Stuffed animals as a child’s toy have been around for hundreds for nearly two hundred of years. Stuffed animals no doubt came about as a result of the practice of stuffing real life animals which dates back to ancient Egypt. That practice, referred to as taxidermy, still continues today in many cultures including the US, as even modern companies will have multiple stuffed animals, such as the My Pillow Pets Bear, a modern version of the classic Teddy Bear.
The earliest stuffed animals designed for children likely came about in the 1830s. Many were very simple in nature and were constructed of simple cloth and filled with straw or beans. Later the invention of the sewing-knitting machine in 1869 brought forth the ever popular stuffed animal referred to as the “sock monkey.” Homemade varieties of “sock monkey” became so popular that John Nelson, founder of the Rockford Red Heel Sock began including instructions for making the toy to be included with every pair of socks that left the assembly line.
In 1880 the Steiff Company was founded in Germany and with it brought about the mass production of stuffed toys. Colloquial German still uses the word “Steifftiere” to describe such animals obviously deriving from the company name. With mass production came experimentation with uses of new fabrics such as cotton, fleece, polyester and velvet and also much sophisticated synthetic fibers for use in the actual stuffing.
The most popular of all stuffed animals the “Teddy Bear” was created based a political cartoon poking fun of President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt and his decision not to kill a tied up bear. This cartoon showed him sitting with his around a very small bear who dimensions were very similar to that of the toy. Soon ladies began making stuffed toy versions that were called “Teddy’s Bears” and these bears became a large part of his next campaign.
Today stuffed toys come in all shapes and sizes and a wide variety of animals to choose from like lions, penguins, cats and dogs and of course the still popular bear. Some like Beanie Babies and Pound Puppies are not only children’s today but also very collectible. Whatever your reason for buying a stuffed animal there is no doubt that you will find enjoyment in them, regardless of age.
Popularity: 1% [?]
Related posts:
