Top 5 Countdown: What Were They Thinking?

Hello Steiff friends! It's been a strange and punchy couple of days for Steiffgal... so naturally her eye went to those Steiff items in her collection that reflected the tone of her week! She thought it would be fun to take a look at some of her Steiff goodies (or in this case, baddies?) that really could be classified as oddballs.

So without further ado, here are Steiffgal's top 5 countdown winners for today's coveted "What Were They Thinking?" Award.

#5: Poppy Chameleon
Poppy is 45 cm, unjointed, and made from primarily red multicolored woven plush. She has a blue felt ruffle down the middle of top center seam, and a plush flap surrounding her face. She has enormous bulging eye pockets and black beady eyes. Her tail is thick and curled, like that of a pug. She was produced for two years only, in 1995 through 1996, and was available in three colors: red, green, and blue. She looks like a child's drawing of a chameleon brought to life-- primitive, colorful, and exaggerated. Fabulous, in sort of a psychedelic way. What were they thinking... or on?


#4: Mobby Dangling Rat
Mobby is 37 cm, unjointed, and made from grey woven plush. In the traditional "lulac" style, Mobby has really long, floppy arms and legs. His hands and feet are proportionally enormous, stuffed with bean bag filling, and lined in soft grey suede-like material. His tail is made from grey rope. He has a pink nose, black bead eyes, and airbrushed facial details. Perhaps his most odd feature, and the one that got him on this list, is his tiny white plastic buck teeth. An orthodontist's dream. Mobby was produced from 2000 through 2002. One toothy question for you: What were they thinking?

#3: Kiwi
No, your eyes do not deceive you. Welcome to New Zealand! (Steiffgal only means that in the best way, visitors from the "deep south"...) Steiff has produced a number of unique species, and Steiffgal would nominate this really lifelike kiwi as one of their finest. The kiwi is 25 cm, standing, and made from woven brown fur. His legs are jointed (like giant drumsticks) and his feet are truly remarkable. They are made from tan fabric, are flexible, and are detailed with intricate airbrushing. His beak is about 4 inches long, soft stuffed, and is also finished with airbrushing. Kiwi was produced from 1995 through 1999. Kiwi makes the list well, just because... what were they thinking?

#2: Cosy Clippy Crab
Ok, has Steiffgal pinched your interest yet? Take a look at the smallest oddity to make today's countdown, Cosy Clippy Crab. Clippy is 10 cm, made from two colors of woven fur, and has felt claws and feet. His eyes are tiny and set deeply into his face. Clippy was produced from 1995 through 1996 in six - yes six - colors: violet, yellow, red, olive green, eggplant, and raspberry. This probably says alot about Steiffgal, but she has THREE in the series...so perhaps the better question here is... what was SHE thinking?

DRUMROLL PLEASE....

#1: Cosy Flappy Fly
Look what we have here. Please say hello to the grand prize winner of today's "What Were They Thinking" countdown. This is Cosy Flappy Fly, an unjointed 20 cm bug primarily made of mottled green woven plush. He has simple black plush feet, long grey plush wings, and really crazy eyes made of cobalt blue fabric printed with black hexagons. He has black rope feelers. Flappy was only produced in 1994 and came in five colors: red, yellow, green, blue, and brown. Steiffgal once gave a red Flappy to a friend as a birthday gift; in disbelief he exclaimed that the fly would forever be his favorite Steiff collectible of all time. Ok, you get it... so what was HE thinking?!

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