Costumes for Kids - History of the Teddy Bear at Costume SuperCenter

The Early Years

The teddy bear started with in an American cartoon by Clifford Berryman that appeared in The Washington Post on November 16, 1902. The cartoon was called “Drawing the Line in Mississippi” and depicted U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt unwilling to shoot and kill a baby bear during a hunting trip. The story goes that while in Mississippi, the president was on a hunting trip and was not doing very well that day. One of the other members of the hunting party captured a baby bear and offered Roosevelt the opportunity to shoot the bear. Looking at the cute and helpless little bear, President Roosevelt could not shoot the poor thing.

The cartoon was reprinted and gained massive popularity. In fact, the cartoon was so popular that teddy bears started popping up in storefronts all over New York City. German artist Richard Steiff designed the original teddy bears. Steiff also designed and manufactured his own unique line of teddy bears, though his resembled more accurately a bear cub than the American version did.

The Teddy Bear Craze

Teddy bear fever was in full swing by 1906 and teddy bears from all companies were flying off the shelves. Not yet relegated to children’s’ toy boxes, the teddy bear was also carried by prominent society ladies and parents were calling on photographers to capture their child with their favorite teddy bear on film. President “Teddy” Roosevelt also adopted the teddy bear as his mascot during his time in the White House. The teddy bear was also popping up in children’s books and songs.

Toy manufacturers continued to push the envelope and introduced teddy bears of all shapes, sizes, and colors to consumers who welcomed them with open arms. As new products hit the market, competition between manufacturers increased. After years of intense competition, many of the teddy bear manufacturers fizzled out. However, the Gund Manufacturing Corporation one of the leading manufacturers held in there and still manufactures teddy bears today.

Teddy Bears in the 1920s - 1940s

During the 1920s, 30s, and 40s, the teddy bear continued to enjoy popularity. Mass production has not yet been introduced into the industry and many of the teddy bears were still hand-finished, adding to their value in later years when they became considered collectible items, rather than toys. Small changes were made to teddy bears during World War I, less were produced and imported from Germany and other areas. The popular boot-button eyes on many teddy bears were replaced with glass eyes and kapok stuffing replaced excelsior as a softer stuffing.

Mechanical teddy bears also became popular, including novelty bears produced by Bing and Schuco, German companies. These bears could walk, do somersaults, roll a ball, and dance. Unfortunately, the fun and games came to an abrupt halt in 1939 with the beginning of World War II; many teddy bear manufacturers stopped production to focus their attention on wartime efforts.

Teddy Bears in the 1950s - 1970s

Many of the original and traditional teddy bear manufacturers were very proud of their commitment to quality products, many used natural materials and hand-finished their bears. However, post-WWII many manufacturers changed their products to withstand more wear-and-tear than traditional teddy bears. Acrylic and nylon fabrics replaced natural fibers and plastic eyes replaced glass ones. Foam rubber stuffing also became more widely used because it was inexpensive and available to manufacturers. Cost of teddy bears decreased, but so did the quality of craftsmanship. The emerging global market put many traditional teddy bear manufactures out of business; they simply could not compete with the low prices of manufacturers in Asia and the Middle East.

The Teddy Bear's Comeback: The Present

The teddy bear saw another serge of popularity as British actor Peter Bull shed new light on the teddy bear not as a toy, but as an important instrument in the emotional development of adults. Teddy bears took on new life, and a new wardrobe – teddy bear firemen, police officers, ballerinas, nurses, and some dressed as children became popular among collectors and teddy bear enthusiasts. Some manufactures sold their teddy bears with names already attached, and even a background story to go with them. Classic teddy bears and custom teddy bears continue to draw collectors and antique shoppers. From humble beginnings in New York City shop windows, the teddy bear has seen ups and downs, and continues to bring smiles to the faces of both the young and young at heart.

Written by Michael S. Atwood

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