The teddy bear and other soft plush toys were dear to most of us during our childhoods. At one time or another we all had a favorite teddy bear of soft toy, childhood would not have been the same without that favorite friend and treasured companion. A  Bear, seal, panda bear, frog or even a sock monkey to name just a few were dragged around by a tail or ear or cuddled every night.

The First Teddy Bear

The first  bear was first created by the Steiff company, but there were many other that came on the scene to create top notch soft toys. J.K. Farnell. a manufacturer based in London was a family business founded in 1840. J. K. Farnell started out as a silk merchant manufacturing small silk goods like pincushions. Their expertise and fine needlework skills that were required to make such items, would serve them very well in the future.

Teddy Bear Alpha

After John Farnell died in 1897, Henry and Agnes Farnell, Farnell’s son and daughter, moved the company to a leased property in west London, called The Elms. It was at this new location where their first soft toys and bears were made. After initially using unusual materials to create their the teddy bear, they eventually turned to much higher quality mohair plush and produced a line of quality soft toys and stuffed bears. With the imaginative designs of Sybil Kemp, J.K. Farnell kept producing first rate soft toys; Alpha Bears were among these. This was a range of stuffed bears that strongly resembled the classic teddy bear of 1905 which Richard Steiff had designed. In the early 1920s.

Winnie the Pooh

In 1921, Harrods of London stocked the Alpha Bear and one was purchased by A.A. Milne, the famous author and creator Winnie the Pooh.  A.A. Milne bought the bear as a present for his son, Christopher Robin’s first birthday.  A book of poems was published by Milne in 1924 and illustrated by E. H. Shepard. It included the poem, “Teddy Bear”. This was the first appearance of Pooh, a little bear with a weight problem. In 1926 A. A. Milne published the first chapter of the Winnie the Pooh stories about Christopher Robin, Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo and Tigger.  Christopher Robin always referred to the original Farnell teddy as Edward Bear and it can be found in at the New York Public Library along with Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga and Roo, and Tigger.

Of course, Winnie the Pooh is probably the most famous of all the Bears, but there are thousands and thousands of soft toys available as well as every kind of Bear imaginable. There is a stuffed Bear for every occasion and interest.

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Be cautious when purchasing antique teddy bears as many factories produce teddy bears that mimic the old styles of teddy bears. If you are collect vintage teddy bears, you should be sure that what you are are buying genuine teddy bears and not bears produced much later. Many antique teddy bears factories have been manufacturing varying designs of these collectibles for years. Some of these manufacturers have been in operation for over 100 years.
Vintage teddy bears with buttons behind the ears are prized by collectors as that is a trademark of Steiff, a manufacturer of vintage teddy bears in collaboration with German manufacturers. An American spotted these at the Leipzig Fair 1903 and imported several thousand. Collectors of vintage teddy bears treasure these bears.
An antique teddy bear was originally created by a shopkeeper’s wife. This small business was owned by the Ideal Novelty and Toy Company and because of the popularity of the collectible teddy bears, teddy bear collecting became a hit.

Restored Antique Teddy Bears “Heirloom Bears”

When unwanted or damaged stuffed antique teddy bears or collectible bears are restored they are labelled “heirloom” bears. Some collectors restore them and add them to their collections with extraordinary results. Sometimes, these bears have movable hips, shoulder joints, and necks which add character to the appearance of the toys. Hand sewn eyes as well as the embroidered noses make them pretty special for any collector. Manufacturers also add special features such as big, shiny bow ties on the necks. If these are given as gifts, it is the perfect touch to it.
Rare Bears are cuddly and made with mink in various colors and combination. Collectors are partial to these somewhat affordable antique bears. Boyd’s series are stuffed bears with a wide variety of character and are in demand over the holiday season.

Not a Teddy Bear Collector?

If you are not a collector but just want a bear for a gift there are thousands of types of new teddy bears in all sizes, colors and costumes. They can be personalized just for your gift.
And to think all this came from a Washington Post cartoon that showed President Theodore Roosevelt sparing the life of a bear during one of his hunts. That is why they are called teddy bears.

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The holidays will be here soon and you’ll be working to buy a few intriguing gifts for those who are close to you. Consider purchasing personalized Christmas gifts as it is the simplest way to narrow down your search as the internet offers a lot of useless presents. You can purchase your own personalized gift item directly from the Internet, and you will soon discover that such items are a great value for the money you spend. Searching for the perfect Teddy is as easy as typing are Teddy Bear gifts into Google UK.  A unique Christmas present is, to put it simply, an unusual idea or item that no one else has thought to give. Customized presents may immediately get the attention of that special member of your family. If you are the kind of person who stresses out over choosing unusual Christmas gifts, fear not, for help is right at your fingertips. Giving personalised Christmas gifts guarantees that your gift will be special and not the one the recipient secretly dislikes. Maybe you are never thought about giving a personalized Teddy to that special someone this Christmas. Have you ever thought that a cute teddy bear could be the solution to your gift dilemmas during the holiday season? Lot of variations and colors are offered by these personalised teddybear presents. Teddy Bears are available in different fabrics also and you can pick your desired garments when your special design is sewed by embroidery machines.

These exceptional gifts can be delivered to any UK address or directly to you. For some added features that you can get with their delivery service, try going to a site like FunkyBears. Your gift bear comes wrapped in a special sack to save it from dirt and wear and it holds its own passport in the form of a personalized Christmas card. Create unique Christmas gifts for any and all of your loved ones.These teddy bears are wonderful gift ideas for people of all ages and can be customized with messages in various languages. This is great for a lady with a unique name or a buddy who’s difficult to purchase gifts for. Whatever the event, Customised Teddy Bears can be just the gift you need to make the occasion memorable. If you are considering Teddy Bears as part of the gifts you will be giving this Christmas, consider other holidays when personalized Teddy Bears would also make unique presents. You may come across a distinguished birthday event that will ask for presenting a unique gift. The internet allows you to get a Get Well Teddy Bear to the patient quickly.

Without leaving the privacy of your home, personalized gifts can be ordered online from your home or office in only five easy steps. When you buy a gift at FunkyBears you can also purchase a Teddy Bear greeting card to go along with the Teddy Bear gift that you have purchased. Lovable Teddy Bears have been the preferred gifts for decades. Personalized Teddy Bears make great presents for almost any occasion and can be either a friendly or romantic gesture. Snuggle up with a unique Teddy bear present. If you are a business who wants to get a special deal on unique gift items for your favorite customers, clients or even workers, there are nothing quite like FunkyBears to fit this bill. You can embroider a nice corporate message on the Teddy Bears shirt. They will be accepted and appreciated as Christmas Marketing Tools. Present your business associates with a cuddly Teddy Bear with your very own message wishing them a Happy, Cuddly Christmas and New Year.

Personalised Christmas Gifts Personalized Teddy Bears Unique Teddy Bear Gifts

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Easy to Order Personalised Teddy Bear Gifts suitable for any occasion and Fast UK Delivery. For Information Visit : Teddy Bears
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Their Plush Teddy Bears come in a variety of sizes, the most popular is the Brown honey coloured teddy bear from the funky bear range and is10 inches seated. This lovely plush teddy bear is crafted in a super soft fabric and filled with a mixture of kapok stuffing and crunchy beans.

The teddybearspersonalised site has created many different occasions where a plush teddy bear might be needed and suggested formats for that special personalised message. Most people will buy them for new additions to the family, anniversaries, birthdays or even events such as passing a driving test, retirements or graduations. There will be a plush teddy bear to suit your particular need.

Great Gifts for Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day Gifts. These plush teddy bears are personalised by quality embroidery and are great for children and adults of all ages. These teddy bears can be personalised in any language with any name or message giving them a truly universal appeal.

When you buy your plush teddy bears from teddy bears personalised you will also be getting free delivery within the UK and a free personalised greeting card. They take credit and debit card payments and you can also pay by PayPal. They make the ordering a payment process really easy.

These plush teddy bears make the ideal Corporate Promotional Tool and can be personalised with company logos making them an ideal way to thank your customers.

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The author Paul Lakeman has been personalising teddy bear gifts for over 20 years.He prides himeself in attention to detail and delivering a quality personalised gift everytime. “The gifts we make are far more detailed than any other personalised teddy bear offering, it’s that attention to detail that makes these teddy bear gifts extra special”
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The leading soft toy company in America, is also the oldest. GUND was launched in 1898, inside Norwalk, Connecticut by Adolph Gund. GUND was one of the primary companies to development and produce stuffed animals in the early 1900′s. A young Russian immigrant, John Swedlin, took a modest career at GUND within 1907. Swedlin bought the business enterprise in 1925 when Adolph Gund retired. The organization was marketed to Swedlin to get a token deal agreement that the name might always continue to be Gund. Jacob handed down the company on his daughter Rita Raiffe and her husband Herbert in 1969.

Raiffes – Gund Teddy Bears Line

The Raiffes ongoing line of excellent, plush toys and games. Under the management of Herbert along with Rita Raiffe, the company began using its under-stuffing method, the basis of nearly all huggable plush. Bruce Raiffe, Herbert and also Rita’s son, became a member of Gund in 1977, and President in 1993 and Chairman and Chief CEO throughout 2004. Rick Madison, the first non-founding GUND member, became Chief executive in 2008.

Safty Standards – Gund Teddy Bears

GUND has been in charge of the beginning of numerous innovations, safety standards along with manufacturing procedures in the plaything industry. Swedlin launched the concept of market licensing along with cartoon characters like Felix the Cat, Mickey Mouse, Mark Duck, Popeye, among others. Gund was also the first company to manufacture musical dolls that were decently priced. Gund has always been devoted to product safety and developed up important industry standards by devising a method to attach eyes securely to stuffed animals, to stop them from being pulled out and swallowed by small children.

The well-known GOTTA GETTA GUND advertising in the early 80′s made the GUND recognized as a number one consumer model. Today, the business produces a huge collection of distinctive characters and also licensed lush toys within the GUND and babyGUND makes.

Gund Teddy Bears, Snuffles 25 Years old

In ’06 Gund created the Twenty fifth Anniversary snuffles. Snuffles has long been a part of the GUND series, in various sizes and colors. The 25th Anniversary release was created inside a pale impression, soft, fabric with a bright crescent celestial satellite on his chest. A new faux natural leather tag announcing that he is a 25th House warming edition using the words, “Celebrate Love With Snuffles” tends to make this a unique gift to offer and acquire. In addition to Snuffles Anniversary edition, this specific cuddly keep is also accessible in a traditional hue of white using a brown stitched nose and warm heavy brown option eyes throughout four cute sizes: Half a dozen 1/2″, 8″, 10″ and Thirteen 1/2″.

You see GUND on teddy bears everywhere. Gund Teddy Bears are regarded as the number one manufacturer when it comes to lush, stuffed teddy bears.

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Teddy Bear Artists have admitted they have spent hours working on the face of each bear they make. While the bears may be made of the same pattern and materials, the face of each bear has a personality of it’s own. Each artist has his or her own style when it comes to making teddies. Many times you can see the personality traits of the artist in the teddy bears they make.

Soft toy manufacturers have their own style when it comes to the teddy bears they make. For instance, GUND, the top soft toy company in the U.S., has a patented under-stuffing method that makes many of their teddy’s, the softest on the market. You will find many diverse and interesting styles when you visit the factories or internet sites of the main teddy bear manufacturers.

Teddy bear collectors love to show off their wonderful bears. You will find many sites on the internet, belonging to collectors of teddy bears. One family in particular, have such a large collection, they have teddy bears in every room. Some of the rooms in their home are dedicated to bears only.

Teddy bears have been proven to be a wonderful way to lessen the fear and pain of sick, hurt, lonely, and frightened children. Hospitals give teddy bears to those in need. Children make up the biggest group of teddy bear recipients, but adults at many hospitals are given teddy bears to hug while recovering from open heart surgery. It is important for a person who has undergone open heart surgery to cough so their lungs remain clear. The teddy bear is held close to the patients chest to lessen the pain and prevent the wound from reopening with the action.

The Vermont Teddy Bear Factory has a program called BIG HERO, LITTLE HERO. Money is raised through a unique campaign and private donations. Every time a specially made bear for this program is purchased, VTBF will give 2 of the same type of bear to police, emergency service workers, and firemen for distribution to children who are sick, injured, or victims of domestic violence. The special bears are also given to lonely seniors.

One thing we know for sure, the teddy bear is a very popular toy. If you doubt it, look at the number of bears sold each year. Teddy bears have survived the test of time. Other toys have come and gone but the teddy bear lives on in the hearts of those of us who need a bit of reassurance or a soft, warm, hug.

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In America, the teddy bear came into being with a cartoon showing President Theodore Roosevelt refusing to shoot a baby bear. According to this tale, Roosevelt had traveled to Mississippi to help settle a border dispute between that state and Louisiana, and while there, found time to go bear hunting. There were no bears to be found, but his hosts were desperate that he should have a good time. So eventually someone captured a bear and invited Roosevelt to shoot it. Roosevelt’s refusal to fire at such a helpless target inspired the famous cartoon with its message regarding the two ways Roosevelt was drawing a line, ie settling a border dispute and refusing to shoot a captive animal.

The cartoon caused an immediate sensation and was reprinted across the USA. It inspired Morris and Rose Michtom of Brooklyn, New York, to make a bear to commemorate their president’s actions and they named it “Teddy’s Bear.” It was placed in the window of their New York candy and stationery store. Instead of looking fierce and standing on all four paws like earlier toy bears, this bear looked cute , innocent, and honest, like the bear in the now famous cartoon. That could be why “Teddy’s Bear” became so popular with both adults and children across the country. In fact, the demand was so strong that the Michtoms, with the help of a wholesale firm called Butler Brothers, established the first teddy bear manufacturer in the United States, the Ideal Novelty and Toy Company.

At the same time, but on the other side of the Atlantic, in Germany, a young man by the name of Richard Steiff was working for his aunt, Margarete Steiff, in her stuffed toy business. Richard often visited the Stuttgart Zoo to sketch animals, particularly the bear cubs. In 1902, the same year the Michtoms made “Teddy’s Bear,” the Steiff firm made their first toy bear based on Richard’s designs.

Over the next 100 years the teddy bear went from strength to strength and whilst other toy crazes came and went, the bear remained an enduring favourite with generations of children across the world. The bear is loved by adults too, for his or her endearing, loyal and friendly nature.

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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 relative’s 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.

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Teddy bears have been around so long we hardly think of when they first began. We only know how much we love them and want to have them around. To estimate the number of teddy bears given as gifts over the years would be impossible.

We know how popular a teddy bear is. How much more in demand would a character teddy bear be? History has shown them to be very popular and collectible.

Winnie The Pooh, that chubby little cubby all stuffed with fluff, is possibly, one of the most famous teddy bears. Pooh got his start in the books of A.A. Milne; there was no stopping him after that. In the 1980′s Sears came out with a complete line of clothes and toys, including various sizes and styles of teddy bears. Pooh bears were seen in the arms of children everywhere. Sears still features a line of clothing for children called the Pooh collection. Pooh bedding for children is available in many stores. Pooh and his friends can be seen on PBS channels.

You can find Paddington bear quite often sitting in repose, waiting for his next human feat to perform. Some of these bears are in museums but you may find them still on the market. Paddington was created by Michael Bond in 1958. His books about Paddington bear are still very popular today. Paddington can also be found starring in his own series on BBC television.

Rupert, who got his start as a comic strip in a London newspaper, is another teddy bear who seems to have a lot of adventures. He has also been seen in books and as a soft cuddly teddy bear.

Yogi Bear is another teddy bear of character, He runs around Jellystone National Park with one thing in mind, food. Not bear food, mind you, but the food inside the pic-in-ic baskets of the tourists visiting the park. The team of Hanna, Barbera, created Yogi and his friends as an animated cartoon. Yogi, Boo-Boo, Mr. Ranger, and Cindy, can still be seen on the cable channel, Boomerang. You can still find vintage yogi teddy bears if you look hard.

Baloo, first introduced in Rudyard Kipling’s, The Jungle Book, has been a teddy bear, and was the star of his own animated show, Tail Spin. This cartoon can still be seen on some cable cartoon stations.

The Care Bears are a group of teddy bears who take pride in helping others by showing them the best ways to behave and learn they are people too. They each have their own special skills and the official Care Bear site is: http://www.care-bears.com/CareBears/html/about/index.html. You can go there to find out more about the Care Bears. You can find Care Bear teddy bears there too. This is a great site for children, with games, stories, and songs.

There are more teddy bears of character out there, but time and space is limited for this article. You can go exploring and find them for yourself.

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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.

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