Sweet Engraved Teddy Bear

This scrimshaw brooch is for the lover of teddy bears! What a sweet face she has! Did you know there is a famous teddy bear that was actually based off a sweet female cub? It is Winnie the Pooh!

The Winnie the Pooh character was based off a cub named Winnipeg, “Winnie” for short.

During World War I, a Canadian soldier named Harry Colebourn made a pet of a black bear cub he bought from a hunter for $20. He named it Winnipeg—or “Winnie” for short. The bear became his troop’s mascot and later a resident of the London Zoological Gardens. There, she was an adored attraction, especially to a little boy named Christopher Robin Milne, son of author A.A. Milne. He renamed his teddy, Edward Bear after her. This same teddy bear, as well as most of Christopher Robin’s toys are on display at the New York Public Library.

Christopher Robin and his stuffed bear became immortized by his father, A.A. Milne in a series of books.  Those books then became a favorite franchise of Walt Disney.

Christopher Robin Milne received his first teddy bear purchased at Harrod’s in London.  This bear was named Edward Bear; but, then later renamed by Christopher Robin.  This is the exact bear that is on  permanent display at The New York Public Library.

Edward Bear was renamed Winnie-the-Pooh because “Winnipeg” was his favorite attraction at the London Zoological Gardens.