Steiff Limited Edition PB55 Replica Bear

Steiff Limited Edition PB55 Replica Bear. 7,000 pieces worldwide. Created as an exact replica from the original 1902 pattern. The PB55 reddish brown mohair bear is filled with wood shavings and features the original twine and disc jointing, excelsior stuffing, sealing wax nose and black shoe button eyes. His black and white "Button-In-Ear" authenticates his exact replica status. PB55 wears on his chest a cardboard disk displaying the original Steiff logo of an elephant with an "S" shaped trunk. This logo (and the cardboard disk) was used to identify Steiff's earliest products until about 1900. According to legend, in 1902 Richard Steiff first designed and oversaw development of an edition of 3,000 of this first-ever teddy bear. What became of the prototype bear or the inventory of 3,000 remains a mystery. None have ever been found or identified despite fervent searches by thousands of dedicated Steiff collectors over the past century. Even in the official Steiff archives, it remains the only product missing from an otherwise complete and exhaustive collection. With no clear photograph ever published, the PB55 has truly become the Holy Grail of the teddy bear world. It has never been seen since 1903 and remains the ultimate, unattainable achievement for all Steiff collectors...that is, until now...EAN # 404009, 55 cm. Comes complete with box and certificate. Mint condition.