Paddington Bear

That proper British bear, Paddington Brown, was first seen in the 1958 book A Bear Named Paddington by Michael Bond. Loved for his blue overcoat, oversize hat and preference for marmalade sandwiches, Paddington didn't make an appearance off the page until 1972, when Gabrielle Designs began manufacturing plush Paddingtons in the U.K. Paddington's popularity in the U.S. flourished when bears made by Eden Toys went on sale in the mid-1970s. The successes of the toy and the books were entirely congruent, and Paddington had fans all around the world by 1978.

• 
• Click to Print

• Find this article at:
• https://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2049243_2048657_2049149,00.html