Thursday, December 27, 2007

History of teddy bear

Last nite, we went to teddy bear hunting ... Actually, i requested him to buy for me a new Chubby. I dont really need as big as Chubby. Just don't want to be left alone this friday nite ... hehehhe .... actually who need a reasons to buy a teddy bear rite? Unfortunately for us... there is no cute teddy bear at the store... Tonite, our hunt will continue to bigger store . .

Last nite also my beloved teddy bear asked me... why many people like teddy bear and why it being called teddy bear.Luckily, i've done my research about it. The left picture on top is a german teddy bear created in 1954. To share it with you, these are 2 different version how this cute toy been called teddy bear:

First version:

The origins of the teddy bear are not certain, but one theory goes as follows:Theodore Roosevelt, whose nickname was "Teddy", enjoyed big game-hunting. According to one legend, the teddy bear received its birth at Hotel Colorado in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. To cheer Theodore Roosevelt after an unsuccessful day of hunting, Hotel Colorado maids presented him with a stuffed bear pieced together with scraps of fine material. Later, when he did bag a bear, his daughter Alice admired it saying, "I will call it Teddy." The term caught on.

Second Version:
From teddy bear museum, maybe this is more trusted version.

In November 1902 Theodore ‘Teddy’ Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States, was hunting in Mississippi. The President failed to make a kill so his hosts caught and tethered a bear, presenting it to the President as a sitting target. Naturally the President refused, uttering the immortal words, ‘Spare the bear! I will not shoot a tethered animal.’ Clifford Berryman drew a cartoon of the scene, which was published in the Washington Post.
(Left Theodore Roosevelt , and behind - his famous 'Spare The Bear' cartoon depiction)

That same month Brooklyn shopkeepers Morris and Rose Michtom made a soft bear toy, which they named ‘Teddy’s Bear’ and displayed in their window with a copy of the cartoon. America went bear mad almost overnight, the Michtoms went on to make their fortune with the Ideal Novelty and Toy Company and President Roosevelt had found a highly effective political mascot.

This is the famous cartoon related to teddy bear history:


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

is it true? the bear not soo teddy at all.... lol :P

ash_ram2@hotmail.com said...

I have a 1903 teddy bear, the teddy roosevelt one. they say it cost around 5,000 to 10,000 :) email me back ash_ram2@hotmail.com