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Ideal
Company History
| Date |
Event |
| 1902-3 |
Inspired by the Clifford Berryman's cartoon
of President Roosevelt's encounter with a bear cub Morris
Michtom and his wife, Rose, hand-made a teddy bear and displayed
it in their small stationery store in Brooklyn, New York |
| 1903 |
The bears proved popular and
production increased. The Butler Brothers, wholesalers, supported
Michtom's efforts guaranteeing their credit with mills producing
plush. The Company was known as Ideal Novelty Toy Company. |
| 1907 |
Moved to larger premises in Christopher Avenue,
Brooklyn, New York |
| 1912 |
Abraham Katz, a friend of the Michtom's, joined the company
as co-chairman and influenced design and production |
| 1923 |
Benjamin, Morris Michtom's son, joined the Company
as co-chairman |
| 1938 |
Morris Michtom died. Benjamin, his son, took over |
| 1941 |
Lionel Weintraub joined the Company |
| 1953 |
Company name is changed to Ideal Toy Corporation |
| 1962 |
Lionel Weintraub became President |
| 1968 |
Became a public company and listed on the New
York Stock Exchange with headquarters in Hollis, New York and
factory in Newark, New Jersey |
| 1982 |
Mark Michtom, the founders grandson, sells Company
to CBS Toys |
| 1984 |
Bears no longer produced. Hasbro buys some Company
assets |
Ideal
Bears
The company was granted a license to produce the first Smokey
Bear soft toy in 1953, which promoted the US Forest
Fire Prevention Campaign. The earliest Smokey was made of cinnamon
synthetic plush, had moulded plastic paws and feet and wore blue
denim jeans, brown vinyl belt, silver badge with "Smokey Ranger
Prevent Forest Fires" on his chest and a yellow hat. A second
version of Smokey was produced in 1954 and a third in 1960.
In 1978 Ideal produced a collectors' bear to celebrate it's 75th
anniversary. The 40cm (16") bear was made of light brown acrylic
plush and filled with soft nylon stuffing (it could be machine washed
and tumble dried). The bear had an inset white muzzle, white synthetic
plush pads with light brown stenciled pad markings. It bore a yellow
fabric label on it's chest to commemorate The Original Ideal Teddy
Bear.
Ideal
Bear Identification
- Head: distinctive wide triangular shape
- Body: long and narrow, the final seam is most often in the
front
- Ears: large, wide set
- Eyes: pre WWI boot button eyes were used however Ideal did
produce some bears with painted white rimmed and black boot
button eyes until 1912 - these are quite rare. After WWI glass
eyes were used. Eyes are close together and often deep set.
- Muzzle: long, usually shaved
- Nose: large, usually black horizontal stitches
- Arms: set low on the body
- Feet: oval, with rounded heels and distinctive pointed toes
- Fabric: short golden mohair, early bears were filled with woodwool
- Labels: early bears did not have labels or id and could be
difficult to identify. A label and paper tag were introduced
in 1938 - the swing tag was shaped like a wagon.
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