Every bear that ever there was… is in somebody’s window.
And the children of my neighbourhood are checking them off in an Easter hunt.
Of course we have a ‘hug’, or ‘Roosevelt’ of teddies, if either if those is the collective noun, vying for space on our window sills.
We all know that the bear was named after the-then US American President.
Who refused to shoot a tethered bear in Mississippi.
A Lara, Lara love
The home of the Blues and Elvis and Medgar Evers, it truly is the state that keeps on giving The Promised Land, The story of the Blues and The King of Kings
But it’s news to me that Richard Steiff from Berlin https://www.visitberlin.de/en has a counter claim to Brooklyn, New York www.nycvb.com Morris Michtom as the inventor of the bear.
All of which silly, willy, nilly all stuffed with fluff is just an excuse…
To talk about my favourite bear Winnie The Pooh (don’t tell Paddy) and other Teddy Bears around the world.
First port of call is the Teddy Bear Museum https://www.teddybearmuseum.co.uk/the-museum in Dorchester, Dorset which is 30 years old this year.
First opened in 1990 as The Bournemouth Bears it moved to Dorchester five years later and is Britain’s oldest Teddy Bear museum.
We’re told that Edward Bear (his Sunday name) will welcome you.
And that you will be treated to a range of vintage bears.
From the earliest prototypes by The Ideal Toy Company.
As well as Steiff, Farnell, Merrythought, Deans, Chiltern, vintage Chad Valley and many others.
Including Winnie the Pooh, Rupert, Paddington, his Aunt Lucy and Sooty.
Furs and stripes
In America where Teddy was born the best place to go is Morris’s adopted New York State (he was born a Russian Jew).
And The Den of Marbletown, Kingston, Ulster County. Visit https://www.syracuse.com/life-and-culture/g66l-2019/03/eb88eaf1a6864/have-you-heard-of-the-teddy-bear-museum-in-the-hudson-valley.html.
Owned and operated by Nan and Steve Ferri it boasts more than 5,000 Steiff teddy bears and animals, Madame Alexander dolls, Barbie dolls, and hand-carved wooden toys.
WunderBear
Of course if you’re a Steiff fan the best place to go is the Steiff Museum in Berlin https://www.steiff.com/de-de/steiff-shop-outlet#.
And here purists may baulk at it but as well as the Steiff bears there is Disney and Harry Potter merchandising here too.
Now Germans are known for their efficiency so just a detour here to flag up the Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg https://www.miniatur-wunderland.de.
Big in Japan
Back to the bears and the Japanese who are a soppy bunch too and daft as brushes have the Izu Teddy Bear Museum in Ito, Shizuoka.
My Japanese needs some brushing up.
But take a look at these pictures and when you’re next in the Land of the Rising Sun catch http://www.teddynet.co.jp/izu/. Also visit https://www.japan.travel/en/uk/.
Thai high Teddies
As a qualified Tedologist I’m obviously all over the Teddy Bear Museum Pattaya in Thailand http://Teddy Bear Museum Pattaya, Thailand. And see https://www.tourismthailand.org.
And Pattaya is a world of wonders.
With zones throughout including a China, Europe, Dinosaur, Inca, Underwater and Space Super Hero among others.
