sad or lonely.
I've often heard it said, 'the definition of a friend is, someone who knows all of your faults and loves you anyway'. If that doesn't describe a teddy bear, I don't know what would.
Labels: homemade teddy bears, old teddy bears, teddy bears
Teddy Bear Collections
The web site,
www.bearhollow.net, belongs to a teddy bear collector. They have adopted, and share their home with quite a few furry friends. They would like to show you where these 'adopted children' make themselves comfortable around the house and grounds.
You will find links to the kitchen, the family room, the library, the office, the bear room, the living room, the dining room, the powder room, the garage, the picnic area, the guest room, the stairway, the lily pond, the sun room, the laundry room, the hallway and two bear hollow rooms. Wow, with a family like that I wonder how much the honey bill is!
The web address,
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Nook/8514/, will lead you to The Beary Blue Bear Nook. A site owned by Trish a woman of 37 who loves collecting bears. She will show you her collection, and offer you links to sites where you can find kits and accessories to make your own teddy bear. She also has links to teddy bear artists, and the World of Miniatures page will link you to miniature artists.
Lorie's Bear Shelf is a site owned by teddy bear collector, Lorie Barnhill, you can get there by going to:
http://www.fortunecity.com/meltingpot/greenlawn/994/. Lori will show you her collection of over 200 bears.
Some teddy bear artists sell teddy bear collections. That is to say, they sell certain groups of similar teddy bears they have designed to go together. Others sell unique, one of a kind teddy bears just right for you to start your own collection.
One site,
www.designsbyterri.com offers adorable, miniature teddy bears. 23/4 inch-tall Domino is a bent knee bear made from off white and black medium pile non-shiny upholstery velvet. He is cotter pin and disk jointed and is stuffed with polyfil. Domino comes with a reproduction, die cast, taxi pedal car.
A site owned by Elizabeth Mowatt,
www.tailoredteddies.com, offers one-of-a-kind, hand sewn teddy bears. Each bear is numbered and signed on the paw by the maker. Each bear has it's own unique accessories. Another great site is,
www.tbears.de. Owned by Karin Jehle this site offers bears with their own personality. Karin spends hours creating each bears face. Valdemar, a 13 inch tall teddy bear made from shining white faux fur. His eyes are alive; with upper and lower eye lids. Valdemar wears soft, brown leather trousers.
Karin also makes miniature, crocheted teddy bears. Thomas, a 4 inch crocheted bear and Minty, a 3.3 inch crocheted bear, go together perfectly. They both sport soft leather pants of different colors. Red Fred, is a red crocheted bear, 3 inches tall.
You may begin your collection with regular size, miniature, figurines or giant, stuffed teddy bears. Maybe you want a collection that has a little bit of every-bear in it.
The choice is yours. Remember, the sooner you get started adopting your extended family, the faster you will become an adoptive parent to as many teddy bears as your heart will hold.
There are hundreds of sites offering unique and one of a kind teddy bears and teddy bear collections.
Labels: homemade teddy bears, old teddy bears, teddy bears
