Steiff Teddy Bears
Jan 22, 2014 | by Becky Oeltjenbruns
Image by MatthiasKabel
Teddy bears remind us of simpler times – when we would play, guided by our imaginations and our biggest concern was to enjoy the day. We all had that special teddy or doll that was our sidekick throughout any adventure; perhaps no designer captured that innocence and wonder better than Margarete Steiff. Learn more about her work and our favorite vintage stuffed animals below.
History of Steiff stuffed animals
Margarete Steiff was born into a large German family in 1847. Although she was paralyzed from childhood illness, she never let any obstacle stop her from pursuing her dreams, education, and an extraordinary life. Upon completing seamstress training, she opened a small tailor’s shop out of her parents’ home. That initial success was followed by her own felt clothing business in 1877. Two years into the company, she crafted a small stuffed elephant for use as a pin cushion. This cheery addition to the shop soon became highly desirable among her clients’ children.
Margarete Steiff
The demand for her stuffed elephants grew and by 1880 Steiff Manufacture was established. The first popular item remained the elephant, which her younger brother Fritz sold at nearby markets. A mere six years later they had sold over 5,000 elephants and Margarete was soon designing other animals: monkeys, donkeys, horses, camels, pigs, mice, dogs, cats, rabbits, and giraffes. In 1893 the company had gained a reputation and presented at the Leipzig toy fair. The growing popularity allowed her to employ four seamstresses and over ten home workers.
The Steiff company evolved again with the 1897 hiring of Margarete’s nephew, Richard. His sketches inspired many of the animal creations we know and love today. In 1902 “Bear 55PB” shook the toy world as the first stuffed toy bear with movable arms and legs. Covered with mohair plush, the Steiff teddy bears had arrived and went on to find international success. (Teddy bears were very popular in the early 1900s thanks to President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt.)
Image by Richfife
The popularity of the Steiff teddy bears unfortunately inspired many imitators so in 1904 they differentiated their brand with the “button in the ear.” Each stuffed animal had a metal button (embossed with either an elephant or the Steiff name) in its ear. Read more about button history here. As Margarete Steiff decreed “only the best is good enough for children.” It was this passion that won her the Grand Prix at the World Exhibition in St. Louis. While she sadly passed away in 1909, her legacy lived on.
Another Grand Prix win came in 1910 in Brussels. The “Steiff Circus” introduced some of the first mechanically-moved figures and the Noah’s Ark composition for 1914 perfectly captured the charm and whimsy of this line. As the economy shrank, the company adjusted, leaning toward paper and wood materials during tougher times. In 1953 the company celebrated its 50th anniversary with the Steiff Teddy Bear “Jackie.” The brand thrives today and it’s easy to see why Steiff vintage stuffed animals have garnered a large following.
Cause A Frockus would like to thank their tremendous resources: Wikipedia, Steiff News, Steiff USA, and the lovely people who post to Wikipedia without restriction.
For our readers: Do you collect Steiff? Tell us about your favorite animal(s) in the comments!