The Art of Play: Baby Georgie, 1905

"Baby Georgie"
Made in Germany, 1905
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This is Baby Georgie. He was one of the first teddy bears in England. Georgie was the beloved companion of five children of the Cattley Family: two boys, Gilbert and Donald, and three girls, Nellie, Constance and Maud, who were all born between 1885 and 1892.


Georgie was one of a whole menagerie of stuffed animals who were such a big part of the family that the children painted portraits of the toys and made elaborate outfits for them. We know the bear’s name because of a caption on a drawing of him. Constance and Maud made this little cotton lace outfit for him around 1906.