Who could have ever imagined that an animal so ferocious and wild like the bear could inspire toys so sweet and tender as the “teddy bears”.
They owe their name “ Teddy” to the 26th United States’ President Theodore Roosevelt.
On November 1902, President Roosevelt went hunting in Mississippi, he didn’t have any luck, so his only chance was to shoot at a captured bear cub, and he refused. The story got out and was published in the Washingoton Post.
Having a collection of teddy bears has become such a renowned hobby that many arctophile (from the greek arcto: bear, and philos: love) have open to the public their private collections, and there isn’t a museum in the world which doesn’t know the importance of this toy.
The bear with the highest value “Happy” for example, made by Steiff, was sold at Sotheby’s auction in London, for the amount of 55.000 English Pound (86.000 U.S.$).
Many owner of teddy bears before leaving their teddys in a museum want to check how nad where exactly they shall be kept.
In particular “ Small Tommy” made in 1902, has never been forgotten by his owner, that has sent him postcards and best wishes for all his life.
Before the first world war, teddys looked like real bears, with long legs, pointed muzzles and bumped backs, felted paws, boot button eyes. After several attempts its joints were made so that the bear’s head and limbs could move. At the end of 1940 bears began to be made in synthetic fur, filled with kapok instead of wood wool, so that in 1964 all the bears were produced in this way.
But from 1980 there is a revival of the traditional teddy, made purposely for the new market of collectors.

TEDDY BEAR’S MAKING

1) FUR
-long, curly, short
-wool mohair soft and silky (derived from the fleece of the angora goat)
-synthetic fur fabrics
After drawing the various parts ( a normal bear has 19) They are carefully cut and taking them. The stitching on the back material has to leave an open, so to turn it over and insert the filling (wood wool) and joints. The stitching thread is a polyester/cotton sewing thread which combines strenght with durability.
2) FILLING
-wood wool, extremely thin, fineley shredded wood, closely resembling straw. It has to be pushed by hand and with wood sticks inside body, head and limbs, until filling each part hard and even.
-polyfill, it is a man-made fiber and pack down well to give a good firm stuffing . It is very suitable to fill children’s toys, being a clean material without dust.
3) JOINTS
They are in wood, all hand made, they are wood discs with a central hole. Each bear has 10 discs, which are placed two by two (one in the limb , or in the head, the other in the body) both goes round on two metal washers , secured with a split pin or cotter pin.
4) EYES
They have a wire loop, placed in position with strong thread and a long needle. It pass through the head to emerge at the back where the thread is strongly and tightly secured.
5) Nose, mouth and claws are embroided by hand with a particular silk or wool thread.

Each bear is made with the same techniques, the fact that they are all completely handmade give to each bear a uniqueness, which is enhanced by small differences. The position of the ears, colour and distance between the eyes, shape and size of the nose and mouth.
Each bear has also a dress, completely made and embroided by hand , or and accessorie which is also unique.