Steiff

Steiff is a German-based plush toy company. It was founded in 1880 by Margarete Steiff, a seamstress. The toys began as fabric elephants, "Elefäntles" and were originally a pattern design Steiff found in a fashion journal[1] and sold as pincushions to her customers.[2] 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. These creations were featured in the first Steiff catalogue.[1] Margarete designed and made most of the prototypes herself.

Margarete Steiff GmbH

Type	Stuffed toy manufacturer
Industry	Stuffed toys
Founded	Germany, 1880
Founder	Margarete Steiff
Headquarters	Giengen , Germany
Area served	Worldwide
Products	Teddy bears, etc.

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

On 3 March 1893 Margarete’s felt fabric factory is founded. In 1895, the first Steiff products were sold outside of Germany at Harrods in London, England.[1]

Steiff's nephew Richard joined in 1897 and gave the company an enormous boost by creating stuffed animals from drawings made at the zoo. 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. This was known as the "Bear 55 PB."[1]

[1] A 3000 piece order was placed in 1903 by a buyer in America after the "Teddy" bear craze began showing a cartoon with President Roosevelt and a young cub.[2] By 1907, Steiff manufactured 974,000 bears, and has been increasing its output ever since.

In 1909 Margarete passes from pneumonia. Richard continued his aunt’s legacy and further expands the toy and plush line.[1]

The Steiff company starts using assembly line production in 1925 to keep up with the high demand.[1]

In 1931 a partnership with Disney is formed to manufacture the well known characters.[1]

The Steiff Museum opens in Giengen in 1980, this marks the 100 year anniversary of the company.[1]

In 2005 for the 125 year anniversary, the new Steiff museum opens. The museum features the world’s largest Steiff petting zoo, and the longest Steiff snake slide.[1]

“Steiff was always the most expensive and is consequently the most valuable now."[3]

In fact, the jointed bear is not modelled on the grizzly - but on the baribal bear, a golden bear with long arms and pronounced snout.[4]

“Two iconic brands, Steiff and Tiffany & Co., have collaborated to create a luxury collectible teddy bear. Steiff’s Return to Tiffany Love Teddy Bear is a caramel-colored mohair teddy bear, complete with Tiffany Blue felt paws and a Return to Tiffany Love tag in sterling silver. The 10.5-inch teddy is packaged in the signature Tiffany Blue Box.”[5]

“Steiff Louis Vuitton Teddy Bear sold at an auction for $2.1 million in 2000. The bear was fully outfitted in Louis Vuitton travel gear complete with the pricey LV travel luggage.”[6]