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The history of the Teddy Bear has a few versions to it I'm sure, but here is what we have heard... The origin of the name Teddy Bear was due to a real bear. A harmless and frightened bear was tied to a Mississippi tree in 1902, while the then President of the United States, Teddy Roosevelt stood nearby, looking on with dismay towards the end of an unsuccessful bear-hunting expedition. Despite the encouragement of hunting partners who had cornered the bear for him, Roosevelt refused to shoot the helpless cub. The incident was later illustrated in the Washington Post by political cartoonist Clifford K. Berryman. Subsequent cartoons featured the little bear as a symbol of the President, and within a year, the cartoon bear had been transformed into a children's toy- The Teddy Bear! In the years 1903 to 1908, numerous toy companies turned their attention to making Teddy Bears. During this period, purchases went from 12,000 to 975,000 Teddy Bears a year. They were now also being featured in books, newspaper articles, mugs and spoons. As time went on, Teddy Bears continued to grow in popularity and their shape also evolved. At first, the older generation of Teddy Bears has pointed muzzles, humped backs, and long limbs. Gradually, bear faces widened up, humps began to disappear and limbs grew short and stubby. In around 1964, the first fully machine-washable bear was introduced, and by the 80's, collecting the original Teddy Bears was on a huge rise. Today, some bears sell for over $85,000.00 U.S.!!!
, Commonly Used Materials in Bear Making Fur: Vintage mohair, and faux fur found at craft stores are the most popular furs used today. Some specialized crafters use old fur coats, or the material from a loved one's item of clothing to produce "Memory Bears". (These crafters are rare and if you find one, you are lucky!) We have seen these specialized bears range from $50-$125 Canadian. All of these materials produce wonderful looking stuffed animals. Stuffing: Polyester or dacron stuffing are the most commonly used types in bear-making today and are the easiest to find. Straw : Used in some antique bears. This type is messy and slightly hard to work with. It does however, give an "authentic" feel to the bears. Don't forget, that if the recipient of the bear is a child or has allergies, straw is not a good choice! Poly Pellets: These are very small plastic beads that can be used to make a saggy, floppy bear. It also makes the bear very heavy. They can be used in the ears , limbs and body, but is not recommended for in the head of the bear. Eyes: Antique bears usually only have shoe-button eyes. Glass eyes were used after 1910. Plastic eyes manufactured today come in many beautiful colors and even metalic ...offering a wide selection. This allows you to customize and individualize you bear. Paws: Heavy felt is best and is available in many colors to match the fur. Suede and leather give it a richer, more authentic look. Growlers or Squeakers: ...are used so that your bear can "talk". Always put the growler in a little sack so that the stuffing does not ruin the noise mechanism. Joints: Each joint requires a full set of joint hardware. Joints come in plastic, metal or spring. Plastic is the most commonly used today due to the fact that they are easy to find, and are simple to use. Cotter Pins: ...Are used for joints as well. They are metal pins that are available at most hardware stores. They require needle-nose plyers. If you need any of these items, check in our quick link section in the left margin for product details. |
Teddy
Bear Making
