4 } =) | } _t 3 : ad news & notes Celebrating 100 Years Of Teddy Bears (NAPSA)—TheU.S. Postal Service is makinglife a little more “bearable” with the introduction of stamps that commemorate one of America’s most popular and enduringtoys: the teddy bear. The idea of the teddy bear was born in 1902 when President Theodore Roosevelt refused to shoot a captive bear during a hunting trip. Washington Post cartoonist Clifford Berryman depicted the incident on the front page of the newspaper, and soon toymakers began to manufacture the “teddy” bears associated with the president’s name. People in all walks of life love teddy bears, and enthusiasts— known as arctophiles—pay top dollar for the collectibles. Today there are teddy bear magazines, clubs, collector shows and programs, both educational and medical, that feature these little stuffed companions. Teddy bears have had endless books, songs and poems written about them. Widely viewed as symbols of security and comfort, teddy bears are often used by police officers and hospital staff to calm the young and old alike in traumatic situations. The Teddy Bears pane of 20 self-adhesive stamps depicts four lovable, cuddly teddy bears. Photos of the bears appear in the header; details of the photos appear on the stamps. All four bears were manufactured in the Teddy Beavs USA 37 . vs ao a This new pane of stamps commemorates a popular American collectible: the teddy bear. United States and are now owned by private collectors. The Ideal bear dates to circa 1905, the Bruin bear from circa 1907 and the Gund bear from circa 1948. The unlabeled “stick” bear dates from the 1920s. The stamps were designed by Margaret Bauer of Washington, D.C. Bauer is a book designer at the National Gallery of Art, where she has been designing exhibition catalogues and other museum publications since 1994. Current U.S. stamps, as well as a free comprehensive catalog, are available toll free by calling 1-800STAMP-24. In addition, a selec- tion of stamps andother philatelic items are available in the Postal Store at www.usps.com.
