Big Plush Toy

The big plush toy has long been part of children's lives ever since the creation of the original teddy bear in 1902

. What began as a string-jointed movable animal, turned into the world's most popular toy. It was only a matter of time before teddy bears and every other animal designed to look like the real thing, joined the ever-growing demand for soft toys to get bigger and better.

The 'final' design of the iconic teddy bears didn't take place until 1905, at which time, Richard Steiff (nephew of Margarete Steiff creator of the teddy bear) presented Margarete with his improved creation. She was instantly in love and called the new model Brle (a German term of affection used to decribe something or someone dear).

Brle was everything Richard had dreamed of and Margarete desired. He was made in white, light brown, and dark brown plush and was soft-filled with excelsior which is a Unites States tradename for wood-wool. It also had kapok in it which is type of insulation used for padding, along with card discs - a method of jointing whereby the slippery surfaces of two circles of card held by a cotter pin allow for smooth rotation in one plane. This method is still used today.

In 1905, customers were able to purchase Brle in seven sizes and in 1910 it was increased to 14. With his small round ears, black boot-button eyes (in 1908, glass button eyes were introduced and could be special ordered), stitched nose, shaved muzzle, large feet, and plump body, he had the kind of appeal few children or adults could resist. As the years past, it was only a matter of time before the big plush toy also became known to the world.

Some of the first Brle teddy bears also came with squeakers which were inserted inside the bear; they were made from coiled spring placed between two round pieces of card or wood. When the bear was squeezed in just the right place, the spring would become compressed thereby forcing air through a reed to produce a grunt. This perfected teddy bear was an instant success. In the following year after its release, some 400,000 of them were sold. The demand for the bear was so great that Steiff was forced to take extra measures to avoid wasting any mohair plush. To do so, six entire heads of the bear were cut from each length of material, with a seventh head cut in two halves. As a result, every seventh bear produced, had a seam that ran down the center of its face. The center-seamed teddy bear today, is highly valued by collectors because it's so rare.

Who knows where the big plush toy would be today had it not been for a simple felt pincushion Margarete Steiff, designed, made, and gave away as gifts; from the teddy bear's humble beginnings came what we know now as the big plush toy.

big plush toy

big plush toy

Copyright Shelley Vassall, 2010. Contact the author to obtain permission for republication.

Big Plush Toy

By: Shelley Vassall

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