Teddy Bears & Soft Toys
The teddy bear is a relative newcomer, despite being possibly the most popular toy in the world. At the beginning of the 20th century Richard Steiff wanted to make soft toys more lifelike by giving them moving joints. One of his first experiments with this technique was a bear which was shown at the Leipzig Toy Fair in Germany in March 1903. The teddy bear gets its name from Theodore 'Teddy' Roosevelt, President of the United States from 1901 to 1909.
British Bears
The first British bear was made by J K Farnell in 1906. Other early bears were made by W J Terry, Dean's Rag Book Co Ltd, Chad Valley and Chiltern. While early British bears copied the German look, later on they began to change - their bodies became fatter, their faces flatter and their arms and legs shorter. British makers also experimented with different materials.
German Bears
The German company Steiff made the very first teddy. The bear is a very important animal in Germany both in folklore and as a mascot. Many German toy manufacturers continue to make teddy bears.
Bears Around the World
Teddy bears quickly became popular all over the world especially in the US where the name Teddy originated. Notably, France, Japan and Australia all began and continue to manufacture bears.
Bears in Stories
Stories about bears have been around for hundreds of years. They have always been popular in the fairy and folk tales of Europe. As soon as teddy bears first appeared, stories about them followed. Rupert Bear, Winnie-the-Pooh and Paddington are some of the most famous bears in books. Film and television have also produced well known bears such as Superted.
Soft Toys
The Museum's collection of soft toys is rich in domestic animals such as dogs, cats and rabbits and wild animals such as elephants and lions. It also features more exotic creatures including a chameleon. Most of the important soft toy manufacturers, past and present, are represented.
Gollies
The golly has played a significant part in the history of toys for over 100 years and the V&A Museum of Childhood has a considerable collection of golly material.
