[Steiff, Germany's Oldest Plush Toy Maker, and the Titanic Bear]

In 1847, Margarete Steiff was born in the small German town of Gingen as the third daughter of the Steiff family. At one and a half years old, she contracted spinal muscular atrophy, leaving her with disabilities in both legs and her right hand. This meant she would spend her entire life confined to a wheelchair. However, her parents did not treat her differently because of her disability. They sent her to school to foster independence and raised her without distinction from her siblings. Through her own efforts and rehabilitation, she began assisting her two sisters with their dressmaking work. She also benefited from the advent of sewing machines, eventually mastering dressmaking despite her impaired hands. When her sisters married, encouraged by those around her, she founded a company in 1877 to manufacture and sell clothing for women and children. The shop selling Margarete's high-quality clothing and household items like tablecloths quickly became popular.

One winter day, she created a small stuffed elephant inspired by a fashion magazine as a Christmas gift for close friends and family. Its cuteness instantly became a sensation, drawing such long lines of people seeking the stuffed elephant outside her shop. This year, 1880, is considered the founding year of Steiff. Seeing children delighted with the stuffed animals, Margarete believed “only the best is good enough for children.” She founded a new company that manufactures and sells stuffed animals. Her nephew Richard began sketching numerous animals that would form the foundation of Steiff creations. Amidst this, in 1902, a lifelike stuffed bear was conceived, giving birth to the long-haired mohair bear with movable arms and legs. This was the world's first Teddy Bear (55PB).

Throughout her life, Margarete remained attentive and considerate toward her employees as a business leader. She created an open company that was rare for the 19th century—even though it's understood today—by providing jobs to people with disabilities and allowing employees to bring their children to work. She passed away in 1909 at the age of 61. The company vowed to continue handcrafting each item without relying on machines, carrying on Margarete's spirit.

In 1912, Steiff produced 82 teddy bears in mourning for the victims of the sinking of the luxury liner Titanic. The eyes, outlined in red felt, are said to represent tear-stained eyes. Given the social climate at the time, it is believed production was limited, as it was thought memorial teddy bears would not sell well. One of these bears later became world-famous as the “Titanic Bear.” In 1990, it was auctioned at the prestigious British auction house Sotheby's, fetching a record price at the time and receiving extensive newspaper coverage, leading to its common name. It was purchased by an American teddy bear collector with a passion for antiques, who named it “Othello” and cherished it for 30 years. Subsequently, it was put up for auction again at the Special Antique Steiff Auction held in Gingen, the town where Steiff is based, in 2023. It was sold to a Japanese company for approximately 35 million yen, setting a new world record for the highest price ever paid for a teddy bear.

Steiff Teddy Bear
https://amzn.to/4iX7O2J
The Great Steiff Exhibition 2025
https://www.steiff.co.jp/news/news_20251112_1.html

References
https://www.steiff.co.jp/brand/
https://www.jteddy.net/othello/