A 1903 Teddy Bear Timeline, From the Hunt to 1909
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.
Teddy Bear Origins
Who Invented Teddy Bears Depends on What You Count
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.
The Teddy Bear Name Origin and the Nickname TR Disliked
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.
Teddy Bear History Began With a Shot Roosevelt Refused
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.