A new sensation! /1The “PGB 35”, 1904 vintage
Teddy bear, light brown, 35 cm tall (measured in the sitting position), embroidered nose and 5 claws.
A rarity with a fascinating design and construction, which also represents an important milestone in the history of the teddy bear.
The PGB 35 (P stands for plush, G for Gestänge (metal skeleton) and B for beweglich (moveable)) is a 50 cm tall bear that will probably rewrite the history books. This bear is particularly important on account of the fact that it may well represent the previously unknown missing link between teddy bears made with a metal skeleton and those with moveable disc joints.
The Steiff archivists could scarcely believe their eyes when they saw the metal skeleton and the black, hand-embroidered nose of the PGB 35. Its design and limb fixing mechanism clearly indicate that the bear dates from1904 and was developed after the PB 55, the PB 28 and the PB 35, but before the PAB series.
In 1902, Steiff launched the PB 55 model, the first teddy bear in the world with moveable limbs. This 55 cm tall, standing bear was stuffed with wood wool and therefore hard.
It had a cord attachment system and a sealing wax nose. The PB 55 was heavy and had a somewhat unrefined appearance. Consequently, it was not particularly well-received by customers. Richard Steiff set about addressing this problem. | |
