Wednesday, December 31, 2008

ABC Wednesday-X

Instead of seeing a typical client, veterinarian Hal Blumenthal was confronted with a very different patient -- an apparently rare teddy bear urgently in need of an X-ray.

Specialists suspected the bear was an original Steiff bear, but needed to know if the roughly 100-year-old toy was made with special rods in order to confirm its authenticity.

All of the testing proved worthwhile. X-ray images confirmed the bear was built with the three rods that mark it as a Steiff. Only Steiff bears have metal rods inside, which act as "joints."
Steiff, which draws its roots back to the late 1800s, is credited with inventing the teddy bear in 1902. The jointed bear was created one year later, according to Steiff's official Web site.

For his part, Blumenthal said he was pleased to be part of the bear's history.
"It's nice trying something new, and proving the bear's origin was interesting," Blumenthal said.



ABC Wednesday is brought to you by Mrs. Nesbitt.


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36 comments:

DD said...

Wow! How cool! Thanks for sharing this Xtraordinary fact!

magiceye said...

never knew teddies had such an impressive history!! thank you for sharing!

docemdy said...

Thanks for sharing. I've always thought of xrays in either the medical or forensic light. Thanks for the reminder that they have other uses too.

Gordon said...

How interesting; you certainly know a lot about teddies. At least the x-rays didn't lead to surgery like so many do with humans!

Anonymous said...

As an X-radiographer, this interests me. I too have X-rayed some unusual objects.
A Good New Year to you, Bear.

anthonynorth said...

A fascinating post. So many things we take for granted have deep histories all their own.

Liz Hinds said...

How wonderful and what a great history.

Happy New Bear!

naturglede/Randi Lind said...

I love that!Wish you a very Happy New Year!

Anonymous said...

I am amazed once again by your Bear Radar. Do you get Bear news from the entire world? Do you have Bear scouts forever on the lookout for the Bear facts? Each one tops the one before. I cannot Extrapolate your true value as our Bear curator.

Kay Dennison said...

Cooooooooooooool!

Happy New Year!!!!

Kay Dennison said...

Cooooooooooooool!

Happy New Year!!!!

Minnesotablue said...

Hey Bear! Happy New years to you.

Chesapeake Bay Woman said...

EXciting and eXceptional!

Reader Wil said...

That's interesting! I didn't know about the rods in the body of the genuine Steiff animals! I wish you and all the bears a very happy year bearing lots of prosperity and good health.

Bella Foxx said...

Hi! Thank you for your comment on my blog.

Have you ever heard of the Hugging Bear Inn in Chester VT? In case you haven't I will tell you, it is a very cool bed & breakfast, geared for children. Has a resident cat and over 1,000 teddy bears.

Mental P Mama said...

Wow. Only here could we learn something so cool. Happy New Year {{{Bear}}}}!

Miss_Yves said...

I hope that this eXceptional "iron bear "can't rust !
Happy new Year !

Daryl said...

My mom had a Steiff bear which sat on their bed for years ... I think my sister has it now ..

Wishing you and M.Bear a bearry happy new year ..

:-Daryl

Rune Eide said...

AN X with a difference - Congratulations with a Bear that is a BEAR! A Happy New Year to both of you!

Anonymous said...

What a great story. That bear would be worth a few pennies too.

Happy New Year to you Monsieur Bear.

Dianne said...

I love the bear and his X-Ray :)

I could use some joints that move freely

Happy New Year Bear

JeanMac said...

And a very compliant bear, too! Happy New Year to you and family.

Dragonstar said...

X-ellent post! That's certainly a different bear post, and fascinating.

Happy New Year from the ABC team!

Michele said...

I am amazed at what they can do to find out the information of teddy bears... I'm sure glad they didn't have to open up this little fella and that an X-ray was all was needed... that's really neat information!
Happy New Year and thanks for your support on my blogs, it means so much to me...
((Hugz))
~Michele~

Baino said...

I always thought that the Teddy Bear was named after Teddy Roosevelt and 'invented' by an American . . there you go . . .I learn something new every day and this is my first 'something new for 2009 - yes, it's 7:30am 1/1/2009 in Oz' Have a great New Year!

Unknown said...

This was very interesting! Thanks for sharing! Happy New Year!

ellen b. said...

Very creative post for X with the bear! I hope you and all your bears have a very Happy New Year!!

Pat said...

I have a Steiff bear from when I was little! (But not a hundred years old...!)

Happy New Year to you!!!!

Pat said...

I have a Steiff bear from when I was little! (But not a hundred years old...!)

Happy New Year to you!!!!

Rinkly Rimes said...

What intriguing research! An amazing way of 'x-ing' bears!

Smart Mouth Broad said...

Xtraordinary post, my dear Bear!

Alan said...

An X-emplary post. :) Glad the bear was not in need of major surgery. :)

Anonymous said...

but...why it was urgently in need of a X-ray? I don't get it.
Anyway, Happy 2009!

Rose said...

How interesting! I've heard of the Stieff bears before, but didn't know about the metal rods inside. Is that a Stieff bear in the photo?

abb said...

Perfect X post. Is that bear yours??? If so, lucky you!

Have a most wonderful 2009 my friend. It's been lovely getting to ~know~ you!

Anonymous said...

II wonder if my Steiff bear from 1957 is like this? It's the only stuffed animal left from my c/hood.
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