MY STEIFF LIFE

It's smooth sailing when it comes to this week's Steiff treasure! Steiffgal was asked by a friend to handle a wonderful vintage doll. When this sweetie arrived at Steiffgal's home, she was even more adorable and interesting than advertised. Come take a look at this early 20th century felt doll and see what secrets she holds!

This charming little girl is sugar and spice and everything nice. She is 28 cm, fully jointed, and made from flesh colored felt. Her precious and youthful face comes to life with a traditional Steiff center seam, blue and black pupil eyes, a 3D nose, set-in mouth, and proportional ears. Her mohair wig, which has faded to a silvery color, was most likely brown, given the color of its cotton backing. She wears a simple white cotton dress, a white cotton sailor's shirt trimmed in dark navy or black, great striped knitted socks, and red felt tie shoes with leather soles. Steiff produced this happy, childlike style of doll from around 1908 through the mid-1920's in standard sizes ranging from 22 to 75 cm.

It's no clothes call when it comes to this beautiful girl's outfit. Steiffgal is not able to exactly match her dress and top to any listed in the standard Steiff reference books. However, given their materials and design, it is her best guess that they are original to her. One clue is the hook and eye construction on her dress. This closure system is very typical to Steiff doll clothing from the first quarter of the 20th century. It is also Steiffgal's suspicion that at one point she had some sort of underwear or underpants, as her dress length is a bit "revealing," at least for the period in which she was made. Steiff also usually produced their girl dolls with hats, and Steiffgal also thinks that this doll's hat, like her undergarments, must have been lost to time.

This doll is definitely a sole sister. Her red felt shoes appear original, except for a replaced tie. This shoe style was very popular on Steiff dolls from her time frame, but this is the first time Steiffgal has seen a pair in red. However, another Steiff doll wearing identical red shoes is pictured in Pfeiffer's 1892-1943 Steiff Sortiment book. Her socks are also original and really eyecatching; Steiffgal has a doll in her personal collection wearing very similar hosiery.

Now let's talk about this doll's birth year. As noted, this style of doll was produced in the general line for nearly two decades. But she has a few clues that hone down this time frame a bit.

First, note that her hands are very simple, almost fist-like. This style of hand was updated to a more distinctive hand with pronounced finger digits starting around 1910 or so. You can see a close up of this doll's early hands here on the photo on the left.

Second, this dolls is made entirely from felt. This is a subtle, but important detail. Starting around 1915, Steiff started changing the fabrics on these dolls as a response to material shortages associated with WWI. Felt was an important fabric and was being used for uniforms and blankets at the time. Steiff's dolls, which were traditionally made from all felt, started to appear with felt faces, but their bodies and/or limbs could be made from linen or even inexpensive muslin fabrics. The body parts made from the substitute materials were mostly hidden under clothes. You can see a little boy doll here on the left with this World War I construction... his head and arms/hands are felt; his legs are linen, and his torso is muslin.

Third, this little girl doll has glass pupil in eyes. Steiff's earliest dolls had black shoe button eyes. Starting around 1909 or 1910, most were detailed with more lifelike, and more endearing, glass eyes.

All of these factors converge her year of origin to roughly 1910. The combination of fist hands and glass eyes is interesting, and indicates that she was made at a transitional time in the design and development of this beloved pattern.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this great sailor girl doll has been oceans of fun for you.

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more.

There is no question that size defies when it comes to Steiff's wonderful woolen miniature animals, especially those produced before World War II. It is absolutely amazing how much personality and detailing the company was able to include in the design of these tiny treasures - some no more than a few centimeters tall or wide! A few of these charming, larger scaled pets also featured internal wire skeletons, so they were practically as posable as the company's standard line Teddy bears and animals. Steiffgal recently added one very special palm-sized example to her collection, and she's sure you'll be all ears to learn more about him. Check out this handsome hare and see what makes him so special!

This petite treat deserves a standing ovation! He is 9 cm tall, begging, and made from Nomotta wool. His head, upper body, and tail are made from tan colored threads, while his lower body is made from red colored threads. His ears are made from tan felt and his arms, which have been lot to time, would have been made from the same material. He is fully string jointed, meaning that he can move his head and body side to side. His face come to life with brown and black glass pupil eyes and traces of a pink airbrushed nose and mouth. He had clear monofilament whiskers when he left the factory in Giengen, Germany eight decades ago. Rabbit's legs are made from metal and he retains his adorable, all original tan felt slippers, which you can see here on the photo to the left. He retains his tiny, long trailing "f" style button-in-ear. This happy hopper was made in this size only from 1936 through 1941.

This boy bunny was actually produced as a hare pair - really! Steiff launched this little Romeo as half of a "his and her" rabbit couple. The girl, who was the same size and had the same construction as the boy, differed in her coloration. Her upper body was made from red colored thread and her lower body was made from tan colored threads - just the opposite of the boy. And her slippers were red instead of tan, like the boy's footwear. You can see this cute couple on the photo here on the left, it is taken from Pfeiffer's 1892-1943 Sortiment.

Given their popularity, the number of woolen miniature bunnies in Steiff's pre-war line multiplied like, well, jackrabbits. They were produced in all sorts of sizes and configurations, including lying and hopping versions. A great rarity is the company's "ski rabbit," a 17 cm woolen miniature bunny wearing a scarf and accessorized with wooden skis and ski poles. Others were made into "congratulators" which were designed as gifts to be personalized with messages from the giver to the recipient. A tumbler featuring a 10 cm white or brown woolen miniature begging rabbit was also produced from 1936 through 1941. You can see a few of these variations, along with the rabbit under discussion today, in this page from Steiff's 1938 catalog. You can click on the image to make it bigger and easier to read.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this woolen miniature rabbit in slippers has made you smile from head to toe.

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more.

Steiffgal recently got an email question about a Steiff item that literally gave her chills - in the best way possible! Around these parts, the temperature has been averaging about 95 degrees lately, with high humidity, too. So what could be more welcome than a question about a cold weather themed doll! Let's all take a virtual break from this uncomfortable summer heatwave and check out this inquiry from Nils from Norway. Steiffgal thinks you'll agree - his fantastic rarity takes the pole position!

Nils simply asks,"I wonder if you can help me with the value and age on my Steiff skier? He is 36 cm tall and his button is in his cap."

Pretty cool, eh? From what she can tell from the photos, Nil's doll is standing, fully jointed, and appears to be in the company's earlier "character" doll scale. This means that his limbs, feet, and torso are not in "typical" human proportions, but exceptionally long and narrow in this case. His face is more "cartoonish" than handsome or realistic as seen in Steiff's later doll models. He has blue glass eyes; this feature became standard on Steiff's dolls from the early 19-teens onward. Also typical to his early era is the fact that his felt outfit is integral to his body. Later models often had partially or fully removable clothing. It is interesting to note that his Steiff button is located on his hat. According to Nils, he does not have ears, so this button's location is "closest" to where his button-in-ear would be. (Steiffgal also has a little Steiff Barney Google doll without ears; his button is located the back of his jacket; these "out of place" buttons are seen infrequently but are still original.)

Dolls from the first quarter of last century are also "famous" for their great detailing and accessories, and Nil's skier is a fine example of that. His blue uniform includes perfectly proportional buttons, pockets, and trims. His skis and poles are made from wood and are original to him; the skis are marked "Steiff" on their top face. These are pictured here on the left. Steiff used wood as a material extensively in their product line throughout much of the pre- WWII war era. For example, consider Steiff's fantastic array of early mohair and felt animals on wooden wheels, wooden animal and vehicle pull toys, skittle and roly-poly novelties, and blocks and puzzles. Nil's skier doll is also wearing a backpack. Some of Steiff's soldier and student dolls from the same era also carried satchels, totes, or backpacks, and Steiffgal is all but certain this accessory is original to him.

There is a blizzard of information about Steiff's winter-themed felt dolls. Children and adult dolls doing sports like skiing and tobogganing, were very popular in the Steiff line from about 1909 through the late 19-teens. Many different skier dolls were made; some came with skis and poles but Steiff also made this perfectly to scale athletic gear available for purchase separately. The company created a number of memorable advertising photographs using this playful outdoor theme; it is suspected that the pictures were posed and shot on or very near the Steiff campus during the winter months.

The quest to identify this athletic doll left Steiffgal breathless. As for Nil's doll, Steiffgal initially thought he was Steiff's "Norwegian Skier," given his presentation and current residence! According to Pfeiffer, the Norwegian Skier is.... "felt, jointed, Norwegian skier, blue ski suit, cap, and gloves, skis and ski poles, in box." The Norwegian Skier was made in 50 cm and was in the line from 1913-1918. However, a closer look at the Norwegian Skier shows his body is more humanly proportioned (and includes ears!), while Nil's doll is definitely more "character" in form. A little more research suggests that Nil's doll is most likely the company's "Skinny Skier." According to Pfeiffer, the Skinny Skier is... "felt, jointed, very thin shape, complete winter sports outfit." He is also pictured with oversized gloves and a backpack, just like the ones Nil's doll is wearing. The Skinny Skier was made in 40 cm from 1913-1928; Nil's version is a shade shorter but these dolls were all hand made, so slight variations like this are expected. You can see a picture of the Skinny Skier, along with his pal the Fat Skier, here on the left; the photo is from the Cieslik's Button in Ear: The History of the Teddy Bear and His Friends.

It can be a slippery slope when it comes to assessing value on a rarity like this. As always, something is worth what someone will pay for it, and true valuations can only take place after a careful in person review. Many condition factors, like insect damage, odors, jointing, and internal integrity cannot be captured in photos. However, from what is visible, the doll looks to be in good to very good condition, retaining many of its original details. Given it is as presented, with no significant structural or aesthetic issues, this doll MIGHT sell at auction in the $1,250-$2,500 range.

Steiffgal thanks you for being a good sport by reading this discussion on this Steiff skier doll!

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more!

How novel! That's how Steiffgal felt when she came across this tiny Steiff treasure at a friend's house recently. It goes without saying that he is adorable, officially qualify as "antique," and has a distinctly playful personality. But more on that later! He lives on a shelf in a beautifully curated collection in New England, along with many fine dolls, bears, and Steiff friends. Take a look at this happy handful and see what would have him a premier plaything more than a century ago.

There's no need to count sheep over this bitty barnyard buddy. Here we have a too cute for words Steiff lamb! It is simply amazing that this item is in such nice shape given its age and that it was designed as a play toy for babies! Steiffgal suspects that it was purchased as a gift for some lucky child and used primarily as a nursery decoration, not a toy. Or, sadly, the child passed away in infancy and never got to enjoy the toy - or life. The lamb measures about 3 inches tall, head to toe. He is standing on all fours, unjointed, and made from lamb's wool plush. His face, ears, and legs are made from felt. His legs are lined in metal wire. His face comes to life with teeny black button eyes and a very simple hand embroidered pink nose and mouth. His bell and ribbon are original to him. He retains all of his original Steiff IDs, including his tiny long trailing "F" button and linen backed white paper ear tag.

Numbers don't lie! According to the Sortiment books and his prominent ear tag numbering, this lamb was produced from 1902 through 1917 overall, and as a "pram toy." This particular model was made in the 1910 through 1917 time frame. Pram toys were hanging toys designed to dangle from a baby's carriage or crib. Most of Steiff's earliest pram toys were constructed from elastic cord and woolen pom-poms, suspended from a white ivory carved ring. The "1" on the ear tag means "standing" and the "5" means lamb's wool plush. The "75" identifies it as a "hanging toy" while the "46" identifies it as a lamb.

Now shake a leg and check out his little secret. This lamb actually is also a rattle, elevating him to novelty status! As a rattle, he makes a little "click click" sound when jiggled about. Steiffgal has handled rattle bears, dogs, cats, squirrels, and now this lamb. They all share the similar construction of having a small sealed glass tube filled with beads inserted into their torsos. Usually, but not always, rattles were made from the smallest versions of Steiff's most popular designs. The "youngest" product Steiffgal has seen with a rattle is a c. 1929 velvet sitting "Pip" dog. You can see this "chatty" Pip pictured here on the left. It is her best guess that the company stopped making rattle items in this fashion from the 1930's onward.

Steiffgal has not been able to figure out any ear tag numerical code that distinctly and specifically identifies an item as having a rattle feature. So finding one, which usually comes about by accident, is always such a delightful surprise!

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this wonderful Steiff novelty as shaken you up a bit!

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more!

You are sure to take a tumble over this week's featured Steiff rarity! Steiff is well known for producing novelty items based on some of its most popular designs, and this hare-raising piece is a perfect example of that. So steady yourself and check out this wonderful - and totally adorable - Steiff tumbling rabbit.

This bun is truly designed for fun! The rabbit is 12 cm tall and made from velvet. This measurement takes into account the vertical height from his head to his feet and does not include his ears. He is begging and unjointed. His body and presentation are quite simplified, but his form is unmistakably that of a rabbit. His face comes to life with black button eyes, a pink hand embroidered nose and mouth, and clear monofilament whiskers. He is airbrushed with a few brown spots here and there. His bow and bell are original to him. Rabbit sits upon a naturally colored wooden hemisphere which is detailed with a decorative groove around its perimeter. The wooden base is really heavy and shows little wear. Rockin' rabbit retains its tiny long trailing "F" button in ear as his Steiff ID. This novelty was made in velvet in 12 and 17 cm from 1901-1917 overall.

Given its popularity, the number of items using this basic "heavy bottomed" pattern multiplied like jackrabbits in the Steiff line starting in the late 19th century. It first appeared in felt as early as 1892 and was produced over time in white, spotted white (like this tumbler), grey, black, or brown in sizes ranging from 10 to 28 cm. It was made in a number of other materials, including velvet, short pile plush, wool plush, or mohair through the end of World War I. Some came with a basket on their backs (perhaps to resemble the Easter Rabbit?), and a few of the smallest velvet versions were produced as pincushions or rattles.

This very vertical design was also perfect to mount on the tops of wooden skittles. Steiff made rabbit skittles in both felt and velvet. Sets for the American market featured 10 pins while those for the European market had 9. These sets consisted of 8 or 9 begging rabbits and one rabbit king pin dressed in a red felt top coat and crown. All were mounted on wooden plinths with the king pin on a slightly higher platform. Felt sets appeared from 1892-1912 and the velvet ones from 1901-1916. The picture on the left is from James D. Julia; this set sold for $7,110 in 2014.

Given the history and longevity of this early begging rabbit pattern, it is not terribly unusual to find examples that never had a button as they were produced around 1904 or earlier. As most collectors are aware, Steiff debuted its now ubiquitous branding in 1904 with their "elephant" style button.

This basic bunny pattern is also a best seller for another important reason. He also represents one of Steiff's earliest, and most important licensing agreements - that of "Peter Rabbit!" in 1902, Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit became a worldwide sensation due to its simple, universal story and beautiful illustrations. Ms. Potter created a little Peter Rabbit doll and registered it in the London patent office. Despite numerous attempts, she could not find a manufacturer in England to produce her toy. Steiff got wind of this, and soon became the producer of the "official" Peter Rabbit doll for the English market. The company took their basic rabbit pattern and added a felt topcoat and slippers to his design. Steiff's Peter Rabbit appeared in the company's product line in velvet or wool plush in sizes ranging from 10 to 28 cm from about 1904-1919 overall. Today, an early and all original Steiff Peter Rabbit can easily generate big four figures at auction.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this great tumbling rabbit has been a windfall for you.

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more!

Mouth agape! That was exactly Steiffgal's reaction when this turn-of-last-century rarity finally made its way into her Steiff collection. Like every Steiff enthusiast, Steiffgal also has a wish list, and this terrific Tom had been on it forever - until now! Check out this cover boy (really - and more about that later!) and see what makes this fantastic feline so interesting from the historical and design perspectives.

They say orange is the new black, but sometimes being old is in vogue, too! Here on the left is Steiff's original Tom Cat in the smallest sized produced. He is standing, unjointed, and made from jet black velvet. Measured vertically, he's 8 cm from the top of his head to his toes and 10 cm from the top of his tush to his toes. His thin, almost straight tail measures 8 cm long and .5 cm wide - and even more astonishingly - it is stuffed with excelsior! How did they do that, given its scale and configuration? Tom Cat wears his original silken bow and bell. This pattern was produced in 10, 14, and 17 cm from 1903 through 1919 in black velvet, and in 14 and 17 cm in white velvet from 1906 through 1908. This example retains his original blank button, dating his production to around 1905 or 1906.

Face it, you can't look away from Tom Cat's distinctive head design and construction. He comes to life with tiny, triangular shaped ears, black seed bead eyes backed in yellow felt, and an open, pink felt lined mouth. The lining is held in place with tiny pinkish-tan colored stitches - perhaps to resemble teeth? You can see where the seamstress tied the knot of pinkish-tan thread for these stitches on the cat's chin area. This is a tiny but interesting detail; it is not unusual to see an embroidery thread knot on the face of an early Steiff bear or animal. Tom Cat also retains a number of his clear, monofilament whiskers. One could say he has a face only a (Steiff) mother could love! You can see all of these delicate details on the photo trio above.

This Tom Cat is truly a headliner - from both aesthetic and well as historical angles. This petite treat was featured in an important photograph from the company's 1904/04 product line catalog. But what's so special about that? It's the same picture that debuted PB55... the world's first jointed Teddy bear! Timing is everything, eh? A snapshot of this catalog page is shown here on the left; you can spot the arched back Tom Cat a little to the right of center standing on top of a donkey on wheels. Given the scale of the items in the image, it is Steiffgal's best guess that the Tom Cat pictured is the 17 cm version. What you can't see on the photo is the cat's intricate mouth construction, but you can make out his bow and bell. This picture is from the Cieslik's Button in Ear The History of the Teddy Bear and His Friends reference book, published in 1989.

Now let's paws and look at the details noted on the photo. According to the hand written notes along the bottom of the page, these original black velvet Tom Cats were 14.40 Deutchmark per twelve. That is VERY ROUGHLY equivalent to $0.30 each in 1903. This translates to approximately $8.59 in today's US dollars, given inflation and other financial and economic factors.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion of this rare Tom Cat has left you on your toes for your next great find!

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more!

Looks can be deceiving! This sweet vintage Steiff bear looks sad or thoughtful, but he's actually just trying to tug at your heartstrings. At least that's what Steiffgal thinks! This petite prince joined Steiffgal's hug over the summer, and she couldn't be happier about it! Let's take a look at his history and design and see what makes him so interesting from the collector's perspective.

What we have here is a smaller scaled Steiff Dicky bear. He measures 23 cm standing and is fully jointed. His body is made from blonde mohair and his muzzle is made from white mohair. His dear face comes to life with brown and black glass pupil eyes and a black hand embroidered nose and mouth. His mouth is somewhat asymmetrical, adding to his appeal and personality. Unlike the majority of Dicky bears, this particular example has plain tan colored felt paw pads and not stencilled velvet ones.

Dicky was produced in blond, white, and brown in a wide range of sizes. All were five ways jointed and had the same distinctively shaped and constructed muzzle. His pattern was specifically designed to be as cost, labor, and material efficient as possible, given that he was launched during a period of economic depression and widespread unemployment in Germany. The blond and white versions were mohair and were made in 15, 29, 23, 25, 30, 32, 35, 43, 45, 50, 65, and 75 cm (measured standing) from 1930 to 1937 overall. A dark brown wool plush version was made in 25, 32, and 43 cm (measured standing) from 1935 thorough 1941. This particular Dickie has a long trailing "f" button and tiny traces of a red ear tag, dating him to the beginning of this production timeline.

One thing that has always been interesting to Steiffgal about this pattern is its name. Some of Steiff's bears and animals started having "endearing" names in the 1920's. Before that, most things were just cataloged as their species or breed. For example, Petsy the Baby Bear, Molly the Puppy, Bully the Bulldog, and and Charly the King Charles Spaniel all debuted during the "roaring '20s." A quick search of the most popular German boy names in 1930 reveals that "Richard" was the 50th most common of the year. So chances are, this bear was not named for popular cultural appeal. Steiffgal wonders if perchance he was named endearingly for Richard Steiff, the genius who invented the fully jointed Teddy bear as we know him today, for Steiff around 1903? Naming a model for a member of the Steiff family is not without precedence; it is thought that the company's adorable Susi cat, introduced in 1936, was also named for a Steiff family relative. Only Dickie knows for sure!

It's also a clothes call with Dicky's new wardrobe. As pictured above, Dicky arrived from overseas naked, and clearly had been someone's best friend for a number of years - given his somewhat "threadbear" presentation! Sometimes, if this is the case, it is a good idea to give a new vintage friend some protective clothing. As such, Steiffgal's sister jumped into action and handmade this sweet boy his trousers, red t-shirt, and grey sweater. Notice how the button on his cardigan matches the mushroom design on his pants! Isn't he stylin'? A shout-out to Steiff Sis for such a great job.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this pensive Dicky has been thought provoking for you.

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more!

What's on your Steiff bucket list? For the longest time, Steiffgal dreamed of adopting a Studio Jocko chimp. She had seen a few in photographs and immediately fell in love with their scale, playful looks, and charming personalities. Whenever Steiffgal asked her what she wanted for a birthday, anniversary, or holiday gift, she would jokingly exclaim, "a Studio Jocko!" Well, be careful what you wish for... because wishes - especially Steiff wishes - can come true. Please meet Studio Jocko, Steiffgal's new beloved Steiff pal. Here he is pictured on the left, relaxing on the couch with a few relatives.

It's easy to go bananas over this great ape. He stands 150 cm tall (5 feet) and is head and arm jointed. He is made of really long, chocolate brown mohair. His face, feet, ears, and hands are made from tan felt and are detailed with light airbrushing to give them additional dimension and depth. He has typical Jocko chimp detailing, like pert eyes set into eye pockets, a white mohair chin, and an open, smiling mouth - albeit on a huge scale. Jocko has an internal rod metal skeleton for stability, and he stands on two flat feet. He is solidly stuffed with excelsior, which must have taken several strong men weeks if not months to complete. According to the Sortiment book, this big boy was produced in this size only in 1960 and 1967. Here on the left is the Steiff Display Animal catalog page from 1967 featuring him.

Now let's take a brief "guided tour" of Jocko.

As you can see, he really is a very big dude indeed. Here he is pictured with Steiffgal. Just for reference, Steiffgal is 5'5". It is Steiffgal's best estimate that if indeed he were real and made from muscle and bone, his girth and proportions would put him between 300-400 pounds. He actually weighs about 25 pounds.

His handsome, proportionally large face is simply irresistible - and always smiling! It measures 22 inches from his chin to the top of his head, and 20 inches ear to ear.

Here is a close up of his dimensional and very lifelike ear. You can see the smallest 4 inch Jocko resting on it so you get an idea of its scale. Big Jocko's ears measure 5.5 inches high each.

And here is a close up of his hand. Again, the smallest Jocko helps to put his size in context. His hands measure about 8 inches long and 9 inches wide.

Jocko has flat felt feet to help him stand (with a little help.) They measure 14 inches long and 8 inches wide.

As you can see, Jocko is extremely photogenic. If you are in the Maryland area on September 28th and 29th, 2018, Jumbo Jocko and Steiffgal will be attending the United Federation of Doll Clubs (UFDC) Region 11 conference in Towson, MD. We will be manning a Steiff table in the salesroom with lots of Steiff temptations for doll and Steiff collectors alike. Jocko looks forward to meeting as many Steiff fans as possible at this great event, and is available for once-in-a-lifetime selfies. Click here for more information on this UFDC celebration.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on her Studio Jocko has been a larger than life experience for you.

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more!

Mark Twain once wrote, “The dog is a gentleman; I hope to go to his heaven not man’s.” And who could disagree? No company can match Steiff's attention to detail, quality, and appeal when it comes to our favorite canines. Next to Teddy bears, dogs have always been Steiff's most beloved and popular editions.

Steiff's pre-war dogs on wheels could easily be considered the best of all worlds. These endearing, softly proportioned pets are adorable on their own, as well as the perfect pals for turn of last century dolls. Their wheels give them a distinctly playful - and old fashioned - appearance. So Steiffgal was more than delighted to learn of a very large - perhaps lifesized - 1920s era Steiff Molly on the go! This particular Molly on wheels is scaled to be either a large pull toy, or a small riding animal for a toddler.

This Steiff pretty puppy is the wheel-deal indeed. She is standing, unjointed, and 35 cm tall. She is made from very long tipped tan mohair which has faded overall to a vanilla color over time, but is still very lush and full. Her floppy ears are "folded over" as they have been since her launch in the mid-1920's. She has oversized brown and black pupil eyes and a black hand embroidered nose and mouth. She rides upon four red wooden wheels. Molly on wheels was made in 28 and 35 cm from 1927-1943 overall. This example was made in the earliest part of that time frame, given that she retains her long trailing "f" button and traces of her red ear tag, as pictured here.

Steiff's Molly the Puppy is a very important design for three key reason.

1. First, she is one of the very few Steiff dogs that doesn’t have a “breed” associated with her. For example, Terry is the Steiff Airedale, Foxy is the Steiff Fox Terrier, and Snobby is the Steiff Poodle. This model is simply known as Molly the Puppy.

2. Second, her 1925 introduction was so successful that she can be credited for opening the floodgates to a huge influx of Steiff dog designs. Between 1925 and 1938, close to 40 new canine species were noted in the Steiff catalogs after her debut. These included the now classic Bully Bulldog, Arco the German Shepherd, and Peky the Pekinese, as well as some lesser-known designs including Cheerio, the laughing dog, Putzi, a caricatured standing dog, and Lord the Great Dane.

3. And third, she was a prime source of highly successful “theme and variation” product launches. Through the early 1940s, Molly appeared sitting and standing and in numerous color combinations, including red and white, green and white, and blue and white. She appeared as a puppet, purse, pincushion, music box, and Charleston animal, among other items. Smaller versions appeared standing on eccentric wheels, while larger ones, like the example under discussion today, appeared on centered wheels. Steiff used her basic appealing, endearing “young dog” pattern on other lesser known dogs of the 1920s and 1930s, including Trolly (a white, yellow, and brown St. Bernhard puppy), Flock (a blonde and white puppy), Zotty (a white puppy) and Fellow (a black and white puppy). A picture of Fellow and Molly are featured here on the left, the photo is from Theriaults.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's prewar Molly the Puppy on wheels has been more fun than a joyride for you!

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more!

"Welcome to our world of toys!" When you think of those words, what comes to mind? F.A.O. Schwarz, of course! And the good news is that all Steiff, doll, and toy collectors will soon have the opportunity to hear that delightful tune again, as the store reopens for business on November 16th, 2018 in Rockefeller Center in New York City. It's the update we've all be waiting for, after tearfully saying goodbye to this world-class institution for what we all thought was forever in 2015. Do whatever you have to do... walk, take a car, bus, train, plane, or the subway to visit the new store when it debuts soon. Steiffgal is certain that you will experience "The Return to Wonder" the store promises! (The photo of a mini "pop up" F.A.O. Schwarz store shown above is from www.cnbc.com.)

As part of this grand opening celebration, Steiffgal (and her collection) had the pleasure of contributing to a short film that will be shown as part of the store's debut in a few weeks. The movie focuses on the remarkable legacy of the F.A.O. Schwarz company and the instrumental role the Schwarz family had in the world economy and business community from the mid-1800s onward. Here is a behind-the-scenes look at how a very long day of filming here at Steiffgal's house will help bring parts of that story to life.

After a week of frenetic planning, the crew from the Ewers Brothers film production company arrived on location around 9am. The team included a director, a producer, an assistant producer, a cinematographer, and an assistant cinematographer. All were fantastic, extremely professional, respectful of the collection and house, and just plain fun to be around. The team brought an enormous amount of movie-making items in hard cases, tubes, suitcases, rolls, and just about any packing case you can imagine. As the parking and traffic was crazy in Steiffgal's neighborhood at this time, load-in was a little complicated logistically, but everyone was in good humor and this task was accomplished within 30 minutes or so. Given the amount of materials they brought, these items took over much of Steiffgal's first floor, including the kitchen!

Next, the crew toured the house to find the best place to "set up camp" for the interview sessions. They needed an area with an interesting background, the right light, and enough space to arrange what seemed like an infinite amount of technologies, a huge camera, multiple screens, and other filming apparatus. It was decided that this would take place in Steiffgal's living room, which is also the largest room in the house. Within an hour, this usually quiet space (which just that morning was where Steiffgal and family enjoyed a low-keyed breakfast and coffee) was transformed into what looked like an international broadcasting booth!

An important part of putting together a film like this is the inclusion of old photos, letters, catalogs, and other ephemeral things to round out the story and to ground it in history. Steiffgal, with the help of the Schwarz family and some wonderful and generous toy-colleagues, pulled together a table full of these items expressly for this purpose. The film team brought along an electronic scanner. The assistant producer studied these historical documents and scanned the ones that would be relevant and helpful to the project. It took her practically the entire day to complete this herculean task.

The main interview set took about two hours to arrange and finalize. This time was spent adjusting light levels, angles, volumes, noise controls, and other factors that all come together to make the ideal venue. Steiffgal was surprised when simple black metal chairs from her porch were selected as the interview seats, not the couch as she anticipated. All in all, the set from the interviewee's perspective consisted of two chairs facing each other, about two feet apart. The camera was behind one of the chairs. The person being interviewed faced the camera; the interviewer sat in the other chair and never appeared on camera. There were various lights, screens, and other apparatus all within that very small space. The producer held a device about the size of a tablet that allowed her to view what the camera saw and make adjustments as needed.

Overall, the crew interviewed three people during the day - two members of the F.A.O. Schwarz family and Steiffgal. Each interview took about an hour and was casual and very conversational. The interviewer had carefully prepared a slate of general questions for everyone, as well as specific questions per person. For example, family members were asked about their memories of the store and their relatives, what it was like to "grow up Schwarz," and the role of toys and play in their lives. Steiffgal was asked what the store means to collectors, why F.A.O. Schwarz editions are coveted even today, the role of the catalog, and all about Steiff's life-sized animals that are practically synonymous with the store. Because of street sounds and sirens, filming was occasionally put on hold until these noises passed. But for the most part, the hour long interview just flew by, and the interviewer did a masterful job at developing rapport and making his interviewees feel as comfortable - and sound as articulate - as possible! And, in case you were wondering, Steiffgal did indeed hold a special and meaningful Steiff animal in her arms during filming. So stay tuned about that!

Once the interviews were completed, the crew again rearranged the house for shooting "B" roll. These are shots or images that are used in the film between segments or as transitional visuals. It took at least another hour to set up the cameras and lights for this. The camera was positioned on a multi-wheeled dolly and could be fluidly and evenly moved to film panoramic images of the collection. The team was interested in capturing the size, scale, and variety of the studio pieces, as well as the beauty and range of Steiff animals that appeared on the shelves of F.A.O. Schwarz over the years. Steiffgal was delighted that Jocko chimps of all sizes and shapes, as well as a number of other collector's favorites, were prominently featured in the "B" roll shots. Here on the left you can see cinematographer Chris Ewers preparing a few familiar Steiff faces for filming.

The crew's final shooting location was the second floor of the house, including Steiffgal's study and her stairway landing, where a few cases of Steiff are on display. Many of the items from these areas have provenance to F.A.O Schwarz so it was important that these treasures were included in the filming. All of the movie making apparatus used for the "B" roll was brought into these small spaces and there was hardly any room to stand! But the crew did a masterful job in working around the limited footprint and truly brought the collection to life under their magic touch.

The full day of shooting wrapped up around 7pm. Everyone felt great about the quality and quantity of footage generated. The team quickly packed, bundled, and cased up all of their filmmaking tools and loaded up their vehicles. They also helped to reconfigure the house back to its original condition. Hugs and high fives were exchanged. Once the team left Steiffgal's home, there was no physical trace of the extraordinary things that had occurred in the space that day. But you can best believe that the wonderful memories of this once-in-a-lifetime experience will last forever!

Steiffgal's hopes that you enjoyed this sneak peak into some of the preparations going into the relaunch of the world's most favorite and beloved toy store in November, 2018. Steiffgal extends a huge thank you to the Ewers Brothers team for a job well done, and cannot recommend them highly enough for their professionalism, insight, humor, and just plain wonderfulness! Director Erik Ewers (here on the left, under the supervision of a Steiff Moorland sheep) and crew have recently completed a documentary on the Mayo Clinic, airing on PBS. You can read more about that by clicking here. For more information on F.A.O. Schwarz, please follow all the happenings and excitement at www.faoschwarz.com. Once this movie has been completed and launched, Steiffgal will share the link and post a copy here on the blog.

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more!

When you were a kid, what was your favorite Halloween score? For Steiffgal, it was Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. How times have changed! Today, a REAL hair-raising treat would be a palm sized Steiff goodie in a Halloween pail, wouldn't you agree? So, to celebrate this spooky season in a more grownup fashion, here are a few orange hued "snack sized" treats to satisfy your Steiff sweet tooth. (Please click on any photo to enlarge it for viewing and study.)

It's hard to outfox this teeny tiny Steiff woolen miniature Pitty fox. He is sitting, measures 5 cm, and is made from orange and white woolen threads. His face comes to life with an itty-bitty black bead nose and eyes and felt ears. Steiff's woolen miniatures are often head jointed, but Steiffgal is not sure if this is the case here as he remains in his original cardboard and plastic packaging. Steiff created a series of ten Pitty woolen miniature animals in the 1977 through 1981 time frame; all were distributed in similar bubble style packaging. It is Steiffgal's best guess is that this is the case so they could be merchandised and sold off of a standard counter rack.

Steiffgal's also nuts over this woolen miniature squirrel. She is also from the "Pitty" line. She is begging, measures 5 cm, and is made from orange woolen threads. She has a peach colored base and hands, orange felt ears, and a black button nose and eyes. Like Pitty fox, it is not clear if she is head jointed or not. On the back of her cardboard packaging, she has a white paper price tag from Saks Fifth Avenue. It notes that she costs $5. Adjusted for inflation, $5.00 in 1980 is equal to $16.07 in 2018. Pitty squirrel certainly packs alot of personality into a very small presentation!

This next happy handful is a late 1920s-era Steiff Charly King Charles Spaniel dog. He has distinctive orange mohair highlights on his ears, backside, and tail. Most of Steiff's Charly dogs were produced with brown mohair highlights, so this one is a little more unusual. Charly is sitting and head jointed. He has extremely long fuzzy ears; large, childlike brown and black-pupil eyes; a very detailed facial seam structure; and a prominent tail. Steiff made this Charly pattern both sitting (10, 14, 17, 22, 25, 30, and 35 cm) and standing (7, 10, 12, 14, 17, 22, 25, and 36 cm) through 1939.

Charly likes to troop the colors with this similarly hued Bully the Bulldog. This white and orange mohair pup is 10 cm, sitting, head jointed, and made from orange and white mohair. Orange and white Bully dogs are a little rarer than black and white Bully dogs as they were in the line for fewer years. Bully's face and muzzle area are tan velvet. He has very large brown and black glass pupil eyes and a black, hand-embroidered nose. Most remarkably, Bully retains his original and traditional horsehair collar. This is made from a long, thin strip of material which is doubled over width-wise; the horsehair fibers are sewn in between the faces of the material. The horsehair collar was a typical pre-war accessory and indicated a "regal" nature of the item wearing it. Bully was made in velvet and mohair, as well as sitting and standing, in sizes ranging from 10 to 50 cm in the 1927 through 1937 time frame overall.

And this discussion would be unbearable without a cub representative in the mix. Here we have a 6 cm Teddy Baby Replica 1930. He is technically cataloged as "maize" in color to reflect his corn colored hue. This tiny Ted is fully jointed and has all the traditional Teddy Baby characteristics - including downturned wrists, flat feet made for standing, and a charming, youthful face - albeit on a super small scale. Maize Teddy Baby appeared in the line from 1998 through 2001.

Steiffgal hopes you found this discussion of tiny orange treasures all treats and no tricks.

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more!

What could be more exciting and interesting than an ENTIRE museum dedicated to Teddy bears? How about one located in a gorgeous and historical villa in Denmark? Just the thought of such a destination gets most cub collectors scrambling to find their passports! Steiffgal recently had the pleasure of speaking to Laura Beatrice Ricks, who has the dream job of being the General Manager of the Teddy Bear Art Museum in Billund, Denmark. This museum (pictured above) opened in May of 2018 and is already capturing the eyes - and the hearts - of Teddy bear enthusiasts worldwide. Come learn what she had to say about this destination that needs to be on the to-do list of every bear fan.

Steiffgal: Thank you for taking the time to speak with the MySteiffLife readers today. Could you please tell us why you decided to create a museum based on Teddy bears and art.

Laura Beatrice Ricks: For us, it was important to show that a Teddy bear is not just a toy, but a work of art. Our name "Teddy Bear Art Museum" is to emphasize this. Just as a blank canvas can become a painter’s masterpiece so too can a length of mohair and some sewing thread become a one of a kind Teddy bear. Every one of the Museum’s 1,000 exhibits has a special expression and look, backing up the idea of art.

Steiffgal: Tell us the relationship between the museum and Lego.

LBR: Teddy Bear Art Museum is owned by Gunhild Kirk Johansen and her husband, Mogens. Gunhild was a child in the house where the Museum is now situated, built in 1959. Gunhild’s grandfather, Ole Kirk Christiansen, founded LEGO. Her father, Godtfred Kirk Christiansen, made LEGO the success it is today. Gunhild’s younger brother, Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, continued the good work and is Chairman of the Board at LEGO. The small town of Billund would be nothing without this entrepreneurial and hard-working family who have made it the Capital of Children and a wonderful place to visit, particularly with children. Although this house was previously a private home, it is very spacious as in the early days of LEGO Billund did not have any hotels which meant that guests were able to stay the night in the family villa.

Steiffgal: Tell us about your typical visitors.

LBR: The typical visitor is a woman from 50 years old and up. Luckily, we also have many children with their parents or grandchildren. Billund has a large international airport (Denmark’s 2nd biggest airport after Copenhagen – and again, thanks to the LEGO family who founded the airport). This means we have many visitors from abroad.

Steiffgal: Many museums now include significant activities and attractions specifically for children. Is this true at your museum, and if so, what are you doing for children?

LBR: We consider children to be a very important part of a museum. If children do not visit museums then they may not come as adults either. Our child-focused programing and activities include:

1. A number of large, cuddly Teddy bears for children to play with dotted around the Museum.

2. Several different versions of treasure hunts for children, and the children do not need to be able to read to enjoy these adventures.

3. A wall display with a magnetic, dress-up Muffy VanderBear.

4. A table in our Teddy Bear Café with drawing materials and bear books, Paddington, as well as Muffy bears they can dress.

5. During school holidays, we arrange Teddy bear-related courses for children. These are designed for children aged 7 and up and include painting stones with Teddy bears, sewing felt Teddy bears, and making brooches of silk clay, among others.

6. We have 30 minute “pop in“ workshops where a child visiting the Museum can make a small project.

7. We have had one “Night at the Teddy Bear Museum” event when 12 children spent the night in the VanderBear exhibition. We made Teddy bear shaped pizzas and craft projects and then slept with 1,000 Teddy bears. The children all brought their own Teddy bears to the event. It was a huge success.

Steiffgal: Where do most of the bears on display come from? Were they part of the owner’s original collection, or were they purchased specifically for the museum, or something else?

LBR: We have two main permanent collection from approximately 14 countries: Johnny and Gitte Pinholt Thorsen’s eclectic collection of one of a kind Teddy bears and the Museum’s owner, Gunhild Kirk Johansen’s collection of the VanderBear family and one of a kind Teddy bears. The collections predate the Museum as private collections.

Steiffgal: How is it decided what specific bears will be on exhibit in the museum?

LBR: Gitte Thorsen, the Museum’s Design Master and Curator, selects the Teddy bears. We have bears produced by commercial makers, bears made by artists, and of course, the original and historic Alfonzo from Steiff - the Prince of our museum!

Steiffgal: How often do you create special exhibits, and how often do you update your exhibits?

LBR: The first special exhibition is on display from our opening in May until December 2018. Our guest exhibition with Paddington is also on display from May-December 2018. We are closed in January and re-open in February, 2019 with a new exhibition on Steiff.

Steiffgal: Tell us more about this upcoming special exhibition on Steiff bears. Will you have a party to launch this new display?

LBR: It is an exclusive Steiff exhibition with items from Steiff’s archives in Giengen, Germany and includes bears and animals. The Museum’s oldest bear is Peachy, a Steiff bear from 1905-1907. He is pictured here on the left. Steiff is kindly lending the Museum articles from their collection. And yes, the Museum will hold a party to open the new exhibition!

Steiffgal: If an artist has a bear that they would like the museum to show or have, or if a collector has a very unusual bear they would like the museum to show or have, does the museum take these sorts of offers?

LBR: We have received a number of donations of special Teddy bears. We regularly purchase artist bears. We also purchased Steiff’s Alfonzo from Teddy Bears of Witney after Ian Pout contacted us about this. He was keen to provide Alfonzo with a good new home where he would be on display rather than disappearing in a private collection. As the mother of Alfonzo’s original owner, Princess Xenia, was Princess Maria of Greece and Denmark, the world-famous Teddy bear already had a Danish connection. She is pictured here on the left.

Steiffgal: And finally, if collectors are not able to make the journey to your museum, but want to visit or follow it virtually, how can they do that?

LBR: We have a virtual link around the Museum kindly filmed by our friend and associate Sebastian Marqvardt. Please click on this link to view this tour. You can also learn more on our website Homepage, Facebook and Instagram pages, and our Newsletter.

Steiffgal: Thank you so much for your time and for sharing all of this exciting news and information about the museum. Please keep us posted on the February, 2019 Steiff exhibit - we'd love to see photos from it and learn about some of the featured Steiff highlights!

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more!

It's easy to have a ball with Steiff! Especially when it comes to the company's tiny and wonderful "baby balltier" or ball animals designed for babies. Steiffgal recently had the pleasure of adding one of these bitty bunnies to her Steiff hug. Check out what makes these unusual novelties so interesting from the historical and product development perspectives.

Rounding things out, this adorable, 9 cm tall bunny is head jointed and made from tan colored mohair. His body is a simple, round form about the size of an apricot. His head is about the size of a ping-pong ball and is detailed with black and brown glass pupil eyes and a simple, red hand embroidered nose and mouth. His ears are made from felt. Rabbit's two front limbs and little tail are all made from tan colored woolen pom-poms. His clear monofilament whiskers have unfortunately been lost to time. This ball rabbit pattern was made from 1934 through 1943. This excellent example has a long trailing "F" button, dating him to the earlier part of this time frame.

Steiff also produced a larger 15 cm version of this bouncing bundle of joy from 1932 through 1942. This bigger bunny featured dimensional mohair ears and limbs as well as a rubberized, pastel colored ribbon band so he could be used as a "toss and catch" toy or perhaps even as a pram toy. This ribbon feature is so ephemeral that Steiffgal has never actually seen one in person. The 15 cm version of this novelty is pictured here on the left; the photo is from Pfeiffer's Steiff 1892-1943 Sortiment.

Steiff rolled out a series of teeny-tiny ball animals starting in the early 1930s. This would prove to be a challenging decade for the company. Germany entered a period of economic depression and widespread unemployment in 1929. At the same time, growing overseas sentiment began negatively impacting Steiff's export markets. As a result, Steiff's product development strategy included focusing on creating a range of lower-tier (i.e. affordable and efficient to produce) products for their domestic market to keep their toymaking business viable. It is interesting to note that the company's inexpensive, palm sized woolen miniature animals (including numerous rabbits in various body positions) also debuted around this same time.

Coming full circle, Steiff produced about eight types of ball style animals overall. These were all based on simplified patterns of the company's most popular designs of the time. In addition to the rabbits discussed above, the collection also included Teddy bears, elephants, ducks, cats, lions, a Chin-Chin dog, and a Molly the Puppy. What's amazing about these items is that any survived at all given they were made to fit in the palm of a child's hand and designed as toys for youngsters! Here on the left you can see the page from the 1938 Steiff catalog featuring an assortment of these well-rounded items.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on these charming Steiff baby toys has put you in a playful mood indeed.

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more!

Reunited, and it feels so good! Childhood and Steiff often go hand in hand, so it is always a sweet treat to come across a old button-in-ear friend from long ago. This just happened to a new friend from across the pond, who asks about her blue-eyed beauty. Vicki from the UK writes...

"Hi, I recently found my childhood toy in my dad's under stair cupboard. She is what appears to me to be a leopard I have attached a photo of front and back. She's a hand puppet with a stuffed head with a solid finger hole in her head (difficult to describe) the button is in her ear with some yellow fabric still present although ragged. She has blue glassy eyes and whiskers. I would like to know if you can tell me the age as I can't find anything similar when I search online just cats but she's not tabby. Thanks for your help. I'm from Hertfordshire. She has no claw stitches but her nose is sewn with pink thread. Inside the fabric is very rough but I'm guessing it's mohair (I wasn't sure if real fur?) I've had her since I was little and I'm 38."

Well, isn't this the cat's meow? What we have here is not actually a leopard but a kitty, although the two probably share alot of the same feline DNA in real life. Steiff has named her "Hand Minka Cat." This oversized puppet measures about 30 cm tall and is made from white and patterned woven fur. Her head is stuffed with soft foam, which has a tendency to break down over time. Her face comes alive with a pronounced white muzzle, oversized blue and black pupil eyes, a pink nose, and dark whiskers. She left the factory wearing a red ribbon. Minka Cat appeared in the line in this size and color combination only from 1978 to 1984. Given Vicki was born in 1980, her ownership timeline corresponds perfectly to the production era of this puppet.

Puppets are legacy novelties for Steiff, and a cat puppet has been in the line since about 1912. As for Vicki's particular cat puppet, it is part of a series of larger, all woven fur puppets from 1978. These included a bear, rabbit, dog, owl, donkey, penguin, and this cat. All were 30 cm in size and had charming, childlike presentations to them. They were more soft and silly than serious - and clearly designed for play.

The 1970's were a challenging time at Steiff in terms of production and costs, as the competition with products from Japan really disrupted the toy marketplace. The year after Minka debuted, in 1979, Steiff launched its "Hand Cat" puppet, which was 27 cm in size and had a blue trevira velvet body. Only its head and paws were made from patterned plush. His only "detail" was small white felt collar. All of these updates to the pattern were probably done for the purpose of making a smaller, cheaper, more efficient-to-produce cat puppet for the line. Hand Cat appeared though 1983. You can see this Hand Cat puppet here on the left; the picture is from Pfeiffer's 1947-2003 Sortiment.

Like a cat with nine lives, it is interesting to note that in 1984, Steiff re-engineered its trevira bodied Hand Cat puppet - again. It now featured an even simpler face, which saved on labor costs, and was made in a much more basic grey plush fabric, which saved on material costs. This model appeared in the line from 1984 through 1992 overall. You can see this cat - and other soft plush puppets on offer at the time - pictured here on the left; the photo is from Steiff's "Steiff Collection 1992" customer catalog.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Vicki's cat puppet has been a happy handful for you.

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more!

Is it possible for most Steiff collectors to catalog their interest in the brand? Probably not... but thankfully there are publications that can at least capture some of our Steiff wishes and dreams! Steiffgal just got her hands on one fine example of this - the catalog from the upcoming Special Auction Services (SAS) sale featuring Teddy bears and soft toys. This event, to be held on Tuesday November 27th in London, features almost 600 lots of delightful modern to antique temptations. There is truly something for every Steiff and soft plush enthusiast at this important auction. Here are three Steiff lots that caught Steiffgal's eye - and why!

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. This pretty much sums up this first highlight pick, and NO, it has nothing to do with a wedding. Here we have lot #260, which is cataloged as, "A Steiff limited edition Beatrix Potter Peter Rabbit 100 Years Anniversary Edition, 2922 for the year 2002, in original box with tag certificate." This modern day Peter Rabbit is estimated at 50 - 80 GBP, which equals about $62 - 104.

What's not to love about this happy hopper? Peter Rabbit is a legacy pattern for Steiff, and was one of the company's earliest licensed characters from literature, culture, or the arts. (For more about that, please click here.) This modern edition incorporates the best of the old - blue jacket and slippers - and the new - a felt carrot and a distinctly impish presentation - elements associated with this beloved fictional character. And, for friends outside of London, did you know that Peter is also the "Money Bunny?" He and other Beatrix Potter pals are featured on a series of 50 pence coins created in 2016 and 2017 for the United Kingdom. Steiffgal had the pleasure of discovering one of these coins in a handful of change she received for a transaction made during a recent trip to London.

Tag, you're it with this second selection. Here we have lot #436, an adorable Steiff Jackie bear in the smallest size made. She is cataloged as, "A rare Steiff Jackie Jubilee Teddy Bear 1953, With beige mohair, brown and black glass eyes, brown stitched nose, mouth and claws, cream stitched highlight to nose, swivel head, jointed limbs with felt pads, inoperative squeaker, remains of US Zone tag in arm seam, original pink ribbon and large chest tag with Eulan shop stamp on reverse —6¾in. (17cm.) high (thinning spot to forehead) - Jackie was made in 1953 to celebrate 50 years of the Teddy Bear, stock number 5317 - 22,862 pieces were made in this size." This Steiff Jackie bear is estimated at 300 - 400 GBP, which equals about $383 - 511.

Collectors are universally tickled pink over this legacy Steiff pattern, with fine examples sometimes realizing big four figures at auction. A 35 cm version sold for €6,400 at the 2018 Steiff Sommer festival auction presented by Ladenburger Spielzeugauktion GmbH. What is particularly appealing about the one on offer at SAS is its impressive and large chest tag. Steiffgal has owned and handled a number of Jackie bears over time, but none retained this key form of identification. There is no Steiff collector on the planet who would say "no" to a Jackie retaining this impressive, and seemingly fleeting, ID. And of course, you can't but help notice this particular Jackie's endearing and pouty facial expression that exudes "take me home!" Steiffgals' current Jackie family is pictured here on the left; for more about Steiff's Jackie bears, please click here.

And we're really going to the dogs with this third and final auction favorite. Here we have lot #431, a prewar Steiff Sealyham pup made from artificial silk plush. She is cataloged as, "A fine Steiff Sealyham late 1930s-1940s, with light golden artificial silk plush, orange and black glass eyes, black stitched nose and mouth, white mohair muzzle, pink airbrushing to claws, around nose and eyes, swivel head, standing, red leather collar, STEIFF button with yellow cloth tag No.1614,0 and card tag on collar —8in. (20.5cm.) long." This Steiff Sealyham is estimated at 200 - 300 GBP, which equals about $255 - 383.

Artificial silk plush holds a soft spot in Steiffgal's heart. This material, used a few years before and after WWII, was a substitute for higher end, natural fabrics including wool plush, felt, alpaca, and mohair when these materials were not available or limited for toy making due to rationing or wartime priorities. Sometimes artificial silk plush was used for every element of the toy's construction. Other times, this wartime fabric was used on the vast majority of the body, with the small balance constructed out of mohair or felt highlights as is in the case of this dog. For the most part, artificial silk plush looks shiny, silky, and inviting for a very short time. It thins and looses its gloss and softness quickly even with light playwear. So finding a piece such as this canine - in lovely condition, with all IDs - happens once in a blue moon. And its form, that of a Sealyham, only adds to its appeal. Steiff has done a masterful job on the dog's muzzle, integrating just a touch of longer and slightly contrasting white mohair into the design. This attention to detail really brings the piece to life. A collection of art silk items is shown here above on the left; for more information on this interesting material please click here.

Steiffgal hopes that three's a charm when it comes to this SAS auction highlight tour! The sale will be held at SAS's Auction Room One, located 81 Greenham Business Park, Newbury, RG19 6HW on November 27th, 2018 starting at 10am. For more information, please see the SAS website, located at www.specialauctionservices.com.

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more.

Smile, and the world smiles with you. But sometimes with Steiff, a treasure does not have to be "bearing" a grin to make the world happy. Such is the case with this petite treat that Steiffgal recently added to her collection. Take a look at this happy handful and see what makes him so distinctive from the design and product development perspectives.

Oh baby! Steiff enthusiasts are certain to recognize this beloved pattern as that of Teddy baby. This version is about 17 cm tall, standing, fully jointed and made from chocolate brown mohair. His paw pads are made from tan felt. He has all the legacy Teddy baby features, including flat, cardboard lined feet designed for standing; downward curving paws; a prominent muzzle; and a delightful, childlike appearance. However, unlike most prewar Teddy baby bears 15 cm tall and larger, this one has a closed mouth - making him quite the rare bear indeed!

Let's give a shout out to this pensive pattern. Just for comparison, consider the following history. Steiff's beloved, open mouthed brown mohair Teddy babies were made prewar in 13 sizes ranging from 9 to 65 cm from 1930 - 1943 overall. Given the number of years and sizes produced, these appear with somewhat regularity on the secondary market. However, Steiff manufactured its brown mohair closed mouthed Teddy babies only in six sizes ranging from 15 to 45 cm from 1929 - 1931 overall. So simply based on the numbers, finding a Steiff prewar, closed mouth Teddy baby is sort of like hitting the lottery! Here on the left you can see three Steiff brown Teddy baby bears: the one on the left is the closed mouth version under discussion today, the one in the middle is an open mouthed version from the 1950s, and the one on the right is an open mouthed version from the 1930s.

It's always fun, and interesting, to think about why a pattern was produced for only a handful of years. Clearly, the closed mouth version was introduced with optimism, as shown in this leaflet from October, 1929. The picture is from Carsten Esser's Steiff Katalog 1920-1929. Although there is nothing exactly documented (at least that Steiffgal can find) about why the closed mouth pattern was discontinued so quickly, here are three possible reasons why.

The first, from the business/financial perspective, is that the open mouth version simply sold much better than the closed mouth version. Although the two are similar, the open mouth version appears sweeter and kinder than the closed mouth, more "pouty" version. This may have called to consumers' preferences, and pocketbooks, and the company simply "fished where the fish are."

The second, from the product development perspective, is that the open mouthed version might have better reflected the company's design priorities than did the closed mouth version. The general Teddy baby pattern was invented due to a late 1920's directive of Richard Steiff. He asked that the company develop products with "smiling faces that come alive." It is pretty clear that the open mouthed version is more "smile-ly" than the closed mouth version.

The third is a bit more esoteric. From the historical and public relations perspectives, it is possible that the open mouth version might have projected a kinder, more welcoming face for the company than did the more solemn, closed mouth version. This is important when you consider what was happening in Germany and the world at the time that the pattern launched. Germany entered a period of economic depression and widespread unemployment in 1929 while growing anti-German sentiment were starting to cripple Steiff's export markets. As such, the happy-go-lucky open mouthed Teddy baby was the perfect, joyful fit as the company's brand ambassador at a most challenging time.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on closed mouth Teddy baby bears has opened up new ways of thinking for you about this delightful legacy pattern.

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more.

This next Steiff find is one barn burner indeed! Check out this sweet farmyard friend that Steiffgal recently added to her Steiff herd. His adorable presentation and personality can't help but get your goat!

Here we have Steiff's late 1920s-era Ziege or goat. He is standing, unjointed, and made from tan mohair. He has brown airbrushed spots all over his body and back. His back legs are particularly shapely, with well defined bends in his "knees." He has a pert tail and large, almost triangular shaped ears. His face comes to life with green-teal and black glass slit pupil eyes (the same ones used on Steiff's felines of the same production era), black hand embroidered nostrils and mouth, and a touch of red highlighting on his snout. He has a non-working side squeaker in his belly. This great goat was made in 17, 22, and 28 cm from 1928-1932; this is the smallest, or 17 cm version.

Now let's bleat about Steiff's wonderful legacy of producing goats. They have appeared in the Steiff catalog in one form or another almost continuously since the very late 1800's. Like most of Steiff's output, the earliest were made from felt or early plush materials. The first mohair goat debuted in 1906, just three years after mohair became available on a commercial scale in 1903. These were fully jointed and produced in either white or white and black in four sizes ranging from 22 to 43 cm (measured vertically from head to toe.) Other models - including those on regular or eccentric wheels, pram and pull toys, tail moves head versions, and riding goats - appeared through the early 1940s. The company's most famous postwar model, Zicky, was introduced in 1952. He was made freestanding in 5 sizes ranging from 10 to 35 cm through 1972, as well as on eccentric wheels in 14 cm from 1953-1957 and lying down in 10 and 14 cm from 1954-1956.

Two prewar models that are certain to have collectors act the giddy goat are a handsome wool plush 28 cm model with prominent felt horns from 1938-1942 and a palm-sized woolen miniature goat which was made in 10 or 17 cm from 1935-1939. The woolen miniature version is pictured here on the left and the photo is from Gunther Pfeiffer's 1892-1943 Sortiment book. There's no mistaking his goat-like qualities, given his great eyes and perfectly proportioned ears. Isn't it amazing how many "goaty" details Steiff was able to squeeze into such a petite treat?

Taking a page from history, here on the left you can see how goats were presented in the 1929 Steiff catalog - including the one under discussion here today. It is interesting to note that they share real estate with the company's handsome tigers. This is because the catalog presents the range by series number, with tigers being 70 and goats being 74. Series numbers appear to have been assigned to the "type" or grouping an animal falls into, as well as where it may fall in alphabetical order. This playful picture is from Carsten Esser's Steiff Katalog 1920-1929. You can click on the photo to enlarge it for better viewing.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this beautiful pre-war Billy has helped you separate the sheep from the goats.

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Most collectors are all ears to learn more about a new Steiff find. So this one should get your nose twitching for sure! Check out this recent find from the recent London International Antique Doll, Teddy Bear, and Toy Fair. He's one hoppy handful indeed!

There's not a hare out of place with this sweet baby bunny. He measures 8 cm tall by 15 cm long. He is sitting, unjointed, and made from a soft white plush material called lamb's wool plush. This material has a short but "lumpy-bumpy" surface to it, like a real lamb. His ears are lined in pink velvet. His face comes to life with red felt backed black button eyes and a simple pink hand embroidered nose and mouth. He retains a few of his original clear mono filament whiskers. His red ribbon is perfect for him but not original; his original accessories included a light blue ribbon and a little bell. Rabbit retains his original long trailing 'f" button as his Steiff ID. He was produced in 8, 10, 12, 14, 17, and 22 cm from 1901-1924 overall.

Does this little guy have a familiar ring to him? Yes, for two reasons... one obvious, and one not so much.

The first is that his pattern is a legacy and very early one for Steiff. It was produced from the late 1800's onward in felt, velvet, and this lamb's wool plush. Like many of the company's initial designs, it is somewhat primitive (in the best way possible) with simple lines and a basic form.

The second is that this rabbit is actually also a rattle. He has a noisemaker placed within his torso; this makes a distinctly "tinkle-tinkle" sound when he is shaken about. Of course, this is music to Steiffgal's ears! Steiff sometimes produced the smallest, or almost smallest, versions of popular items from the first quarter of the 20th century as rattles. Steiffgal has handled rattle bears, squirrels, dogs, cats, and now this rabbit - all discovered by serendipity! As far as Steiffgal knows, there is no reference book that lists what Steiff animals were made as rattles. So always gently shake a small, early Steiff find - you just might find it holds a playful secret! The picture on the left is from Pfeiffer's Sortiment 1892-1943 and shows what this fun bun looked like when he left the factory in Germany a century or so ago.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this early rattle rabbit has you jumping for joy.

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more.

It's no secret that Steiffgal is completely bananas over Steiff's delightful and ever-happy Jocko the chimp. This marvelous monkey pattern has been in Steiff's catalog since 1909, and was given his “official” Steiff name, Jocko, in 1929. Over the years since his introduction, Jocko has been produced in sizes ranging from 10 cm to a whopping 150 cm, as well as a pull toy on wheels, a somersaulting chimp, a stringed marionette, a hand puppet and even a child’s handbag, among other treasured items.

Because the Jocko design has been around for more than a century, and its pattern is somewhat complex, it is not unusual to see slight variations on it over time. This may mean finding one in a color that is a little different from the standard brown or white versions, one is a fabric that is not traditional mohair, one that may have a distinctive expression or detailing, or even one in an unexpected size. Here are four of Steiffgal's favorite smaller first and second quarter 20th century Jockos; each one is special in his own way. All are 25 cm and fully jointed unless noted otherwise. Which of these fab four is your favorite?

1. Mystery Jocko
This first Jocko stands out aesthetically in several ways. First, Steiffgal has never seen his particular woolen fabric on any other Steiff item. It is very short, extremely dense, somewhat prickly, and an intense, lush brown - like dark chocolate or roasted coffee beans. Also unusual is his assembly; he has a slightly-to-the-left seam up his back shaped like the letter "J." Finally, his scale is chunky and his body is rather "V" shaped; broad shoulders tapering down to smallish hips. Traditional Jockos have more "H" shaped trunks from top to bottom. This peculiar primate retains his long trailing "f" Steiff button, very roughly dating him in the c. 1909 to 1936 time frame.

2. Work of Art Jocko
What makes this Jocko so eye catching is his amazing head detailing and coloration. His face is detailed with green and black glass pupil eyes set in eye pockets and a fuzzy white mohair chin. Jocko's face and ears truly come to life with delightful grey, pink, and black paint and airbrushing. He actually looks alive, and that he is making eye contact with you in real life! Work of Art Jocko has a distinctly innocent, childlike look to him that is rather precious and endearing. Prewar, Steiff made white Jockos in six sizes ranging from 10 to 25 cm from 1925 through 1943. Given his short trailing "f" button, Work of Art Jocko was most likely born in the late 1930s.

3. Oh Baby Jocko
This childlike chimp makes this exclusive list for his interesting ID - although his absolutely irresistible childlike expression is also a big plus! When Steiff resumed its toymaking business after the conclusion of WWII, most of its early production focused on pre-war best sellers. Of course, Jocko made this cut easily! Oh Baby Jocko has a very rare blank ear button as his ID, as well as a canvas "made in the US Zone" tag sewn into his leg seam. The company's early postwar blank buttons are quite rare and add tremendous collector and historical interest to any mid-century Steiff treasure. As suspected, Baby Jocko's IDs dates his departure from the Steiff factory around 1950, give or take a year or two.

4. Ginger Prince Jocko
Unlike the other special Jockos noted above, this future king of the jungle Jocko measures 15 cm tall. He has a short trailing "f" button, most likely dating him to the late 1930s. You can't help but notice his AMAZING orange mohair. His fabric is backed in a light orange color, while the mohair strands are a lovely, deep orange color. He has faded a touch, but it is clear that he was "born" a glorious and unique (at least to Jockos) color. It is possible that Ginger Prince Jocko is distantly "related" to another preferred primate, Steiff's Mimocculo Orangutan, as they are both made from brilliant orange mohair. However, given that Steiff produced their smaller, non-eye moving Mimocculos only through 1933, that Mimocculo had a more elaborate facial construction, and that Ginger Prince Jocko most likely dates from the late 1930s... the two are more likely second or third cousins than brothers in this case!

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on interesting 20th century Steiff Jockos has been more fun than a barrel of monkeys!

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more.

Just try and outfox this Steiff question. Name one of Steiff's most prolific dog breeds. For sure, the company's beloved Dachshunds, Bulldogs, and Boxers come to mind. Also less top of mind to some, but certainly ranking, would be the company's Fox Terriers. Fox Terriers have been around almost as long as the Steiff catalog, which debuted in 1892. Let's take a look at a most unusual pre-war example and see what makes him so interesting from the design and product development perspectives.

Pull up a seat and check out this sitting Strupp dog. He is 17 cm tall, made from white mohair, and is head jointed. He has a few black hand airbrushed spots on his body and back. Strupp has black hand embroidered claws on each of his paws. His earnest face comes to life with oversized black and brown glass pupil eyes, a black hand embroidered nose and mouth, and prominent, jet-black mohair ears. Sitting Strupp was produced in 17, 22, 28, 35, and 43 cm from 1928 through 1932 overall. It is interesting to note that this model of Strupp was only produced sitting; Steiff often produced their dogs and cats from his era in a number of body positions.

Steiff also manufactured a number of Fox Terriers named Strupp in the 1928 through 1934 time frame. However, they looked really different than the sitting Strupp under discussion here. The standing Strupps of the period had black mohair patches on their bodies, a black ear and a white ear, and tawny airbrushing on their faces. The company also made a grey and white sitting tail turns head Fox Terrier named Strupp, but he really presents much more like the company's traditional Fox Terrier design with a prominent, very long mohair muzzle. You can see this grey and white Strupp pictured here on the left; the photo is from Pfeiffer's 1892-1943 Sortiment. So it is Steiffgal's best guess that Strupp might have been a popular name for Fox Terriers at the time, and that is why Steiff called all these different Fox Terrier designs "Strupp."

Now let's paws and consider this Strupp's place on the product development timeline. The first Fox Terrier appeared in the Steiff line in 1899. It was on wheels and made from felt. Since then, Steiff has produced close to 40 different Fox Terrier models pre-WWll and over 20 designs from the late 1940’s onward. As part of the company's strategy to reflect the culture of the "roaring 20s," Steiff updated or launched many new pets that featured distinctly childlike, playful, and innocent personalities. They also started giving their dogs and cats sweet, endearing names - like Molly, Bully, Fluffy, and Foxy; previous to that, most were simply noted as their biological breed. Fox Terriers were a big part of this strategy, with other models including "Ajax," Spotty," and "Foxy." A lovely, rare pre-war wool plush lying Fox Terrier is pictured above; it is from our dear friend and fellow Steiff enthusiast Daniel Agnew.

And just what makes a Fox Terrier, well, a Fox Terrier? As his name suggests, this dog was bred to assist in fox hunting. Besides breed size and appearance standards, they have to be able to perform three key hunting tasks. First, they have to have the endurance to keep up with foxhounds, who lead the hunt. Second, they have to be small enough follow foxes down into their holes during the chase. And third, they have to be feisty when they do indeed encounter a cornered fox.

Steiffgal hopes you've enjoyed this discussion on Steiff's very rare Strupp pup!

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more.

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