This Charly Purse Is A Crown Jewel In Steiff's Prewar Novelty Production

Hold everything and check out this absolutely amazing rarity! Steiffgal has a thing for Steiff novelties, especially those made in the prewar era. And it is certainly the best of all worlds when it comes to this breathtaking example. This Charly the King Charles Spaniel handbag will undoubtably have your vote for “Best of Show” in terms of her beauty, design, and willingness to lend a paw in service!

What we have here is Steiff’s Charly Handtasche or Charly Purse. This novelty is based on Steiff's beloved and legacy Charly The King Charles Spaniel pattern which debuted in the late 1920s. This precious pooch purse is 25 cm long, in a standing (albeit slouchy) position, and head jointed. She is made from long and short mohair plush. Her ears and tail are brown-tipped mohair, while her body and face are off-white mohair which has mellowed to a vanilla color. Her face is detailed with oversized brown and black glass pupil eyes and a simple black hand embroidered nose and mouth. She also has black embroidered claws on her hands and feet. And here’s what makes her a purse: her torso is hollow like a pouch, and is lined in bright orange velvet. You can see that detail in the photo on the left.  Her back opening closes with a study brass zipper. The pouch volume is quite small; it probably is the volume of about a small sized apple. This fantastic and very rare prewar novelty was produced in 22 and 25 cm from 1927 through 1940.

Steiff debuted a series of zippered, mohair purses in 1927 based on some of their most beloved characters of the era. These measured 17 to 29 cm in size, measured horizontally. Each featured a velvet or silk lined, hollow back pocket which closed with a zipper. The zipper had a mohair ring pull to it, which probably also was designed as a small handle. These rings tend to get lost to time or wear given their function. The first button-in-ear handbag designs to appear included this Charly, as well as Jocko the Chimp, Petsy the Baby Bear, Bully the Bulldog, and Molly the puppy. Other patterns rolled out over time, with the final design being a Pip in 1941. 

Now let's do a bit of time travel. Check out this image on the left from Steiff's 1929 catalog. You can click on the image to make it bigger. The page is dedicated to their line of mohair handbags. Three young ladies are happily modeling the purses, including one with the Charly bag under discussion here today. Steiffgal thinks she looks the happiest of the gals, and for good reason! You can also see the circular mohair zipper pulls on the purses. The words on the advertisement translate roughly to, "Elegant in the arm of the lady, funny with the little ones.” The catalog page also notes that the purses were decorated with a collar or silken ribbon. 

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's animal handbags has got you carried away - in the best possible way!

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

Hands In The Air Over This Fabulous Prewar Steiff Find!

The show must go on... and this week it is in the form of a puppet show! Yet another super Steiff surprise hit Steiffgal's inbox this week. Here is something so rare that Steiffgal can count on one hand (yes, pun intended!) the number of examples she knows of in real life. Check out this note from Mariette who shares...

"I read something about your Charly puppet and saw my Petsy puppet in the same advertisement picture. Since you are always interested in more Steiff items I present to you my Steiff puppet from I guess 1928? It is about 24 cm long and made from tipped reddish and white mohair. It has blue glass eyes and a prewar long ff button with red remnants of a tag. On the inside it has a cardboard cylinder where you can put your finger in to move the head. I bought it at an antique market for 85 euros in the Netherlands. Hope you can tell me something about if it is rare because I never saw one before."

Here's a tip - this guy is off the charts great! What we have here is Steiff's "Punch Petsy," or Petsy as a hand puppet. According to published company records, this cute cub was made in 17 cm from 1928 to 1932. His head and the tips of his paws are stuffed with excelsior, and as Mariette notes, he has a cardboard finger tube embedded in his head. Of course, he is based on the company's beloved brown tipped mohair Petsy the Baby Bear design - one of the true sweethearts of the company's "roaring 20s" era Teddy bear production.

Petsy's design was introduced in the late 1920s and was originally named "Buschy." Thankfully, Steiff's marketing team changed this to "Petsy" to reflect his precious and toddler-esque presentation and personality. Brown tipped Petsy appeared in the catalog from 1928 to 1930 in 10 sizes ranging from 22 to 75 cm, measured standing. This model was fully jointed with tan felt pads. His distinctive facial properties included a prominent center facial seam, blue and black glass pupil eyes, a rose-pink hand embroidered nose and mouth, and proportionally large, rounded, wire rimmed, and posable ears.

In addition to a puppet, Steiff also made a handful of other novelty items based on their brown tipped Petsy pattern. These included a full bodied musical version, which was produced in 25 and 30 from 1928 to 1930. He also appeared as a pull toy on wheels, called a "Record Petsy." This delightful design appeared in the line in 20 and 25 cm from 1928 to 1929. And finally, Petsy was manufactured as a standing, head jointed handbag in 17 cm from 1927 to 1928. All of these blue eyed novelties are indeed blue ribbon, and as rare as hen's teeth!

Ok, how about a penny for your thoughts here? Mariette notes that she paid 85 euro for her Petsy puppet. So how did she do? After much research, the only other example Steiffgal could find of a Petsy puppet sold at public auction was in February, 2016. There, one traded hands at over 6,300 euro! Of course, something is worth what someone will pay for it, and Mariette's example has some condition and losses which might impact its ultimate value or price tag. But it is safe to say that she did VERY WELL, and would have no trouble at all selling it at a significant profit if she ever decided to rehome it. 

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's amazing Petsy Puppet is worthy of a standing ovation. 

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

Watching Steiff Record Making History In Person!

Stop the presses! Steiff history has been made again! Check out this article that Steiffgal prepared for the online news source Auction Daily detailing the sale of Mrs. Wiley's all but perfect 1912 black mohair Steiff Titanic Bear! He is pictured here on the left, and the photo is from Ladenburger Spielzeugauktion GmbH. Here is the story in its entirety - it was originally published on July 23, 2023. Thank you to Auction Daily for allowing Steiffgal to share this fantastic news!

On July 1st, 2023, the auction house Ladenburger Spielzeugauktion GmbH of Ladenburg, Germany presented their Special Steiff Auction in Giengen, Germany - the home of the Margarete Steiff GmbH factory. The Steiff Company is best known for designing and producing the fully jointed Teddy bear as we know him today starting in 1902. This signature, annual sale is traditionally held during the Steiff Company's "Steiff Sommer" event, a three day long family-centric fair that includes carnival rides, a petting zoo, food and souvenir vendors, and button-in-ear activities. This year, the auction included the second half of the Susan Kilgore Wiley collection, an outstanding collection of Steiff prewar bears, animals, novelties, and absolute rarities. The first half of this collection was sold in January, 2023 and realized over $475,000.

The highlight of this midsummer sale was lot #82, an extraordinarily rare, fully jointed 50 cm black mohair Steiff Titanic Mourning Bear. This bear was the pride and joy of Mrs. Wiley's collection and was accompanied by photos and ephemera related to it. (As a matter of fact, she named her car's license plate after him as well... as you can see on the photo on the left!) She bought the bear at Sotheby’s in London in 1990 for over $40,000; that purchase made international collecting headlines at the time. Since 2000, original antique Steiff Titanic Mourning Bears have rarely come up for auction. When they do, they usually trade hands in about the $20,000-40,000 range. Mrs. Wiley's Titanic Mourning Bear had a starting bid of 4,500 euro, but there was talk the Steiff collecting community that the bear could easily realize six figure, it was so outstanding. They were right - sort of. 

There was great anticipation in the gallery as lot #82 came up for sale. The auction house noted that this bear had five international bidders competing for the bear on telephone lines. However, the winning bidder was live in the audience! This is somewhat unusual in the auction world with sales of this magnitude. Auctioneer Pia Fast Seidel was at the podium and skillfully managed the blizzard of bids and interest in this once-in-a-lifetime lot. Mrs. Wiley's Titanic Mourning Bear would go on to hammer at 180,000 euro or $202,020, and realize $250,505. 

You can watch this sale on YouTube as it happened live by clicking here or watching the embedded video below.

So how does this rank in terms of record sale prices for antique Teddy bears? The most expensive Teddy bear of antique origins to date was a Steiff bear owned by Colonel Bob Henderson named Teddy Girl. She was sold by Christie's in London for £110,000 ($171,600) on December 5th, 1994. However, Mrs. Wiley's Teddy bear traded hands at over a quarter million dollars - breaking this previous high mark by over $78,000! 

There are many factors that made this 1912 Steiff Titanic Mourning Bear so incredibly special. These included a perfect storm of history, rarity, condition, and being at the right place at the right time. It is also possible that the recent spike in interest in all things Titanic, because of the headline making submarine disaster, also further cast the spotlight on Mrs. Wiley's extraordinary bear on offer. (Here on the left you can see Steiffgal in the Steiff museum gallery with Mrs. Wiley's Titanic bear, along with her google-eyed Petsy. These two cubs were the stars of the show for sure!)

There are many factors that made this 1912 Steiff Titanic Mourning Bear so incredibly special. These included a perfect storm of history, rarity, condition, and being at the right place at the right time. It is also possible that the recent spike in interest in all things Titanic, because of the headline making submarine disaster, also further cast the spotlight on Mrs. Wiley's extraordinary bear on offer.

In terms of the bear's place in history, Steiff's Titanic Mourning Bears are tied to one of the most significant worldwide events of the 20th century. In the early 1900s, Steiff produced a number of all black mohair bears for the general marketplace. However, these did not sell very well and the thought at the time was that they were scary for children. So the company stopped making them. Then, in 1912, the Titanic disaster struck. At that time, nearly everyone in England was personally touched by this event, or had a friend or relative who was. The entire country was in shock and mourning. In response, Steiff produced a handful of all black mohair bears with red felt behind their eyes - to indicate sadness and crying - for the English market. (Here on this picture on the left you can see members of Mrs. Wiley's family and Steiffgal talking to a photographer sent from the Washington Post to cover this sale. As you can see, this very special bear caught the eye of collectors on nearly every continent!)

This black bear also was in breathtaking shape with a very special feature. It retained its Steiff button and featured the company's most desirable "center seam" face construction. In the early 1900's, every seventh bear that Steiff made had a seam down the center of its face to make the most efficient use of the mohair fabric used to create them. The dimensions of the fabric supplied at the time were such that the Steiff could manufacture six full heads from it, but there was some remaining material from this cutting process. As such, Steiff found a way to "patch" these remainders into another head and as such not waste any fabric. This was the first center seamed black mohair Titanic Mourning Bear to come to public auction, as far as this author could unearth. (Here on this picture on the left you can see Mrs. Wiley's bear enjoying some time in her garden. The sunlight on his face makes his center seam especially prominent!)

Steiffgal hopes you've enjoyed witnessing a breathtaking and probably once in a lifetime bit of Steiff history!

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

Breathtaking Bear Beauties on Offer at Ladenburger Spielzeugauktion's 2023 Special Steiff Auction in Giengen

Can you bear it? Ladenburger Spielzeugauktion's July 1st, 2023 Special Steiff Auction in Giengen is presenting one of the finest lineups of vintage to antique button-in-ear collectibles in memory. Many of those wah-hoo good treasures are from the collection of Susan Kilgore Wiley. Ladenburger sold the first half of her over-the-moon great hug in January, 2023. This second sale presents even more Wiley temptations, including some of the world's most fantastic and aspirational Steiff bears Steiffgal has ever seen! Here are three extraordinary ones that really caught her eye, and why. 

The first can-you-bear it bear is lot #64, a most unusual Teddy Clown bear. It has a starting bid of 1,300 euro and is cataloged by the auction house as:

"Clown-bear, exceptional, with button, block letters, long trailing f, minimally rests of the red cloth tag label, big blue glass eyes, bright embroidering at snout, and claw embroidering, strong fiery mohair, long snaped off arms, hump, 33 cm, except of small faults felt paws in very nice condition, with ruff, without hat, very expressive."

It's really the best of two legacy Steiff worlds with this terrific temptation. At first glance, he sort of looks like a Petsy the Baby Bear with his tipped mohair, pink hand embroidered nose and mouth, and blue eyes. But, he does not have the signature center facial seam construction or wire lined ears as seen on Steiff's Petsy cubs. But, he has his factory original neck ruff, and these were not put on any models other than Steiff's Teddy Clown bears - at least as far as Steiffgal knows! It is also important to note that this bear's detailing and configuration is not noted in Pfeiffer's Sortiment books. This suggests that very few were produced. Steiffgal suspects that his "birthday" was probably in the mid to late 1920s time frame, when both Petsy and Teddy Clown made their appearances in the catalog. This is only the second of his type Steiffgal knows of.

And speaking of Petsy - this second can-you-bear it bear is lot #15, an insanely rare and equally adorable Petsy bear. It has a starting bid of 1,600 euro and is cataloged by the auction house as:

"One of the of the highlights of the this year's STEIFF-GIENGEN-auction, Petsy, produced around 1930, with seam at the middle of head, nice, full, pointed mohair, rare cross-eyed, with button, block letters, long trailing f, bright embroidering at snout, long snaped off arms, hump, big ears, original felt paws with flaws here and there, and scattered spotty mohair loss at neck, hump, ears, and shoulder, otherwise very nice condition, nice strong color of the mohair, standing height 50 cm, extremely rare, extremely expressive, an unusual rarity."

Steiffgal is pretty certain that this eye-catching (pun intended) rarity is on every single Steiff collector's dream wish list! It goes without saying that Petsy bears do incredibly well at auction, with one selling for a mind boggling 66,000 euro at a Ladenburger sale in January, 2023. However, this particular one, with black and blue cartoon eyes, is simply off the charts when it comes to his rarity, expression, and presentation. Steiffgal would not be surprised if this example trades hands near or even above this previous record! And what makes this bear so extraordinary?  His "half and half" glass eyes are sewn in his head in such a way that they can be tilted and rotated, giving him countless silly to serious facial expressions. Petsy bears usually have stationary, glass pupil eyes. This is one of the few Petsy bears of this size with cartoon style eye extant. 

And now for the wow OMG wow third can-you-bear it bear of this sale, let's take look at lot #82. This is a Steiff black Titanic bear. It has a starting bid of 4,500 euro and is cataloged by the auction house as:

"Titanic bear, one of the highlights of the this year's STEIFF GIENGEN auction 2023. A rare item from 1912, was produced in remembrance of the victims of the sinking of the Titanic on April 14th 1912. It were 82 pieces of this grief bear/ black bear produced. This Titanic bear has a seam at the middle of head, red shoe button eyes that are underlaid with felt, black embroidered nose and claws, small STEIFF button, block letters, long trailing f, long snaped off arms, hump, voice, intact, small faults at the feet, produced between 1912 and 1917, 50 cm, nice full black mohair, with provenience, enclosed invoice by the original purchase at Sotheby's 1990, and newspaper article by an American antique magazine, "Antique Review" from February 1991, one of the rarest bears that were ever auctioneered by the Ladenburger Spielzeugauktion."

This bear is so amazing that he leaves Steiffgal pretty much speechless in terms of analysis. So she will share a little story about him instead. When she first heard about this bear, she was certain it was a replica, based on how he was described to her. But his owners insisted he was the real deal from 1912. Fast forward, Steiffgal met this bear in person. His owners handed him to her, and he really was as close to tissue new as possible. So new that Steiffgal again thought he was a replica at first. But after a few moments, it became clear that he was well over 100 years and just in clean, breathtaking condition. His owners did not mention his center seam - which just puts this bear over the top in terms of appeal, desirability, and rarity. It's anyone's guess how the bidding will roll out with this bear... but watching it unfold should be more thrilling than any major Hollywood production!

For more information on this amazing sale to be held on July 1, 2023 and to see all of the great lots on offer, please see the auction house's website at https://www.spielzeugauktion.de.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on auction bear highlights has left you star-struck!

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

The Top Lot Winners From The Susan Kilgore Wiley Steiff Auction Are...

Wow! Talk about a bear-affair! Steiffgal's head is spinning over the results of the Steiff auction held on January 21st through Ladenburger Spielzeugauktion GmbH. This sale, which included the first half of the Susan Kilgore Wiley collection, included 195 premier lots, lasted nearly 5 hours long, and had a 99% sell through rate! It hammered at $381,000, with buyer's premiums varying across different selling platforms. Here are the three top selling lots from the sale, and what might have made them so sought after from the collector's perspective.

Here's a hot tip... Steiff's Petsy bears seem to continue to capture the hearts, imaginations, and wallets of collectors worldwide! Lot #6115, a magnificent Petsy the Baby Bear, was the gold medal winner in this exciting sale. He generated 50 bids and hammered at a breathtaking $57,772. He was cataloged in part as:

"One of the highlights of the auction, Petsy-bear, in unused condition, with button, block letters, long trailing f, minimally rests of the white cloth tag label, big ears, seam at the middle of the head, felt paws in very good condition, long snapped off arms, clearly hump, 45 cm, very nice strong colors, exceptional."

So what made this Ted so desirable at auction? Most importantly, more than one collector was determined to add him to their hug! Clearly, he was in wonderful condition, with great coloration, and IDs. He also must had that "X" factor that really called to his new owner. Petsy bears traditionally do really well at auction, especially at Ladenburger Spielzeugauktion. In July, 2022, they sold a most impressive 74 cm version of Petsy for $45,782. Steiffgal also believes that Mrs. Wiley's Petsy has set a new world's record price for a Teddy bear sold at auction in the 21st century.

Taking the silver slot at this Steiff sale was another version of Petsy, this time on a four wooden wheeled cart. This was lot #6071, an astonishingly rare Record Petsy. It hammered at $21,801 and generated nearly 100 bids! He was cataloged in part as:

"Rare Record-Petsy, produced around 1928-1929, length: 25 cm, brown pointed mohair, blue glass eyes, bright embroidering at snout, with seam at the middle of head, with button, block letters, long trailing f, minimally rests of the white cloth tag label, smaller mohair loss at the thighs and at the hand, very nice strong colors of the mohair, red wood wheels, extremely expressive."

Clearly, this Petsy on the go was the wheel deal! Record Petsy was made in 20 or 25 cm from 1928-1929 only. According to Cieslik's Button In Ear reference book, only 1,462 examples were made. Steiffgal has only seen two of these - ever! Unlike full bodied Petsy bears which do appear with some regularity on the secondary market, this prewar pull toy version is the only example Steiffgal can find that EVER appeared online at public sale. That - plus his irresistible presentation - certainly help to explain why he raised so many paddles during this amazing button-in-ear event.

The bronze medal at last weekend's event goes to lot #6187, Steiff's smallest (and arguably cutest!) prewar Record Teddy. It hammered at $8,829 and generated 90 bids. He was cataloged in part as:

"Rare Record teddy, in the small manufactured size, height: 10 cm, 1924-1927, on a self-propelling vehicle with motion, with original drawstring, with button, block letters, long trailing f, glass eyes, a little bit flash rust, mohair is a bit thin."

Again, collectors always seem to go into fifth gear when it comes to Steiff's prewar wheeled novelties. This is the smallest sized version Steiff ever made of its legacy Record Teddy pattern. He really translated well into miniature form, so his petite scale and irresistible presentation most certainly added to his bottom line at this sale. Like his cousin Record Petsy, this guy is amazingly rare - The only other tiny Record Teddy Steiffgal nows of sold at Christies in 2010 for 6,250 GBP.

Steiffgal hopes this auction review has perhaps bid up your interest in future Steiff sales!

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

These Wheeled Wonders Up For Auction Soon Will Send Your Pulse Into 5th Gear!

We continue our series on auction highlights from Ladenburger Spielzeugauktion's January 21st, 2023 Collection of Susan Kilgore Wiley sale with a focus on AMAZING pull toys. It goes without saying that all the temptations in this sale are simply WAH-HOO good, but some are the "wheel-deal," too! Check out these three breathtaking rarities on the go that send Steiffgal's pulse into fifth gear!

Size defies with this first auction highlight. Here we have lot #6187, a happy handful of a bear who is clearly off to the races. He is cataloged in part as: 

"Rare Record teddy, in the small manufactured size, height: 10 cm, 1924-1927, on a self-propelling vehicle with motion, with original drawstring, with button, block letters, long trailing f, glass eyes, a little bit flash rust, mohair is a bit thin." He has an opening bid of 280 €.

Many of us are familiar with Steiff's charming "Record" animals - those sitting sweeties on a four wheeled cart. They appear to move back and forth as their vehicles are pulled along. This is due in part to their slightly looser jointing and clever engineering. Record animals and dolls are mostly seen in the c. 20 cm+ size. This one is really, really charming given its teeny, tiny proportions - he's the smallest sized Record bear made by Steiff, ever. His pattern was produced in 10 and 15 cm in blond or gold mohair from 1924-1927. He literally fits in the palm of your hand, and would be insanely adorable as the prized toy in the arms of a very lucky medium to larger scaled bear or doll from any era. And he is RARE! The only other tiny Record Teddy Steiffgal knows of sold at Christies in 2010 for 6,250 GBP.

Our next wheeled highlight proves the saying, "two heads are better than one." Here we have lot #6050, a stunning Steiff Roly Droly. This bear-pair is cataloged in part as: 

"Tricycle, wood, with 2 turning pre-war bears, 1x golden yellow, 1x white, with button and red cloth tag label, block letters, long trailing f, very nice condition, length: 20 cm, depth: 19 cm, height: 16 cm, extremely rare, sticks were later glued." The Roly Droly has an opening bid of 550 €.

This fantastic novelty is head spinning for a number of reasons, including its rarity, presentation, and condition. Roly Poly pull toys were made in the mid-1920s through the mid-1930s, and were produced with a number of different "passengers." These included two chicks, two bears, a chick and rabbit, a dog and a cat, and two rabbits, among others. These novelties were specifically produced and designed as hands-on play toys. And toys - especially with moving parts or designed for rough play - wear out, fall apart, or just get lost to time. For example, think about Steiff skittles. Those were designed as a sporting game, so losses and wear on skittle pins and balls are almost expected! This Roly Droly shows just a touch of playwear, and has, or needs, some simple restoration with one of its poles. Nonetheless, this example is so appealing, and so seldom seen, that it just may go into overdrive when the bidding begins.

And finally, let's take a look at just what may be the Maserati of this wheeled category - and maybe the entire sale. Here we have lot #6071... a breathtakingly rare Record Petsy. It is cataloged in part as:

"Rare Record-Petsy, produced around 1928-1929, length: 25 cm, brown pointed mohair, blue glass eyes, bright embroidering at snout, with seam at the middle of head, with button, block letters, long trailing f, minimally rests of the white cloth tag label, smaller mohair loss at the thighs and at the hand, very nice strong colors of the mohair, red wood wheels, extremely expressive." It has an opening bid of 1,300 €.

Collectors can't seem to get enough of Steiff's Petsy the Baby bear. In July, 2022, Ladenburg sold a 72 cm version of this blue-eyed beauty for 42,000 €! This classic bear design only appeared in the line for a few years in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Like several of the company's mid- to late 1920s popular designs, Petsy was made into several theme and variation novelties, including a music box, a puppet, a purse, and this pull toy. Record Petsy was made in 20 or 25 cm from 1928-1929 only. According to Cieslik's Button In Ear reference book, only 1,462 examples were made. Steiffgal has only seen two of these - ever! One was at the Steiff museum in Giengen (pictured here on the left along with some other fantastic "high rollers") and one at the Spielzeug Welten Museum in Basel. So this Record Petsy is in remarkable, and exclusive, company indeed.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on these wheeled auction highlights has been thrilling, in a round-about sort of way.

For more information about Ladenburger Spielzeugauktion GmbH's upcoming Special Steiff Auction event on January 21st, please click here!

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

The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of - Four Top Steiff Teds Sold At Auction This Week!

It was a very good week to be a vintage Steiff Teddy bear enthusiast! Two fine European auction houses known for presenting amazing button-in-ear temptations of all sorts held their signature early summer sales. And did they deliver! Let's take a look at four top lot results from these events and see what made these picks the stuff that dreams are made of.

On June 21st, 2022 Special Auction Services from the UK offered lot #40, "a very rare Steiff black mohair teddy bear circa 1912" as part of their Dolls & Teddy Bears early summer sale. It was cataloged in part as:

"A very rare Steiff black mohair teddy bear circa 1912, with black boot button eyes, red felt discs behind, pronounced clipped muzzle, black stitched nose, mouth and claws, swivel head, jointed elongated limbs, originally with cream felt pads, hump and inoperative growler -16½in. (42cm.) high (balding and thinning to top of head, bald spot at each ankle, piece missing from right heel, bald spot on side of left arm with a slight hole, small hole to top of muzzle, pads recovered, general wear and thinning, fading to front and a some strands missing from nose stitching) - this actual bear was sold at Christie's first Teddy Bear auction in December 1993 as lot 205 and comes with a copy of the catalogue."

The bear was estimated £5,000 - £8,000, generated 22 bids, and hammered at £18,000. Complete with provenance, personality, and presentation, this sweet old man was truly the whole package. Despite his condition issues, his absolute rarity and ties to one of the 20th century's most famous/infamous tragedies still clearly resonated with collectors worldwide. 

Later the same week, Ladenburger Spielzeugauktion GmbH from Germany presented their Special Steiff Auction as part of the annual Steiff Sommer Festival in Giengen on June 25th, 2022. The event generated a number of noteworthy Teddy bear sales - with three head spinning lots taking the gold, silver, and bronze medals here. 

1.  Of great interest - at least to two passionate bidders - was lot #6118, a handsome 1920s-era Steiff cub. It was cataloged in part as:

"Very nice, dark brown bear, around 1926, with button, long trailing F, with very beautiful preserved red flag, No. 5328,6, glass eyes, very beautiful preserved, dark-brown mohair, long snaped off arms, clearly hump, felt paws in very good condition, 42 cm, very nice, exceptional original condition."

The bear had an estimate of €850-€1,700, generated 83 bids, and hammered at €22,000. Every auction has its up and down surprises, and this sleeper lot caught everyone off guard in the best possible way. Yes, he was beautiful, a great color and size, and had fine IDs. A wonderful example all around. Perhaps he reminded the winning bidder of a long lost childhood friend, or maybe was the last bear needed to complete a series of cubs in a personal collection? Or perhaps he simply called to them in a heart to heart sort of way? Whatever the reason, it is certain that his new owner really, really wanted him! 

2.  Also catching the world's attention was lot #6107, a super-sized Petsy bear with an irresistible and classic presentation. It was cataloged in part as:

"One of the highlights of the auction, Petsy-bear, produced 1928-1930, 74 cm, long-haired mohair plush, brown tipped, jointed, big flexible ears, with button, long stretched F, big blue glass eyes, salmon-pink embroidering at snout, seam at the middle of head, nice, full mohair, single places of the mohair are caused by the sitting position flatted, felt paws were partially professional refurbished, 74 cm, with this size is only this bear known to us, extremely rare, very nice."

The bear had an estimate of €6,500-€13,000, generated 78 bids, and hammered at €42,000. Petsy bears continue to capture the imagination and pocketbooks of enthusiasts universally. Their rarity and distinctive childlike looks qualify them as crown jewels in practically every Steiff collection. This beautiful boy - in a remarkable size, lovely condition, and with ID - was outstanding in so many ways. As far as Steiffgal can tell, it is very likely that this exact bear now holds the world's record for the highest price paid for a Steiff Petsy bear sold at public auction!

3. And finally, it's hard to believe that any button-in-ear beauty could top the number two bear at this sale, but the stars really aligned here. The star of this auction was lot #6104, a remarkable and all but perfect white mohair rod bear with ID. It was cataloged in part as:

"Baer(le) PB, produced 1904-1905, an absolute highlight of the auction, a rarity, white mohair, sealing wax nose, below it you can recognize a bright embroidering at snout , shoe button eyes, with elephant button, 5 claws at paws and feet, head, arms and legs with rod jointed, movable connected, except of small places nice full white mohair, standing height: 40 cm, seat height: 29 cm, long snaped off arms, hump, pointed nose, mohair at the snout was shaved, exceptional."

The bear had an estimate of €2,500-€5,000, generated 63 bids, and hammered at €43,000! It was clear that this remarkable example would be a superstar in this sale - but these results are clearly off the charts! Before the sale, Steiffgal personally thought that he may trade hands as high as €25,000... but sometimes its ok to be wrong! And, like his cousin Petsy mentioned above, it is possible that this exact bear now holds the world's record for the highest price paid for a Steiff rod jointed bear sold at public auction! This example really was museum quality in condition, color, presentation, and originality. It was like he was made yesterday - but he was nearly 120 years old. How can that be? And can we all share his secret to the fountain of youth? Congrats to the buyer - this guy's a keeper for sure. 

Steiffgal hopes this discussion of these auction superstars has hammered your interest in these once in a lifetime cubs. 

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

Isn't This Amazingly Rare Steiff Bear Pretty In Pink?

This next Steiff inquiry has Steiffgal tickled pink. And chances are, you will be too, after learning about this fantastic Steiff find. Fabienne from Europe shares the following...

"Hello, I have bought an antique Steiff and can't find anything about it in the Pfeiffer catalogue. He is about 38 cm standing, many bald spots but the remaining hair is fair blonde and long mohair. He is excelsior stuffed, some is showing through small holes near the nose etc. He still has his button. His covering is light pink, the mohair looks a very light blonde, but it could be faded. His glass eyes are a bit different than the others I have from that same period, they are a bit oversized. The nose stitching is light brown and still in good condition.

I live in Belgium and bought this bear on a local online marketplace, not only for bears, but everything someone wishes to sell, sort of an online fleamarket ;) I immediately noticed him and saw he was a bit different than my other Steiffs. He lives now happily ever after in my private museum (I have more than 500 bears) not all of them are Steiff. Yours sincerely, Fabienne"

A rose by any other name... just might be this terrific Ted! Based on the photos provided, it is Steiffgal's best guess that this beautiful bear is a rare example of Steiff's Teddy Rose. As her name suggests, she was made from long, luxurious light pink colored mohair, but also appeared in bright gold mohair. She was manufactured in five sizes, ranging from 23 to 36 cm, measured sitting. These sizes were different than Steiff's standard line bears, possibly as a way to show that her pattern was a new direction for the company. Teddy Rose was stuffed with excelsior and kapok or just excelsior; had a hand embroidered nose, mouth, and claws; and oversized brown and black glass pupil eyes. She had a chunky build and a less prominent back hump. All of these design elements gave her a distinctly youthful appearance. Given her era of production, all Teddy Rose bears would have left the factory with a long trailing "f" Steiff button, just like this one has. According to company records, 5,271 yellow and 4,794 pink versions of Teddy Rose were manufactured in the c. 1925-1930 timeline. 

Today, examples of Teddy Rose are extremely rare on the secondary market. A fine example traded hands at about 19,000 euro (including buyer's premium) at the June 30, 2018 Ladenburger Spielzeugauktion GmbH Steiff Special Auction. The bear had a presale estimate of 2,200-4,400 euros and received an astounding 92 bids. Her cataloging read as follows, "teddy Rose, 44 cm, mohair, pink dyed, caused of old age faded, c. 1928, felt was at 1 paw retouched, mohair is except of minimally places in good condition, rare." She is pictured here on the left; the photo is from www.Liveauctioneers.com.

The Teddy Rose pattern plays a significant role in Steiff's 1920s-era product development and business expansion strategies. It evolved in part from a directive from Richard Steiff, who was in America from the early 1920s onward growing his family’s business in North America. He noted that by the early 1920’s, the company’s legacy designs - which were almost two decades old by this point - had run their course and did not match the aesthetic or culture of the roaring 1920s. On February 6, 1925, he wrote to his family in Germany, “I am asked almost daily for new products; and I always have to answer that we do not really want to develop new products, since we can hardly cope with the delivery orders we receive for our old toys. However, the stiff competition here means we must be on our toes.”

Also in 1925, he notes, “…Our teddies, in the show room here in New York, appear colorless, sober, and insipid. I feel inclined to decorate all the teddies we have left with huge, colorful silk ribbons; only then can we ask a slightly higher price.”

The folks in Germany took Richard’s directives seriously, and the company's design team started working on entirely new Teddy Bear patterns. For the most part, these patterns were softer and rounder than the company’s legacy patterns; incorporated longer, often playfully colored mohair into their designs; had larger eyes and childlike personalities and presentations;  and had distinctive facial or paw detailing. Some were distributed with collars, ribbons, or other accessories. And, for the first time ever, these new Teddy Bear designs were given appealing “real” names. They included Happy, Teddy Clown, Petsy, Teddy Baby, Dicky, and the cub under review here today - Teddy Rose. Several of these beloved friends are pictured here on the left; the advertising image is from Carsten Esser's 1920-1929 Steiff Kataloge.

Steiffgal hopes you've found this discussion on the company's Teddy Rose as joyful as a colorful bouquet of spring flowers!

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

Science Proves Why Steiff's Petsy Bear Is Truly Irresistible!

Steiffgal's got a very special houseguest this month - an original late 1920's Steiff Petsy bear. He's visiting the Northeast for a few more weeks, then its off to his new forever home in Europe. Early and original Petsy bears hold a unique place in Steiff collector's hearts. Their adorable looks, charming personalities, and distinctly child-like features really are in a class by themselves in terms of Steiff bear designs. All of this got Steiffgal wondering... is there a scientific reason why this might be the case?

All kidding aside, let's first take a closer look at this blue-eyed baby. Petsy is 43 cm tall, fully jointed, and made from brown tipped mohair, which has faded and thinned significantly in this case. His paw pads are made from tan felt. His pert face comes to life with a prominent center facial seam, oversized blue and black pupil eyes, a pink hand embroidered nose and mouth, and proportionally large, wire rimmed ears. His big blue bow, although a delightful accessory, is not original to him. Tipped Petsy had a short, but sweet, appearance in the Steiff catalog, only appearing from 1928 through the very early 1930's. He was made in ten sizes ranging from 15 to 50 cm sitting (or 22 to 75 cm standing.) Tipped Petsy was also produced as a musical Ted in 17 and 20 cm (or 25 and 30 cm standing), on a four wheeled rolling cart in 20 and 25 cm, as a 17 cm puppet, and as a 17 cm purse.

So just what makes Petsy's design so baby-like and absolutely precious? In this case, it's a bit of brilliant business strategy meets science. From the business end of things, Petsy is the vision of Richard Steiff, whose product design priorities and directives in the mid- to late- 1920's included creating colorful patterns with softer, kinder, youthful expressions that reflected the "look and feel" of the roaring, playful 1920's. 

However, few could argue that Petsy is not just appealing, but uber-cute. And that's where the science end of things may help to explain things. According to The Daily Mail's "How It Works" researchers, there is a phenomenon called "baby schema" which makes adults find certain configurations of body proportions on animals, children, and even some inanimate objects absolutely irresistible. From an evolutionary perspective, this may reflect the universal need to care for and protect our youngsters. Seeing cute things also releases dopamine, a neurochemical responsible in part for making us all feel good. Doesn't the cute photo on the left of the puppy and kitten make you smile?

According to scientists, these "cute" features include:

• A wide, prominent forehead 
• A proportionally large, round, symmetrical head 
• Big eyes placed low on the face 
• Soft textures 
• Rounded body and features 

Petsy gets an A+ in meeting these requirements. His forehead is quite distinctive, and further emphasized by his center seam. His head is round and absolutely symetrical. His eyes are large, wide, and placed relatively low on his face. His brown tipped mohair is very soft and fluffy, and invites touching. And his chubby proportions and almost completely round ears complete the package. 

But the science of "cute" also has practical implications for Steiff collectors. According to another published study from research conducted in Japan, people did better on tasks requiring focused attention better after viewing cute images - those that met the scientific criteria listed above. The findings of the work suggest that cute things may be used as "an emotion elicitor to induce careful behavioral tendencies in specific situations, such as driving and office work."  So, given this is true, Steiffgal suggests always having a dear Steiff friend close at hand to insure you do your very best... and that every day should be Take Your Teddy To Work Day!  

Steiffgal hopes this article helped to add a little dopamine to your day!

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

A Sneak Peak At Some Amazing Steiff Treasures To Be Sold This June At James D. Julia Auctioneers!

Start spreading the news... the STEIFF news, that is! Steiffgal is over the moon grateful to be helping out with a sales event every Steiff collector must know about! On Friday, June 13th, auctioneer James D. Julia will be selling about 120 absolutely remarkable vintage Steiff treasures from the amazing and world-class collection of well known and beloved Steiff enthusiasts Chuck and the late Cathy Steffes of Virginia. The collection consists mostly of bears, cats, and rabbits, so Steiffgal thought she would give you a behind the scenes look at a rare and breathtaking example of each today. But stay tuned, there will be more previews such as this to come over the next few months!
 

No need to give more than a few "blues clues" about the identity of this first masterpiece. Here we have a gorgeous example of Steiff's highly sought after Petsy the Baby Bear. Petsy is 16" or 40 cm tall, fully jointed, and made from wonderful brown tipped mohair. He retains his red ear tag and long trailing F Steiff button. Petsy had a very short, but very sweet, appearance in the Steiff catalog, only appearing from 1928 through the very early 1930's. This particular Petsy has a delightful body shape and weight, and has the regal appearance that he was a prized possession - but not everyday plaything - of a very lucky youngster many years ago. Steiffgal was drawn to him like metal to a magnet; Petsy literally called to her as she walked into the room where the all the Steiff bears and treasures awaited evaluation at Julia's.  

The Petsy pattern is very distinctive for Steiff in terms of the company's product design and development timeline. What makes him different than earlier designs, among other factors, are his intentional and prominent middle facial seam which runs vertically from his forehead across his snout, and his oversized, posable wire lined ears.  Together these features give him a pointedly "youthful" appearance.  During his years in the line, Petsy was produced in two commercialized versions. The first was a brown tipped mohair version with blue eyes (like the example available at Julia's) with pink/red facial and claw stitching. The second was a brass mohair version with brown and black pupil eyes and black facial and claw stitching. The tipped version appeared in ten sizes ranging from 15 to 50 cm sitting (or 22 to 75 cm standing) while the brass version was only produced in one size: 22 cm sitting or 32 cm standing. Tipped Petsy was also produced as a musical Ted in 17 and 20 cm (or 25 and 30 cm standing), on a four wheeled rolling cart in 20 and 25 cm, as a 17 cm puppet, and as a 17 cm purse over time.  

UPDATE 5/30/14:  Don't just take Steiffgal's word on how good this Petsy bear is! Click here to see him featured in THE NEW YORK TIMES... his story starts about halfway down the column!

Now it's quick like a bunny onto today's second auction highlight. Here we have a very seldom seen example of Steiff's larger Jack Rabbit with his button and red ear tag! Jack is standing and head and arm jointed. His head and hands are made from mohair, while his body and limbs are made from fine velvet. His face is detailed with velvet lined ears which are highlighted with a touch of pink airbrushing, oversized black and brown pupil eyes, a pink hand embroidered nose, a black hand embroidered mouth, and a little red felt circle to highlight his smile. His clothing is integral to his body. He is elegantly attired in brown tie shoes, blue and white striped socks, light orange pants, a tan shirt, burgundy jacket, and an oversized light blue bow. Special outfit details include a brown leather belt and big brassy buttons on his suit coat. Jack Rabbit was made in 22 and 28 cm from 1927 through 1932. This was the first time that Steiffgal handled an original Jack Rabbit, and she was absolutely amazed by his condition, rarity, and the fact that he still had the tiny accessories that make his outfit so special. Things like buttons, shoes, belts, and ties are frequently lost to time, love, and playwear.  

It is important not to confuse this Jack Rabbit design with Steiff's darling interpretation of Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit. Jack Rabbit was a relatively early licenced Steiff item. The character was the star of a popular 1920's era series of American children's books by David Cory. The books were published in New York by Grosset & Dunlap. Steiff produced and sold almost 2,800 examples of Jack Rabbit between 1927 and 1931. 

This final auction highlight is worthy of a cat call - no pun intended! This gorgeous Fluffy on a Pincushion is quite the looker! Fluffy is 10 cm tall and head jointed. She is sitting, unjointed, and made from white and tipped mohair which has mellowed to a fabulous lilac color over time. Her little tail wraps sweetly around her body. Fluffy's face is detailed with tiny deep green and black pupil eyes, a simple hand embroidered pink nose and mouth, and clear monofilament whiskers. She sits - like a purrr-fect princess - upon a square pincushion made from scrumptious long pink mohair. And, just when you thought it couldn't get any better here, it actually does. Fluffy retains ALL of her Steiff IDs, including her long trailing F button, red ear tag, and amazing metal rimmed, named chest tag. This size Fluffy on a Pincushion was made from 1926 through 1932. A smaller version of this item, using a 7 cm version of Fluffy, was in the line from 1928 through 1934.

Steiffgal's literally grinning like a Cheshire cat over this fantastic feline. Everything about this kitten - from her perfect proportions, harmonious and gentle color configuration, and heart tugging appeal - truly makes her the cat's meow.

This hugely popular Fluffy design was introduced in 1926. Her details are quite typical of other products Steiff created during "the roaring 20's" - items tended to have large, childlike eyes, bright colors, playful textures, and a distinctly feminine touch to them. Fluffy was such a favorite that she was produced in nine standard sizes, as well as in the form of other novelties including a musical version, dangling "Charleston" style item, and as a tail turns head model. She appeared in the line overall through 1950. Her design was slowly replaced by Susi, another favorite sitting style cat, who was a line standard through 1978.

Steiffgal hopes this initial review of Steiff highlights from James D. Julia's June 2014 auction featuring the Steffes collection has been a top-tier experience for you.  The full catalog should be online at www.JamesDJulia.com in early to mid-April.  Happy Steiff dreaming to you!

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

Getting A Handle on Steiff's Handbags

Steiffgal must take this reader's inquiry quite purse-sonally, but in the best way possible.  Take a look at this note from Juliet, who asks about a recent addition to her collection - a little bulldog that doubles as a handbag. Could it have been made by Steiff?  She writes in part...

"Dear Steiffgal,

This looks like a Steiff Bulldog face.  
I can't find any info on this item.  
Did Steiff ever make child's handbags? 

Best regards, 
Juliet"

Steiffgal's got this one in the bag.  Yes, Steiff has a long history of making handbags.  In most cases, they were not designed specifically for children, but their diminutive size does suggest that they were designed to hold few or very small things!  As far as Steiffgal can tell, the first Steiff purses, or "handtasche" were produced starting in 1927.  These earliest bags were actually based on Steiff's most popular designs of the time, and included beloved characters including Jocko the Chimp (pictured here on the left, sold for $890 at the 2010 Steiff Auction at Christie's in London), Petsy the blue eyed baby bear, Bully the bulldog, and Molly the puppy.  Items were sitting or standing, but in either case, were modified to have a hollow back pocket to hold purse-related items.  This pocket was lined in silk or velvet, and closed with a zipper.  In some cases the zipper had a pull, in others it had a circular round handle.  As time went on, Steiff added additional characters to its purse line, including Strupp the foxterrier, Treff the bloodhound, and even Pip, the cartoon dog, as late as 1941.  Steiff's early mohair character purses ranged in sizes from 17 to 29 cm overall. 

Steiff's purse line re-emerged in the late 1970's with a series of flat woven fur items.   These included a Teddy bear face in 12 and 26 cm, a little rabbit face bag in 26 cm (pictured here on the left), and a special edition Lake Placid Olympics raccoon souvenir purse in 18 cm.  Then, in the late 1980's, Steiff launched a new series of woven fur animal purses.  This introduction included a Teddy bear, panda bear, rabbit, and dog - all 17 cm heads - and a mouse, fish, owl, and hedgehog - all in full 18 cm body.  Since 1996, Steiff has also produced small plush animal faced handbags in the forms a Teddy bear, elephant, cow, cat, frog, and pig.  Steiff has not done much recently with handbags; the company's most recent purse creation was done in 2005 and was a replica of the 1927 through 1940 mohair Charly handbag.

Now, getting back to Juliet about her bulldog bag.  Although this is a charming and interesting treasure, Steiffgal does not believe he was made by Steiff.  A photo of Steiff's standing Bully purse, which was produced in 22, 23, 28, and 29 cm in black and white or sandy tan mohair from 1927 through 1934, is pictured here on the left for comparison.  The illustration is from Gunter Pfeiffer's 1892-1943 Sortiment book.  Steiffgal does think, however, that Juliet's bulldog bag was most likely produced around the same time as Steiff's model, and may even be based in part on his design.  

Steiffgal hopes you now have a handle on the history of Steiff's wonderful handbag production.

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