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Helen Ratkai is THE Steiff Couturiere!

May 11, 2014, 6:29 pm
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A Ratkai Steiff Elephant
Hey good looking! Of course, that refers to all Steiff collectibles... and collectors, too! Steiff has a long tradition of dressing their fine creations in lovely and well-tailored attire since the turn of last century when the company introduced their first felt dolls around 1903. In the 1950's, a series of glamorously dressed Steiff animals began appearing in the fine toy and department stores like FAO Schwarz and Lord and Taylor. But they were not costumed by Steiff, but by a New York City artist named Helen Ratkai. Let's learn a little bit more about her creative work, and how it continues to inspire Steiff lovers - and even philanthropy - even today!
 
Helen's Steiff creations were gorgeous, one of a kind treasures. Although each one was distinct, most were based on standard line 1950's era small or medium sized Steiff animals, including dogs, cats, horses, zebras, monkeys, lambs, and other familiar farm, forest, and jungle friends. Ratkai hand dressed each Steiff treasure to the nines in elegant and designer-quality skirts, dresses, blouses, or other clothing; all were made from the finest silk, velvets, laces, and fabric ribbons. Many had hats, handbags, jewelry, and other fashionable accessories, often detailed with flowers, sequins, and beading. Perhaps the only commonality between Helen's items were their identification: each bore a tag reading "Helen Ratkai is my couturiere" stitched somewhere unobtrusively on the item's outfit; a sample of this tag is pictured here on the left.

An article published December 20, 1957 in the Sarasota (FL.) Herald Tribune featured a profile of Ratkai and her elegant animal creations.  It read in part...
 
A Ratkai Steiff Lamb
"FAO Schwarz, the fabulous toy store on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue, sells toys for grown-ups which include a smoking monkey at $295, a drinking bear for $195, and a cat that knits.  Another "adults only" group is the stuffed animal dressed up to look like a person. These are small but "too sophisticated and delicate for children," said Helen Ratkai, an artist who started the line dressing animals for her nieces, aged 5 and 12. The idea caught on with grown-ups, and today she sells these animals in the United States, South America, Bermuda, and Hawaii. The Duchess of Windsor has a Ratkai-gowned rabbit and the Eisenhower's have an elephant. 

A Ratkai Steiff Dog
"People buy the animals because they look like real people - friends or relatives. But no one is offended by the gift. After all, you never think they look like you - always someone else," she said. Mrs. Ratkai's creatures wear creations of French ribbons and Swiss lace, velvet, satin, and taffeta. They sport long, dangling earrings, fur stoles, and giddy bonnets trimmed with birds, bees, and flowers. They carry jeweled evening bags, beaver muffs, and parasols. "I try to follow fashion, mainly in fabrics and hats. Elephants are the hardest to dress because they're so fat and always seem to look best in pink and blue. Monkeys are easiest because they're the funniest. They make a good try at being elegant," said Couturier Ratkai. The inspiration for her designs is "Tony," a black French poodle "who lets me put anything on him and sits in the only chair in the workshop." Why do her animals sell? "Well," she said, "they make people laugh. And nowadays we need something to cheer us up." 

Ratkai's animal fashion plates are "cover girls" to many Steiff collectors, even today. Some even specialize in Helen's unique treasures. One such collector is Cathleen Smith Bresciani, designer, philanthropist, and author of the children's book Sassafrass Jones and the Search for a Forever Home, which features vintage Steiff items in its cast of characters.  Steiffgal had the pleasure of sharing her story with readers awhile back.

A Smith Bresciani Ratkai Inspired Wild Boar
Bresciani has dozens of Ratkai Steiff originals displayed all over her home, and the artist's dressed animals have provided a lifetime's worth of creative inspiration for her. So much so, that Cathleen has just launched a fundraising project for one of her favorite nonprofits - Canine Companions for Independence - inspired by Ratkai's beloved dressed characters. Canine Companions is a national 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that enhances the lives of people with disabilities by providing highly trained assistance dogs and ongoing support to ensure quality partnerships. To help raise money for CCI, Cathleen has created a limited series of vintage Steiff animals that she has personally dressed in one-of-a kind Ratkai-inspired outfits, hats, and accessories.  She has graciously donated her materials, time, and talent towards this initiative, and all proceeds from the sale of these items will go directly to CCI. The first group of these highly collectible treasures has just been listed on Steiffgal's Vintage Museum Marketplace on Ruby Lane, and it goes without saying that Steiffgal is thrilled to partner with Cathleen on this worthwhile and exciting charitable project.  An example of one of Cathleen's Ratkai-themed dressed Steiff animals - a "prom-worthy" piglet - is pictured here on the left.  Take a look at the others when you can!

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Helen Ratkai's dressed Steiff animals has been a black tie affair for you.

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures, family or otherwise? Let's talk! Click here to learn more. 
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Snap To It And Check Out This Truly Remarkable Steiff Dicky Bear!

May 18, 2014, 11:51 am
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Steiffgal hates to be bossy... but she totally encourages you to SNAP TO IT and take a look at an exceptional Steiff Teddy on offer at the upcoming James D. Julia Antique Advertising, Toy, and Doll auction event on June 13, 2014.  This item, produced only as a prototype, is as interesting as it is rare.  Let's take a look at this utterly dandy Dicky Bear and see what makes him so fascinating from the design and historical perspectives.

It's hard not to get bent out of shape over this Steiff "Snap Dicky" Teddy bear. Dicky is 30 cm, made from golden blond mohair and stands on two flat feet.  He is head and arm jointed. His face is detailed with an inset muzzle, brown and black pupil eyes, a brown hand stitched nose, and three stitches to his lower lip. Like many Dicky bears, he has peach colored velvet pads with stenciled paw prints.  But here's where it gets interesting... very, very interesting!  Snap Dicky has spring joints on his hands, feet, legs, and mouth, meaning that they were designed to have movement and snap back and forth into different playful positions.  And, just when you thought things could not get any better with this rarity, they do!  Snap Dicky further comes to life with a working tail turns head mechanism.  A little research reveals that this bear is one of six known examples, three of which are in the Steiff archive.  Snap Dicky retains his long trailing “F” style button and traces of his red ear tag as his Steiff ID.  Steiff Dicky does not appear in the standard Steiff reference books;  and it is best estimated that he was produced in the circa 1933 to 1936 time frame.

Dicky's unusual jointing was an experiment in the Steiff line that lasted about as long as a finger-snap.  In the early 1930's, Steiff introduced its tail moves head mechanism, which gave their toys movement, interest, and premium status in the line.  Steiff selected some of their most popular items of the time for this feature, including dogs, rabbits, and cats.  The way this worked was when the tail was shifted gently to the right or the left, the head would shake in tandem. To build on this "movement momentum," Steiff experimented with a handful of "snap" style items, which had internal metal joints which allowed these top tier toys further flexibility in their body positioning.  

From what Steiffgal can tell, four such "snap" models were produced. The first, of course, is this wonderful Snap Dicky.  There is little published historical information on him, consistent with his prototype status.  The second, and perhaps best known, was a 30 cm brown mohair Circus Bear with disk jointed arms, leg snap joints, and a tail moves head mechanism.  He was in the line from 1935 through 1939 and approximately 897 models were manufactured.  The third was a grey or white mohair Circus Elephant with disk jointed arms, leg and mouth snap joints, and a tail moves head mechanism.  Like Snap Dicky, he had velvet paws with stenciled pads.  He was produced in 25 and 28 cm from 1931 through 1940 and approximately 1,040 models were manufactured. Circus Elephant is pictured above along with an xray of his amazing (for the time) snap jointing system.  This photo is from Cieslik's excellent book, Button in Ear The History of the Teddy Bear and His Friends.    

The fourth snap item was called "Dream Baby No. 103" and is so rare that Steiffgal had not even heard of it until doing research for this post.  According to Cieslik...

"The head was made by the Rheinische Gummi Co. (turtle mark) and filled with excelsior.  The body was in good quality felt, and the doll had a "Mama" voice box. The doll had the new jointing in the legs, so that it could assume both sitting and standing positions.  Four versions of the doll were made - all 11 inches tall, with white skirts, colored sweaters and caps:  "Greta" in light green; "Blonda" in light blue; "Rose" in pink; and "Angeli" in orange.  (1934 - 1937 - total production = 4,553."  "Rose" is pictured here on the left; the photo is also from Cieslik.

Even though these snap items were long on appeal, they lasted a short time in the Steiff catalog.  And why would that be?  It is Steiffgal's best guess that alot had to do with timing, finances, and supply and demand factors.  It is possible that towards the later part of the 1930's, the materials needed to manufacture these toys were becoming scarce or even rationed based on the geo-political realities of the time.  Additionally, these treasures were quite complicated to manufacture and required a great deal of time and resources to do so.  As a result, they were undoubtedly quite expensive to purchase.  As such, given the economic situation across the region, demand may not have been terribly high and Steiff may have determined that it did not make financial sense to continue production of these top-tier items. 

Despite their brief - if at all - appearances in the line, Steiff has created relatively recent replicas of their Snap Dicky, Circus Bear, and Circus Elephant rarities.A blond Snap Dicky was produced in 1996 in an edition size of 5,000, a brown Circus bear was produced in 1994 in an edition size of 4,000, and a novel orange tipped Circus Elephant was produced in 2009 in an edition size of 1,000. Each would be a delightful addition to any Steiff collection!

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's wonderful and rare metal jointed items from the 1930's - including this remarkable prototype Dicky - has added a little snap, crackle, and pop to your day!

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more. 
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Do You Believe In The Steiff Supernatural?

May 24, 2014, 2:46 pm
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Do you believe in ghosts?  Or more specifically, Steiff ghosts?  Either way, Steiffgal suspects that you'll be (super)naturally interested in this most unusual doll that apparently has made mischief on his community and admirers for many decades.  

Over the past few years, Steiffgal has gotten numerous inquires about "Robert," a 100 cm, century plus Steiff-like doll that lives at the East Martello Museum in Key West, Florida.  This spirited Steiff supposedly wore a harlequin costume when he was new. He is pictured here on the left.  Steiffgal has been asked if Robert may have been made by Steiff, and how he may have ended up in Key West, of all places.  According to an article by Mandy Bolen, who writes for the Key West Citizen newspaper,

"The straw-filled doll belonged to Key West artist Robert Eugene Otto, who received the toy as a child when his parents lived in the mansion at the corner of Eaton and Simonton streets, now known as The Artist House. It's a regular stop on the ghost tours. .... Otto and the doll became unnervingly close, with the boy often blaming the doll for mishaps and strange events.  The doll eventually began to frighten even his best friend, and was relegated to an attic room.

As the legend goes, Robert the Doll was displeased with his new accommodations and would taunt schoolchildren from the window as they walked past the house, so much so that they eventually took a different route to school.
 
When Gene Otto inherited the house from his parents, he reunited with Robert and brought him back downstairs, where their connection was rekindled, to the chagrin of Otto's wife.  She promptly returned the doll to the attic, where he remained until Otto died in the 1970s.  Robert now "lives" in a secure glass case at the East Martello Museum, where he is rumored to ruin photographs and cause unexplained events at the museum."

Let's have a happily haunted look at Robert from three perspectives to see if indeed he may have any Steiff connections.  

First, take a looonnngggg look at his very tall and thin frame.  As many readers know, Steiff has a very strong history of felt dolls, and the first ones appeared 1903. Steiff produced many felt figures from the early 1900's through the 1930's. In most cases, these models were more reflective of occupations and culture (shepherds, stone cutters, tailors, butchers, shoemakers, soldiers, students, etc.) than playful designs for children.  Most of these dolls appeared in the 22 to 50 cm size, so this 100 cm doll is quite unusual.  However, there is a mention or two in readily available Steiff books about 100 cm dolls, so there is precedence for something of this scale.   

Second, let's make some eye contact, if you dare!  Robert's dark eyes are actually called shoe button eyes and are made from wood that is painted black. His hair most likely is, or was, made from mohair.  Robert's face structure is interesting.  You can see the unusual (for Steiff) oval seams around his nose and mouth, horizontal one across his forehead, and the vertical ones above his nose and below is mouth on the photo here on the right. Traditionally, early Steiff felt dolls had a vertical seam down the front of their faces, and that is one key way to identify them.  However, there are examples where this is not the case, due to design or scale issues.  Steiffgal thinks in this case - given the doll's extreme proportions and early dating - that it would be possible that Steiff could have constructed the face with this interesting seam pattern.

And third, how about his (haunted) history?  Of course, there is no way to know exactly how Robert arrived in Key West - a tiny Florida island only 19.17 km² in area.  But here are a couple of ideas. If there was a very high end department store, or toy store in the Key West area at the turn of last century, it is possible that the store purchased him as window display originally at some point.  Or, Robert's family - or family friends - may have ordered him, or received him as a gift from a business associate from New York or Europe.  It is interesting to note that the family's last name, "Otto," is of German or European origin, suggesting that they may have been aware of the Steiff brand and quality given their cultural background. 

It's time to ask the Magic 8 ball the hard question:  Steiff or not?  Well, Steiffgal does not have a crystal ball for guidance... and it is impossible to say with 100% certainty without seeing the piece firsthand... but the voices in her head are suggesting that Robert was most likely manufactured by Steiff.  Given his shoe button style eyes and general look he was probably made before the 19-teens... perhaps in the roughly 1905 to 1912 timeframe or so.  And since Robert Otto was born in 1900, both of these "production dates" align pretty well!  Steiffgal also thinks that he was a special order, not a regular line item, and was probably produced as a window display item.  In this case, that would mean he was made on the scale of a real person, and was designed more as a decorative item than anything else.  These early display dolls were especially known for spectacular clothing and detailing.   So when Robert was new, he probably had a fantastic costume made of very high end materials, as well as great shoes, and a matching hat.  It is Steiffgal's guess that Robert might have looked something like the large Steiff clown pictured on the left when he left the factory a century or so ago; the photo is from Theriault's.

For more about Robert - if you dare - click here!

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Robert doesn't keep you up at night!

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more. 
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This Tiny Tiger Has Huge Steiff Appeal!

June 2, 2014, 8:01 pm
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Steiffgal's so sorry - this post is a few days late and clearly she is running a little behind!  So to make up for lost time, she thought she'd share a little something with, well, a little behind!  Check out this tiny handful of Steiff adorable-ness and see what makes him so interesting from the design and historical perspectives.

This wee wild beast is Steiff's smallest and fully jointed tiger.  Bitty baby is cataloged at 8 cm, although he actually only measures about 7 cm head to toe and 7 cm nose to rear. He is made from tan mohair that has been highlighted with orange airbrushing and then detailed with black stripes. His face comes to life with mohair ears, green and black slit style pupil eyes, a red hand embroidered nose and mouth, and a few clear monofilament whiskers.  And you can't help but note his tiny tail, which is made from rope that has been lightly striped to match his body and limbs.  This design was produced overall in 8, 10, and 14 cm from 1952 through 1959.  This smallest rope-tailed version was only made from 1956 through 1958; the larger sizes had mohair tails.

This tiger is just one of a handful - literally - of postwar, five ways jointed Steiff treasures less than 10 cm in size.  As a matter of fact, as far as Steiffgal can tell, tiny tiger is a class by himself!  He appears to be the only standard line, five ways jointed animal less than 10 cm produced by Steiff after the factory reopened after the war in the late 1940's.   Steiff has produced a few teensy-weensy five ways jointed Teds in less than 10 cm in that time frame, including some promotional bears for other companies.  Perhaps the best known vintage "little guys" are the company's 9 cm five ways jointed Teddy Babies, which were in the line from 1949 through 1957.

Now for the tail end of this discussion.  Another interesting thing about this petite jungle prince is clearly his rope posterior.  His tail indeed sets him apart from his larger five ways jointed tiger brothers.  However, a rope tail is not terribly unusual for items from his period in the Steiff line.  Similar styled rope tails can be seen on Steiff's lions, zebras, elephants, okapis, and camels, among others.  These are found on the smaller versions of these models, perhaps to give a sense of lightness, simplicity, and youth to the items.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's tiny fully jointed tiger is worthy of a high-five from you.

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more. 
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Moving And Grooving With This Fabulous Vintage Steiff Scotty

June 7, 2014, 12:31 pm
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It goes without saying that many vintage Steiff treasures are truly gorgeous!  But Steiffgal would like to share one with you today that is literally a "head turner!"  This week by post she received this marvelous black bearded beauty from Germany.  Take a look at this pup with a secret... and be prepared to shake your head in amazement!

Great Scott!  Here we have Steiff's standing Scotty.  He measures 15 cm head to toe, and 23 cm nose to rear end, not including his tail.  He is made from lovely black backed mohair that has silver threads throughout the material, giving him a very dignified appearance.  Scotty has a long, jet black beard and eyebrows. He has a brown hand embroidered nose, mouth, and claws, and delightful, tri-colored almond shaped glass eyes in white, brown, and black.  The insides of his ears are lined in tan felt.  His bow and bell are not original to him; when he left the factory in Giengen over eight decades ago he most likely wore a little black and white leather collar with a few Steiff buttons on it.  This particular Scotty model was produced in 9, 11, 15, 18, 23,  and 26 cm from 1931 through 1934.


Let's move right on to what makes this Scotty so spectacular.  Like several popular Steiff items of the early 1930's, this pattern has what is known as a "tail moves head" mechanism.  This means by gently twisting the tail back and forth, his head moves in unison - giving the animal a most charming sense of realistic movement.  Take a look at the video to see for yourself!

Steiff's early "action super heroes" of the 1930's include cats, dogs, rabbits, and lambs, among others.  For the most part, each was based on standard line popular designs of the time, and came with a round cardboard tag on its tail that read "turn here and I will move my head." You can see this tag here on the left, the photo is from Teddy Dorado.  Tail turns head items were considered higher end, luxury toys, and most were produced through the late 1930's.  Perhaps the best known tail moves head design was Rattler Terrier, who appeared through the early 1940's. 

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this Scotty has you bobbing your head in agreement that he is one dynamic dog!

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more.
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The MAINE Steiff Event Of The Early Summer!

June 14, 2014, 9:21 pm
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Well, it is safe to say that this week's Steiff auction at Julia's was the main, or in this case the MAINE Steiff event of the early summer!  On Friday, June 13th, James D. Julia, Inc. auctioned off over 120 treasures from the Chuck and late Cathy Steffes collection of magnificent Steiff rarities.  The auction, held at Julia's headquarters in Fairfield, Maine, attracted attention, bids, and visits from collectors all over the globe!  Here's a first-hand report of some of the highlights and fun associated with the event.


And we're off!  Julia's official auction preview period started on Tuesday morning, June 10th.  During preview, the auction facility was set up to display the lots on offer, and without a doubt the hall looked more like a museum of fine arts or treasures than anything else.  In this case, all the Steiff bears were presented majestically on shelves in glass-doored display cabinets. Visitors were allowed to handle and examine any item - even the "crown jewel" treasures - which in this case were the Steffe's Titanic bear, Teddy Clown bear, Petsy bear, and rod bear. Julia's set up inspection stations - which included draped tables, bright lights, and even high powered magnifiers -  so potential buyers could literally examine each Steiff item on a stitch-by-stitch level!  Julia's also provided snacks and meals throughout the entire four day preview event, as looking at the finest Steiff in the world can certainly build up one's appetite! 

Preview lasted through Friday morning, just before the auction got started at 10am, and was a beehive of activity!  Many visitors arrived on Thursday, June 12th, and it was so much fun to see old friends reunite, as well as see strangers immediately connect over this marvelous collection.  People traveled from all across North America to attend the event in person, including collectors from New England, California, Texas, Florida, New Jersey, and even Canada.  Several press and media professionals also attended preview, and it was clear they also were falling under the spell of this remarkable hug.  Steiffgal had the once in a lifetime opportunity to receive a personal tour of the collection from Chuck Steffes, were she learned the back stories behind some of the bears.  It was particularly moving to learn which were Cathy's favorites, and why.

The Steffes collection consisted mostly of spectacular bears, cats, and rabbits.  Chuck told Steiffgal that he and Cathy originally set out only to collect bears when they began their hobby three decades ago.  It was only within the last several years that they began adding cats and rabbits to their hug - in part to add a new focus and dimension to the collection. 

By about 9:30am on Friday, many people had taken their seats in the auction hall, but it was clear that many more chairs would have to be added to accommodate the overflow crowd.  Most folks, when asked why they came to the hall instead of watching the auction on the Internet, said that they wanted to see this sale in person as they felt it was an important moment in the Steiff collector's community.   At 10am, auctioneer and company owner Jim Julia approached the podium and welcomed the crowd.  He introduced the staff and explained the logistics of the auction.  He then did something most unexpected - he gave a beautiful and gracious tribute to Cathy Steffes, and thanked Chuck and the family for the opportunity to share her passion and exquisite collection with the world.  Then Jim began the exciting event!

Today in the auction world, a very small percentage of auction bidders are actually live in the audience, and that was no different for this auction.  Many bidders placed pre-bids by phone, fax, or mail.  Others watched and bid online through the e-platforms Proxibid and Invaluable.  At this auction, there were a large bank of phone operators working with customers from all over the world.  It was really entertaining to watch them juggle pens, phones, paperwork, and bid cards - while at the same time giving a play by play description of the auction proceedings and encouraging participation from their telephone bidders.  Rumor has it that royalty from far away could have been on the other end of one of those phone lines!

It took about 90 minutes overall to auction the Steffes lots - but the time felt like the blink of an eye to Steiffgal.  There were plenty of highlights throughout the auction - and like all events like this, some people even scored with some fine buys that escaped the radar of other collectors.  

Lets button things up and take a look at notable Steiff Teddy bear sales!  These included lot 3002, a gorgeous 70 cm early white mohair cub who sold for $14,220; lot 3008, a 38 cm rod bear who also sold for $14,220; lot 3009 a 50 cm yellow "Happy" bear who sold for $13,035; and lot 3025 a 31 cm black Titanic mourning bear who sold for $35,550.  Perhaps the biggest surprise was lot 3010, an utterly charming circa 1910 60 cm gold mohair bear who came with a photo of his original owners and a letter explaining his history.  Estimated at $8,000 to $12,000, he sold for $21,330.

Felines seemed to be the cat's meow with collectors during this sale.   There was great interest in lot 3036, a very early velvet cat with an elephant button that sold for $7,703; lot 3035, an unusual mohair tail moves head cat from the early 1930's that sold for $3,851; lot 3013, an irresistible tiny "Fluffy" kitten on a cotton-candy pink mohair pincushion that sold for $7,110; and lot 3032, a simply marvelous, very early 15 cm six ways jointed cat with all IDs that sold for $10,665.


And finally, let's hop to it an check out the rabbit highlights.  Collectors jumped at lot 3015, an extremely rare 33 cm fully dressed Jack Rabbit who sold for $7,703; lot 3017, a 34 cm lilac mohair colored begging rabbit who sold for $7,110; lot 3042, a bright orange begging mohair rabbit on olive green wheels who sold for $2,963; and lot 3100, a sweet and petite bright orange mohair begging rabbit rattle who sold for $2,015.  All prices noted include the buyer's premium, which is 18.5%.

Overall, this was a magical event on many levels.  This gathering allowed the Steiff community to come together and honor the Steffes for their remarkable commitment to the brand, as well as remember Cathy, who was a good friend to many in attendance.  The event invigorated many dormant collectors - who learned about the sale through friends, the Internet, newspaper articles, or other industry channels - and it was wonderful to welcome them back to the world of Steiff. The sale also was like a calling to active collectors across North America to come together to share their love of Steiff, as there has not been such a Steiff-centric event in the USA in quite some time.  And finally, this happening has brought much joy to many collectors who now have new Steiff memories, as well as treasures, to add to their hugs.  When Steiffgal cataloged this collection many months ago - after writing up and examining each item - she gave each treasure a hug and small kiss, and promised each one it soon would have a new loving home.  At last the circle is complete.

Steiffgal hopes you have enjoyed this report on the Steffes Steiff auction as much as she has relished preparing it for you!

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more. 
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Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue At The Upcoming Withington Steiff Auction Event!

June 17, 2014, 7:37 pm
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June - at least around these parts - has got to be one of the finest months of the year. It's not too hot, the flowers are in full bloom, and its the prime season for wonderful happenings, including lots of weddings and happy family times together. And, apparently, auctions as well! Steiffgal has just learned of a wonderful collection of Steiff treasures coming up for sale at Withington Auctions. This event will be held in Nashua, NH on Friday, June 20, 2014. In keeping with the theme of happy seasonal events - especially those involving brides and grooms - let's take a look at some of the highlights from this upcoming sale!

It would only be proper to start out this review with "SOMETHING OLD."Steiffgal's eye went immediately to lot S96, which can be found by clicking here. Of course, collectors will recognize these delightful doggies as a group of three Steiff Treff the Bloodhounds, who are also pictured here on the left. According to Withington's, they are cataloged as... "3 Steiff Treff Bloodhounds, Beige, brown glass eyes, dark brown yarn nose and paws. Large one is 12 ½” sitting; Medium one is 10” sitting and Medium one is standing on all fours. All swivel necks." 

Care to sniff out some additional details about this great design? Treff appeared in the Steiff line from 1928 through 1938. Models were produced in mohair, velvet, and an inexpensive alternative material called "coat plush" in sizes ranging from 7 to 50 cm overall. This design is famous for its long, floppy ears which are lightly stitched down; brown and black pupil eyes which are set in eye pockets; hand embroidered black noses; dainty muzzle “freckles"; and red facial highlights on their lips and under their eyes. Every Treff left the Giengen factory adorned with a large pastel-colored silk ribbon. These ribbons were meant to add a little lightness and color to Steiff's items; this mandate came directly from Richard Steiff around 1925. Treff was so popular that she was produced sitting, standing, on wheels, as a music box, and on a pin cushion during her time in the line. 

Now onto "SOMETHING NEW." Well, that's a bit challenging with this wonderful vintage collection, but something in LIKE NEW condition really caught Steiffgal's eye. Check out lot S126, which can be found by clicking here. The lot is simply cataloged as, "3 – Steiff mohair plush animals, “Sonny” rabbit 5”, “Hush Puppy” 11”, small standing Bear 5 ½." And yes, all three treasures in the lot are dear. But one is exceptional! That is the 11" Steiff Hush Puppy! 

Steiffgal certainly cannot keep quiet about this bashful Basset! Steiff's Hush Puppy examples are quite rare and desirable, and are based on the company's standard line Basset hounds that appeared in the line from 1961 through 1963 in 12, 14, and 22 cm. Steiff's standard line Bassets are sitting, head jointed, and made from mohair that has been carefully airbrushed in multiple shades of tan, brown, and black. Each has long, droopy ears; hand embroidered black noses; and realistic, dimensional soft jowls. The larger ones have extremely round, realistic-looking eyeballs that are embedded into their facial mask structure. The 12 cm model one has flatter, but no less realistic looking, eyes that seem to have a reflective quality to them. Standard line Steiff Bassets wear green collars and usually have "Basset" on their named chest tags.

But here's where it gets interesting. According to company records and literature, Steiff produced Hush Puppy branded 12 and 14 cm Basset hounds as premiums from 1970 through 1972; these were differentiated from the standard line of Basset hound items by a red collar and a special chest tag that had the “Hush Puppies” logo on it. However, this model on offer is 22 cm, and as far as Steiffgal can tell, does not appear in the standard Steiff reference books. A rare beast indeed!
 
Ok, now in keeping with our celebratory theme, it's time for "SOMETHING BORROWED."These two items were selected by Steiff for replication as they have always been of such great interest to collectors. Check out this ORIGINAL pair of Steiff's spiders, lot S68, by clicking here! According to the catalog, these are... "Lot of 2 - Steiff Spider, “Spidy”. 4 ½” length. Three beady eyes, eight wired legs, two antennas, two mouths, red/brown/green coloring on back and neck. Wool and cotton. Raised button, C.T. 2312,00, Steiff Spider, “Spidy”. 9” length. Five beady eyes, eight legs, four antennas. Beige mohair, red, green and brown coloring design on back and neck. Raised button on left leg."
 
It's certainly time to get a leg up on these great vintage spiders! This small and large sized Spidy pair are 12 and 22 cm respectively. Both have bead-like black glass eyes and are manufactured from light beige mohair, which is gloriously hand airbrushed in brown, red, and green. Small Spidy has legs and feelers made from gray pipe cleaners, while the larger size has thin mohair legs and feelers. Both large and small Spidy spiders were produced in 1960 and 1961 only, making them quite collectible. Spidy was produced at a time when the company was experimenting with different unconventional materials such as pipe cleaners, rubber, and plastic sheeting to create a series of "creepy crawlers." These included bats, salamanders, snails, and of course, these spiders. And, indeed Steiff did "borrow" a good idea from themselves, creating a replica set of a large and small Spidy in 1991 and 1992 in an edition size of 4,000 pieces.

And finally, it would not be a celebration without "SOMETHING BLUE."And there's not much that's more "true blue" than the US Navy and their mascot the goat! Check out lot S05, a pair of Steiff Navy Goats, by clicking here! According to the catalog, these are... "Steiff Navy Goat, 8” height (to his ear), 12” length. Beige, plush, leather horns and hoofs, green glass eyes. Navy felt blanket. Raised ear button. Cotton tag #1228.0. 1940s, Steiff Navy Goat, 5 ½” height (w/out horns). Grey mohair (long) on body. Mohair (short) on face and feet, short tail, green googly eyes, felt striped horns, black yarn nose, navy blanket with “N”. #7315.90, MINT"
 
Let's give a salute to these great goats and their interesting history. During the 1950's and very early 1960's, Steiff produced a number of mascots especially for the US market. Mascots were produced for several of top-tier schools, as well as the country's military training institutes - including the United States Naval Academy. The official launch of Steiff's mascot program began in 1951 with the production of two caricatured versions of the US Navy goat. Both were 28 cm; one was sitting and one was standing on all fours. This lot features this early standing version. Each was made from white mohair and had leather hooves and horns; green and black "squint" style eyes, a long beard, and wore a blue and gold felt blanket with a large "N" on the side. These goats were entirely original designs and were manufactured through 1959. Steiff also produced a smaller Navy goat in 15 and 25 cm from 1957 through 1960. This is the smaller goat in the lot. The smaller navy goat's pattern is quite similar to the one that would later be seen on the standard line item Rocky the Capricorn goat, who appeared in the line from 1963 through 1976. 

Steiffgal hopes this celebratory post has put you in the mood for love - Steiff auction love, that is!

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more. 
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Steiff Dreams Can Come True - The Story of Black Jack From 1912

June 20, 2014, 5:10 pm
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Have you ever watched a TV show where a regular person has literally "hit the jackpot" with an amazing boot sale, flea market, or auction find?  Well, this doesn't occur in reality very often!  However, it did happen in the most Steiff-like way to a terrific and lucky lady recently, who just happened to place the right bid at the right time on the right auction lot.  Here is an interview with her about this spectacular find; this conversation was first published in the Spring, 2014 Steiff Club magazine. 
 
Steiffgal:  Josie, thank you so much for speaking with us today!  Could you please tell us a bit about yourself?
Josie: My name is Josie Rockett, and I live with my family in Rye, in the South East of England. I am a full time Mummy to my three young children and most of my time is spent looking after them, our two dogs, and running our home. 

Steiffgal:  Are you a Steiff collector?
Josie:  I am a collector of vintage and antique Teddy bears. Our hug is fairly small and mostly consists of British bears; we actually only have a couple of Steiff bears in our collection. 
Steiffgal:  You had a very exciting find at auction recently.  Can you give us some background on that?
Josie:  I wasn't at the auction when I won the lot; it was an incredibly lucky twist of fate. I spotted a lot at a general auction being held at an auction house, there was no photograph, only a description. I liked the sound of it, took my chances, and placed a bid remotely. I was very happy to win the lot and my Father, who lives close to the auction house, went to collect it for me.

Steiffgal:   Your auction win turned out to be much more than you expected.  Tell us about opening up the old trunk and what you were thinking as you were going through its contents.
Josie:  Nothing could have prepared me for what I was about to find. A week after the auction my Father came to visit us. On arrival he handed me an old red suitcase. As I opened the case, the first thing I saw were some dolls, some doll clothes, and some lovely Teddies. Then saw something wrapped in a blanket at the bottom of the case. I picked it up and started to unravel the blanket. The first thing I saw was a black mohair paw.  I then very slowly lifted the blanket off completely to find a beautiful black antique Teddy! My heart was pounding, I cannot tell you the excitement and joy that then erupted in our house! Had I just found an antique black Steiff bear?
Steiffgal: That is a fantasy situation that every Steiff collector dreams of! How did you know you might have a special treasure?
Josie: My first feeling was that he may be a Steiff bear from the moment I saw him. His shape and line and beautiful expression led me to feel that he could be a Steiff.  After an excited sleepless night, I got up the next morning, took some photographs, and sent them to off to Steiffgal.She confirmed that she too thought he was an early black Steiff bear. Based on where I was located, and what I had found, she suggested I contact Carsten Esser at TeddyDorado auction house about the bear.

Steiffgal:  You did take the bear Germany to meet Mr. Esser. Tell us about this trip.
Josie:  The trip to Germany was amazing! My Father came with me and we had such an adventure. Meeting with Carsten was wonderful; I was quite nervous but very excited. It was a little nail biting watching him examine the bear, but he did it with a smile and it wasn't long before we were all very excited! The next step was for the bear to go to Giengen for authentication, as he didn't have any Steiff IDs on him. It felt good to leaving the bear with Carsten.  Up until that point I felt like I had been his guardian. There was a little sadness but an overwhelming feeling of relief and happiness that he was in such safe hands.

Steiffgal:   You named the bear "Black Jack."  Can you tell us how that name came about?

Josie:  The name Black Jack was really given to him because he is a black Teddy bear. It is also quite lovely that my late Grandfather was called Jack. Both my brother and I were given names that started with a "J" as a tribute to him, so it is very special for him to have the name Jack.

Steiffgal:  How did you decide whether to keep the bear or sell him at auction?
Josie:  This was a very difficult decision. We did consider keeping Jack but after giving it a lot of thought we decided that he would be most at home in a fine Steiff collection or museum where he could be properly enjoyed. Our house is full of children and pets and in the short time I had him, he was wrapped up and hidden away for safety. If he were to stay with us, he would remain this way. I don't believe he wants to be hidden away anymore.  And I thought that the very best place for selling him would be through TeddyDorado at the 2014 Steiff Sommer Festival Auction, given that this event attracts the attention of almost every Steiff collector on the planet!
Steiffgal:  Jack went through a rigorous process by Mrs. Manuela Fustig, head of the Steiff Archive in Germany, in order to be authenticated as Steiff.  This certificate is pictured here for the readers to see. What went through your head when you learned that he received this certification?
Josie:  I can't tell you how amazing it was to hear that news, it was so great to be able to say "Black Jack is a Steiff bear!" From the day I found him up until that moment, it all felt like a dream. I think the news just made the whole situation more real for me.

Steiffgal:  Will you be going to the Steiff 2014 Summer auction to watch his sale? 

Josie:  Yes! It will be so lovely to say good-bye to Jack and wish him well for the next part of his journey. I think there is something magical about him coming back to his place of birth to find his new home. What an adventure he has been on! I have never been to Giengen and I am so looking forward to going. And, if I could tell his new owner one thing, it would be pretty simple.  Just love him!

Steiffgal:  Josie, thank you so much for sharing this amazing story with us! 

Steiffgal also had the pleasure of speaking with Carsten Esser, auctioneer at TeddyDorado, who will be selling Black Jack - who just happens to be lot 12-1912 in the company's June auction!  She asked him a few questions, to get a feeling of how important this bear is in terms of collector's interest and to the Teddy bear industry overall.  Here's what he had to say!

Steiffgal: Carsten, what were your thoughts about the bear when you first heard of him?

Carsten:   The first time I heard about that bear I thought "What a great find" - which I do not think very often as we frequently handle very old and near mint Steiff treasures here at TeddyDorado.  Then almost immediately after that I thought "Hopefully he is still in very good shape!" I requested photos, and when I received them, I thought, "Oh dear, he passed that level of examination in a brilliant way!" I wanted to learn more about the bear and do some research on him, so I offered the owner the opportunity to send us the bear as a consignment or at least to get a certificate of origin on him from the Steiff Company.  We decided to meet in person about the bear at hotel near the Cologne-Bonn Airport, which is close to our headquarters. 

Steiffgal:  What was it like to see the bear in the fur for the first time? 

Carsten:  When I first saw the Teddy bear he was wrapped in white silky paper - like fine clothes sometimes are. Then I took the white paper off and my first impression just was "Yes!" and I could not hide a bright smile on my face but I still was saying nothing I think. Then I carefully looked all over the bear, and studied his pattern, face, pads, and seams. He was in very good condition for being over a century old! I tried all his joints, and took a close look at his antique golden taffeta ribbon. I probably studied the bear very intensely for three minutes - and looked at nothing else in the room during this magical period. When I was done with the initial examination, I told the consignors that based on my experience and knowledge, they indeed had an original Steiff Teddy bear made sometimes between 1908 and about 1914 or 1915.   I also told the consignors that this bear never had red felt under his eyes, like the famous Steiff Titanic bears, and was probably even rarer than a Titanic bear!

Steiffgal:  So what happened next?  How did you prove the bear was indeed made by Steiff?

Carsten:  The consignors agreed to leave this bear with me, and I then brought it to the archival experts at Steiff in Giengen.  The bear spent the holiday season 2013/14 inside Steiff archives. A few months later, after much research, testing, and evaluation, we finally received the official documentation from Steiff indicating that this bear was authentic and manufactured in 1912.
 
Steiffgal:  So what was it like to receive this great news?

Carsten:  It was exciting and a great relief, but I always knew in my heart that Black Jack was made by Steiff. To me this Teddy bear is very special and absolutely in a class of its own like the other famous Steiff bears we have auctioned off at TeddyDorado, including Othello and Wistful Happy. It is also incredibly exciting that the Steiff company is creating a replica of Black Jack for their spring 2015 line.  This fabulous new collector's piece will debut at the 2014 Steiff Sommer Festival!  The speed of this replication and launch is unprecedented, and simply confirms Jack's universal appeal!

Steiffgal:  And now the last but hardest question.  What is Black Jack worth?

Carsten:  The opening bid is 8,000 euro, but even as the auctioneer,  I really do not have any idea what he will sell for in the end.  Time will tell, and we will all see what happens.  As with other high profile TeddyDorado auctions, there will be many photographers and media in the room when Black Jack goes under the hammer.  Everyone is very happy and excited that this magic moment is coming so soon!

Steiffgal:  Thank you for telling us more about Black Jack, and best of luck at the auction!

Steiffgal hopes that someday you have a Steiff find of a lifetime as well!

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more.
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Care To Take A Tour Of Margarete Steiff's Historic Birth House?

July 2, 2014, 2:28 pm
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Welcome home! There are no warmer words in any language for sure.  And Steiffgal just had the most wonderful homecoming, of sorts, when she had the absolute pleasure of touring the birth house of Margarete Steiff, the founder of Margarete Steiff GmbH - or the Steiff Company as we better know it.  This important historical building is pictured above. The house is located just a stone's throw from the factory in Giengen, Germany and is open to the public.  It can be explored with a docent or via a self guided tour - or in this case - online!  Come along as we check out the highlights of this most interesting period residence.


The house itself is located on a side street about a five minute's walk from the central factory campus.  The street has houses, apartments, and a few small shops.  On the birth house is the plaque pictured above.  When you walk into the building, there is a small reception area with lockers to store your bags, coats, or parcels.  There you can request the printed self guided tour from the guard; it is available in English and German.  The cover of brochure reads in part...

"Dear visitor, a warm welcome to the house where Margarete Steiff, the founder of the world famous company Margarete Steiff GmbH, was born.  Margarete was born on 24 July 1847 in this house, which was built back in the middle of the 17th century, and lived here until 1889. 

In 2003 the house was lovingly restored and furnished in places with items from the Biedermeier period. It now reflects the character of the 1880 period.  In that year, Margarete laid the foundations of a worldwide company with the first stuffed toy, an elephant made from felt."

The first major stop on the tour is Margarete's workroom, which is located up a narrow flight of stairs from the reception area.  It is a large, open, sunny space.  According to the self guided tour in part...

"This work room was created specifically for his daughter by Margarete Steiff's father, and master builder, in 1874."

(You can see many early white felt elephants in this picture, along with lots of colorful, thick felt material.  The scissors on the right are huge and heavy, it is hard to imagine the hand strength it would take to use them!)

"In the foreground, you will see one of Margarete's wheelchairs. The picture above it shows a photograph of Margarete on a walk with her nephew Paul Steiff, one of her brother's sons."

(It is very interesting to note that the wheels on this wheelchair almost look like "snow tires" with their extremely raised and bumpy surfaces.  Perhaps for better traction on cobbled streets and in bad weather?)

"The sewing machine on the left in front of the window was owned by Margarete Steiff. Looking out of this window, for which her father had to ask special permission from the city of Giengen, Margarete often gazed out over the hustle and bustle of the Lederstrasse." 

("Lederstrasse" means "Leather Street," the address of the house.Seeing this sewing machine was quite meaningful as a Steiff collector and enthusiast.  The Steiff's were the first family in Giengen to own a sewing machine.) 

The next room on the tour is Margarete's tiny bedroom which is literally nuzzled into a small space in the house.  When you look out of her bedroom window, all you can see is the wall to the house next door, which is practically touching her house.  According to the self guided brochure...


"Here in the bedroom, you can see quite clearly how close together the houses were built. The two dresses are the property if Eva Koepff, Margarete Steiff's favorite niece. Right next-door you will find the bathroom."

(This room is literally the size of the bed, plus just enough floor footprint to move around a bit and get in and out of bed.)

Adjacent to Margarete's bedroom is her washroom, which is also quite tiny and basic. According to the self guided brochure...

"This room looks nothing like the bathrooms were used to today.  In simple households, there was no bathtub. Instead, they used washbowls." 

(On the other wall is a hanging rack with some towels.  But is is not clear if this room had, or ever had, a toilet as we think of bathrooms having them today.)

Next up on the tour is the family's living room.  This room is quite elegant compared to the others in the house, and a bit more formal as well. According to the self guided brochure...

"In the living room, you'll find an absolutely wonderful table with chairs, and in front of an oven made of cast iron is the matching cushioned bench."

(You can see the tall thin black oven in the upper left hand corner of the photo, it is almost like a chimney.  The table is absolutely gorgeous and made from wood that looks textured, but feels smooth.)

"Cupboards and a desk round off the ensemble." 

(The desk is solid, heavy, and important looking.  The cupboard holds special occasion looking china and glasses.  There are several pieces of art on the walls, including a painting of a man, and an illustration of a bible verse.)

The next room on the tour, and on the same floor as the rooms just discussed, is the kitchen.  This room is quite small and dark, and full of period cooking and baking accessories.  According in part to the self guided tour...

"This stove is the type that Margarete's mother, Maria Steiff, used to prepare the family meals."

(On the top of the black stove, right next to the round pot, is a "built in" waffle maker made from iron.  The recipe for the waffles is cast onto the top.)

"Ceramic molds, milk churn, pans, bowls, etc. complete the picture of a kitchen from the middle of the 19th century." 

(The home originally had these beige and black floor tiles in the kitchen and in the hall corridor; in some places they are still original and in others they have been replicated and laid by craftsmen during renovations.)

Just around the corner from the kitchen is a porch which has access to a garden with flowers and vegetables.On the tour, you can pause and take a rest on a bench which is just outside the door of the porch. You must go down a few stairs to get to this garden. Here you can see a partial view of the garden from the porch.  Unfortunately, the day we were visiting it was raining quite hard so we chose not to go outside to see this garden up close and personal.

Now the tour takes us up a narrow flight of stairs to the attic or top floor of the house.  Here there are a few small rooms, but the most important living space is Margarete's parent's bedroom.  According to the self guided tour...

"On the right you'll see the room in which Margarete Steiff was born - her parents bedroom."

(Like Margarete's bedroom, this living space is also quite compact.  The black item on the night table is probably a hatbox from a regional haberdashery or department store.)

"An extremely beautiful rustic dresser dating from 1849, two beds, and night tables complete the bedroom picture." 

(This is a lovely, hand painted dresser that really is the focal point of the room and measures floor to ceiling.)

The last home space in this house museum was the attic area, which was extensive and quite high.  It appears to run the length of the house, but only a small portion is open to the public for exploration.  According to the self guided brochure...

"Going right, through the door, you will now come to the historic and listed-status roof-truss."

(This appears like it would be a great place for storage but probably quite cold in the winter as no insulation is evident.)

"Here, inside, you can still see the beautiful old half timbered construction." 

(Check out the underside of the tiles that make up the home's great tiled roof.  According to their marks, they were made in nearby Stuttgart, Germany.)

After visitors tour the open living spaces of the house, they are invited to view a small collection of very vintage Steiff items and important Steiff related paperwork and ephemera.  These precious items are located on the first floor of the house.  According to the self guided tour...  

"This exhibition of early start animals, made from felt and velvet, is intended to enrich your impression of the life of our company founder even further."   

Here are some outstanding highlights from this display!

Here we have three documents relating to the company's founding and intellectual property, including their status in the United States.

Also featured are numerous wildlife drawings and sketches by Richard Steiff, Margarete's creative nephew who invented the jointed Teddy bear in 1902.

This is a lovely, early, and delicate felt swan pram toy, which hangs from an elastic cord and is detailed with a bell and pink woolen pom poms. This item was produced in this size only from 1897 through 1918.

This charming turn of last century striped velvet cat glides along on four metal wheels.  This pattern was produced overall in 14, 17, and 22 cm from 1901 through 1927.

And finally, the birth house exhibit featured many wonderful and interesting early felt Steiff dolls.  This early "throw style" baby girl was Steifgal's favorite! This simplified doll toy designed for play was produced in various colors of felt, as well as mohair, in 30 cm from 1908 through 1921 overall. 

Steiffgal hopes this virtual tour of Margarete Steiff's birth house truly confirms, "There's no place like home!"

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more. 
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Steiffgal and Steiffpal's Excellent Giengen Adventure!

July 7, 2014, 5:37 pm
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Cue the special effects... and the time travel sequence! It's time for Steiffgal and Steiffpal's excellent adventure to Giengen, Germany to the Annual Steiff Sommer Festival!  Well, it's not quite as dramatic as that, but this year, Steiffgal did have quite the adventure getting to Germany to take part in the company's annual event celebrating all things "button-in-ear,"  which this year ran from June 27th through June 29th.  But once she arrived, things were, as collector's say, "just minty!" Here's a travel diary of the highlights - and challenges - associated with this trip to the birthplace of the Teddy bear.

Wednesday, June 25th

Night:  Steiffgal met Steiffpal at Logan Airport around 4:30pm for their 7:00pm flight from Boston to Stuttgart (about an hour's drive from  Giengen.) Over the years, Steiffgal has traveled the world with Steiffpal for Steiff events; this was their third annual trip to Giengen together.  After a yummy early dinner at Durgin Park restaurant in Terminal E, they headed to the gate, and awaited their flight.

The flight boarded late, because of some temperature control issues. Eventually the duo got on board and found their seats, located in the very rear of the plane.  The cabin was about 90 degrees inside.  After a few minutes the captain came on the public address system.  It was impossible to make out his words; he sounded like the teacher from the Charlie Brown cartoons - wah wha wha wha; wha, wha wha wha.  What he was saying was that the plane has been hit by a cart and was damaged; the flight was cancelled and all passengers had to evacuate the plane immediately. Once back in the terminal, the airlines announced that the next available flight to Germany was in 3 days and that all passengers were to pick up their luggage at carousel 4 and make alternative travel plans.  Oye veh!

Thursday, June 26th

Morning:  After about 100 texts and phone calls back and forth between Steiffgal, Steiffgal, and the travel agent, the duo were rebooked to Germany, albeit in a somewhat less efficient manner.  They again met at Logan airport, and took a plane to LaGuardia Airport in New York.  

Noon and night:  Steiffgal and Pal took a shuttle across town to JFK Airport, where they waited 6 hours to board a flight to Duesseldorf, Germany.

Friday, June 27th

Morning:  Thankfully, the flight was relatively uneventful and the team landed in Duesseldorf at 6am German time.  After passing through passport control, Steiffgal and Steiffpal ran to their connecting gate for their final leg to Stuttgart.  Once at the gate, the attendant "helpfully" told them that their flight was cancelled, and the next flight would be at 4pm, if space were available.  Oye veh - again!

Noon:  Steiffgal and Pal headed to the traveler's help desk, to see what the options were.  Already, they had lost a day at festival... not good!  They decided to take the train from Duesseldorf to Giengen - about a 5 hour ride.  After collecting their baggage and finding the station, they boarded a train for a one stop transfer to a connecting line.  Once at the station,  they discovered their connecting train has been cancelled!  Oye veh - yet another crazy curve ball in what should have been a straightforward 8 hour trip!


Night:  Finally, four trains later and after much standing in line, waiting on platforms, and wondering if they were traveling on the right trains and in the right direction... Steiffgal and Steiffpal arrived in Giengen around 4:30 in the afternoon!  Hallelujah!  The team made the quick walk from the Giengen train station to the company's campus.  And what a homecoming that felt like - after Wednesday, Thursday, and most of Friday in transit! After a few quick hellos, a kind friend took them to the Lobinger Hotel  - a five minute drive from downtown Giengen - where they could finally put away their baggage, freshen up, and start enjoying their time away! The Lobinger Hotel is pictured above on the left.  After a few beers, dinner with friends, and a quick walk to the convenience store across the street from the hotel, Steiffgal and Steiffpal hit the hay in anticipation of a fabulous weekend at Festival.

Saturday, June 28th

Morning:  The day started with a great German breakfast including lox,  muslix, and of course, hearty bread chock-full of seeds and nuts!  Steiffgal and Steiffgal squirreled away two giant pretzels from the buffet for a later-in-the-day treat.  Then they took the shuttle from the hotel to the Steiff campus.   

Immediately upon arriving at Festival, Steiffgal and Pal headed off to the vintage dealer area, where they met with longtime friends and sellers - and "circulated the economy" in a pretty enthusiastic way. Steiffgal purchased a number of unique items from several dealers in this area for friends, colleagues, and her store.  She felt like Santa Claus with her long "Steiff wish list" from friends in hand; however, she was only moderately successful in fulfilling these purchase requests.  This was probably because she arrived a day after opening day and many of these highly sought after items had already been sold.  She bought a 35 cm sitting German Pincher from the 1920's for her own collection; this beauty is pictured here to the left.  He is sitting, head jointed, and made from brown tipped mohair.  He was produced in 17, 22, 28, 35, 43, and 50 cm overall from 1914 through 1931.


After a few hours, Steiffgal and Pal found themselves in the Steiff sales area, which was a large tented space filled to the brim with new Steiff items from the Steiff warehouses and overproduction areas.  This sales area is traditional to the Festival and there are always great treasures to be found - including some one of a kinds and hand samples! The company constantly refreshed the displays throughout the event, so it was important to keep checking back. Here, Steiffgal purchased a number of gifts for friends, as well as a few unusual items for the store.  For herself, she found a somewhat unusual five ways jointed golden Winnie the Pooh, which she thinks was made as an exclusive for Japan a few years back.  Pooh, who is five ways jointed and is 24 cm standing, is pictured here on the left. 

Noon:  After a quick lunch of a giant pretzel and a cold beer, Steiffgal and Steiffpal toured the wonderful Steiff Museum, which features exhibits for kids, families, and vintage collectors as well.  As part of the weekend celebration, the lobby of the museum had a handsome display of two important Steiff Japan projects:  a collaboration with BMW, and a youth soccer (or football if you are not from the USA!) program for children impacted by the severe earthquake of 2011. The museum has many permanent, dynamic displays and vignettes, including one about Margarete starting the company which takes place in her early workshop, and another about Richard Steiff, which takes place in his creativity studio.  The museum also features a huge display of studio animals, hands on kids play areas, a multi-floor slide in the shape of a snake, and of course a breathtaking display of vintage Steiff treasures from  the late 1880's onward.  Steiffgal's favorite museum treasure was a fully jointed felt baby doll - something she had only read about in the past - who is pictured here in the upper left.  This dear dolly was produced in 28 and 35 cm in 1916 and 1917 only.


Night:  For many, one of the major highlights of the Steiff celebration weekend is the annual Teddy Dorado auction, which is held the Saturday evening of the event.  This year, Steiffgal read the catalog descriptions in English from the stage, while Pal wore the white gloves and presented many of the treasures to the audience. The auction featured 78 hand selected items at a spectrum of price points.  

The auction was especially meaningful for Steiffgal because it was there that she got to meet a new friend from the UK in person - one she had been Skyping and emailing with for almost a year!  This friend had discovered a very special item in an auction lot; this treasure turned out to be an extremely rare black Steiff bear!  After much consideration, the friend decided to sell this black bear, whom she named Black Jack, at the Teddy Dorado summer auction.  And what a good choice that was!  He realized over 18,000 euro!  He is pictured here above on the left. Other auction highlights that evening included a one of a kind mohair owl from the collection of Ava Steiff which realized over 9,500 euro; a Teddy Clown that realized almost 6,000 euro; and an unusual Teddy bear on a green mohair mat which realized over 9,500 euro (prices shown include the buyer's premium).  After the auction, which lasted over 2 hours, Steiffgal, Steiffpal, Black Jack's family, and the Teddy Dorado team all enjoyed a wonderful celebratory dinner at the Sud Italia restaurant in downtown Giengen.  

Sunday, June 29th

Morning:  There was no rest for the weary and after a quick breakfast, Steiffgal and Pal were back on the Steiff campus.  The first stop of the morning was back to the sales tent, where the team scored a few more good deals.  Pal picked up a few early style bears, and Steiffgal purchased more gifts for friends as well as an unusual long blonde mohair dog that looked like a cross between a lab and a chow chow.  He is pictured here above on the left. They then again walked the vintage sales area, where Pal bought a special black and white cow that she'd been after for awhile. 

Noon:  After a light lunch of pretzels and beer (are you starting to see a theme here?) the team decided to brave the rain and wind and take a foot tour of  Giengen.  The town itself is quite small, only about 17 square miles total.  The downtown has a few banks, restaurants, convenience stores, and retail stores all set within turn of last century or earlier buildings with cobblestone sidewalks, fountains, and lots of flowers in window boxes. It is really quite charming! After wandering about for an hour or so, Steiffgal and Pal found themselves at the birth house of Margarete Steiff, located just a stone's throw from the factory on Lederstrasse, or Leather Street.  The front of the house is pictured here above on the left. This turned out to be one of the highlights of the trip for both travelers, and you can take this tour yourself (albeit virtually!) by clicking here!

Night:With jetlag and the frenetic pace finally catching up to them, sleepy Steiffgal and Pal grab said their goodbyes to friends on the Steiff campus and took the shuttle back to the Lobinger hotel. Upon arrival, they dropped off their bags and met a group of friends from the US and UK for drinks in the hotel lobby.  Over time, the group slowly migrated to the dining room, where everyone enjoyed a leisurely traditional southern German style dinner.  Steiffgal had a salad and pot roast with onion gravy, while Pal had veal schnitzel with fries.  Then it was back to the rooms for packing - and repacking - bags to fit within the airline's travel regulations, and a good night's sleep.

Monday, June 30th

Morning:  With bags packed, Steiffgal and Pal met friends for a quick breakfast in the lobby, and then checked out of their hotel.  They caught a ride with a colleague to the Stuttgart airport. Although it was pouring rain, the drive was interesting and very scenic. Once at the airport, they breezed through security and the plane - heading to London - took off and landed right on schedule.

Noon:  At Heathrow, Steiffgal and Pal did a little window shopping after the elaborate security screening.  A delightful surprise was seeing a Steiff bear featured in the window of Hamley's airport store!  Next on the airport agenda was the team's annual "last meal before crossing the pond" at Wagamama, where Steiffgal and Pal each had a delicious lobster and seafood salad and split an order of edamame - this yummy meal is pictured above on the left.  The plane did indeed board on time, and except for an hour long ground delay, took off and landed "relatively" on time and in a completely uneventful manner!  Yay!  Apparently the travel curse has been broken!

Night:  Steiffgal and Pal say their goodbyes in Logan Airport and promise to return to Giengen together in 2015!  

Steiffgal hopes this travel log has convinced you to attend Steiff Sommer 2015 - without the travel hassles, of course!

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more.  
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Sit and Stay Awhile With This Delightful Steiff German Pinscher Dog!

July 12, 2014, 6:17 pm
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Pinch me!  Or in this case, better yet, "Pinch" me!  Ever have that feeling when a wonderful Steiff item just makes its way into your collection, like it was meant to be?  Well, that's how Steiffgal felt when a somewhat rare - and totally adorable - vintage Steiff dog recently joined her hug.  Check out this captivating Steiff canine and see what makes him so interesting from the design and historical perspectives.  


This sitting sweetie is none other than Steiff's German Pinscher dog.  He is sitting, head jointed, and made from long mohair that was tipped in brown when he was new.  His face is detailed with oversized brown and black glass pupil eyes, a prominent black hand stitched nose and mouth, and a center-seamed muzzle.  His pert triangular mohair ears are lined in pink felt, and as is customary to the breed, he has a proportionally very small tail.  He has black hand embroidered claws on his front paws; his back paw stitching has been lost to time.   Pinscher is in a very appealing and authentic sitting position; his back legs are angled and bent in the way a real puppy sits - especially when they are trying to be compliant for a treat!  This handsome hound retains his long trailing "f" Steiff button and red ear tag; his collar and pendant were made by Steiff but are modern and not original to him.  This Steiff Pincher pattern was produced in 17, 22, 28, 35, 43, and 50 cm from 1914 though 1931 overall. 

So how much is that doggie in the window?  Steiffgal cannot reveal this, but she can share that she found this Pinscher in the booth of a dear dealer friend at the 2014 Steiff Sommer Event in Giengen, Germany.  And indeed, it was love at first sight!

German Pinschers have a far back but somewhat limited history in the Steiff product line.  The first ones appeared in 1903 and were five ways rod jointed; in many ways they looked quite similar to Steiff's earliest rod jointed cubs with their simple expressions and gutta percha noses.  These earliest Pinschers were made in 35 cm only from 1903 through 1906. These are extremely rare; one at Christie's in London realized $12,862 at auction in 2010; he is pictured here on the left.  The next Steiff Pinschers in the line were like Steiffgal's new friend as discussed above -  the ones produced from 1914 through 1931.  The last prewar Pinschers produced by Steiff were made from 1935 through 1943.  These pretty pets came in 17, 22, and 28 cm and were also sitting and head jointed.  However, they were produced in grayish brown mohair and had a slightly updated body and facial pattern.  As far as Steiffgal can tell, Steiff has not had a German style Pinscher in the line for over 70 years... perhaps the time is right again soon?

Like many popular dog breeds today - like dachshunds -  Pinschers of many types originated in Germany.  You can check out a real-live German Pinscher here on the left. For over two centuries, German Pinschers have traditionally has their ears and tail docked. You can see these details on Steiffgal's Pinscher under discussion here. The early belief was that docking the tail was "thought to prevent rabies, strengthen the back, increase the animal's speed, and prevent injuries when working" ... while cropping the ears "prevented injuries while working and increased the intense appearance of the canine and eliminate the subdued, puppy look of droopy ears." Today, both of these procedures are primarily done for cosmetic reasons and many owners do not elect them for their dogs. It is interesting to note that it is thought that German Pinschers came close to extinction in the first quarter of last century.  Thankfully, a gentleman from West Germany named Werner Jung began breeding German Pinschers after World War II, and is credited with saving the breed. 

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's delightful pre-war Pinschers has been as welcomed as a loving pinch on the cheek!

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more. 
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Fawning Over This Lovely Vintage Reclining Steiff Deer

July 23, 2014, 2:16 pm
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Every Steiff enthusiast has a few extra special items in their collection that are truly deer - ahem, dear... to their heart.  Those treasures that seem to truly capture the essence of the Steiff brand, its breathtaking designs, and impeccable quality.  Steiffgal recently welcomed such a piece to her hug, and in all honesty, cannot stop fawning over it.  Take a look at this vintage Steiff forest friend and see what makes her so unique from the product design and construction perspectives.

Steiffgal's not lying when she says this reclining deer is one special collectible.  This sweet fawn is lying, unjointed, and made from light brown mohair.  Her little legs are bent and folded over in such a way to appear like she is relaxing peacefully, as she would in a forest in nature.  She has a tiny,  bump-out style tail. Her precious face is detailed with a black hand embroidered nose which is highlighted with a tan stitch; black button eyes; a spot of red to indicate her lips; and large, pert, all mohair ears that have a distinctively triangular shape to them.  The mohair on her facial area is slightly shorter than on her body and limbs.  She retains her long trailing"f" style Steiff button and traces of a yellow ear tag. Fawn was made in 14 cm only from 1934 through 1943.  

From a design and construction perspective, this fabulous fawn has two really special features of note.  

The first of course is her remarkable front leg shape, design, and assembly.  Her two front limbs literally fold over and tuck underneath her.  So of course the question comes up - how did Steiff create this effect?  It would seem almost impossible to cut, sew, and stuff such a small area given its location and scale to the rest of the item.  So what's the secret?  Steiff created this effect by putting a piece of bendable metal wire in the front legs during her manufacturer.  The legs were assembled straight out, but then bent gently into place during finishing.  You can see her underside construction here on the left - don't worry, she's just posing for the camera here!

Steiffgal's not going out on a limb to say that this front leg construction is quite unusual.  As a matter of fact, the only other item that comes immediately to mind as also having this wired front leg detail is Steiff's pre-war lying sheep.  This sweetie was produced in 14 cm only in lamb's wool plush from 1937 through 1939 - the same size and production era as the deer under discussion in this post.  This sheep is pictured here on the left. 

The second is a bit more subtle but no less interesting in terms of ingenuity.  One cannot help but notice the elegant and lifelike lines of the lying fawn, especially around her back hip area.  It turns out that on both sides of her hips, she has an unusual "swoosh" shaped insert into her mohair.  These are in perfect symmetry on her body. These inserts have the effect of adding texture and a rounded differentiation to this area of her body, as well as physically bumping out her hips in a most authentic way.  The swoosh is almost "patched" into this area and it is mind-boggling to figure out from a manufacturing perspective how this was done!  But, thankfully the skilled Steiff seamstresses knew the secret, and we can all love and appreciate their handiwork today.  One of the fawn's swoosh inserts is pictured here on the left.  

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's truly wonderful and tranquil lying fawn has added a little rest and relaxation to your day.

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more. 
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Hop Hop Hooray For This Fabulous Steiff Rabbit On Wheels!

July 29, 2014, 2:57 pm
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Any bunny in the mood for a little fun?  Well, its hard not to be in a playful frame of mind when it comes to Steiff delightful rolling collectibles!  And here's one that wasn't 'round for too long - she was only in the line for one year!  Check out this "smooth as silk" pull toy rabbit on red wooden wheels and see what makes her so cool from the design and historical perspectives.  

It's off to the races with this fabulous vintage Steiff rabbit.  She is standing on all fours, unjointed, and made from tan artificial silk plush.  Her coat is brought to life with tan, grey and black airbrushing.  Her soft ears are lined in peach colored felt.  Her pensive face is detailed with black and brown pupil eyes, a pink hand embroidered nose and mouth that is highlighted with a touch of pink paint. She has a few monofilament whiskers, a non-working squeaker, and retains her original blue ribbon.  Rabbit glides along on four red wooden off center wheels and has a red and white pull string attached to her chest.  For her Steiff IDs, she retains her short trailing "f" Steiff button and traces of her yellow ear tag. A close up of these IDs is shown below. This hoppy-go-lucky charmer was manufactured in this size in 1949 only.

This item certainly has wheel appeal and was made at a most interesting time in the company's history.  After the factory reopened for toy making business in the late 1940's, their manufacturing processes were challenged by limited material supplies.  Mohair and felt, traditional Steiff fabrics, were hard if not impossible to source, and had for several years been allocated to military uses, such as uniforms, hats, blankets, and other items.  

But Steiff has always found ways to get the job done, even under the most difficult of supply chain circumstances.  A great example of this is their use of plush made from wooden fibers right after World War I, when they also faced limited access to woolen materials.  The company was also forced to get creative with materials around and just after World War II as well. During this period, Steiff "improvised" with artificial silk plush materials to manufacture some of its most beloved designs traditionally made from mohair - like this rabbit on wheels. Artificial silk plush was a cheaper, lower cost, and poorer quality option, but it was available on commercial scale.  And "silk" most likely refers to the shine and softness of the plush.  However, this synthetic material tended to lose its sheen and good looks quite quickly; as a result, it unusual to find Steiff artificial silk plush items in great condition today. 

Because of the time frame in which artificial silk plush items were made, it is possible to see a number of different Steiff button designs on items besides the short trailing "f" button noted on the rabbit on wheels. The photo to the left shows a few other artificial silk period plush items, including:

  • Front and center, a black and white sitting bunny produced in 15, 18, 22 cm from 1938 to 1943.  His button is STEIFF in all capital letters.  His ID and production dates suggest he might have been made in the early 1940's, put into storage during the war, then buttoned and sold right after the war.
  • Standing tall in the back is a silk plush Teddy baby produced in 22, 25, and 30 cm from 1948 to 1950.  He has a blank Steiff button.
  • On the right, a sitting Bazi Dachshund, produced in 14 and 17 cm from 1948 to 1949.  He also has a blank Steiff button.
  • And on the left, a somewhat rare brown Teddy bear, he is not noted in the Steiff Sortiment but is estimated to be from the late 1940's.  Unfortunately he has lost his button, but one just like him was found with a short trailing "f" button.
It is interesting to note Steiffgal has never seen a US Zone tag on any silk plush item,  even though these tags were technically supposed to be sewn onto any Steiff item leaving the factory from 1947 to 1953.  Have you ever seen this combination?  Alas, another mystery for another day.   

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's silk plush fabric items has added a touch of creativity and inspiration to your day.  

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more. 
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This Musical Steiff Cocker Spaniel Can't Smile Without You!

August 2, 2014, 7:59 pm
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They say that music soothes the savage beast. So given all the unsettling news that seems to be everywhere these days, Steiffgal thought this singing sweetie might just add a touch of joy to your day! Perhaps we can wind things down a notch by introducing you to "Music Cockie," who has one of Steiff's more "dynamic" music box feature designs. Come see what makes makes this maestro so interesting from the product design perspective.
 



This musical Cockie Cocker Spaniel just can't wait to break out in song for you. She is 17 cm, head jointed, and sitting. Cockie is made from black and white mohair. Her ears, rear, and tail are made from long wavy black mohair; the sides of her head are made from short black mohair. Her body and limbs are made from long wavy white mohair, while her muzzle and face are made from short white mohair. Cockie's adorable face is detailed with a huge, open, velvet lined mouth, a hand embroidered nose, and black and brown pupil eyes. She has a tail winding style music box, meaning that her musical talents are "activated" by turning her tail in a circular motion. You can see how that works in the video above.
 
It is interesting to note Steiff only produced one other "tail winding style" musical animal. This was a cat named Kitty. Like Cockie, Kitty was also 17 cm. She had a closed mouth and was made from white and grey mohair. Both Cockie and Kitty appeared in the line from 1955 to 1957, and then again in 1961. It is not unusual to find both models lacking the mohair covering on their tails, probably because this area got so much attention and wear from play. 

Steiff's Musical Cockie represents a relatively unusual example in the range of music box animals the company has produced over time. High quality, European made music boxes became available on a large, commercial scale in the mid 1920's. Seeing the potential in this, Steiff created a line of musical animals based on its most popular items of the era. And, for almost 100 years since then, the company has had musical offerings in the line - although the music box style and activation has changed significantly over the years.

Steiff's "Music-Animals" made their grand stage debut in 1928. This chorus included a five ways jointed Teddy bear, a brown tipped Petsy the baby bear, Bully the bulldog, Molly the puppy, Cheerio the laughing puppy, Fellow the puppy, Charly the King Charles Spaniel, Treff the bloodhound, Fluffy the cat, a clown, and a standing lamb.  Most had a "press and release" style music box; standing Charly's music box was activated by pulling on his tail. These items appeared overall in sizes ranging from 17 through 43 cm. However, despite their charming appearance and musical features, these collectibles were quite expensive and few were made.  Unfortunately at the time, sales were minimal - probably because of cost -  and they were last featured in the catalog in 1930/1931.  

After a two-decade long intermission, Steiff began orchestrating musical animals again in the 1950's.  In 1950, the company featured three new musical animals:  a "Music Bazi," a "Music Teddy Baby," and a "Music Kitty." Their music boxes were activated by gently squeezing their bodies up and down like an accordion.  All of these early post war musical animals appeared in the line in 1950 through 1951 only. Then in 1951, Steiff introduced "Music Teddy," whose design was based on the updated "Original Teddy Bear" pattern that was also introduced in 1951. Right the middle of his belly was a red felt circle that had the word "music" printed in white on it. When this spot was squeezed and released, it played a sweet lullaby.  Music Teddy was so popular that Steiff created "Music Jocko,"  based the company's standard line 35 cm brown mohair chimpanzee. Like Music Teddy, Music Jocko had a squeeze-activated music box implanted in his belly, which was also noted by a red felt disk on his belly. Both Music Jocko and Music Teddy (pictured above on the left) appeared in the line from 1951 through 1957; their production time slightly overlapping with Musical Cockie under discussion here.  

As music box technologies because less expensive and more durable, Steiff began putting them in more playthings designed specifically for babies and children. Since the 1970's, Steiff has made numerous plush, washable cotton, and velour musical items. Unlike Steiff's earlier models, these had wind up or pull cord musical mechanisms, and in some cases, the music box could be removed so the outer shell could be laundered. Today, Steiff frequently puts music boxes into child-friendly products.  Music boxes are also featured in "higher end" collectibles and special editions (like 2004's "American Pride" bear, pictured above on the left), and have become a regular feature in special Christmas and co-branded items. 

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's Musical Cockie has added a happy tune to your day. 

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more.  
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This Sweet Steiff Spaniel Is Worthy Of A Crown!

August 10, 2014, 10:15 am
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Best of show!  Few could argue that Steiff's early canines are truly top dogs!  One of Steiffgal's most favorite 1920's-era pooch pattern is that of Charly, the King Charles Spaniel.  In real life, this breed was one of the "it" dogs of the 1920's.  In addition to being a beloved pet, a "Charly" was often considered a "style accessory," accompanying well dressed society ladies on their important business of the day.

Steiff introduced Charly in the late 1920's, a time of great creativity at Steiff.  Many dog patterns were also debuted around the same time; this was in part due to the overwhelming popularity of the "grandmother of all Steiff dogs," Molly the puppy, who debuted in 1925.   The original Steiff Charly was produced both sitting (10, 14, 17, 22, 25, 30, and 35 cm) and standing (7, 10, 12, 14, 17, 22, 25, and 36 cm); the two versions were head-jointed only. Charly dogs were made from light brown or orange-tipped mohair and white mohair; had extremely long fuzzy ears; large, childlike brown and black-pupil eyes; a very detailed facial seam structure; and a prominent tail. Their filling was soft kapok, meaning that they were lighter in weight and more cuddly than other animals stuffed with crunchy excelsior. Sitting and standing Charly appeared in the line overall through 1939. You can see examples of sitting and standing Charly dogs here on the left.

Knowing a good thing when they saw it, the designers at Steiff recognized that Charly would be a great source for “theme and variation” product introductions, due to his popularity with collectors.  As a result, he appeared in various forms throughout the line through 1940 or so.  Highlights included:

A pin cushion, in two styles - a sitting and standing version.  Both were mounted on a square mohair pincushion—the sitting version was produced from 1929 through 1932, and the standing version was produced from 1930 through 1932.  The standing version is pictured above; the photo is from Christie's.

A puppet.  Charly was produced as a 17 cm mohair puppet from 1928 through 1939.  If you click here, you will go to a page where you can see a number of Charly puppets and others from the same time frame.  This collection website is one of Steiffgal's most favorite; the treasures  are truly phenomenal and very well displayed!  

Musical animals. Steiff produced musical Charly dogs in both sitting and standing styles from 1928 through 1931 overall. The sitting musical Charly was made in 17 and 22 cm. His music box was activated by squeezing his sides. For some smaller versions of the standing musical Charly, his music box was a bit more unusual; in order to play the music you would pull the tail, not wind it. Steiffgal cannot think of another Steiff music box character that was activated this way. Standing musical Charly was produced in 17, 22, and 25 cm; a medium sized standing musical Charly is shown above.  The photo is from Christies.

Tiny 10 cm woolen Nomotta woolen miniatures.  These were made in both sitting and standing patterns from 1935 through 1937 overall.  Their bodies were "pom-pom" style while their ears were made from mohair and were lined in felt. Despite their demunitive size, these petite treats were distinctly "Spaniel" with their dear looks and prominent tails!

A charming child's purse.  Charly Purse was produced in 22 and 25 cm from 1927 through 1940; in this version, Charly was head jointed and his belly was hollow like a pouch and lined in velvet.  You can see the Steiff's original Charly purse is shown above.  It is interesting to note that this purse was reissued as a North American Limited edition replica in 2005.  For more about this fun and functional item, please click here!

A pajama bag.  Charly Nachthemdentasche or "Charly Night Dress Bag" was produced in 30 cm from 1930 through 1935.  In this version, Charly's head was sewn onto a 30 cm x 30 cm mohair zippered bag that was designed to hold children's sleeping clothes during the day.  This unusual item is shown above; the photograph is from Pfeiffer's Steiff 1892-1943 Sortiment. 
 
And perhaps the rarest Charly of all - a Pupp Animal Doll.  This version was 28 cm and dressed in a playful purple outfit.  He appeared in the line only from 1929 through 1930.  In 2010, a Pupp Charly realized over $8,300 at auction at Christie's in London; he is pictured above.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's wonderful Charly dogs has made you feel like King for the day. 

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more. 
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This Starfish Stool Is Truly A Steiff Celebrity!

August 16, 2014, 11:22 am
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Who is the star of your Steiff collection? For many enthusiasts, that might change on a weekly, or even daily basis! Here's one very heavenly Steiff rarity that truly has permanent and universal star appeal. Put your feet up and check out this great larger than life celebrity that truly merits a place on the Steiff Walk of Fame!

This leading lady is Steiff's Seestern Snuggy Starly or Snuggy Starly Starfish. This five legged lovely is 50 cm in diameter and 30 cm high and made from mohair. She was actually originally designed as a "sitztier" or sitting animal for children. Her top is gloriously hand airbrushed in pumpkin-orange, brown, green, and cherry-red. Her underside is tan. The tips of her "feet" are made from a faux suede material, which feels quite similar to the faux suede material used on the pads of Steiff's mid to late-1950's pandas and Teddy babies. Starly has a yellow metal frame attached to the underside of her body via heavy tan strings. This "skeleton" gives her strength and stability, and holds her semi "arched" or standing position. She has grey rubber feet on the ends of this metal frame, to keep her in place and prevent floor scratching. Starly was produced in this size only (officially cataloged as "35 cm") from 1959 through 1969.
 
It is interesting to note that Starly's raised script button is attached to her via a simple white linen strip of material sewn into one of her leg seams. Clearly, she does not have ears or really any other place to put her IDs. However, this is the only time that Steiffgal has seen a button on a plain piece of linen, not on a yellow ear tag or other piece of semi-branded Steiff material or fabric.

Starfish are as rare as a celebrity sighting in the Steiff line. As far as Steiffgal can tell, Starly was the first starfish to appear in the Steiff catalog - ever! And there have been just a handful since her introduction. These include a 10 cm, colorful nicki velour baby rattle starfish (produced from 1978 through 1992); a 20 cm polka-dotted cotton squeaking baby toy (produced from 1999 through 2000); a 12 cm red and yellow mohair starfish named Coloro (produced from 2004 through 2005); and most recently, a red plush starfish named "Piccy" who was introduced in 2012. Piccy was produced as a 15 cm toy as well as a 12 cm keyring; he is pictured here on the left.

Snuggy Starly Starfish was part of a series of "functional playthings" Steiff started producing in the late 1950's. Steiff's universal appeal really took off a few years after the end of WWII, possibly because soldiers returning from assignments in Europe often brought Steiff items back home with them. As a result, Steiff began expanding its offerings to keep up with demand and explore the potential of new product lines. In addition to Starly, other sturdy, metal framed "sitting" mohair animals in the Snuggy series included a 30 cm may beetle (produced from 1968 through 1969), a 40 cm frog (produced from 1959 through 1966), a 43 cm turtle (produced from 1957 through 1974), and a 55 cm elephant (produced from 1957 through 1966). All but Starly were based on existing, beloved Steiff patterns of the time.  Snuggy Slo turtle - and a few of his groupies - are pictured here on the left. 

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Snuggy Starly has put stars in your eyes!
 
Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more.   
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Good Things Come In Threes With Steiff's Tiny Tabby Kittens

August 26, 2014, 12:02 pm
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Less is more when it comes to Steiff's amazing palm-sized pets!  And who wouldn't want to add a few petite treats to their Steiff hug? Although by nature more of a "dog person," Steiffgal recently had the the opportunity to adopt three utterly marvelous palm sized Steiff kittens into her collection.  Check out this terrific trio and see what makes them the cat's meow in so many ways!

Steiffgal is totally smitten with these tiny kittens! Here we have three of Steiff's Tabby cats.  They are standing, unjointed, and made from white mohair which has been highlighted with grey and detailed with black stripes. Their faces are brought to life with green and black slit pupil eyes, pink hand embroidered noses and mouths, and clear monofilament whiskers.  Each wears a pink or red bow and a tiny brass colored jingle bell.  Overall, postwar Tabby was made in 7, 10, 14, and 17 cm from 1949 through 1977.

Size also defies with these charming baby cats! Although they are "technically" labeled and cataloged as the 7 cm version (measured vertically from top of head to toe,) these Tabby cats actually vary from a little over 7 cm down to 6 cm.  A centimeter plus or minus doesn't sound like a big difference here, but when things are actually this small, it has a huge effect on an item's scale and appearance. 

It's never polite to ask someone's age, but in this case, it's makes for an interesting mystery!  These "triplet" cats all have their raised script buttons, yellow ear tags, and red imprinted chest tags.  This combination of IDs dates them all around 1952.  However, when it comes to Steiff, things are never quite that simple... especially when it comes to identification and detailing on items from the late 1940's and early 1950's.  There are a few very subtle differences between them that suggest that they may not all share the identical birth date!

  • One Tabby has a tiny white linen "US Zone" tag sewn into his front leg seam; the others do not.  This tag measures less than 1 square cm overall and is pictured above on the left. The US Zone tag was technically used on all items produced by Steiff in the 1947 through 1953 time frame.
  • One Tabby has early style, "teal green" and black slit pupil eyes, while the others have more "soda bottle green" and black slit pupil eyes; this is pictured below.
  • One Tabby's ear tag reads, "Steiff (in bold script) Original 1307,0 Made in Germany" while the others both read, "Steiff (in regular print) Orig. gesch. 1307,0 Made in Germany."  Both of these styles of ear tags were used in the approximately 1952 time frame, and are pictured below.
  • Each kitten has a silk ribbon; however they are not matching in color.  One ribbon is not original, but in the correct "color palate" to the others.  

So what does all this mean?  Here are two things to keep in mind...

First and foremost, it is important to remember that these sorts of vintage Steiff items were all made by hand, so slight differences in size and general appearance are to be expected.  And this truly does magnify with smaller items, where there is less "wiggle room" for differences.  Most collectors would agree that these variations only add to the appeal and charm of Steiff treasures.

Secondly, these items were made during a less than optimal production period at Steiff (circa WWII) where the company was dealing with limited supplies and resources.  During this time, it would not be unusual to use pre-war materials on post war produced items, as the company has traditionally used "what's on hand" for manufacturing and ID purposes.  For example, in this case, the blue-green eyes on one of the Tabby cats could have easily come from pre-war stock, while the Tabby herself may have been made post war.  And, to complicate things even more - given Steiff did indeed make a 7 cm grey and white striped Tabby cat from 1936 through 1943 - this Tabby could have even been made pre-war, tucked away during the war, and then buttoned, labeled, and sold postwar!   Only she knows for sure!

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on these baby kittens reminds you that good things indeed come in threes!

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more. 
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Size Defies When It Comes To Steiff's Adorable Woolen Miniature Mice!

August 31, 2014, 11:51 am
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With  just a handful of summer left, Steiffgal thought it might be fun to take little look at one of Steiff's legacy products that truly would fit in the palm of your hand!  It seems that everyone just loves Steiff's woolen miniatures, and for good reason!  They are completely adorable, gorgeously designed, and of course, don't take up too much room (which tends to be an issue the larger one's collection becomes!)  Perhaps the cutest - in Steiffgal's humble opinion - woolies are Steiff's tiny mice.  Check out this tiny two-some and perhaps you'll agree as well!


Size defies when it comes to these lifelike, miniature master pieces!  Here we have an albino white mouse and a grey mouse.  Both are cataloged as 4 cm, made from wool yarn, are standing on all fours, have long tails, and are head jointed.  Their petite feet, which each have four toes, are made of peach colored felt.  Their tiny faces come to life with airbrushed-highlighted felt ears, playful whiskers, bead eyes, and pink painted noses and mouths.  The grey mouse on the left was produced from 1931 through 1943 overall; he also came in white and brown.  The white mouse on the right was made from 1949 though 1984 overall and also came in grey.

Both mice sport IDs which are appropriate for their era of production.  The white mouse has a tiny raised script button and article number 7354/04 (suggesting a specific 1968 through 1984 manufacture date) while the grey mouse has a tiny trailing F button and article number 2504,1 (suggesting a specific 1937 through 1943 manufacturing date.)  These items never had chest tags, and as far as Steiffgal can see, no woolen miniatures ever did.  However, a handful of woolen miniatures are perhaps the only items in the entire Steiff history of production that did not leave the factory with a “button in ear.” Even birds, which clearly lack ears, had a button securing their label around their leg. Woolie ladybugs and hedgehogs do not, and never had, Steiff buttons. There was simply no place to attach them. But their look, feel, and manufacturing make them undoubtedly Steiff.

It is always fun with Steiff to track how designs change - or don't - over time.  This is especially true with beloved and popular items that are produced over a long period, even decades... as is in the case of these mice!  In general, with these two babies, it is clear that their core, basic pattern did not change over time.  And, given that both mice weigh 5 g, that the critical mass of the pattern remained constant over time.  However, there are a few very subtle differences between them.  These include:

  • Their length from nose to fanny.  The white mouse measures 5 cm while the grey mouse measures 4 cm. 
  • Their tails.  The white mouse has an 8 cm tail made from solid peach colored rubber.  The grey mouse has an 8.5 cm tail made from grayish-black stretchy elastic, like an elastic band.  You can see a close up of their tails in the photo above on the left.
  •  Their whiskers.  The white mouse has numerous long, flexible, clear whiskers, while the grey mouse has just a handful of very short, stiff, brownish whiskers.
Let's talk about the size difference first.  Because each Steiff item is made by hand, it is entirely possible that size differences are a result of the touch of individual craftspeople.  It is also conceivable - because each mouse weighs the same (and clearly their bodies make up most of their mass) - that the composition of the woolen fibers used on these items changed over time, and/or aged differently.  

Now their tails and whiskers.  These differences are most likely attributable to materials available on hand at the time of their production, as well as manufacturing improvements to those materials over the decades. It is most interesting that the older grey mouse's tail, which is made from a stretchy material, has not dried out, cracked, or fallen off - which happens alot with older rubber items.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's tiny woolen mice has made a huge and happy difference in your day!

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more.  
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This Steiff Goat Is The Wheel-Deal Indeed!

September 10, 2014, 8:00 am
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Do Steiff goats float your boat? Well, they certainly do for Steiffgal! It is easy to fall for these charming farm friends who just seem to have a great sense of fun, energy, and humor. Check out this great goat on wheels and see what truly makes him the life of the barnyard!
 
There's no 'kid'ding around when it comes to this beautiful billy! Here we have Steiff's Nachzieh Ziege or pull toy goat. Goat is 12 cm high (head to toe) and 16 cm long, unjointed, and made from off white mohair. His back, tail, legs, and face are lightly airbrushed with brown detailing, making him truly an authentic farm friend. The lining of his ears and the underside of his pert tail are made from peach colored felt. He has black and green slit pupil eyes and a black hand embroidered nose and mouth. His tiny horns are made from wooden beads, and his snout is highlighted with a tiny bit of red accent. He rides upon a black metal framed carriage which is mounted on four red wooden eccentric wheels. He was produced in this size only (officially documented at 14 cm) from 1953 through 1957.
 
Collector's may recognize this baaaa-d boy as Steiff's "Zicky" the goat pattern. And, he does indeed have a small, colorful, named bear faced chest tag with the name "Zicky" imprinted in blue. Overall, standing Zicky was made from 1952 through 1972 in 10, 14, 22, 28, and 35 cm. A family of standing Zicky goats is pictured here on the left. Zicky was also produced in a somewhat rarer "lying" pattern in 10 and 14 cm from 1954 through 1956. The smaller lying version of Zicky is pictured below on the left.

It probably won't get your goat to learn that goats are a legacy design for Steiff. The first ones appeared as early as the late 1800's in felt. In addition to just regular standing models, early and prewar goats were produced as hanging toys, as woolen miniatures, as wooden pull toys, on wheels, as nodding animals, with tail moves head mechanisms, and with special voice boxes that were designed to sound like a real goat. 

And yes, he is the wheel deal! Steiff has traditionally produced pull toy versions of many of its most popular items.  In the 1950's and 1960's, these were usually made from the smallest or next to smallest versions of the standard line items and on red, blue, or green wooden eccentric or regular style wheels. These petite treats included cats, farm animals like donkeys and ponies, rabbits, and ducks, and dogs. Steiff's tiny 10 cm Cockie Cocker Spaniel on eccentric wheels is pictured here on the left. Larger wooden wheeled treasures from this period included Fox Terriers and elephants.
 
Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's rolling Zicky helps to move along your day in a most positive way!

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more.
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This Vintage Standing Steiff Molly Is Absolutely Picture Perfect!

September 14, 2014, 2:28 pm
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Good golly, who doesn't love Steiff's adorable Mollies?  These precious pups have been delighting Steiff collectors since their introduction in 1925.  Most enthusiasts are familiar with the company's sweet sitting style Molly dogs.  However, the company also made lesser known standing versions of this legacy design.  Steiffgal had the great pleasure of adopting one of these standing sweeties over the summer, and this one came with a neat surprise - but more about that later.  Here's a bit more about this fantastic find.

Clearly, there's no need to sit and stay with this marvelous Molly! She is 17 cm tall and 25 cm long, head jointed, and made from long off white mohair. When she was new, her back, sides, face, and bottom and were beautifully airbrushed with brown patches, but those highlights have faded over time. Her ears are made from mohair and are "folded over" as typical to her design. She has very large brown and black pupil eyes and a black hand embroidered nose, mouth, and claws. When she was new, her mouth had a slight touch of red, accenting her lips. She has a nonworking squeaker in her belly. Her collar is not original to her, although it was made by Steiff.

Molly was introduced in the Steiff line in 1925 in both sitting and standing versions.  This standing Molly was produced in 8, 12, 14, 17, 22, 28, and 35 cm through 1936.  Other standing models included Molly dogs on regular and eccentric wooden wheels, hanging pram toys, musical versions, and barking pull toys; a few of these novelties were manufactured until the early 1940's. No version of standing Molly was reintroduced after the factory reopened for business post war in the late 1940's.

This standing Molly has spent her life as a "friend for life," and Steiffgal has the proof!  When she purchased this blue ribbon buddy, she came with a very special treat - provenance, in the form of four vintage, black and white photo postcards of her with her original owner! Each is 13-1/2" cm by 8-1/2 cm and has the words, "Frankfurt a. M. - T. H. Voight. - Bad Homburg v. d. H." printed on the back.  Here are these four charming pictures.

This first photo shows the beautiful little girl resting on a cushion.  She is holding a large doll, and Molly peeks out behind her legs.  This photo is not dated.

This second photo is quite similar to the first one, and you can also make out more details about her doll.  Molly stands right in front and you can see her coloring and perhaps a bit of her original ribbon or chest tag.  This photo is also not dated.

This third photo features the little girl standing up and holding Molly.  Her dress is the same in all three of these photos.  This is probably the best view of the Molly, and you can clearly make out Molly's round, metal rimmed chest tag. This photo is dated February 15, 1928.

This final photo shows the little girl posing with an older woman, perhaps her mom, an aunt, cousin, or even an older sister.  It is hard to tell, and there aren't alot of clues in the photo.  Here she clutches Molly like a toy, and you can make out what is probably the ribbon around Molly's neck.  This photo is dated 1927.    

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this standing Molly with provenance has been picture perfect for you.

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