A History of Stuffed Animals

 

In my latest book, Miss Beatrice, the Brides of Fiddler’s Gap, Book 6, I have a scene where my hero presents the heroine’s baby with a stuffed toy. I originally had it as a teddy bear, then remembered they hadn’t been invented yet. My book takes place in 1889. So I had to do a little research and as usual, fell down the research rabbit hole! 

Long before the teddy bear stole our hearts, stuffed toys were already cuddling their way into our lives. These fuzzy beings, also known as plushies or stuffed animals, originated in Germany with the Steiff company in the late 19th century. They were made from materials like plush fabrics and synthetic fibers, they can take on the appearance of anything from a mythical creature to your favorite cartoon character. And let's face it, even as adults we can't resist adding to our collection of these irresistible fluffs influenced by fads and pop culture. Don't believe us? Just ask your overflowing shelf of Funko Pops. Oh yes, stuffed toys have been around long before Teddy ever came along.

Back in 1880, before iPhones and Netflix, the first stuffed felt elephant was created by Margarete Steiff. She called it a pincushion, but let's be real, it was just an excuse to have a cute animal friend. Meanwhile in America, the "Ithaca Kitty" was making waves as one of the first mass produced stuffed toys. Clearly, the world was in dire need of cuddly companions. And in 1903, we got just that when Richard Steiff made a soft bear named "55 PB" after being inspired by real bears at the zoo. 

Then Morris Michtom jumped on the bandwagon and made the first teddy bear ever because he thought President Roosevelt needed some love too. Beatrix Potter also hopped on the stuffed toy trend with her patented Peter Rabbit, while handmade sock monkeys became popular during the Great Depression (because who needs cash when you can have a monkey?). And let's not forget A. A. Milne buying a toy for his son that would inspire Winnie-the-Pooh - talk about successful marketing! Fast forward to modern times and we have unique and quirky characters like Uglydoll and Paddington Bear hitting shelves. Who says adults can't have stuffed animals too?

Until Next Time,

Kit