Iconic Steiff Teddy Bears
For more than 140 years, Steiff Teddy Bears have stood for comfort, trust and precious memories. Each bear is a work of art — crafted with unique care, precision, and a deep respect for tradition.
In a journey from the past to the present, the plush companions show how the spirit of the times has changed over the years, but above all what has remained the same: the Steiff value proposition, which then as now stands for the highest quality, genuine craftsmanship and attention to detail.
The video and timeline show replicas and originals of iconic Steiff Teddy bears
Evolution of the Teddy Bear
1902 - 55 PB
The 55 PB Bear was the world's first jointed Teddy bear. Richard Steiff developed it in 1902 and presented it at the Leipzig Spring Fair in 1903. The number 55 stood for 55 cm height (standing), the letter P for "Plüsch" (="plush") and B for "beweglich" (= "movable"). 3,000 bears were ordered at the fair, but there are no known surviving examples. This replica of the 55 PB was released in 2002.
Picture: 55 PB Repl. 1902 (No. 404009 from 2002)
1904 - 35 PB
In 1904, Richard Steiff created an evolution of his 55 PB bear, which was smaller and more slender than its older brother - the 35 PB, made of light-coloured mohair. The number 35 represented the bear's height when seated. The picture shows a 1991 replica.
Picture: 35 PB Repl. 1904 (No. 0150/50 from 1991)
1905 - Richard Steiff Teddy
In 1905, the PAB Teddy bears were created with the cardboard discs still used today. Thanks to the cardboard discs, which were connected with metal pins, the Teddy bear's body parts could now be turned endlessly. PAB stands for P = "Plüsch/plush", A = "angescheibt/connected with discs" and B = "beweglich/movable". A well-known example is the Richard Steiff Teddy bear in the unusual color grey, which Richard originally made as a one-off and gave to his mother-in-law. This replica was launched in 1983.
Picture: Richard Steiff Teddy Repl. 1905 (No. 0150/53 from 1983)
1919 - Paper Teddy Bear
The first Teddy Bears were mainly made of mohair. However, as mohair became almost impossible to obtain during the war years, various substitutes were used. This 1919 Teddy bear was made of paper plush, shown here as a 2010 replica.
Picture: Paper Teddy bear Repl. 1919 (N0. 421099 from 2010)
1925 - Rose
In the 1920s, Richard Steiff proposed more colorful Teddy Bears for the US market. Teddy Bears in a variety of colors also appeared on the European market. Yellow and - as seen here on the 1925 replica - pink were particularly popular.
Pink colours are still popular with Steiff Teddy Bears today, e.g. with Linda Teddy Bear from the Collectors Open Edition or the My First Steiff Teddy bears from the Friends series.
Picture: Teddy bear Rose Repl. 1925 (No. 408731 from 2009)
1928 - Petsy
Petsy, the bear cub with a new cut, first appeared in the 1920s. Petsy had wire-reinforced ears and was made from the popular tipped mohair. He became a bestseller and has been reissued in many variations to this day. Shown here is a 2016 replica of the 1928 model.
Picture: Teddy bear Petsy Repl. 1928 (No. 403286 from 2016)
1929 - Teddy Baby
At the end of the 1920s, the Teddy Bear became friendlier and more childlike. At Richard Steiff's suggestion, the Teddy Baby was created to reflect the character of young bears and became a favorite in the range in the years to come. The replica shown here from 2016 reveals the cheerful nature of the Teddy Baby.
Picture: Teddy Baby Repl. 1929 (No. 403293 from 2016)
1930 - Dicky
In the 1930s, a new Teddy Bear character was introduced: Dicky. The cheerful, smiling Teddy Bear's special feature was his colourful printed paw pads, which are also featured in the 2017 replica shown here.
Picture: Dicky Repl. 1930 (No. 403309 from 2017)
1950 - Original Teddy
In 1950, the Teddy Bear was redesigned once again. He became rounder and the nose, arms and legs were shortened. This was the birth of the popular "Original Teddy", shown here as a 1996 replica.
Picture: Teddy bear Repl. 1950 (No. 408427 from 1996)
1953 - Jackie
The Steiff Teddy Bear has been conquering hearts for half a century. To celebrate his 50th birthday, "Jackie" was launched. The 2015 replica shown here is the 1953 model.
Picture: Jackie (depicts Jackie 1953) (No. 021398 from 2015)
1966 - Original Teddy Bear
The design of the "Original Teddy Bear" was modernized in 1966. He was given a short-pile snout and has been affectionately called the "Love-heart bear" by Steiff fans ever since. This version was launched in 2021.
Picture: Original Teddy bear (depicts 1966) (No. 006111 from 2021)
1970 - Dralon Teddy Petsy
The new material Dralon conquered the market in the 1950s and was still popular in the 1970s. The classic Teddy Bear shape was also designed in Dralon, as the trend was towards softer Teddy Bears. Dralon Teddy Petsy was released as a novelty in 1970, here you can see an original from 1971.
Picture: Dralon Teddy Petsy (No. 0241/30 from 1971)
1984 - Teddy Petsy
In 1984, "Teddy Petsy" was born, another version of the popular Teddy Bear with a new pattern. The designer got the idea for the distinctive centre seam while peeling an orange. The cuddly Petsy was the first jointed Teddy Bear that could be machine washed thanks to its plastic discs. He revolutionised the classic jointed Teddy bear. The 1984 model is shown here.
To this day, Petsy is an integral part of the Steiff range. Current versions include the blonde Petsy with a blue ribbon and the caramel-coloured Petsy with a red ribbon.
Picture: Petsy (No. 0233/45 from 1984)
2005 - Charly
Charly is a typical representative of the new Teddy Bear generation of the 2000's, which is characterized by a particularly soft and cuddly appearance. Here you can see a Charly from 2005, today Charly is available in many colors and shapes in the range.
Picture: Charly Teddy bear (No. 012815 from 2005)
2009 - Elmar
Launched in 2009, Elmar is another Teddy Bear made from soft material, but with a classic Teddy Bear design. This makes him ideal for children to cuddle and he also has a nostalgic charm.
The Elmar shown here is currently available in the range.
Picture: Elmar (No. 022456 from 2009)
2018 - Emilia
The classic Teddy Bear made of mohair could not be missing from the range. Emilia from 2018 is part of the current Collectors Open Edition.
Picture: Emilia Teddy bear (No. 027796 from 2018)
2022 - Mila
2022 was the 120th anniversary of the Teddy Bear. To mark the occasion, a new cuddly family of Teddy Bears has been released. In addition to Mila seen here, the family includes Ben Teddy bear, Mama bear and Papa bear.
Picture: Mila Teddy bear (No. 113970 from 2022)
2024 - Lio
Lio Teddy Bear is new to the range. He represents the cuddly Teddy Bears with a classic cut, but made from alternative materials such as hemp or recycled PET bottles.
Picture: Lio Teddy bear (No. 113734 from 2024)