Many of us had a Teddy bear when we were younger, but very few of us had a Steiff bear. The Teddy bear is a little over one hundred years old and the craze was al started by American President Theodore 'Teddy' Roosevelt back in 1902 as a result of his refusal to shoot a bear when he was out hunting. A newspaper cartoon of the event gave Morris Michtom the idea of producing 'Teddy Bear' toys for kids and the whole craze took off from there. Steiff, a German manufacturer, took up the idea and it is their bears that have become the most collectable and the most faked. A genuine Steiff bear has the following characteristics.
• A small button in one of other of the bear's ears
• Sometimes the button is missing but a hole will remain.
• Their bears have long curved limbs with felt pads and out-turned paws and ankles
• They have a seam from ear to ear across the top of the head
• A pronounced hump in their back
Most fakes don't smell old and this is a key test of originality along with the fact that modern materials feel very different. Look out for a lack of wear from years of being cuddled by their young owners.
