Margarete Steiff GmbH
TypeStuffed toy manufacturer
IndustryStuffed toys
FoundedGermany, 1880
FounderMargarete Steiff
Headquarters
Giengen
,
Germany
Area served
Worldwide
ProductsTeddy bears, etc.
Websitewww.steiff.com
Margarete Steiff

Steiff is a German-based plush toy company, founded in 1880, with headquarters in Giengen, Germany. The company claims to have made the world's first factory-made teddy bear.[1]

History

Steiff was founded in 1880 by Margarete Steiff, a seamstress.[2][3] She began making fabric elephants that were sold in her shop as pincushions.[3][4][5] However, children began playing with them, and in the years following she went on to design many other animal-themed toys for children, such as monkeys, donkeys, horses, camels, pigs, mice, dogs, cats, rabbits, and giraffes.[3]

In 1893, Margarete’s felt fabric factory was founded in Giengen, Germany.[3] In 1895, the first Steiff products to be sold outside Germany were sold at Harrods in London, England.[3]

Earliest Steiff teddy bears

In 1897, Margarete's nephew, Richard Steiff, joined the company and gave it an enormous boost by creating stuffed animals from drawings made at the zoo.[6][7] Richard attended the School of Applied Arts in Stuttgart and studied in England. He designed the world’s first plush bear with movable arms and legs, known as "55 PB".[7][3][8]

A replica of a Steiff model 55PB, the first Steiff Bear; Steiff-Museum Giengen, Germany, 2006. No original examples are known to survive.

In 1903, a 3,000-piece order was placed by a buyer in America after the "teddy bear" craze began due to a popular cartoon of President Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt and a young cub in The Washington Post in 1902.[5][9]

By 1907, Steiff manufactured 974,000 bears, and the company has been increasing its output ever since.[6]

Titanic teddy bears

In 1912, in the aftermath of the Titanic disaster that left Britain in mourning, a British toy retailer ordered black Steiff teddy bears to bring comfort to the public. They did not sell very well and production was soon halted, with just 494 made in five different sizes. Today, they are highly coveted by collectors due to their historical relevance and scarcity.[10]

Company growth to present day

In 1909, when Margarete died of pneumonia, Richard continued his aunt’s legacy and further expanded the toy and plush line.[3] He also became the largest stockholder of the company.[11]

In 1925, the Steiff company started using assembly line production to keep up with the high demand.[3] In 1931, Steiff partnered with Disney to manufacture the well-known Disney characters.[3]

By the 1960s, Stieff was known as the largest stuffed toy maker in the world.[2] By 1968, according to Time, the company had 2,100 employees and generated $14 million annually.[12]

In 1980, the Steiff Museum opened in Giengen. This event marked the 100th year anniversary of the company.[3] The museum has many artifacts from Margarete Steiff's life.[13]

In 2017, Steiff had revenues of €45 million, or $51 million according to the average exchange rate for the year.[14]

Luxury teddy bears

In 2008, Steiff launched a limited-edition Karl Lagerfeld teddy bear with a price of €1,000.[15] In 2018, Steiff and Tiffany & Co. collaborated to offer a luxury teddy bear. The 10.5-inch, caramel-colored mohair teddy bear retailed for $375.[16]

Notable auctions

Vintage Steiff teddy bears are prized by collectors, and depending on the type can bring significant sums at auction. In a 1994 auction, the Steiff "Teddy Girl" made in 1904 sold for a record $165,000.[17]

In 2000, a Steiff Louis Vuitton Teddy Bear, with eyes made of sapphire and diamonds, and with gold parts, sold at an auction in Monaco for $2.1 million.[18]

In May 2001, at a London Christie's auction of vintage teddy bears, a pair of Steiff teddy bears made in 1908 went for sale with an estimated value of about $20,000.[19]

In December 2002, "Edwin", a 5 1/2-inch Steiff teddy bear that accompanied a British soldier, Percy Kynnersley-Baddlely, killed in the Battle of the Somme in 1916, was sold for £4,230.[9][20]

In 2010, a 1925 Steiff Harlequin teddy bear sold at a London Christie's auction for £46,850.[21]

Craftsmanship

The Steiff company motto, as styled by Margarete Steiff, is "Only the best is good enough for children".[22] The company uses natural fibers such as mohair in their products.[23] Steiff products are subject to meticulous testing and inspection.[24][25] They are required to be highly flame resistant, and, among other things, smaller pieces such as eyes must be able to resist considerable tension, wear, and tear.[26] A large amount of the work is done by hand.[24] It takes eight to 12 months of training for a seamstress to develop the skills to make Steiff bears that meet the company's strict quality standards.[24][25]

The iconic "button in ear" tag was devised in 1904 by Margarete's nephew Franz to keep counterfeits from being passed off as authentic Steiff toys. It is made of metal. The button is still used to distinguish authentic Steiff toys from fakes.[13] The tag originally had the symbol of an elephant,[27] and it was later replaced by the name "Steiff".[28]

References

  1. ↑ Schmid, John (23 December 1997). "He's Soft, He's Tough, He's Steiff / Survivor of the Cold, Cruel World Market : Who's King of Teddy Bears? The Inventor Has It All Sewed Up". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 July 2023. (subscription required)
  2. 1 2 Gehman, Richard (17 December 1961). "The Power Of A Teddy Bear". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on 21 July 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "The Steiff Story". Steiff.com. Archived from the original on 6 June 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  4. ↑ "From Pincushions to Piqua: The Story of The Wilson Family Steiff Collection". Piqua Public Library. Archived from the original on 3 February 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  5. 1 2 Ebeling, Ashlea (29 December 1997). "Hot Investment Tip: Teddy Bears". Forbes. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  6. 1 2 "The Teddy Bear's Birthday". The Washington Post. 12 November 2002. Archived from the original on 20 July 2023. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  7. 1 2 Cronin, Frances (26 July 2011). "The great teddy bear shipwreck mystery". BBC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  8. ↑ "Steiff: The Teddy Bear Empire". Barnebys Magazine. Stockholm. 1 August 2021. Archived from the original on 22 July 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  9. 1 2 "Teddy bear celebrates 100th birthday". BBC. 3 December 2002. Archived from the original on 13 August 2003. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  10. ↑ Norris, Phil (25 June 2022). "Teddy bear made to cash in on Titanic disaster of 1912 sells for £22k". Wales Online. Archived from the original on 25 June 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  11. ↑ Flory, Brad (20 July 2008). "Museum stuffed with history". MLive.com. Archived from the original on 22 July 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  12. ↑ "Toys: The Steiffs of Giengen". Time. New York City: Time Inc. 21 June 1968. Archived from the original on 22 July 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  13. 1 2 Markham, Stephanie Reed (14 July 1985). "Shopper's World; Steiff's Lair for Bears". The New York Times. p. 12. Retrieved 22 July 2023. (subscription required)
  14. ↑ "In quest for growth, German toymakers keep it real". Hürriyet. 5 February 2018. Archived from the original on 28 May 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  15. ↑ Kuehnen, Eva (11 February 2009). "Kiddy bling new thing for teddy bear maker Steiff". Reuters. Archived from the original on 21 July 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  16. ↑ Brill, Pamela (22 March 2018). "Steiff, Tiffany Partner on Collectible Plush Teddy Bear". Gifts & Decorative Accessories. Archived from the original on 7 May 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  17. ↑ Kientz, Renee (27 January 2002). "Antique-O-Rama: It's a bull market on early Steiff bears". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on 1 June 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  18. ↑ "The Most Expensive Teddy Bear". Luxury Topics. Archived from the original on 5 May 2023. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  19. ↑ "Teddy Bear Heaven". Forbes. 9 May 2001. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  20. ↑ "'Edwin', a British 'soldier' teddy bear". Christie's. 3 December 2002. Archived from the original on 23 July 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  21. ↑ "Hedge fund boss bear collection sells for £1m". The Guardian. 14 October 2010. Archived from the original on 20 July 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  22. ↑ "The world's most famous soft toy company". Steiff.com. Archived from the original on 29 April 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  23. ↑ "Quality as part of our identity". Steiff.com. Archived from the original on 5 May 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  24. 1 2 3 Westall, Sylvia (14 July 2008). "For some, 'Made in China' doesn't fit". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 July 2023. (subscription required)
  25. 1 2 Schiessl, Michaela (7 January 2010). "German Toymaker Steiff Pulls Out of China". Spiegel International. Archived from the original on 6 December 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  26. ↑ Bronwyn (2 October 2007). "Steiff: Classic toys still make the best friends". People. New York City: Dotdash Meredith. Archived from the original on 21 July 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  27. ↑ "1903 Steiff 'Rod' Teddy Bear". Antiques Roadshow. Season Vintage Tucson 2021, Hour 1. Episode 2504. 17 June 2006. PBS. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  28. ↑ "An identification that makes our brand a legend". Steiff.com. Archived from the original on 30 May 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
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