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Larasati Hapsari

Larasati researches the early twentieth-century toy trade, from the 1902 Roosevelt cartoon to the first Steiff bears sold in America. She builds her timelines from patent records, museum catalogs, and period newspapers, and she flags every date that later retellings got wrong.

A 1903 Teddy Bear Timeline, From the Hunt to 1909

October 15, 2026August 5, 2026 by Larasati Hapsari
A small worn golden teddy bear with jointed arms sitting on a weathered wooden ledge in front of a gray window frame

A dated record of the teddy bear’s first years, from the November 1902 hunt to 1909: the Leipzig order of 1903, the 3,000 missing Steiff bears, and the first production figures.

Categories History & Heritage Tags Steiff, Teddy Bear Origins, Teddy Bear Timeline, Toy History 1 Comment

Did Teddy Roosevelt Invent the Teddy Bear? 5 Myths Checked

October 15, 2026August 3, 2026 by Larasati Hapsari
A worn golden mohair-style teddy bear sitting in a small old wooden chair with a chain across its lap

Roosevelt did not invent the teddy bear, never profited from it, and did not save the tied bear. We check five common myths, including the bear said to live in the White House.

Categories History & Heritage Tags Clifford Berryman, Presidential Pets, Teddy Bear Myths, Theodore Roosevelt 1 Comment

Who Invented Teddy Bears Depends on What You Count

October 15, 2026July 24, 2026 by Larasati Hapsari
A worn brown teddy bear sitting beside stacks of old tied books and a dark suitcase in dim light

Rose and Morris Michtom in Brooklyn and Richard Steiff in Germany both have a claim to the first teddy bear. We weigh what each side’s evidence proves and give a verdict.

Categories History & Heritage Tags Ideal Toy Company, Richard Steiff, Steiff, Teddy Bear Origins 1 Comment

The Teddy Bear Name Origin and the Nickname TR Disliked

October 15, 2026July 21, 2026 by Larasati Hapsari
A well-worn old teddy bear in faded blue overalls sitting against a dark gray background

The word teddy bear came from a 1902 cartoon and a nickname Theodore Roosevelt never liked. Here is how “Teddy’s bear” became a common noun, and where the record is thin.

Categories History & Heritage Tags Clifford Berryman, Political Cartoons, Teddy Bear Origins, Theodore Roosevelt 3 Comments

Teddy Bear History Began With a Shot Roosevelt Refused

October 15, 2026July 15, 2026 by Larasati Hapsari
A worn vintage jointed teddy bear sitting on burlap against a dark wooden background

A refused shot on a 1902 Mississippi bear hunt set off a toy craze on two continents. Here is the documented record, including the dates historians still dispute.

Categories History & Heritage Tags Clifford Berryman, Ideal Toy Company, Steiff, Teddy Bear Origins, Theodore Roosevelt 13 Comments

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Recent Comments

  1. Who Invented Teddy Bears? Steiff vs. the Michtoms - Arctophile on Did Teddy Roosevelt Invent the Teddy Bear? 5 Myths Checked
  2. Did Teddy Roosevelt Invent the Teddy Bear? Myths vs. Facts - Arctophile on A 1903 Teddy Bear Timeline, From the Hunt to 1909
  3. How Did Teddy Bears Become Popular So Quickly? - Arctophile on The Teddy Bear Name Origin and the Nickname TR Disliked
  4. Stuffed Animal Evolution: Materials and Safety Rules - Arctophile on Finding the Oldest Plush in the World in Museum Records
  5. Popular Plush Brands Worth Collecting and How to Spot Fakes - Arctophile on Plushies Trending in 2026 and the Ones Already Cooling
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