Steiff Bears

Margarete SteiffIn 1877 the Germany Steiff Company was founded by Margarette Steiff, but the company did not start by making Steiff bears.

Margarette had suffered with polio for the age of one and a half and learnt to be a seamstress to keep busy.

Margarette had a weak right hand because of the polio and to operate her sewing machine she had to turn it the opposite way around and operate it backwards.

Margarette’s first products were pin cushions made in the shape of elephants. 

 They were made of felt and stuffed with lambs wool. 

Children started to play with these cushions and so other toys were introduced such as cats, dogs and horses. 

It was Margarette’s brother Fritz who saw the potential of these toys and asked Margarette to make more so he could sell them at the markets.

In 1897 Richard Steiff, Margarette’s nephew joined the company .

Richard Steiff had studied arts and crafts in Stutgart and used to sketch Bears housed in the local zoo’s bear enclosure. Richard Steiff is credited with creating the first teddy bear in 1902 and the history of the Steiff teddy bear began.

PB 55 ReplicaThe original was called the Steiff Bar 55 PB.  The ‘55’ stood for 55cm tall the ‘P’ stood for Plush and the ‘B’ for German word beweglich which means movable limbs.

Within 5 years nearly one millon Steiff Bears had been sold the company never looked back.

Steiff bears are known for their quality and safety aspects and some of the Steiff classic bears as well as the Steiff limited editions are sought after with great enthusiasm by collectors. 

Some selling for many tens of thousands of dollars.

Steiff bears have a distinguishing metal button clip with the word Steiff on them sewn into the plush toys ear. Older bears have a button with an elephant symbol rather than the Steiff name.

Richard Steiff moved to Jackson Michigan  in the USA in 1923 to work on the logistics of importing  Steiff products. 

Steiff was a very creative and entrepreneurial person. He loved the automobile and was in the perfect place, being very close to the centre of the car industry in Detroit. 

He inventing and patented a valve for the carburetor.  Other inventions such as the high altitude kite as well as quite a few firearm patents.

Richard Steiff died from a heart attack in a public tavern in 1939 aged 62.

The story of Steiff Bears is a fascinating one and can be seen on this video.

To learn about the other inventor of the teddy bear Morris Michtom click here


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