This Oversized Steiff Cat Is Kind Of A Big Deal!

Talk about a wow-wow-wow meow find! Steiffgal was handling a small collection for a new friend and came across this most unexpected item amongst a number of other button-in-ear treasures. According to the consigner, all of these precious childhood Steiff companions were purchased at F.A.O. Schwarz in the late 1950s and early 1960s. That information was good to know... but proved really invaluable in this particular case. Come learn more about this purr-fect Steiff rarity. 

What we have here is a supersized Steiff Fiffy cat. She is lying, head jointed, and made from white mohair that has been carefully hand-airbrushed with black stripes. Her tail wraps around her rear in a most realistic way. She has green and black slit pupil eyes, and a pink embroidered nose, mouth, and claws. Her pink ribbon appears to be original to her. Steiff's standard line Fiffy cat was produced from 1955-1962 in 12, 17, and 25 cm. This Fiffy retains her button, ear tag, chest tag, and red wooden bell shaped F.A.O. Schwarz tag as her Steiff IDs. 

Soooo... what's the big deal here? Well, this gal is UNUSUALLY large, and in fact is 30 cm. The largest one noted in the standard Steiff reference books is 25 cm. This example has a yellow ear tag which is numbered #2330.90. These digits translate to: 2=lying, 3=mohair, 30=size in cm, 9=special edition, and 0=normal or natural coloring. Given her dimensions, numbering, and presentation, it is Steiffgal's best thinking that this monumental Fiffy was produced as a special edition item for F.A.O. Schwarz in the mid 1950s to the early 1960s. 

It was not uncommon for Steiff to make tweaks to popular standard line patterns and present them as exclusives to F.A.O. Schwarz in the 1950s and 1960s. So there is precedence for this unusual find. These modifications included things like size, coloration, body position, materials, or other design details. For example, Steiff produced standing or lying Dally Dalmatians (the standard line versions were sitting), a sitting black and white Cockie (the standard line version was standing), and an open mouthed Biggie Beagle (the standard line version had a closed mouth) as dog specials for F.A.O. Schwarz. And for the felines, the list is shorter, but equally intriguing. It is suspected that a pair of 8 cm, legless, curled up baby cats that appeared in F.A.O. Schwarz's "Kittens in a Basket" offering were based on Steiff's beloved standing Tapsy kitten design. These happy handfuls are pictured here on the left. Like the fabulous Fiffy under discussion here, the one with the open eyes also has a faintly legible ".90" at the end of her article number.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this supersized Fiffy has really tickled your whiskers!

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

The Devil Is In The Details When It Comes To Steiff's Rare Postwar Exclusives!

Little differences can mean alot when it comes to the vintage Steiff collecting world. Check out this darling black and white Cocker Spaniel puppy. She has a familiar ring to her, right? But one detail elevates her from beloved everyday companion to best of show at Westminster! Read on to learn more.

Here we have a darling black and white mohair Cockie Cocker Spaniel. She is 12 cm tall, sitting and head jointed. Her body is made from white colored mohair which has lovely hand airbrushed black spots on her legs and body. Her long, floppy ears are made solid black mohair. Her face and muzzle are darling, with a distinctly childlike appearance. She comes to life with pert black and white plastic google eyes, a hand embroidered black nose, and a painted mouth. She appears to be pouting - or begging for a bite of whatever you are snacking on at the moment! She retains her original red collar, which closes with one very small, plain silver snap.

Now for the grand reveal. This happy handful was made in this size only as an exclusive for the upscale toy retailer FAO Schwarz in 1962-1966. Schwarz sold her along with a simple wooden dog house, a red water bowl, bone, and mat as a set. She was attached to the house via a metal chain. The red wooden FAO Schwarz wooden tag was attached to the roof of the house. She is incredibly rare and only the second one Steiffgal has seen or handled in decades of collecting! Through the late 1970s, Steiff often partnered with FAO Schwarz to create store-exclusive products based on the company's most popular standard line items at the time. Other examples of these now-coveted rarities include a series of standing Dalmatians; a walrus puppet and pajama bag; an open mouthed, standing beagle; and a life-sized beagle, among several others.

In this particular case, this FAO Schwarz black and white Cockie Cocker Spaniel is based on Steiff's legacy black and white mohair STANDING Cockie Cocker Spaniel. This adorable model was produced in 12, 19, and 29 cm from 1960-1976. This Cocker Spaniel exclusive also has the same face and general appearance as the company's charming felt bodied Cockie Nightcap animal. Steiff produced these fun novelties as cats, dogs, bears, foxes, and rabbits in 15 cm from 1969-1974. They were designed to hide a sweet, prize, or coin on the pillow of a child. You can see Nightcap Cockie and a few of her cousins in the image above; this page is from one of Steiff's c. 1969 product catalogs. 

To wrap up this discussion, let's take a look at sitting Cockie's ear tag. Her article number is 3312,96. This translates to 3=sitting, 3=mohair, 12=12 cm tall, 9=display animal or special edition, and 6=black. That pretty much perfectly describes her!

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this super rare and lovely Cocker Spaniel has added a beautiful highlight to your day.

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

Hold Everything And Check Out This Unusual Steiff Poodle PJ Bag!

Care to noodle a most mysterious poodle? Then check out this delightful Steiff Snobby - in the form of a pajama bag! This mohair marvel appeared out of nowhere on an online auction, and Steiffgal had no idea this pattern even existed. She studied her listing closely, first suspecting she was "mommy made" or even a "Frankenstein" item - made of bits and pieces of other items sewn together to make a "new" item. But a careful check of the photos detailing her construction and materials - including her zipper pull, belly lining, and seaming - confirmed she truly was all original. Cue the happy dance!

This nifty napper measures about 23 inches long, is lying flat on her belly, and unjointed. She is in the form of Steiff's legacy, mid-1950s Snobby poodle. Her arms, legs, beard and forehead are made from very long, soft grey mohair while her body, feet, tail, ears, and face are made from shorter matching grey mohair. Her face is detailed with lovely tricolored glass pupil eyes, a black hand embroidered nose and mouth, and a round, red felt tongue. On her belly, she has a long, silver colored zipper; when you pull it open, her hollow belly is lined in a lovely grey colored silken material. This pajama bag retains its raised script button in ear as its Steiff ID. She is in great, clean condition with little or no playwear to her at all. 

Pajama bag Snobby is clearly part of the Steiff Snobby poodle family tree. This classic Snobby pattern made its debut in 1953 as a full bodied, standing pup and appeared in the line through 1974 in 10, 14, 22, 35, and 43 cm. The design proved so popular that it was soon being produced in a number of novelties, including a riding toy, a puppet, and as a soft, curled up resting animal, among others However, Steiffgal cannot find reference anywhere to a standard line Steiff Snobby pajama bag.

However, there is precedence for sleepers like this. Steiff produced a fantastic, beautifully rendered mohair pajama bag as an exclusive for F.A.O. Schwarz from 1962 - 1972 in the form of a walrus. Like this Snobby, the walrus also has an identical zipper down its belly and a silk lined interior. And Steiffgal has a similarly constructed and also undocumented large black and white mohair Cockie Cocker Spaniel pajama bag, as well as a mohair lying tiger pajama bag. She does know through the original owner of the Cockie bag that he was purchased at F.A.O Schwarz as well in the late 1960s or early 1970s. This hints that Pajama bag Snobby might have been produced in a very small edition size for F.A.O. Schwarz, or another upscale toy retailer, during this time frame as well.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this Steiff Snobby pajama bag has added a little zip to your day.

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

Moving And Grooving With This Tiny Steiff Treasure

Ever shake your head back and forth (in the best possible way) because you cannot believe your luck? Well, that just happened to Steiffgal when it came to this recent find. Sit and stay and check out why she is such a blue ribbon beauty.

It's all smiles when it comes to this tiny treasure. This is Cockie; she is 10 cm tall, sitting, made from mohair, and is head jointed. She is solidly stuffed with excelsior. Her ears, temples, and tail are made from black mohair and the rest of her body and her legs are made from white mohair. Her babylike face comes to life with an open, smiling, velvet lined mouth, dimensional muzzle, a black hand embroidered nose, and pert brown and black glass pupil eyes. She retains her original pink ribbon. She was produced in 10 and 14 cm in 1955 only.

 

So just what makes this girl best of show? Believe it or not, she is a very unusual postwar tail moves head model. So, when you twist her tail, her head moves in tandem. Her yellow eartag, which is numbered 3310H and perfectly describes her, "translates" to 3=sitting, 3=mohair, 10=10 cm tall, and H=head turning. This is the very first time Steiffgal had ever seen or handled one of these little known Cockie novelties!

As far as Steiffgal can tell, Steiff created a whole line of prewar tail moves head items in the early 1930s, but only two models postwar. These included a Teddy bear and this Cockie Cocker Spaniel. The reason Cockie is solidly stuffed with excelsior is that her torso holds most of the technology that makes this movement possible.

 

Steiff introduced a number of Cocker Spaniels in the early 1950s. They were produced in brown and white, black and white, and golden mohair. Some had open mouths and others had closed mouths. They were all named Cockie, which can get a little confusing sometimes! Unlike most of the other Cockies, the black and white mohair, open mouthed pattern - the one under discussion here - was also produced in a number of different "novelties."  These included this tail moves head pattern, a music box, as a life-sized, or studio edition, as well as an upscale pajama bag - most likely as a special edition for FAO Schwarz. 

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this rare and kinetic dog has headlined your day!

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

A Penny For Your Thoughts On This Steiff Copper Canine

Mark Twain once wrote, “The more I know about people, the better I like my dog.” Is it possible he was referring also to Steiff's wonderful line of pooches? As most collectors know, canines have been well represented in the company's product mix from the late 1800's onward... and are probably second only to Teddy bears as Steiff's most favored collectibles worldwide. 

A penny for your thoughts here! Steiffgal recently had the pleasure of welcoming one of the company's blue-ribbon beauties to her collection - a lovely, early 1950's copper-colored "Cockie" Cocker Spaniel. Although not terribly vintage, or extremely rare from the collector's perspective, Cockie's presentation, construction, and detailing really make her one top dog. Come take a look and see if you too don't also feel the "puppy love!" 

It's easy to have a plush crush on this canine-cutie! Cockie is standing on all fours, head jointed, and is made mostly from mohair. Her soft and floppy ears are made from long mohair, her head is made from short mohair, and her body is made from medium length mohair. She simply glows with well executed, fabulous, and realistic looking airbrushed copper colored highlights. She has three black hand embroidered claws on each of her paws. Cockie's expressive face and muzzle are quite detailed. She has pert brown and black glass pupil eyes and a hand embroidered black nose. Her muzzle and mouth are made from mohair and velvet and are remarkably constructed with dimensional jowls. You can see this detailing in the close up photo here on the left. Cockie retains her raised script button, fully legible ear tag, and US Zone tag as her Steiff IDs. This design was manufactured in 10, 17, and 25 cm between 1952 and 1957. 

Knowing copper Cockie was on a roll, Steiff also produced the 10 cm version of her on blue eccentric wooden wheels from 1954 through 1977, and then again in 1960.  She sashays back and forth, much like a real dog, as she is pulled along on her off-center carriage axles and wheels. This happy handful is pictured here on the left.

Steiff's Cocker Spaniel production can be measured in dog-years. It is interesting to note that this breed did not appear in the Steiff line until the early postwar era. However, the company quickly made up for lost time starting in 1951 when the first Steiff Cocker Spaniel was introduced. The company's earliest Cocker Spaniel, also named Cockie, is sitting, head jointed, and made from brown and white mohair. Like her copper colored cousin, debut Cockie has an elaborately constructed muzzle and a smiling, velvet lined mouth. Sitting brown and white Cockie appeared in the line from 1951 through 1959 in 10, 14, 17, 22, 25, 28, and 30 cm.  The smallest version of this pretty puppy is pictured here on the left.

Steiffgal hopes you enjoyed learning about this wonderful copper (show) stopper of a pooch!

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

It's A Dream Come True With This Amazing And Adorable Steiff Pajama Bag

Hold everything! Well, that's exactly what this rarity was designed to do.  Check out this Steiff pajama bag designed after one of the company's most beloved dog patterns of the time. Steiffgal is certain you'll be experiencing puppy love at first sight!

This darling doggie has a great bedside manner. She is 60 cm (measured from the tip of her nose to her toes) long, lying, unjointed, and made from black and white mohair. Her head and the tips of each of her paws are softly stuffed. She has dramatic and floppy ears made from extra long mohair. Her back paw pads are made from short white mohair that has been stenciled with puppy-footprints on them. Her face comes to life with black and brown glass pupil eyes backed in white felt; a black, hand-embroidered nose; floppy jowls; and an open, pink velvet lined mouth. Her pert tail is surrounded by a black mohair patch. Her belly is soft and unstuffed, and hollow like a bag. It is lined is teal blue silk, and closes with a 28 cm metal zipper. She retains original red silk ribbon and her illegible yellow ear tag and raised script button as her IDs. 

This functional friends refuses to unzip the answers to a few mysteries about her. A very similar item, called Zipper Cockie, appears in Pfeiffer's Sortiment book and a pristine, like new example was sold by Teddy Dorado as part of that company's summer auction in 2014. That auction highlight is pictured here on the left and the photo is from Teddy Dorado. The article number on the Teddy Dorado version is identical to that listed in the Sortiment book - 0330,06 - and has relatively aligning measurements. The zipper on those examples is at the crotch of the animal, and the bag appears to be lined in simple cotton fabric. This standard line Zipper Cockie pajama bag was produced in 30 cm in 1964 only. Steiffgal's version has its zipper down the belly of the dog, and the lining bag is made from silk. Steiffgal's version is also proportionally larger overall than the Teddy Dorado and Sortiment examples, and has a much more detailed mouth structure.

So just who is this kooky Cockie? Clearly, her pattern is designed after Steiff's beloved black and white Cockie Cocker Spaniel. Black and white Cockie was produced lying, standing, a music box, a tail-turns-head version, and as a display piece in the 1955 - 1976 overall timeframe. A 12 cm black and white Cockie from 1960 - 1976 is pictured here on the left. 

Now let's try and figure out the origins of this mysterious mutt. Steiffgal adopted this larger Cockie pajama bag from its original owner, who received it as a special gift from F.A.O. Schwarz as a child. In the 1950's through 1970's, Steiff often made "over the top" exclusives for F.A.O. Schwarz based on standard line designs - for example, a series of Dalmatians based on the Dally design, a grey alpaca Poodle based on the Snobby design, and a standing, open mouthed Beagle based on the Biggie design. Steiff produced another fantastic pajama bag as an exclusive for F.A.O. Schwarz from 1962 - 1972, a walrus which also has a zipper down its belly and a silk lined interior. All of this converges on the probability that this elaborately constructed Cocker Spaniel pajama bag may indeed have been produced in a very small edition size for F.A.O. Schwarz in the early to mid-1960's, and perhaps is undocumented. But only she knows for sure - and she's too busy counting sheep right now to talk.

Steiffgal hopes this pajama bag discussion has given you a good case of bed-head!

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

Cataloging Steiff's Display Rarities From The Mid 1960's

A great way to learn more about vintage button-in-ear rarities is to go to the source - literally! Steiff has always been consistent in producing sales materials, catalogs, and literature about their product line over time, and these original documents are like miniature time capsules of information for collectors. Steiffgal recently purchased a specialty catalog from 1967 which features the company's vast range of lifesized animals produced 50 years ago. The cover, which has a family of display orangutans, is shown here on the left. These include a 130 cm or 52 inch papa, a 120 cm or 48 inch mama, and a 40 cm or 16 inch baby. Let's take a peek inside this great reference and see what it has to say!

The catalog cover itself measures about 23 cm wide and 17 cm tall and is designed like a binder, with metal rings holding the hole-punched sheets in place. The introduction page - which is written in German, French, and English - reads: "Besides the famous toy animals we also manufacture animals in natural until twice natural size. They are most popular for shop windows and stores to draw the attention of the buyers of our mark. Those animals are made of the same good mohair, plush, or nylon  and have a metal frame. If a person wants to sit on them, it would be better to add a metal ring which unites the four legs. This ring must be paid extra.

The catalog is beautifully illustrated with full color photography throughout. The pages are printed single sided, with blank backs. The catalog contains mostly "beauty shots" of the company's display line, but also has a few pages in the front which offer sales and shelving items, including price tags, lighting, signage, and merchandisers. Perhaps the most interesting page is shown here on the left. Check out the range of display pieces for smaller items, including what looks like green metal "cots" for the company's sleeping style cosy items. Steiffgal has never seen these in real life, have you?

Now let's make a big deal over some display animal highlights. The catalog has over 80 individual pages featuring these lifesized lovelies, so its difficult to pick out just a few. Several species, like elephants and the big jungle cats, were well represented with several models of each on offer. Here are some examples that really caught Steiffgal's eye - for their rarity, beauty, or just plain goofiness. (You can click on all the photos to make them bigger and read the catalog page details.)

It's never too early to start putting together your Christmas wish list! And Steiffgal bets just about every vintage Steiff collector would love to find this almost lifesized Santa Claus doll under their holiday tree! Santa stands 150 cm or 60 inches tall and is based on the company's beloved standard line postwar rubber faced Santa doll, who was produced in 13, 18, and 31 cm from 1953 to 1963 overall. Steiffgal has only seen one example of this display sized man in red firsthand - he's as rare as his namesake!

There's not a hare out of place when it comes to this next display highlight. This great mohair pattern looks to be for the most part a prehistoric proportioned Manni rabbit, given his begging position and coloring - with a little bit of Niki rabbit's facial detailing in the mix for good measure. And given that Steiff traditionally does not include ear length when measuring rabbits, this honey bunny is even larger than his 80 cm or 31-1/2 inch "official" size. Just for comparison, check out the teeny tiny Perri squirrel in the photo - he's probably only 12 or 17 cm! 

Now let's cool things down a bit with this jolly sitting polar bear. His body position is quite distinctive - he seems to be squatting on his bent legs. He must be carefully balanced, given the size and scale of his portly midriff. Another picture of him that Steiffgal has seen shows a metal rod base stand mounted strategically on his "bare bottom," probably to help keep him upright. This 180 cm or 72 inch perky polar bear has really prominent rubber claws, faux suede pads, and a million dollar smile. 

This busy pair only want to be your beasts of burden. The display catalog features two donkey designs, but Steiffgal thought this dralon, open-mouthed pattern was a bit more interesting than the other, given its seldom seen accessories. Steiff does a great job with farm animals, and their donkeys have broad and universal appeal. Sometimes they are produced "au naturel," while other models feature brindles and/or saddles. The company's early "Democratic" donkey mascot don a blue felt blanket. Whatever your political affiliation, it's very easy to get carried away over these 120 cm or 48 inch and 90 cm or 35 inch Steiff donkeys adorned with functional, hand-woven raffia baskets!

No need to trash-talk over this fantastic, lifesized black and white mohair Steiff Cockie Cocker Spaniel. It is interesting to note that Steiff's mid to late 20th century sitting black and white Cockers are in the form of rare novelties, including a tail turns head model and a musical version. There is no "standard line" postwar black and white sitting Cocker. So this guy must be pretty special! This catalog page illustration has it all - a great and seldom seen 80 cm or 32 inch display rarity, an authentic situation all dog owners can relate to, and little Steiff friends hidden in the mess.  

Anyone care to dance? It's hard to resist these two humongous and utterly charming mohair Zotty bears. Clearly these big bruins are based on the company's legacy mohair Zotty Teddy bear pattern, which appeared in the line from 1951 through 1978 in sizes ranging from 17 to  100 cm. These cavorting cubs seem to be having the time of their lives. Could that have something to do with the large beer keg and two porcelain steins in the background? These display items measure 80 cm or 35 inches and 100 cm or 40 inches, respectively. 

Bird's the word with this final display pick. Here we have two royal looking Crown Crane birds, measuring in at 140 cm or 56 inches each. Both are standing, unjointed, and elaborately detailed in various colors and lengths of mohair materials. They balance elegantly on metal framed legs that are covered in felt and realistically airbrushed. Steiffgal has seen and handled a number of Steiff display birds from this period, including a flamingo and an ostrich, (both also featured in this catalog) but never the company's cranes. It is her strongest suspicion that like the flamingo and the ostrich, these cranes were designed with removable heads and necks for ease of packing, shipping, and storage. 

Steiffgal hopes you found this discussion on Steiff's 1960-era display items larger than life.

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

This Tiny Steiff Bully Dog Has Enormous Wheel-Appeal!

Don't you just love it when you come across a Steiff treasure that you didn't realize even existed? That's the case with this week's fine find, a tiny and early post war Bully Bulldog on wheels. Steiffgal found him hiding amongst a delightful collection of vintage playthings at a booth at a regional doll and antique toy show in the New England area. Come take a look at this petite treat and see what makes him so dog-gone charming from the collector's perspective. 

This diminutive doggie has enormous wheel-appeal. Bully on wheels is based upon Steiff's smallest standard line postwar Bulldog pattern. He is 10 cm, standing, made from tan mohair, and is head jointed. His head, body, and tail are gloriously hand-painted with delightful brown and black spots and striping. He has brown and black pupil eyes, a black hand embroidered nose, felt ears, and an elaborately and realistically constructed velvet muzzle. His airbrushed claws are black. Bully retains his original red collar and raised script style Steiff button as his ID. Steiff's overall Bully Bulldog pattern was produced in 10, 17, and 22 cm from 1951 through 1974; Bully on wheels was produced in 10 cm only from 1954 through 1957 and then again in 1960.

Rolling along, now let's take a look at Bully's dynamic details. Bully glides along on four red off-center wooden eccentric wheels.  The wheels are connected with two silver metal rods - one in the front and one in the back. This wheel configuration gives Bully the appearance of bobbing up and down as he is pulled along. Each of his four feet is connected to the rods with tan thread stitching. There are little grooves in the rods that secure the stitching in place. Bully had a matching pull string attached to his front rod when he left the factory in Giengen, Germany; this unfortunately has been lost to time.  

Steiff has a long and lovely history of putting their most popular animal patterns on wheels. The earliest rolling Steiff treasures were on metal wheels; by the nineteen-teens to early 1920's most if not all examples had wooden wheels. Wooden wheels were sometimes left natural in color, other times they were brightly painted in bright, primary hues including red, green, and blue. 

Strangely, Steiff's "eccentric wheel" detailing debuted in 1912. Steiff even holds a patent for this unusual wheel and axle configuration! Eccentric wheels were "invented" accidentally, but Steiff quickly realized the opportunity created by their roller drilling mistakes. Steiff's dogs, cats, birds, and farm animals look particularly charming on eccentric wheels, given the way they waddle and jiggle in real life! The photo on the left shows two of Bully's eccentric wheeled 10 cm "canine colleagues" from his same general timeframe. Bazi the Dachshund (on red wheels) was made in 10 and 14 cm from 1950 to 1961 overall and Cockie the Cocker Spaniel (on blue wheels) was made in 10 cm from 1954 through 1957 and then again in 1960.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this unusual Steiff Bully on wheels has been enjoyable to you, even in a roundabout sort of way.  

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

Singing A Happy Tune Over This Unusual Steiff Musical Tiger!

Well, this interesting find should be like music to your ears if you like Steiff tigers. And why is that? This wonderful jungle gem has a secret - he's got a special and most unusual music feature hidden in his belly. Check out this terrific tiger and see what makes him one of the coolest cats around!

It's easy to break out in song over this pretty kitty. "Music Tiger" is unjointed and about 20 cm tall and 30 cm long (not including his tail.) He is in Steiff's "lying" position, meaning he is curled up with his legs resting gently to his side. His face is detailed with piercing green and black eyes, a pink embroidered nose, a black embroidered mouth with a touch of pink airbrushing, and tufts of longer mohair around his jowls. He has many long, clear, monofilament whiskers.  He is made from short mohair, which has been hand airbrushed and stenciled to give his coat a most authentic and realistic look.  Even his paw pads have charming "footprints" on them.  On his underside, there is a small brass winder that activates his happy tunes; it is in working condition. 

Collectors will recognize this beloved pattern as the one identical to Steiff's popular lying tiger cub design, which was produced from 1953 through 1978 in 17, 28, 43, and 60 cm.

Let's take a look at some of the special IDs of this singing sweetie, which does not appear - as far as Steiffgal knows of - in any regularly referenced Steiff book. The first is his eye-catching chest tag.  It is Steiff's regular, colorful bear faced version with his name on it.  Given the "secret location" of his music box, and the fact that his basic pattern is relatively standard in the Steiff line, this tag is essential in identifying him from pictures as something really unique. The second is his special musical item tag.  The tag is metallic silver, red, and blue, and features a Steiff logo and the word "Musicanto" on each side. It is in four languages, and reads, "Contains a genuine Swiss music box. To wind: Turn knob in the tail or underneath tummy."  

It's not polite to ask someone their age, so let's figure out another way to date this Music Tiger. Steiffgal has two other Steiff musical animals that have this tag. The first is the company's Music Kitty. This fancy feline is 17 cm, head jointed, and resembles Steiff's beloved sitting Susi cat pattern. Music Kitty was made in 1955 through 1957, and then again in 1961; she is pictured here on the left. The second is Steiff's Music Cockie Cocker Spaniel. Cockie is 17 cm and sitting. She is made from black and white mohair and is head jointed. She has a large, open, smiling mouth. Her face is detailed with large, friendly brown and black pupil eyes and a black hand embroidered nose.  Music Cockie was produced from 1955 through 1957 only.  Both Music Kitty and Cockie's music features are activated by winding up their tails.  And of course, who can forget Steiff's fabulous Music Teddy, which was made in 35 cm from 1951 through 1957?

Given all of that, it is Steiffgal's best guess that this Music Tiger, like his other talented and performing cousins, was most likely made in the 1955 through 1957 time frame, give or take a pinch.

It was not terribly unusual for Steiff to take some of its most popular patterns and try "theme and variation" items from them. Some of these "experiments" were produced on a commercial level and appeared in the catalog; others were made in extremely limited quantities if at all. For example, Steiffgal also has a larger lying tiger made as a silk-lined and zippered pajama bag. This also does not appear, as far as Steiffgal knows, in any standard Steiff reference book. In 2009, Ladenburger Spielzeugauktion featured two marvelous musical rarities; a musical Lulac rabbit and a very large musical tiger.  The auction house dated each from approximately 1952. Both are pictured here on the left - click on the photo to enlarge it!

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

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this Music Tiger has been a high note in your day.

Paws And Take A Look At These Unusual Black And White Steiff Cocker Spaniels

Sometimes things are just easier in black and white. For example, the calendar says its April, but it's snowing outside here today around these parts. So is it winter or spring? There is no ambivalence, however, when it comes to Steiff's beloved black and white Cocker Spaniels. These eye-catching dogs are always pretty as a picture! Unlike their brown and white, and all brown cousins, these black and white beauties have been produced in a number of really unusual novelties and exclusives over time. Let's focus on a few of the most interesting examples today!

This first black and white Cockie rarity should be music to your ears. Here we have Steiff's Musik Cockie or Music Cockie. She is 17 cm and sitting. She is made from black and white mohair and is head jointed. She has a large, open, smiling mouth. Her face is detailed with large, friendly brown and black pupil eyes and a black hand embroidered nose. Her music box is activated by turning her black mohair tail. This singing sweetie was produced from 1955 through 1957 only.

Let's raise a toast to our second black and white Cockie novelty. Here we have Steiff's fantastically adorable and unusual Cockie the Cocker Spaniel nightcap animal. She is 15 cm and head jointed. Her arms and face are made from white mohair, while her ears are made from black mohair. Her body, which is designed to be like a hollow tent, is made from orange felt which is decorated with a sweet oversized red, orange, and green tulip. Her face is detailed with very large black and white google eyes, a black hand embroidered nose and mouth, and a touch of airbrushing. Steiff designed a number of "nightcap" animals; Others in this series included cats, bears, foxes, and well attired rabbits. These items were designed to hide a sweet, prize, or coin on the pillow of a child. Nightcap Cockie was produced in 15 cm between 1969 and 1974. 

This third black and white Cocker spaniel pup makes news everywhere he goes. Here we have Steiff's version of The Saturday Evening Post's "Butch the Cover Dog" mascot. Butch is standing, 17 cm, and head jointed. He is hard-stuffed with excelsior. His body and face are made from short white mohair, which has been carefully airbrushed with black highlights on his back and head. His ears, tail, and feet are made from very long black shaggy mohair. It almost appears that Butch is wearing fuzzy slippers, based on his foot construction, and has long white mohair "feathers" on the back seams of each of his front and back legs. His face is detailed with very large round black, brown, and white spherical eyes, a black hand embroidered nose, and a touch of pink highlighting around his lips. He has a special chest tag that has his creator's name, Albert Staehle, featured prominently on it. Technically, Butch was made in this size only in 1958, although Steiffgal knows of several examples that measure about 23 cm tall.

Are you in the doghouse? Well, in the case of our last rare black and white Cocker spaniel, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Here we have a sitting, 12 cm black and white version of Cockie. He is head jointed and has a particularly pouty look to him. Perhaps that is because he is attached to a metal chain, which is original to him. His eartag number is 3312,96, which corresponds to 3=sitting; 3=mohair; 12=12 cm; 9=special edition; and 6=black. This Cockie was part of a special edition made exclusively for FAO Schwarz. The overall playset came with this Cockie, wooden kennel, red bowl, and toy bone. 

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's rarer black and white Cocker Spaniels has been a pleasant paws in your day.

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

An Exclusive Look At A Rare And Charming Steiff Cocker Spaniel

Pull up a chair and check out this really sweet sitting little dog!  She's based on a standard line Steiff dog from the 1960's and 1970's... but with a little "exclusive" twist.  Do you recognize her?

It's probably no surprise that this black and white sitting Cocker Spaniel is named Cockie. She is 12 cm tall and head jointed. Her body is white mohair that has been hand airbrushed with black spots and highlights.  Her ears are made from solid black mohair.  Her face comes to life with black and white plastic "google" style eyes, a black hand embroidered nose, and an expressive muzzle area.  She wears her original red collar and has all of her Steiff IDs, including her "raised script" style button, named "bear faced" chest tag, and yellow ear tag.  Her unusual accessory is a metal leash, which is original to her.  

This sitting sweetie was produced from 1962 through 1966 only, and exclusively for the upscale toy retailer F.A.O. Schwarz.  She came as part of a doghouse set.  This consisted of a dollhouse style kennel, a red plastic food bowl, the metal dog lead, and a bone.  The kennel had a pull cord on the top, and when you pulled it, it made a barking/growing noise.  This set was most likely "assembled" at F.A.O. Schwarz.  You can see this doghouse set here on the left, the photo is from Gunther Pfeiffer's 1947-2003 Steiff Sortiment Book.

This F.A.O. Schwarz Cockie design is based on Steiff's standard line black and white standing Steiff Cocker Spaniel which appeared in the Steiff line from 1960-1976 in 12, 19, and 29 cm overall.  But, like many Steiff F.A.O. Schwarz dog items, this exclusive pattern was slightly different than the standard line version, so it was very desirable for collectors.  Other such F.A.O. Schwarz examples included standing Dally Dalmatians (produced in 11, 22, and 28 cm from 1953 through 1955; the standard line versions were sitting) and a 15 cm standing open mouthed beagle, produced from 1965 through 1966 only; the standard line standing beagle was closed-mouthed. An example of Steiff's standard line standing black and white Cockie is pictured here on the left.
 

Tongues are awag over Cockie's really cool ear tag.  It is pictured here on the left. The numbers on it are quite descriptive indeed, and are 3312,96.  In Steiff code, that translates to:  3=sitting; 3=mohair; 12=12 cm; 9=display animal or special edition; and 6=black.  Unfortunately, it has been years since Steiff has used such a numbering/identification system for their items, the digits on today's tags are purely for transactional and tracking purposes.  

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this adorable and sitting F.A.O. Schwarz Cocker Spaniel has been an exclusive experience for you!

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

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things From The 2015 Teddy Dorado Steiff Sommer Auction

Going once, going twice... the countdown to the annual Steiff Sommer Family Event has definitely begun.  This year's celebration will be held on Steiff's campus in Giengen, Germany, from July 3rd through the 5th.  One of the highlights of this annual pilgrimage for many Steiff collectors is the Steiff auction, hosted by Teddy Dorado. The auction takes place on Saturday evening, July 4th.  This year's event features so many fantastic items it is difficult to pick out highlights - each is a winner in its own right.  But here are three that really called to Steiffgal personally.  Do they speak to you as well?

Steiffgal can't help but go nuts over this first example.  Here we have a 17 cm mohair squirrel from 1925.  His adorable face, great jointing including his tail, and delightful overall presentation put him in a class all to himself. Plus, Steiffgal has always dreamed of owning something with the elusive Steiff "muster" or sample button. 

Squirrel is cataloged as...  "made of reddish brown mohair plush with airbrushing in dark brown; front side made of natural white mohair plush; black shoe button eyes underlaid with white felt discs; brown stitched nose, mouth & claws; whiskers; six times jointed: swivel head, arms, legs & tail; very firmly excelsior stuffed; inoperative squeaker; large Steiff "Muster" sample button in right ear; fur without any loss of mohair; very clean, unfaded by daylight, no odor & all original; in mint condition overall without ears ca. 6.7in. (17cm) high."

If this second selection puts you to sleep, then she is doing her job just right.  Here we have a fantastic example of Steiff's 30 cm Cockie Cocker Spaniel pajama bag.  Although "relatively" recent, this playful "zipper" design is seldom if ever seen on the secondary market, is very collectible, and has been on Steiffgal's wish list forever.  

Cockie is cataloged as... "made of white mohair plush with black airbrushing; large black-white Googly glass eyes; black stitched nose; bottom with "Zipp" zipper; body with inlay from light cotton fabric as pyjama pouch & hand puppet; right front paw with squeaker; detachable red collar; large raised script Steiff Button In Ear; yellow ear tag with price area & hand written (price) note on the back; large chest tag "Cockie" with sticker on the back; very clean, unfaded by daylight, no odor & all original; in mint condition overall ca. 14.2in. (36cm) high & arm span ca. 12.6in. (32cm)."

This third and final item really takes the cake - the wedding cake, that is!  Here is a charming and unusual example of an otherwise standard line woolen miniature bird wedding party which has been customized with marvelous extra detailing.  This dear vignette has earned its wings with the addition of delightful felt flowers and a festive ruffled ribbon flourish.  A similar edge treatment was also used on the company's rare and period "couch animals." 

The grouping is cataloged as... "party of four woollen birds all in felt slippers on oval grass green cardboard; according to the consignor once a wedding gift to a Steiff employee; special edition because of flowers from felt on cardboard & its surrounding ruche of yellow taffeta; cardboard with underscored Steiff button; in excellent condition overall; (1) large blue tit as bride with wedding veil; (2) large finch as groom with black hat & flower on chest; (3) small golden bunting; metal feet damaged; (4) small robin with white Steiff tag 6504,1 cardboard measures ca. 7.1in. (18cm) x 4.3in. (11cm)." 

Steiffgal was fortunate to catch up with her friend and colleague Carsten Esser, who is the owner and auctioneer of Teddy Dorado, to speak with him briefly about the upcoming Steiff Sommer Auction.  Here is a bit of their most recent conversation: 

Steiffgal:  I can tell by looking through your catalog that this auction will be spectacular and that you are about to make many collectors very happy!  So what makes this year's Teddy Dorado Steiff Sommer Auction so special to you?  

Carsten:  I think that because Teddy Dorado has been hosting the Steiff Sommer for a number of years now, the items we present get better and better for this very special event. Believe it or not, I reviewed over 7,000 items to select the almost 80 items that will be sold on July 4th! (Note:  this means that just a little over 1% of Steiff items presented made the cut for the this auction!) 

The Steiff Sommer auction also attracts the very finest buyers and sellers. For example, a lot of three really breathtaking and early velveteen rabbits in the auction came from a stunning collection outside of Germany. The consignor is very smart about Steiff and knows that this particular auction would be the very finest to present these rabbits to the world. We are also getting many fine opportunities through referrals, which is a great result of working with more and more satisfied customers over time. This is how four mint, late 1940’s lots came to Teddy Dorado. These “time capsule” treasures include a silk plush Teddy Baby, silk plush Fellow Airedale Terrier, silk plush Sealyham, and a mohair Tabby.  

Steiffgal:  Yes, it is like these items were made yesterday, they are marvelous in every way.  Like these selections, many of the items in this summer's auction seem particularly precious and rare. How do you select which items appear in the summer auction?   

Carsten:  I founded Teddy Dorado from the collector’s perspective, and it is from this viewpoint that I try to present the most interesting items for sale through our events. As such, I select items for this auction just from my personal feeling and my knowledge of the interests of our worldwide bidders - it is that simple! And the stunning positive feedback of our customers - both buyers and sellers - shows us again and again that we are on the right track in doing so.

Steiffgal:  I could not help but notice that there are a great number of vintage woolen miniature items in the Sommer Auction. Why do you think they are so beloved by collectors all over the world?  

Carsten:  Dogs and woolies seem to be a general theme of the upcoming Steiff auction. I personally love these Steiff categories very much, but as always condition, rarity, age, quality, and rarity were our main priorities in selecting them. Woolen miniatures are the ideal Steiff ambassadors, as well as the perfect representation of the best of Steiff with their lovable designs and highest quality craftsmanship. They are also easy to pack and ship, don’t need much display space, and are in great demand with collectors who cherish them as charming companions for other toys, as well as just on their own.

Steiffgal:  And finally, of all the lots in the Sommer auction, if you could have any for your own collection, which one would it be and why?   

Carsten:  When I started Teddy Dorado, I gave up collecting so I could offer all the best finds to our collectors all over the globe. However, many items in this auction truly did catch my eye as wonderful and rare collectibles. Perhaps the best example of this is our opening lot. This very special treasure simply has it all. It is a unique diorama of tiny white mohair bears surrounded by woolen miniatures. It is utterly charming and unique. I see many, many Steiff treasures each year, but I must say, this example is truly Steiff at its very best! I so look forward to beginning our 2015 Steiff Sommer Auction event with this extraordinary offering.   

Steiffgal:  Many thanks for your time, and best of luck!    

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on some of Teddy Dorado's upcoming sale highlights has been almost exciting as a live auction event!  You can check out the entire catalog by clicking here.

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