I have an original Teddy Roosevelt bear circa 1903. Made by Morris Michtom in Brooklyn, New York.

[robercsech]

How do I find a value, price for him. When this old bear of mine has never been sold before in modern times? In my years of research, he is the only one in the world!

[gagnon234]

I have no idea how to help you but wanted to high five you for having possession of this bear. I'm nosy. Is this an item passed down through your family?

He would be a great one to take to an Antiques Roadshow! 

[frenchkitty1929]

Wow!  That is one fabulous Teddy!

[kimba_red]

Can't tell you how much it is worth but, it was probably made in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.

http://savebedfordstuyvesant.blogspot.com/2009/04/teddy-bear-was-born-in-bedford.html

[kaboobee69]

I found this -

In my research as I see hundreds of early Ideal bears on Ebay. I can clearly see see the difference in bears. It is a know fact among the experts and collectors that early Ideal bears had a tilted head. Morris Michtom designed his early bears with this big joint below the head just above the bears neck. Yes early Ideal bears had a neck. Over the last century the stuffing settled in their neck with the jointed pushing down on the stuffing causing their head to tilt. By 1910 Ideal bears no longer had claws on their feet and paws. At times you will see Early Ideal bears with the longer arms and paw look. I believe these bears were the first production bears of 1907 as The ideal Novelty and Toy Company began. Michtom's earliest hand made bears were filled with shaved cork stuffing. And of-corse Michtom's earliest Teddy's were designed with flat feet to enable their bears to stand upright! They had flat wood inserts built inside their feet. And lets not forget the tubby look of very early Ideal bears!!! Of-corse My old Ideal bear has all these features and many more. I have the bear! The legend says Michtom created the Teddy bear in honor of the President. Made of all the finest materials of the time! It says on this computer while Morris Michtom operated his tobacco and newspaper shop, he was also a part time tailor. And a very good one at that! About my old bear, I think to myself because my old bear was wearing an old dress. I can only think that for the last century my old bear was in the hands of a wonderful grandmother who cared for him her whole life. Keeping the bear in its original condition until that one day she could no longer. And that time the bear was put in a sale to be sold. And I happen to come along to help continue this bears quest. In hopes of one day of putting him in a great museum for all the world to see!

[bethy56]

How did you come to your identification of your bear?  I've never seen an early Ideal bear that looked like this.  I'm not aware of any early Ideal bears with open mouths or eyes like that - my information shows early Ideal bears with triangular heads and shoe button eyes - 

[bethy56]

I have seen them with googly eyes from that era -

[bethy56]

Columbia made a Laughing Roosevelt bear about 1907 with an open mouth and teeth - when you squeeze the tummy the mouth opens and closes.

[frodo49343]

This bear is clearly not Ideal. The early Ideals had triangular heads and pointy mismatched feet, mousy faces and boot button eyes. They were little bears that were tossed off Teddy Roosevelt ' s campaign train. This bear is reminiscent of Columbia ' s laughing bear but it is also not that. They were not as well turned out as this bear and had thin legs. This bear has thick legs, a snout that is a different color of the rest of the body (inset snout), amber glass eyes set on the front of the head, and it's open mouth is outlined in black, which Steiff and some Austria companies were doing after WWII. He is turned slightly so I can't see his chest well, but if he doesn't have a seam going up the middle of his body he is made by Petz. Otherwise I am going with an Austrian company.

[robercsech]

     In my years of researchinf this old bear of mine. I've learned so much. The oldest known Ideal bears from 1906 have this little felt tongue peeping out of his mouth. And thru out the years of Ideal Toy Company making teddy bears. You will find their bears have this tongue peeping out of its mouth with the bear smiling! They were refering to their very first creation of the teddy bear. And it is truly a miricle this old bear of mine has survived now for 111 years. These very early teddy bears were called, Morris bears or even Michtom bears. Their early bears of 1903 and 1904 stood upright! As the demand grew for this original teddy bear. The Michtom's quickly downgraded the bears features in its face. As doing away with the full open mouth and tongue. From my research their bears never had any teeth.

[robercsech]

This old bear of mine is absolutly an Ideal bear. He compares very close to the Smithsonian famous bear.  Not the face just the body .But my bear is older. Both bears were made by Morris and Rose Micthom. But the famous Smithsonian bear is a production bear as in mass production. See the straight up closing seem uo the bears belly. My old bear is hand sewn by puckers. An over lapping of material in a way to hide the seem. Done by a knowledgable seem stress as the Michtom's were . And years the later bears had a triangular face  with their snout. The legend says the Michtom's hand made the original teddy bear in honor of then President Theodore Roosevelt. made of the finest materials of the time! The Michtom's hand made these original bears with patients and care. They took their time to hand make this bear to the best of their ability. The President  and the local people of New York were amased. To see this new toy bear the Michtom's created! Side by side you'll see the Smithsonian bear next to my bear.

[robercsech]

    Yes, you are so right about the googly eyes. The Michtom's realized quickly that the demand for these original bears was great. they just could't make the original bear and keep up with demand. the Michtom's were great innovaters of their time. They had the ability to change their bears faces at a moments notice. They were good at what ever they did!. And yes just down the street in 1907 came the Columbian teddy bear company with this laughing teddy bear with teeth. They knew the great success the Michtom's had with their original bear. This is what kick started the teddy bear movement in New York. And they wanted to have great success like the Michtom's were having so they created their first style bear with its full open mouth. But remember this Columian teddy bear company massed produced this bear. That is why there are plenty around to this day. 

[bethy56]

I'm just not sure what to say.  You have been told by more than the people here that your bear is not what you think it is. I've seen your blog post.  If you are so sure of it's worth and scarcity take it to a top notch auction house and sell it through them.  I'm guessing they will tell you the same thing you have heard many times.  Obviously no one is going to shake your belief.  Good luck with whatever.

[robercsech]

For thirteen years I have been researching this old bear of mine. I can say I have researched this subject like in depth more than the experts have. Only because I have the bear. I had to find its origin. This bear of mine is a wealth of information. I have enough documentation to write a book. But I am not a writer. I am seeking a writer to co author a book. i have enough evedence to prove beyond a doubt. Otherwise I would have not told the world. I put the pieces together like a puzzel. No one has ever done this before. I the begining there were two main players, Morris Michtom and Steiff. The earliest bears stood upright and by 1905 Morris Michtom bears no longer stood upright! There is so much documentation to this statement but the historians just overlooked this. Today this is a legend and my old bear is the legendary bear. The Michtom's hand made so few of these original style Teddy's compared to Steiff who always mass produced stuffed animals. There are at least 50 known Rod bears that survived. Early Michtom bears were lost in time. So few were made. I will show you this picture of a 1904 Michtom bear with the Brooklyn bridge in the background. Now the Michtom's were so good at what they did. They made teddy bears as tall as a grown child.