Richard Steiff (7 February 1877 – 30 March 1939)[1] was a German designer, known for creating one of the first teddy bears. In 1897, he joined Steiff, a stuffed toy company founded in his hometown Giengen by his aunt Margarete Steiff, and became integral to its growth as a global toy company.[2][3]
Steiff was born in Giengen, Germany. While attending the School of Arts and Crafts (Kunstgewerbeschule) in Stuttgart, he would regularly visit the nearby zoo and spend much of his time drawing the bears of an enclosure.[4][5] He served in the German Army during World War I.[2] He married Elsa Emma, née Dehlinger and had a daughter, Marianne Steiff.[1]
Career with Steiffedit
Replica of Steiff Bär 55 PB, Steiff-Museum Giengen
Steiff began working in his aunt Margarete's toymaking enterprise in 1897. Steiff's sketches of the bears at the local zoo were incorporated into the prototype of the toy bear he created in 1902 and codenamed Steiff Bär 55 PB (where 55 = the bear's height in centimeters; P = Plüsch, plush; and B = beweglich, moveable limbs), or more commonly known as the "55 PB". The 55 PB is regarded as one of the world's first teddy bears ever created.[4][6] Stuffed bears similar to the one they created acquired the appellation "teddy" from a famous cartoon depicting Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt and a cub in The Washington Post in 1902.[5] Steiff also designed other animals for the company.[7]
At the Leipzig Toy Fair in 1903, after initial difficulties attracting buyers, the 55 PB's fortunes were saved when an American buyer snapped up the entire lot of 100 available teddy bears and ordered another 3,000 just before the exhibition finished. To date there is not a single example that has survived.[4]
At the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904, the Steiffs sold 12,000 bears and received the Gold Medal, which was the highest honor at the event.[5] By 1907, Steiff was making 974,000 bears.[5] He became the largest stockholder of the company following the death of his aunt in 1909.[2] Vintage Steiff bears can now be quite valuable.[8][9]
Roloplan and other innovationsedit
Steiff also attained several technological milestones. He developed the Roloplan, a type of kite that could take aerial photographs of the Steiff factory and its surroundings in Giengen. The Imperial German Army made use of the Roloplan for aerial reconnaissance, photography, and meteorology.[10]
In 1903, Steiff planned and erected in Giengen a factory building of concrete and steel called the Jungfrauenaquarium (Virgins' Aquarium) that allowed the workers inside to enjoy ample natural light, a first for its time. He equipped the building with a ramp so that his aunt could reach the upper levels of the factory in her wheelchair.[11]
Later in lifeedit
In 1923, Richard boarded the SS President Arthur bound for New York City, and arrived on March 20, 1923. He signed a Declaration of Intention to become a United States citizen.[12]
Steiff settled in Jackson, Michigan, where he lived with his wife and daughter. Steiff died in 1939 of a heart attack at the age of 62 in Jackson, where he spent the last 16 years of his life.[5]
^ ab"Richard Steiff, 1877-1939". MyHeritage. Archived from the original on 22 July 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
^ abcFlory, Brad (20 July 2008). "Museum stuffed with history". MLive.com. from the original on 22 July 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
^Markham, Stephanie Reed (14 July 1985). "Shopper's World; Steiff's Lair For Bears". The New York Times. p. 12. Retrieved 22 July 2023. (subscription required)
^ abcCronin, Frances (26 July 2011). "The great teddy bear shipwreck mystery". BBC. from the original on 17 April 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
^ abcdeSmith, Leanne (2 August 2012). "Peek Through Time: Teddy Bear creator Richard Steiff called Jackson home for many years". MLive.com. from the original on 22 July 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
^Schmid, John (23 December 1997). "He's Soft, He's Tough, He's Steiff / Survivor of the Cold, Cruel World Market : Who's King of Teddy Bears? The Inventor Has It All Sewed Up". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 July 2023. (subscription required)
^Gehman, Richard (17 December 1961). "The Power Of A Teddy Bear". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. from the original on 21 July 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
^"Hedge fund boss bear collection sells for £1m". The Guardian. 14 October 2010. from the original on 20 July 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
^Kientz, Renee (27 January 2002). "Antique-O-Rama: It's a bull market on early Steiff bears". Houston Chronicle. from the original on 1 June 2016. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
^Tuttle, Nancye (17 November 2011). "Go fly a kite". The Sun. Retrieved 22 July 2023. (subscription required)
^"Giengen an der Brenz: Steiff Factory". Viefalt der Moderne. from the original on 5 June 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
Pfeiffer, Günther. 125 Jahre Steiff Firmengeschichte - Die Margarethe Steiff GmbH. Königswinter: Heel Verlag GmbH, 2005. ISBN3-89880-387-2.
External linksedit
Scott Skinner. "The Power of Reverse Engineering — Building a 5-Foot Steiff Roloplan Kite" (PDF). The Drachen Foundation. Retrieved 12 March 2007.
January 01, 1970
richard, steiff, february, 1877, march, 1939, german, designer, known, creating, first, teddy, bears, 1897, joined, steiff, stuffed, company, founded, hometown, giengen, aunt, margarete, steiff, became, integral, growth, global, company, born, 1877, february, . Richard Steiff 7 February 1877 30 March 1939 1 was a German designer known for creating one of the first teddy bears In 1897 he joined Steiff a stuffed toy company founded in his hometown Giengen by his aunt Margarete Steiff and became integral to its growth as a global toy company 2 3 Richard SteiffBorn 1877 02 07 7 February 1877Giengen GermanyDied30 March 1939 1939 03 30 aged 62 Jackson Michigan United StatesNationalityGermanOccupation s Designer and inventor Contents 1 Early life 2 Career with Steiff 3 Roloplan and other innovations 4 Later in life 5 See also 6 References 7 Additional resources 8 External linksEarly life editSteiff was born in Giengen Germany While attending the School of Arts and Crafts Kunstgewerbeschule in Stuttgart he would regularly visit the nearby zoo and spend much of his time drawing the bears of an enclosure 4 5 He served in the German Army during World War I 2 He married Elsa Emma nee Dehlinger and had a daughter Marianne Steiff 1 Career with Steiff edit nbsp Replica of Steiff Bar 55 PB Steiff Museum Giengen Steiff began working in his aunt Margarete s toymaking enterprise in 1897 Steiff s sketches of the bears at the local zoo were incorporated into the prototype of the toy bear he created in 1902 and codenamed Steiff Bar 55 PB where 55 the bear s height in centimeters P Plusch plush and B beweglich moveable limbs or more commonly known as the 55 PB The 55 PB is regarded as one of the world s first teddy bears ever created 4 6 Stuffed bears similar to the one they created acquired the appellation teddy from a famous cartoon depicting Theodore Teddy Roosevelt and a cub in The Washington Post in 1902 5 Steiff also designed other animals for the company 7 At the Leipzig Toy Fair in 1903 after initial difficulties attracting buyers the 55 PB s fortunes were saved when an American buyer snapped up the entire lot of 100 available teddy bears and ordered another 3 000 just before the exhibition finished To date there is not a single example that has survived 4 At the St Louis World s Fair in 1904 the Steiffs sold 12 000 bears and received the Gold Medal which was the highest honor at the event 5 By 1907 Steiff was making 974 000 bears 5 He became the largest stockholder of the company following the death of his aunt in 1909 2 Vintage Steiff bears can now be quite valuable 8 9 Roloplan and other innovations editSteiff also attained several technological milestones He developed the Roloplan a type of kite that could take aerial photographs of the Steiff factory and its surroundings in Giengen The Imperial German Army made use of the Roloplan for aerial reconnaissance photography and meteorology 10 In 1903 Steiff planned and erected in Giengen a factory building of concrete and steel called the Jungfrauenaquarium Virgins Aquarium that allowed the workers inside to enjoy ample natural light a first for its time He equipped the building with a ramp so that his aunt could reach the upper levels of the factory in her wheelchair 11 Later in life editIn 1923 Richard boarded the SS President Arthur bound for New York City and arrived on March 20 1923 He signed a Declaration of Intention to become a United States citizen 12 Steiff settled in Jackson Michigan where he lived with his wife and daughter Steiff died in 1939 of a heart attack at the age of 62 in Jackson where he spent the last 16 years of his life 5 See also editStuffed toy Morris MichtomReferences edit a b Richard Steiff 1877 1939 MyHeritage Archived from the original on 22 July 2023 Retrieved 22 July 2023 a b c Flory Brad 20 July 2008 Museum stuffed with history MLive com Archived from the original on 22 July 2023 Retrieved 22 July 2023 Markham Stephanie Reed 14 July 1985 Shopper s World Steiff s Lair For Bears The New York Times p 12 Retrieved 22 July 2023 subscription required a b c Cronin Frances 26 July 2011 The great teddy bear shipwreck mystery BBC Archived from the original on 17 April 2014 Retrieved 22 July 2023 a b c d e Smith Leanne 2 August 2012 Peek Through Time Teddy Bear creator Richard Steiff called Jackson home for many years MLive com Archived from the original on 22 July 2023 Retrieved 22 July 2023 Schmid John 23 December 1997 He s Soft He s Tough He s Steiff Survivor of the Cold Cruel World Market Who s King of Teddy Bears The Inventor Has It All Sewed Up The New York Times Retrieved 22 July 2023 subscription required Gehman Richard 17 December 1961 The Power Of A Teddy Bear Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Archived from the original on 21 July 2023 Retrieved 22 July 2023 Hedge fund boss bear collection sells for 1m The Guardian 14 October 2010 Archived from the original on 20 July 2023 Retrieved 22 July 2023 Kientz Renee 27 January 2002 Antique O Rama It s a bull market on early Steiff bears Houston Chronicle Archived from the original on 1 June 2016 Retrieved 22 July 2023 Tuttle Nancye 17 November 2011 Go fly a kite The Sun Retrieved 22 July 2023 subscription required Giengen an der Brenz Steiff Factory Viefalt der Moderne Archived from the original on 5 June 2023 Retrieved 22 July 2023 United States of America Declaration of Intention Rutgers University Community Repository Archived from the original on 22 July 2023 Retrieved 22 July 2023 Additional resources editPfeiffer Gunther 125 Jahre Steiff Firmengeschichte Die Margarethe Steiff GmbH Konigswinter Heel Verlag GmbH 2005 ISBN 3 89880 387 2 External links editScott Skinner The Power of Reverse Engineering Building a 5 Foot Steiff Roloplan Kite PDF The Drachen Foundation Retrieved 12 March 2007 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Richard Steiff amp oldid 1225949643, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
