Teddy Bears in Print

By: Judy Penz Sheluk

As seen in The Antique Shoppe Newspaper, February, 2005 

Eaton Roosevelt Bears: Courtesy of Richard Seymour Eaton and Suzanne Randolph. This image is of the original book The Roosevelt Bears: Their Travels and Adventures by Seymour Eaton, great grandfather of Richard Seymour Eaton and Suzanne Randolph.

Alpert Bears: Courtesy of Kathy Alpert, PostMark Press www.postmarkpress.com, who creates modern greeting cards from vintage postcards. The message in this card is "You've aged well. Happy Birthday."

Sharpe 1957 Cream of Wheat: Courtesy of Michael & Carol Sharp, SHARP OBJECTS
1957 Cream of Wheat ad featuring Teddy Bear & Dennis the Menace.

USPS 2001 Stamps: Courtesy of the Christmas Philatelic Club, who celebrate stamps and Christmas throughout the year. This 2001 release features Teddy Bears by Gund 1948, Bruin Bear 1907, Ideal Bear 1905 and Stick Bear, 1920's.

On November 13, 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt was visiting Mississippi to settle a border dispute. His discovery of an injured bear while hunting and his subsequent refusal to shoot the cub has become an American legend.

The President’s humane act sparked the imagination of political cartoonist Clifford Berryman. ‘Drawing the Line in the Mississippi’, which appeared in the November 16, 1902 edition of the Washington Post, illustrated Roosevelt unable to gun down a bear cub.

While Berryman’s political satire marked the beginning of ‘Teddy’s Bear’, it was Seymour Eaton who would create the first syndicated serial strip, ‘The Roosevelt Bears’, starring Teddy B and Teddy G.  In 1905, the popular cartoon series became a children’s book ‘The Roosevelt Bears – Their Travels and Adventures.’

Eaton would go on to write ‘More About Teddy B and Teddy G’ (1906) [re-released in the 1980’s as ‘The Roosevelt Bears Go to Washington’], ‘The Roosevelt Bears Abroad’ (1907) and ‘Teddy B and Teddy G, The Bear Detectives’ (1908). Beautifully illustrated by V. Floyd Campbell and other artists, the Roosevelt Bears were humanized by clothing and expressive faces.

Inspired by the works of Berryman and Eaton, American candy store owners Rose and Morris Michtom decided to make a stuffed teddy bear. Their decision proved astute - the Michtom’s would soon mass-produce teddy bears under the name of the Ideal Toy Company.

In an effort to please her nephew, German toy maker Margarete Steiff made a prototype of a stuffed bear around the same time. Introduced at the 1903 Leipzig Trade Fair, the European reception to the Steiff teddy bear was lukewarm at best. However, an American distributor ordered 3,000; by the end of 1903, Steiff would ship over 12,000 of her bears to the United States.

Teddy bear mania would coincide with the Golden Age of postcards (1898 -1918) and many postcard images were reproduced from the illustrations in children’s books. In 1907, The Thayer Company of Denver, Colorado published a set of 16 cards designed by Fred L. Cavally Jr., which were based on the book ‘Mother Goose’s teddy bears’. Many talented artists would also use the teddy bear image. Among the most popular are the works of Bessie Pease Gutmann and Frances Brundage. Renowned for their depiction of children, several illustrations feature a child holding a teddy bear.

The success of the teddy bear would lead to the inevitable use of his image in advertising. Today, advertising bears remain popular – recent examples include the Kellogg’s Chocos Bear, the Charmin Teddy bear and Lever Brand’s Snuggle Bear. The earliest example, however, can be found with the Cracker Jack series of cards, copyrighted in 1907. Each box of Cracker Jacks included one bear card. Collectors were encouraged to send away for the complete set. This could be done by sending in 10 cents and one side panel or 10 side panels. Although all are considered collector’s items, the most prized card today is No. 12, the bears playing baseball.

Teddy bears also continued to be popular reading material. A.A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh was first published on October 14, 1926 and has since been translated into more than 25 languages. Beautifully illustrated by E.H. Shepard, a first edition Presentation copy sold at a Sotheby’s auction in London, England in December 2002 for £100,150 Pounds Sterling, roughly $167,000 U.S. Other literary bears include Rupert Bear, who began appearing in the London Daily Express in November 1920 and Paddington Bear, first introduced in 1958.

Over the years, teddy bears have become increasingly collectible as stuffed toys. Many, including Pooh, Rupert and Paddington began their life in literature. Today, collectors of teddy bear ephemera (paper) search for books, greeting cards, newspapers, stamps, calendars, vintage photographs, postcards, bookmarks, sewing patterns and advertising memorabilia. With a new century underway, it appears teddy bear mania is here to stay.

Franzmeier 1922 Photo:
Courtesy of Pamela Franzmeier.  Pamela has been a collector of vintage postcards for more than 25 years and operates the on-line store Remember When Vintage Postcards Image is of a real photograph card, as identified by AZO triangle inside stamp box, featuring a boy and girl playing dress-up. Note the Teddy Bear in the young girl's hand. $10-$20

Hewitt 1950's Christmas photo: Courtesy of Joyce Hewitt. Joyce has been collecting ephemera for over 25 years and has more than 5,000 items in her personal collection. Joyce also operates the on-line store Vintage Paper. Because of the subject matter "Christmas with Teddy Bear and toys", this 1950's black & white photo will sell for up to $10.

Fleer Pattern M4714: Courtesy of Mary Fleer, The Vintage Homemaker Heirloom Patterns. Many vintage and older Teddy Bear sewing patterns can be purchased for $3-$12 depending on age and condition. This image features the front of McCall's Pattern #4714, copyright 1975. $6.