The jumbo teddy bear is nothing short of an essential childhood friend - one that can be held and comforted and can offer comfort in return. Any child or adult that has not experienced life with a jumbo teddy bear doesn't realize what they've been missing out on.
When the original creator of the teddy, German company Steiff, realized that in order for their bear to remain competitive in an ever-changing toy market, they had to update their range. Other companies, which looked to Steiff for 'inspiration,' soon followed suit.
Steiff began the process of changing the teddy by moving away from its traditional design and going to something that was more classically modern. This new-look teddy was more bear cub than grizzly bear.
Following the initial change of the teddy bear design, a year later Steiff introduced Zotty (the bear) which was a much softer playmate for small children. Not only was he covered in long curly-brown mohair, his chest was also inset with a bib.
Steiff also introduced teddies with clockwork mechanisms; between 1950 and 1961, they offered musical bears that could play a tune when their key-operated mechanisms were activated. While Steiff went on to also introduce other less popular teddy bears - Turbo Bär, which was a reintroduction of their Purzel Bär (somersaulting bear), it wasn't until March 23, 1953, when it patented Jackie - developed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the teddy bear. Jackie was made using traditional materials but the bear cub was designed with much rounder and shorter limbs along with softer features. It was available in four different sizes and had two features which made it unlike any other bear cub: pink horizontal stitches across his nose and a belly button of dark brown paint which was sprayed on to the fur of his stomach.
In 1945, Wendy Boston and her husband Ken Williams began their own soft toy company in Crickhowell, South Wales. In 1954, Wendy developed the first fully washable teddy bear. When launched on BBC television in 1955, it proved to be extremely popular. British soft toy manufacturer Merrythought, created a range of novelty bears with the intent of having them appeal to a new generation of children. In 1953 it produced a bear in red, white, and blue, to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. In 1957, it went on to launch its most successful bears of the time - Cheeky. This bear got its name from his wide mischievous smile. He had a very round head with a large forehead and inside his equally large ears was a bell which rang when the bear was moved.
Like the different teddy's designed through years, there are wide variations of the jumbo teddy bear; some sit up, while other are floppy and can either sit or lie down. Still others can stand up. No matter which jumbo teddy bear you choose, the key is to make a choice and ensure not another minute goes by without one in your possession.
Copyright Shelley Vassall, 2010
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