Teddy bears and Theodore Roosevelt: What’s the connect?  

Stuffed toys and plushie animals are loved by kids and grown-ups alike. Stuffed bears, or teddy bears as you call them, are everyone’s favourite, aren’t they? We are sure you may have gotten one as a birthday present while growing up! While we are quite familiar with teddy bears, have you ever wondered what the first teddy bear was like or when it was created? Well, there is quite an interesting story behind it. Read on to know more. 

President Theodore Roosevelt and the bear-hunting episode 
It was 1902, when the then president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, was on a bear hunting trip in Mississippi. Along with him was the Governor of Mississippi, Andrew Longino, and the prime guide, Holt Collier. They did not find a bear on the first day, but on the second day, Holt came across a bear. He caught it and tied it to a tree so that the president could shoot it and didn’t have to hunt any further. After arriving at the location of the bear, Roosevelt was stumped to find the bear tied and refused to shoot it. He explained how this demonstration would be inhuman and not sportsman-like at all! Needless to say, this incident became quite popular, and people were impressed by Roosevelt’s kindness. But this still doesn’t explain how stuffed teddy bear came to be! Let’s find out the actual story!   

The first Teddy Bear by Morris and Rose Michtom!  
Well, the Roosevelt episode became so popular that renowned cartoonist, Clifford Berryman, who used to work for The Washington Post, a popular newspaper, ended up creating a cartoon depicting the scene. It caught the attention of a Brooklyn-based couple named Rose and Morris Michtom who owned a candy shop. After seeing the cartoon in the Washington Post, the couple got the idea of creating a stuffed bear. They made one and displayed the extravagant bear on their candy shop window to honour the president. Rose also tagged the bear as ‘Teddy’s Bear,’ as the president was fondly called Teddy. The stuffed bear was loved by the locals and became an instant hit! When the Michtoms decided to create more for sale, they wondered if they could still go with the name. So, they actually took permission from Roosevelt, which they got quite easily! This is how the manufacturing of teddy bears began! The Michtom couple decided against selling candies and started a toy company. It is said that President Roosevelt’s children were the first ones to play with a cute, brown, stuffed bear! 

The most expensive teddy bear in the world! 
Ever since the first teddy bear was created, there has been no looking back. These cute stuffed animals have become a part of the growing years of children across the world! Now, the pricing of teddy bears also ranges from economy to premium. Some teddy bears with a story or history are often sold at high prices. One such teddy bear, rather to be specific, the most expensive teddy bear in the world was sold for 14,300 dollars! This Teddy Girl bear belonged to colonel Bob Henderson and was gifted to him as a child in 1905. During his years as a colonel, he kept this teddy by his side. After he passed away in 1990, the Teddy Girl was left behind. It was auctioned in the year 1994! The bear was originally created by Steiff, a European brand that sells teddy bears of premium quality.