Richard Steiff
Encyclopedia
Richard Steiff was a German
inventor and entrepreneur
. The nephew of the toymaker Margarete Steiff
, he is credited with the designing the Steiff Company's first toy bear.
Steiff was born in Giengen
, and entered his aunt's toymaking enterprise in 1897. While attending the School of Arts and Crafts (Kunstgewerbeschule
) in Stuttgart
, he would regularly visit the nearby Nill'scher Zoo
(closed 1906 ) and spend much of his time drawing the residents of the bear
enclosure. His sketches
of the bears were incorporated into the prototype
of the toy bear he created in 1902 and codenamed Steiff Bär 55 PB (where 55 = the bear's height in centimetres; P = Plüsch, plush
; and B = beweglich, moveable limbs
).
At its debut at the Leipzig Toy Fair
in 1903, the bear initially attracted little attention, but its fortunes were saved when an American buyer snapped up the entire lot of 100 bears and ordered another 3,000 just before the exhibition finished. The heyday of the Steiff company thus began. At the Saint Louis World's Fair
in 1904, the Steiffs sold 12,000 bears and received the Gold Medal, which was the highest honor at the event. The kind of toy bear they pioneered acquired the appellation "teddy
" from several legends about Theodore Roosevelt
. Steiff bears, with a small metal "Steiff" clip in the ear, can now be quite valuable.
Richard Steiff also attained several other technological milestones. He developed the Roloplan, a kind of kite
which could take aerial photographs
of the Steiff factory
and its surroundings in Giengen. The Imperial German Army
expressed interest in the Roloplan for aerial reconnaissance
purposes, but abandoned such plans when it proved to be unreliably slow.
In 1903, Steiff also planned and erected in Giegen a factory building of concrete
and steel
called the Jungfrauenaquarium (Virgins' Aquarium), which allowed all the workers inside to enjoy ample natural light, a first for its time. He equipped the building with a ramp so that his aunt could reach the upper levels of the factory in her wheelchair
.
Steiff died at age 62 in Jackson, Michigan
, United States
.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
inventor and entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
. The nephew of the toymaker Margarete Steiff
Margarete Steiff
Steiff is a German-based plush toy company known for its high quality. It was begun in 1880 by Margarete Steiff, who was later assisted by her brother Fritz....
, he is credited with the designing the Steiff Company's first toy bear.
Steiff was born in Giengen
Giengen
Giengen is a historic city in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. It is situated in the district of Heidenheim, north-east of Ulm, at the southern foot of the Swabian Alb....
, and entered his aunt's toymaking enterprise in 1897. While attending the School of Arts and Crafts (Kunstgewerbeschule
Kunstgewerbeschule
A Kunstgewerbeschule was the old name for an advanced school of applied arts in German-speaking countries. The first such schools were opened in Kassel in 1867 and Berlin and Munich in 1868 with other German towns following. They are now merged into universities....
) in Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
, he would regularly visit the nearby Nill'scher Zoo
Zoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
(closed 1906 ) and spend much of his time drawing the residents of the bear
Bear
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
enclosure. His sketches
Sketch (drawing)
A sketch is a rapidly executed freehand drawing that is not usually intended as a finished work...
of the bears were incorporated into the prototype
Prototype
A prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.The word prototype derives from the Greek πρωτότυπον , "primitive form", neutral of πρωτότυπος , "original, primitive", from πρῶτος , "first" and τύπος ,...
of the toy bear he created in 1902 and codenamed Steiff Bär 55 PB (where 55 = the bear's height in centimetres; P = Plüsch, plush
Plush
Plush is a textile having a cut nap or pile the same as fustian or velvet.Originally the pile of plush consisted of mohair or worsted yarn, but now silk by itself or with a cotton backing is used for plush, the distinction from velvet being found in the longer and less dense pile of plush...
; and B = beweglich, moveable limbs
Limb (anatomy)
A limb is a jointed, or prehensile , appendage of the human or other animal body....
).
At its debut at the Leipzig Toy Fair
Leipzig Trade Fair
The Leipzig Trade Fair was a major fair for trade across Central Europe for nearly a millennium. After the Second World War, its location happened to lie within the borders of East Germany, whereupon it became one of the most important trade fairs of Comecon and was traditionally a meeting place...
in 1903, the bear initially attracted little attention, but its fortunes were saved when an American buyer snapped up the entire lot of 100 bears and ordered another 3,000 just before the exhibition finished. The heyday of the Steiff company thus began. At the Saint Louis World's Fair
Louisiana Purchase Exposition
The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, informally known as the Saint Louis World's Fair, was an international exposition held in St. Louis, Missouri, United States in 1904.- Background :...
in 1904, the Steiffs sold 12,000 bears and received the Gold Medal, which was the highest honor at the event. The kind of toy bear they pioneered acquired the appellation "teddy
Teddy bear
The teddy bear is a stuffed toy bear. They are usually stuffed with soft, white cotton and have smooth and soft fur. It is an enduring form of a stuffed animal in many countries, often serving the purpose of entertaining children. In recent times, some teddy bears have become collector's items...
" from several legends about Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
. Steiff bears, with a small metal "Steiff" clip in the ear, can now be quite valuable.
Richard Steiff also attained several other technological milestones. He developed the Roloplan, a kind of kite
Kite
A kite is a tethered aircraft. The necessary lift that makes the kite wing fly is generated when air flows over and under the kite's wing, producing low pressure above the wing and high pressure below it. This deflection also generates horizontal drag along the direction of the wind...
which could take aerial photographs
Aerial photography
Aerial photography is the taking of photographs of the ground from an elevated position. The term usually refers to images in which the camera is not supported by a ground-based structure. Cameras may be hand held or mounted, and photographs may be taken by a photographer, triggered remotely or...
of the Steiff factory
Factory
A factory or manufacturing plant is an industrial building where laborers manufacture goods or supervise machines processing one product into another. Most modern factories have large warehouses or warehouse-like facilities that contain heavy equipment used for assembly line production...
and its surroundings in Giengen. The Imperial German Army
German Army
The German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
expressed interest in the Roloplan for aerial reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
purposes, but abandoned such plans when it proved to be unreliably slow.
In 1903, Steiff also planned and erected in Giegen a factory building of concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
and steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
called the Jungfrauenaquarium (Virgins' Aquarium), which allowed all the workers inside to enjoy ample natural light, a first for its time. He equipped the building with a ramp so that his aunt could reach the upper levels of the factory in her wheelchair
Wheelchair
A wheelchair is a chair with wheels, designed to be a replacement for walking. The device comes in variations where it is propelled by motors or by the seated occupant turning the rear wheels by hand. Often there are handles behind the seat for someone else to do the pushing...
.
Steiff died at age 62 in Jackson, Michigan
Jackson, Michigan
Jackson is a city located along Interstate 94 in the south central area of the U.S. state of Michigan, about west of Ann Arbor and south of Lansing. It is the county seat of Jackson County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 33,534...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.