When one thinks about stuffed animals and plush toys today one almost always thinks of the iconic teddy bear. However, the teddy bear is actually a fairly recent arrival. The first of them came in 1902 when a store owner in Brooklyn, New York saw a political cartoon called 'Drawing the Line in Mississippi'. This cartoon showed then president Theodore Roosevelt, who was also known as 'Teddy', refusing to shoot a cornered bear during an actual hunting trip. Roosevelt stated that it would not be very sportsmanlike of him to do so.

In a series of later cartoons, the teddy bear, named after a popular U.S. president, was shown to be small, cute, and cuddly. These cartoons motivated the store owner, Morris Michtom, to start creating tiny stuffed bears as children's toys. Michtom's wife was already producing stuffed bears for the store, so they had everything they needed already in place to market his smaller, cuddlier version.

Michtom sent a sample of the toy to President Roosevelt, requesting at the same time that the President allow use of his nickname in the name of the toy. President Roosevelt okayed this, and this is where the toy teddy bear began to become a part of popular culture. From their earliest days these stuffed bears showed great popularity, and when Mr. Michtom put a sign in his window advertising 'Teddy Bears' this name soon become synonymous with these stuffed animals.

Within a few years, other stores began selling similar stuffed animals. These stuffed animals were marketed throughout the United States and Europe. Many books, music, and media of the time referenced the toy bear. As the years rolled by, the teddy bear became a popular collectible item, valued by collectors of toys, vintage dolls, and antique dolls.

A number of toy bears are high in value. For instance, a toy bear that's woven partially from gold and made by the original manufacturer as a commemoration of the toy's 125th anniversary is on the market for $84,000. Michtom's company, which marketed the original teddy bear, the Ideal Novelty and Toy Co., is still in business now.

The hobby of toy bear collecting should not cost you thousands of dollars. There are many ways to find reasonably priced and sometimes great bargains for vintage bears at garage sales, flea markets, online auctions and special collector's venues. In addition to its status as a collectible vintage bear, this toy that bears the name of a popular president, will make a warm and cuddly companion for a young child.

Discover the amazing world of teddy bears at The Vintage Doll Shoppe. We're the net's one-stop for vintage doll collecting. Browse a huge selection of vintage dolls for sale including Bisque, composition, celluloid, china, tin/metal, wooden, and other and antique dolls. We share our latest interesting finds in The Doll House, our blog devoted to vintage dolls. While visiting, enjoy our collection of videos showcasing antique doll collections, restoration tip videos, vintage commercials, and much more!