The name "Teddy" became associated with bears after 1902, when U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt—nicknamed "Teddy"—was invited on a hunting trip and refused to shoot an old bear that had been tied to a tree.

The Story of the Teddy Bear

The name "Teddy" became associated with bears in 1902, when U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt—nicknamed "Teddy"—was invited on a hunting trip and refused to shoot an old bear that had been tied to a tree. News of the President’s compassionate gesture spread quickly across the country, and the incident was depicted in a political cartoon in *The Washington Post* by the cartoonist Berryman, capturing significant public interest. Later, throughout Roosevelt’s career, further cartoons by Berryman appeared in which the bear was portrayed as a cub.

Unwittingly, Roosevelt’s hunting episode would leave its mark on the history of the teddy bears created by the Michtoms in the United States and by Margarete and Richard Steiff in Germany—two separate ventures that began in the early 1900s, yet shared the same fortunate destiny.

Inspired by Berryman’s cartoons, the Michtoms created a stuffed bear for fun and placed it in the window of their candy shop in New York, calling it “Teddy’s bear” in honor of the president. It was an immediate success—so much so that the couple had to ask Roosevelt for permission to use his name. Roosevelt gave his approval; the sale of the bears, fueled by their immense popularity at the time, became so brisk that, a few years later, the Michtoms founded the Ideal Novelty and Toy Company.

Around the same time, a German entrepreneur and toy creator, Margarete Steiff, together with her nephew Richard, designed and produced the world’s first bear with jointed limbs, which was exhibited at the Leipzig Toy Fair in 1903. An American merchant ordered 3,000 of them and shipped them to the United States. Once in America, they proved to be a great success, and—thanks to the ongoing influence of Berryman’s cartoons—the era of the "Teddy bear" began.

In 1909, teddy bears experienced a “Teddy bear boom”: the Steiff company produced 1,700,000 toys—including 937,999 teddy bears—with a workforce consisting of 440 employees and 1,800 home-based workers!

There is still some debate as to who created the very first teddy bear, but it is indisputable that both the Ideal Toy Company and Steiff were pioneers in this field. To this day, Steiff remains the best-known company in the industry worldwide.

Like all forms of collecting, teddy bears have experienced periods of great popularity—such as in the 1920s and 30s, or the 1980s, when dedicated fairs, events, and the first magazines for enthusiasts emerged. For over 100 years, teddy bears have enchanted both children and adults. Today, the creation of teddy bears engages a vast number of collectors, hobbyists, and professional artists worldwide. They produce high-quality pieces using innovative materials, incorporating increasingly intricate details while remaining true to tradition. Every teddy bear creator strives to craft unique and special bears.

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