Steiff Germany, manufactured between 1905 and 1921
Brown bear on metal wheels, 1228
Shoe button eyes
Brown short plush
With working press voice
Makers height: 28 cm

This cute and still growling bear of brown short plush was manufactured by the traditional Steiff factory between 1905 and 1921. He has a movable head, which he sets at an angle to look at us innocently through his black shoe button eyes. Standing on strong legs, the bear is mounted on two metal rods with two wheels each. Thus you can drag the faithful companion behind yourself.

The cute bear shows visible traces of his old age. On his right side the brown plush has a small hole, the black set of nose and claw thread decoration is partially detached, at the nose also seams replaced. The ears were not sewn back to perfection. The surface of one black shoe button eye is rubbed. Teddy underwent minor surgeries on his tummy and his tail. One of the original metal wheels, which were used until 1921, has been replaced by a thin hardboard plate. The bear does not wear a button in the ear. The manufacturer size is 28 cm.

Steiff
The story of Steiff starts in Germany, where Margarete Steiff (1847-1909) began sewing little textile elephants with a filling that were supposed to be used as pin cushions. This was in 1879. These elephants turned out to be a favorite toy amongst many children and so Margarete started adding other little textile animals to her production. Her motto now was: „Only the best is good enough for children“. The teddy bear that we now know has been created by Margarete’s nephew, Richard Steiff (1877-1939) in 1902, who admired bears and spent hours sketching the animals in the nearby zoo. They presented the bear 1904 at the World Exhibition in St. Louis and sold it so successfully that they won the fair’s Golden Medal.

Shipping costs excl. statutory VAT and plus 2,5% (+VAT) shipping insurance.