Hobbies And Interests
History
Teddy bears are named after president Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt. Modeled after a 1902 political cartoon depicting Roosevelt with a black bear cub, teddy bears were invented by Morris Michtum and sold through his Ideal Novelty and Toy Company.
Types
Teddy bears are now made and sold in every imaginable size, shape, color, fabric, stuffing material and design. There is even a booming business revolving around allowing children to design their own teddy bears, such as the Vermont Teddy Bear Company and Build-A-Bear Workshop.
Museum
The world's first teddy bear museum, founded by Judy Sparrow, was open from 1984 to 2006 in Petersfield, Hampshire, England.
Sales
Throughout the twenty-first century, worldwide sales of teddy bears have topped $1 billion.
Fun Fact
Teddy bears, though primarily marketed as plush toys for children, are collected by adults too. People who collect these stuffed toys are referred to as "arctophiles," from the Greek root words for "bear" and "lover."