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Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) -

The name teddy bear comes from Theodore Roosevelt. The 26th President of the United States was commonly known as "Teddy." But there's more.

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Bear hunt -

It all began in 1902 when Roosevelt, who became president in September 1901, was invited by the governor of Mississippi to join a bear hunting trip. As the day progressed, all but Roosevelt had killed a bear. But after one of the group had cornered and tied a black bear to a tree and suggested their guest shoot it, Roosevelt refused on the grounds that it was very unsportsmanlike.

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Clifford K. Berryman (1869–1949) -

News of Roosevelt's unwillingness to dispatch the beast appeared in a number of articles, one of which was read by Clifford Berryman (pictured), a political cartoonist.

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Roosevelt caricature -

Intrigued, Berryman decided to lightheartedly satirize the president's refusal to shoot the bear. The cartoon (pictured) appeared in the Washington Post on November 16, 1902. As Roosevelt's nickname was Teddy, the caricature and the story around it became the basis for the name "teddy bear."

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Wildlife enthusiast -

Incidentally, Theodore Roosevelt was a noted conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer. In fact, of all Roosevelt's achievements, he was proudest of his work in conservation of natural resources and extending federal protection to land and wildlife.

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A bear for the president -

Berryman's cartoon was seen by businessman and inventor Morris Michtom (1870–1938), who owned a candy store and was inspired to create a plush, miniature bear cub toy, which he sent to the president. He asked Roosevelt's permission to use his nickname, which was subsequently granted.

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First teddy bear goes on sale -

On February 15, 1903, Michtom made two more bears and placed them in his shop window with a sign that read "Teddy's bear." The toys sparked sizeable public interest, and very soon the entrepreneur was producing teddy bears en masse.

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Ideal Toy Company -

In fact, sales of the teddy bear were so brisk it prompted Michtom to found the Ideal Toy Company. Ideal eventually became the largest doll-making company in the United States. Pictured are two visiting youngsters in 1955 helping a worker manufacture a teddy at the company's Long Island premises.

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An original Teddy -

This is one of Michtom's original teddy bears, made during Theodore Roosevelt's presidency. Rare examples like this can today fetch many thousands of dollars in collectors' circles.

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Teddy-B and Teddy-G -

Teddy-B and Teddy-G were known as the Roosevelt Bears, a pair of detective bears (the 'G' stood for gray and 'B' for black) who appeared in fully illustrated serial stories syndicated in 20 newspapers for 29 weeks during the height of President Roosevelt’s popularity. The bears were created by Canadian-born American author Seymour Eaton (1859–1916).

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'The Teddy Bears Picnic' -

Also cashing in on the teddy bear craze was composer John W. Bratton (1867–1947), best remembered for his 1907 instrumental 'The Teddy Bears Picnic.' Many years later, Northern Ireland-born songwriter Jimmy Kennedy (1902–1984) added the now familiar lyrics.

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Margarete Steiff (1847–1909) -

At the same time Michtom was making teddy bears in America, the Steiff firm in Germany were manufacturing their own plush toys. Founded in 1880 by Margarete Steiff (pictured), the company originally made toy elephants. But soon after her nephew Richard joined in 1897, Steiff began producing all sorts of animal-themed toys for children.  

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The Steiff bear -

The Steiff bear made its debut at the Leipzig Toy Fair in 1903. An American buyer snapped up the entire lot of 100 bears and ordered another 3,000 just before the exhibition finished. Thus began the heyday of the Steiff company.

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"Only the best is good enough for children" -

Margarete Steiff devised the company motto "Only the best is good enough for children." The bears were subject to meticulous testing, and inspection and by 1907 Steiff had manufactured 974,000 cuddly examples. Pictured at the Steiff premises in Giengen-Württemberg are women sewing the bears together by hand.

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Exacting standards -

The iconic "button in ear" tag first appeared in 1904 to keep counterfeits from being passed off as authentic Steiff toys. Steiff bears are still made today to the same exacting standards and with the tag in place.

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Steiff Museum -

A rare and valuable collection of Steiff toys can be admired at the Margarete Steiff Museum housed within the company premises at Giengen.

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Teddy bears' progress -

The teddy bear story continues as the toy quickly caught the imagination of people everywhere, and not only children. Here, a woman poses with her seated teddy bear in this 1906 Victorian parlor portrait.

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Winnie-the-Pooh -

Winnie-the-Pooh was created in 1924 by English author A.A. Milne (1882–1956). He named the cuddly character after a teddy bear owned by his son, Christopher Robin Milne, on whom the character Christopher Robin was based. The adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh and the rest of Christopher Robin's toys—Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, and Tigger—remain some of the most cherished children's stories in literary history. Pictured in 1926 is Milne with son Christopher Robin and Pooh Bear.

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Favorite toy -

In the 1930s, Harrods in London, one of the world's leading luxury department stores, stocked up big time on teddies in its toy department. Visiting children quickly made friends with the cuddly bears, and parents invariably purchased one to go.

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The teddy bear as mascot -

Teddy bears became favorite mascots and were seen as good luck tokens. In this image, a Royal Air Force crew pose with their teddy bear mascot at RAF Biggin Hill during the Second World War.

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Teddy bear comfort -

A collection of teddy bears provide comfort for these children, bombed out of their homes in 1940 during the London Blitz.

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Paddington Bear -

Paddington Bear is another classic character from British children's literature. The friendly bear from "darkest Peru"—with his old hat, battered suitcase, duffel coat, and love of marmalade—made his first appearance in 1958, the creation of author Michael Bond (1926–2017).

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Teddy bear glove puppets -

Teddy bear glove puppets like this one began appearing in the late 1940s and early 1950s. A glove puppet named Sooty—a mute yellow bear with black ears—made his first appearance on British television in 1955, later partnered by Sweep, a glove puppet dog.

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'(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear' -

In America, the teddy bear enjoyed a huge surge in popularity after Elvis Presley sang '(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear' in June 1957. Presley can be seen performing the track in his movie 'Loving You,' released the same year.

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Kiss and cuddle -

Presley's ode to the teddy bear struck a chord with youngsters across the nation. Suddenly, kids everywhere wanted their own bear to kiss and cuddle.

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The teddy bear in advertising -

This 1960's furniture advertising photograph features a girl wearing a pink white floral dress and reading to her teddy bear—the ideal image of domestic urban bliss, apparently.

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Cute and comfortable -

The cover of an October 1971 edition of Bambini ("Children"), the supplement to the Italian weekly magazine Grazia, showing a girl with a big teddy bear.

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Bears and celebrity -

Actress Elizabeth Taylor (1932–2011) photographed in 1955 placing a toy teddy bear on her bed.

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Lady Gaga -

Lady Gaga pictured leaving her London hotel in 2013 clutching a pink teddy bear.

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Nicole Kidman -

Nicole Kidman visits the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children in Sydney, Australia, this in 1991. The facility is now named The Children's Hospital at Westmead.

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Bears and charitable causes -

Liza Minnelli performs at The HELP Group's 7th annual "Teddy Bear Ball" in December 2003 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. The HELP Group serves children, adolescents, and young adults with special needs. The Teddy Bear Ball helps raise funds for the nonprofit organization and benefits immensely from celebrity patronage.

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Bear essentials -

Likewise in the United Kingdom, the annual BBC Children in Need fundraising initiative generates thousands of pounds to help underprivileged kids. It too uses a teddy bear, called Pudsey, to help promote the cause, and also enjoys A-lister celebrity support. Pictured is Tom Jones with the bear.

Sources: (History) (National Park Service) (Bauman Rare Books) (The Help Group)

See also: These German inventions upgrade your everyday life

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