Teddy Bears have been among the world’s favourite child’s toy for over a hundred years, and, as the years pass, they don’t just get shoved to the back of the toy cupboard. Adults of all ages and both genders are often happy to admit that their favourite moth-eaten old teddy still holds of pride of place on the bedroom mantlepiece.
Many will know of the Steiff as the original manufacturers of Teddy Bears. There have certainly been plenty of imitators, but the Steiff Bears are universally acknowledged as being the best and certainly the most collectable, as certain antique bears are changing hands for as much £80,000.
However, less well-known is the origin of the term, Teddy Bear. How did he get his name? The answer goes back over 100 years to the United States and the year 1902. The then President Theodore ‘Teddy’ Roosevelt was taken on a shooting trip in Mississippi (somewhat reluctantly as he was one of the very first true ‘environmentalists’ and was not overly-keen on blood sports). The day out had been quite enjoyable, but not successful, in that the party hadn’t actually seen any bears, let alone shot any. In an attempt to make the President’s day more successful, his hosts found a half starved young bear that had become separated from it’s mother. They lassooed the hapless creature and tied it to a tree, thus inviting their guest to shoot it and take it home as a trophy.
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