This Delightful Midcentury Steiff Treasure Is Dressed For Success!

There's no need to skirt the issue when it comes to this week's Steiff story! Check out this inquiry from Elizabeth, who asks about the history and timeline associated with an adorably dressed girl doll she recently added to her hug. She shares,

"I purchased and recently received off of eBay this cute little Teddy Baby doll, I think. I'm guessing that she is from the late 40’s because it appears she had the US Zone tag removed/worn off from her leg at some point. Her head and the tops of her paws and feet are mohair and her body is cloth and excelsior stuffed. Her arms are a little floppy. It seems like she did a lot of hand holding in her time. What do you think, am I even close to right?"

This ever-cheerful design always makes Steiffgal's heart happy. Elizabeth's doll was made in 25 cm and appeared in the line from 1950 - 1957. This head jointed model appeared as a boy, dressed in a red jacket, white shirt, and black shorts, or a girl, in a red jacket, white shirt, and green skirt. All the clothes were removable, so it finding an example today in all original clothing is quite rare. They were simply called "Boy Doll Bear" and "Girl Doll Bear" until 1954 when they were more lovingly named "Teddyli." The boy and girl dolls together are pictured here on the left; the image is from Pfeiffer's 1947-2003 Sortiment. A similar pair of boy and girl dressed Teddy baby bears, produced in a blondish-yellow wool plush, appeared in the line from 1951 - 1954.

Teddyli, of course, is based on the company's legacy Teddy Baby bear design that was introduced in the 1920s. This pattern proved so delightful, and so popular, that it because the inspiration for many novelties over the years. Post World War II Teddy baby novelties included a display sized Teddy baby (produced in 150 cm in brown mohair in 1960 and 1967); a press-and-release musical Teddy baby (produced in 25 cm from 1950 - 1951); and a tiny Teddy baby doll on a rubber body named Teddyli (produced in 12 cm in brown mohair from 1955 - 1957.) Tiny rubber and mohair Teddyli is pictured here on the left. Steiff also produced Teddy baby as a 17 cm hand puppet; he appeared in brown and maize mohair from 1929 - 1943 overall; and then again in brown artificial silk plush and then mohair from 1949 - 1978 overall.

Now let's take a closer look at this item's IDs. When she left the factory in Giengen, she almost certainly had her Steiff button and a yellow ear tag with the article number "325 M" on it. These digits correspond to 3=mohair, 25=25 cm tall, and M=maedel (or "girl" in German.) Steiffgal has never seen one of these midcentury cubs with a chest tag. Elizabeth notes the remains of a US Zone tag in her leg seam. These tags were technically required in all German export products from the end of WWII through the early to mid-1950s to communicate that the item was produced in a "civilian" factory and met business and distribution standards set up by the American military government overseeing the United States' occupational zone in Germany. These usually actually appear on items produced in the c. 1951-1955 time frame. Given that observation, it Steiffgal's best guess that Elizabeth's Teddy Baby doll girl was made in the c. 1951-1955 time frame.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Elizabeth's mid-century find has tagged your interest in this collection era!

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

Kicking Of 2021 With A Huge Steiff Smile!

It's the best of all worlds when it comes to Steiff's prewar animal dolls! And their appeal seems to transcend borders and continents. Check out this note from a friend in the UK who asks about Steiffgal's beloved "Bub" animal doll. It should be no surprise for you to learn that Bub has a passport of his own, given he is Steiffgal's favorite travel buddy! Marcus shares:

"I keep watching your videos and love your travel companion Bub. Especially his background, why he is constructed the way he is and the scarcity of material at the time. I was trying to find a bear like him and it was harder than I thought. I found one finally on eBay. Do you think his Lederhosen and green linen shirt are original? They seem to be as they fit beautifully. Also the linen shirt appears to be the same type of weave as his body. It is also hard to find literature. Do you know of any literature which deals with this particular design of the head jointed animal dolls in substitute material? Thank you in advance for any help or insight you can provide.

Cheers, Marcus"

It's a clothes call when it comes to this great bear. Yes, indeed this is one of Steiff's irresistible prewar animal dolls. Not a lot is published about them and most information needs to be distilled from catalog listings and through historical context and interpretation. This cute cub has the head of the beloved Steiff Teddy Baby design and the body of a simple doll. He is head jointed, has dangling arms, and a solidly stuffed torso and legs. His head, hands, and the tops of his flat feet are made from what looks like light blonde woolen or mohair plush; it is hard to exactly tell from the photos. His body and limbs are made from a flesh colored fabric. His face is detailed with brown and black glass pupil eyes, a brown hand embroidered nose, and a smiling, tan felt lined mouth. You can see his long trailing "f" Steiff button in ear and traces of his red ear tag in the photo here on the left. He wears a green linen shirt and brown felt shorts. These articles are well fitting and appropriate for him but were "mommy made" and not manufactured by Steiff. You can tell because: 1. the shirt color is far too vibrant and without wear and should have faded in proportion to the aging on the bear, and 2. the shorts - they are cute - but not of Steiff clothing quality.

This Teddy Baby doll was one of several different animal dolls produced in the 1930s and 1940s. Other popular models included a number of rabbits, a cat, a pug (picture here on the left, photo from Steiffgal's collection), an elephant, a Scotty, and a German Shepherd. Regardless of size or date of manufacture, each of these pre-war treasures produced from 1931 onward was branded as Steiff with an ear button and ear tag. However, unlike most other Steiff products of the 1930’s and 1940’s, these dolls did not leave the factory in Germany with chest tags. The IDs on Marcus' bear suggest that he was made in the early to mid-1930s at the latest.

These sweet animal dolls were all dressed for success. Their clothes were removable, charming, lovingly stitched, and produced from the finest cottons, calicos, felt, and other materials. They were dressed as boys or girls, or in in occupationally or nationally inspired clothing. Numerous outfit variations were available for some of the more popular models. For example, Steiff’s Puppkatz or cat doll, which was introduced in 1931, was available in up to 11 different outfits over time. These included pajamas, dresses, swimsuits, playsuits, and traditional German attire including dirndls and trousers. Here on the left, you can see a c. 1938 catalog page showing Marcus' Teddy Baby bear featured at the top of the image; his nine original outfits at the time are noted next to his image. You can click on the image to make it larger. 

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's delightful Teddy Baby doll bears has been a two for one experience for you. 

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

California, Here We Come!

What a surprise! Steiffgal is on the road with Steiffguy at a work meeting in California. And guess who decided to stow-away in her carry on bag... Bub and Ophelia! Silly cubs! But perhaps they noticed that the official state flag of this great state features a big brown bear and wanted to check out this part of the country firsthand. You can see this impressive flag here on the left. Whatever their reasons, these mischievous Teddy Babies have agreed to give you a guided tour of our event venue, La Quinta. This lovely desert hotel and resort is located about 120 miles east of Los Angeles in Palm Springs and has been in business since the mid-1920's.

This stunning destination, located at the foot of the Santa Rosa Mountains, is in the desert -  but you might not realize that except for the blazing hot temperatures.  There are lush gardens, foliage, palm trees, and flowering shrubs everywhere.  Bub and Ophelia were convinced that they would see camels, mirages, and perhaps even Lawrence of Arabia on this trip, so they were a little disappointed initially.  But the views and beauty of this place have helped to change their minds back to a happy place.  Here on the left you can see them against the mountain backdrop. The red flowering bush you see against the wall is called bougainvillea; it is a climbing shrub and is all over the hotel.  It looks especially lovely on arched gateways. 

Despite its arid location, water is a central landscaping and decorative focal point throughout La Quinta. There are waterfalls, fountains, and references to water all over the place. Right near the entrance to the hotel, there is a large water feature that twists and turns throughout an area housing a few restaurants, coffee shops, and stores.  Just looking at it cools you down a bit, and it also makes a lovely, constant sound which is quite soothing.  In the middle of this area is a shaded sitting area where visitors can meet, socialize, or just enjoy the environment. Sometimes, at night, a live band plays there.  Here you can see Bub and Ophelia hanging out by one really pretty element of this central water feature, a large fountain featuring the name of the hotel in tiles.  

The people who work here are all quite nice and seem to like bears as well - which was very helpful in putting this guided tour together.  Because the campus is so large, Steiffgal is certain that most of their time is used giving directions from here to there.  The guest quarters are more like small condos  or small freestanding houses arranged in groups. Everyone always says hello, and asks if you need help with anything.  The staff seem to get around on small golf carts which are just about everywhere.  Visitors are welcome to hitch a ride on these anytime they would like.  The cubs wanted to try this, but the carts did not have small enough seat belts for them.  Oh well!  Here on the left you can see Ophelia and Bub visiting at the bell captain's desk with one of the great guys who makes sure visitors have a pleasant, seamless visit from the moment they step foot at the hotel. 

The hotel has a grand history and has been welcoming guests since 1926.  Of course, Ophelia and Bub were excited to hear that, as their Teddy Baby pattern debuted in 1929, and they both love things "born" during the roaring 20's.  La Quinta features bits and pieces of its history throughout the campus. These take the form of plaques, statues, and small exhibits. Many of the buildings feature adobe bricks as key construction elements, and apparently this was the case from the very beginning.  Here on the left you can see the cubs checking out a display showcasing these bricks; apparently 100,000 were made in 1926 to build the first dwellings on the property at a total cost of $150,000.  According to the US Inflation Calculator, that would translate into $2,027,635.59 dollars today.

There is so much to do at La Quinta, and the cubs have no trouble passing the time.  There are 41 pools in total; they are all distributed throughout the campus. Some are more private than others, and there are a few central ones where families with kids congregate.  These "community" ones also have a bar and restaurant nearby for convenience. La Quinta also has many tennis courts, an exercise facility, a spa, golf courses, and other fitness, wellness, and vacation-type offerings. Ophelia was very interested in seeing the spa. Bub, not so much.  In protest he decided to take a tumble into the fountain outside the spa to distract her.  Steiffgal feared for many reasons that this was a terrible idea, but thankfully he dried quickly in the hot desert sun without damage. You can see the two cubs (post dive) here on the left clowning around the early and original tiled fountain at the entrance to the spa.  

Everything on this campus seems to be big.  And that's just not relative to our cub friends. Perhaps that's to keep things in scale with the big blue sky, huge mountain range, and generous culture of the area.  There also seems to be a trend for all things handmade, or at least handmade looking.  Lovely tiles, stucco walls, ceramic roof tiles, and craftsman-style detailing really bring La Quinta to life, and give it a warm and welcoming feeling. The photo on the left truly illustrates both concepts!  Here you can see Bub and Ophelia trying to crash a party behind these giant, hand carved doors. Just the handles are three times their size! In case you were wondering, the naughty cubs were not successful!

The rooms at La Quinta are lovely. Each has a private or semiprivate sitting area. It is glorious to be outside in the early morning in these shaded patio areas. The bathrooms are also very nice, and include hand painted tiles, double sinks, a huge walk in shower, a vanity, lots of lights, and an abundance of soaps, creams, and hair care products. It is easy to feel like a starlet getting ready for a night on the town with these little luxuries. Ophelia is particularly enamored with the bathroom's glamorous facets. She feels they look like Genie bottles.  As such, she was very disappointed that when she gave them a cub-rub, only water came out.  You can see her here on the left hoping for a little magic to happen.  Needless to say, because of his fountain antics, Bub is forbidden to have anything to do with water on this trip.  That is why he is not in this picture.  

This brings us to the end of our tour, as the cubs are tired, and Bub is requiring another time out.  Perhaps the heat is making him cranky.  Good thing that Ophelia remains on her best behavior.  Clearly she wants to be invited on future travel adventures! Here you can see the super team resting in the shade with a little branch of bougainvillea. We all hope you have enjoyed this guided tour through this wonderful desert Eden!

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