When I was born I got a Steiff teddy from my parents - a whole life`s love. I don`t think my parents knew at that time that my love to teddies would last for ever.

As a little girl I very often visited my grandmother. She was an artist, painting and doing sculptures. For many years, until she died I was taught by her figurative modelling and also freehand drawing.

Very early I was using her Pfaff - a pedal sewing machine - sewing animals from scrap of material, according to her instructions.

Beeing born in 1901 and having had a life full of adventures she was telling interesting stories and I was listening.

Her parents had been Zoology merchants in Duisburg. As her parents only had little time they gave her many beautiful Mohair animals and she was spending lots of time with them.

She had 4 teddy darlings and was telling me fantastic stories about these 4 friends. None of them survived the first world war. Therefore, grandmother tried to make them alive for me again using scrap of material. So don`t wonder that the bears I`m creating have long arms, narrow mouth and a hump.

Already as a young boy painting, drawing and tinkering were my great passion.

So it was not really amazing that I studied art after finishing my diploma from school.

My areas of specialisation included painting and sculpting. On some detours I started working in the advertising industry. In this job I advised and supported business companies for lots of years.

During this time my wife Eva began with her first steps in designing bears and I tried to support her so far it was possible for me. This process, in which Eva did much pioneer work for our current activities, takes a couple of years.

So we could develop and refine all basic techniques and reached the point which we allowed to create and carve our own Teddy bear types.

At this time I also developed my first own patterns and bears. They're easily to recognize as well loved characters which always have got a characteristic individual expression. In the year 2004 we decided to make our passion to our occupation.

The large and worldwide resonance which we receive since then confirms us in our works.