The teddy bear is just over 100 years old and has conquered the world from Europe to America to Japan and back! . Despite the fact that we love our gadgets and technology the plain old teddy bear is more popular than ever with the teddy consistantly out selling every other soft toy.   Over half of the population in Britain own a teddy bear and for many he provides a sense of security and companionship.
Here are some interesting facts about our humble cute and cuddly friend.
Bears first appeared in stories in 1834 in the story Goldilocks.
The first soft toy teddy bear was made in 1899 by Margarete Steiff
The first teddy bear was sold in 1902 and was called a Bruin rather than a teddy bear.
The first animated cartoon teddy bear was ‘Little Johnny and the Teddy Bears’ in 1902
The first Rupert the Bear picture story appeared in 1920.
Winnie the Pooh was published by AA Milne in 1926
Sooty the teddy bear glove puppet and magician made is debut on tv in 1952.
In 1958 the loveable Paddington bear appeared on the scene. The First Paddington story ‘ A Bear Called Paddington’ was published this year.
The first teddy bear only auction was held in 1985
In 1904 a Steiff teddy bear was auctioned for £110,000
The world’s largest teddy bear recorded is 61′ and is called Evan.
The world’s smallest teddy bear recorded in the Guiness Book of records is 8.5mm
The largest private collection of teddy bears belongs to an American lady who has 7800 different bears
A teddy bear collector is called an ‘Arctophile’