When was margarete steiff born

At first Margarete questioned whether there was a market for relatively expensive animals, she also originally considered bears a bit ungainly.

This was a huge risk for Steiff as this teddy bear was much more expensive than the other animals and if the bear did not sell its production and stock would have cost Steiff a fortune and damaged the company. In spite of Margaretes reservations she allowed Richard Steiff to persuade her and the bear was produced, though without success initially.

They were first displayed at the Leipzig trade fair when an American bought all of them at last minute. Production increased to 1. Steiff now had workers on premises and women working from home. The Jointed bear set off on his march of conquest in America. In competition soon necessitated the implementation of new measures. Nobody wanted to become involved in a price war and the Steiff family started looking ways to let people know when they were buying a Steiff bear and not a lesser imitation.

Franz Steiff came up with the idea of riveting a button to one ear of each animal. This is the trademark of a real Steiff animal today, over years later.

Steiff hit hard times in as the American economy became under pressure. Orders were cancelled and large quantities of finished bears were turned away. Margarete went through the upswing and the crisis full of activity. She was growing noticeably wear, though, and could often be seen sitting at her window, watching the comings and goings in the company from there. She seemed to know that her life was coming to an end.

Margarete Steiff was just 61 years old when she dies on 9th April What had originally seemed to be a hopeless life became a shining example of what can be achieved with courage, strength, willpower and most of all heart. Steiff the company continued on without her right through to today. They are an example to company the world over who are trying to create quality items. Margarete Steiff Posted by gaukartifact Artisans of Influence.

The world may change so quickly and in so many ways — yet one thing will always remain the same: Every Teddy bear and every animal that leaves the Steiff Company that is so rich in tradition homage to an extraordinary woman whose credo is still the maxim for the worldwide business concern Steiff today: Only the best is good enough for our children.

Margarete Steiff — A Biography Pt. The Steiff family, the staff and the people of Giengen found it difficult to get over her death. Credit: Steiffnews. Previous A Guide to Steiff Bears. Next Bing Bears. About The Author. Related Posts. Comics Poetry.

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What makes the Stradivarius violin so special? As a hobby she made stuffed animals. Soon she sold pincushions in the shape of elephants to family and friends. Children began to play with her animals as well, so she made more toy animals such as dogs, cats and pigs.

An elephant with a curled-S trunk, was the first Steiff trademark. They increasingly began to focus on toys. In , Margarete Steiff GmbH was founded and they began to focus on toys only, because this transcended the sales of clothing.

Although the parents of Margarete Steiff feared that her siblings were destined to work hard to support their sister their entire lives, it was the wheelchair-bound Margarete who started a family dynasty, which lasts for over a century.

Margarete died on May 9, in Giengen of pneumonia. She also learned how to play the zither, a string instrument. Soon she became such a good player she started teaching others. Margarete bought her first sewing machine from the money she earned from her zither lessons. Making clothes and selling them earned her more money, which she was able to use to open her own store selling clothes.

One day, Margarete came across a pattern for a toy elephant and started making little felt elephants to give away as presents. They were so popular with the children that she made more toy animals and sold them. He was chiefly responsible for the building in of an iron-framed factory with glass curtain-walls and a flat roof, with the three upper floors supported on lattice-work columns, that is regarded as one of the first achievements of the Modern Movement in architecture.

It incorporated a ramp by which Margarete Steiff could gain access in her wheelchair. In Richard Steiff designed a jointed bear which rapidly proved to be commercially successful. By the factory was employing some people, together with women outworkers.

Margarete Steiff died on 9 April , but the company continued in family ownership, and expanded considerably in the late 20th century. The factory at Giengen an der Brenz of remains in use, and attracts some 40, visitors a year.