It's Time To Throw The Book At This Amazing Antique Steiff Character Doll!

Let's take it to the Max with this week's blog story! Here we have a darling - but devilish - literary character who is well known throughout Germany. Take a look at this early Steiff doll and see it's always "double trouble" when he makes an appearance.

Here we have Steiff's Max doll. He is 30 cm tall, fully jointed, and made primarily from felt. He wears grey felt shoes, cream felt pants, a brown felt shirt, and a blue felt blazer detailed with blue felt buttons. His legs are made from tan linen. His oversized hands and head are made from flesh colored felt. His face comes to life with black bead eyes, prominent horizontal and vertical seaming, painted eyebrows and lips, and pert, oversized ears. You can't help but notice his shock of long, jet black hair which is made from mohair. You can see two slits in his left ear where his Steiff button would have been, but sadly this hardware has been lost to time. Max appeared in the Steiff line in 30 and 35 cm from 1910-1926.

Steiff has a century plus long tradition of interpreting famous fictional and literary characters... and this doll is a perfect example of that. Max - and his brother Moritz - are the "stars" of a legacy German book called Max and Moritz (A Story of 7 Boyish Pranks). It was written by author Wilhelm Busch (German, 1832-1908). This work was first published in 1865. This darkly comedic tale is written in verse and consists of seven “chapters.” Max and Moritz are the ultimate troublemakers and they cast their shenanigans throughout their town. The book, still a favorite nearly 160 years onward, has become an integral part of the German culture and psyche. Author Rudolph Dirks credits Max and Moritz as the inspiration behind his early and important comic strip The Katzenjammer Kids which debuted in 1897. And even today, some German parents are known to have named their twin sons after this troublemaking team.

Given his appeal, Max (and his brother) were often featured in Steiff's early 20th century advertising. Here on the left, you can see one of Steiff's print marketing images from around 1912/13. You can click on the image to make it bigger. It features the silly siblings creating havoc at a military post. This is not unexpected, given their reputation for troublemaking! Max has made his way into the soldier's booth - and appears to be picking his nose without a care. And his brother Moritz has somehow gotten his hands on the soldier's firearm and is running away with it. Steiff's marketing images from this period - just like this one - are usually comical, multilayered, ironic, and extremely well executed. The picture is from Dottie Ayers and Donna Harrison's Advertising Art of Steiff, Teddy Bears and Playthings.

It should be no surprise that Steiff really "Max'ed" out on its Max doll production during both the pre- and postwar periods. Prewar, Max and Moritz were produced as 25 cm “record” or pull toy dolls on wooden wheels from 1916-1926 overall. Fast forward, Steiff produced Max and Moritz as tiny 10 cm rubber dolls from 1962-1967. Their final appearance in Steiff's catalog, as far as Steiffgal can tell, was as a pair of 30 cm tall trevira velvet puppets pictured here on the left. These charming characters appeared in the line from 1979-1982. As you can see, their detailing, materials, and construction were updated to reflect the aesthetic of the era. 

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's Max storybook doll has been a good read for you.

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

Dressed For Success: Steiff's Early And Fantastic Golliwog Dolls

Good golly! Everyone needs a best friend, and that's just what the Golliwogs - storybook characters invented by author Florence Kate Upton in the late 19th century - were invented for. Steiff has a long tradition of bringing favorite fictional friends to life. One of the first examples of this was in 1904 when Steiff worked with author Beatrix Potter to produce her beloved Peter Rabbit as a soft toy for children. Take a look at this incredibly rare and early Steiff Golliwog based on Upton's tales and see what makes him so interesting from the design and historical perspectives.

You can't help but smile when it comes to this simply charming early felt Golliwog doll. He is 43 cm, standing, and fully jointed. His head and oversized hands are made from black felt. His legs, under his pants, are made from a linen type of material. His clothes are primarily integral to his body. He wears black oilcloth shoes with black felt soles, red felt pants, a white felt shirt detailed with black buttons, and a blue felt top coat - which also is decorated with a few buttons on the back and front. His red neck ribbon is all original to him. His jolly face comes to life with black button eyes backed in red and white felt circles, a sewn-on, dimentional red and white felt smile, a prominent horizontal seam, and a head full of black curly mohair. He retains his tiny long trailing f button as his Steiff ID. This classic design was produced in 28, 35, 43, 50, 60, 80, and 100 cm from 1909-1919 overall.

This period design was so popular at the time it was produced in two little known novelty forms. The first, a roly poly Golliwog, appeared in the line in 29 cm from 1909-1912. This very rotund fellow had the typical Golly head and red, white, and blue outfit, as well as arms and oversized hands, but no legs. He wobbled about but always came to rest upright. And the second was a “snap apart” Golly from around 1909. This doll looked just like the standard line, full bodied Golly but was jointed with metal snaps (not regular cardboard disks and pins) and designed to be taken apart and reassembled as a toy for children. Although there is reference to this unusual toy in reference books and the Steiff archives, it was probably not put into full line production.

It's also fun to take a look at the design elements of Steiff's early 20th century Golliwogs. Besides their really distinctive facial presentation, they do indeed have many of the same details as the company's felt farmers, who were also produced around the same period.

For example, Steiff's Dachau Farmer has nearly the same proportions, horizontal face construction, body shape, oversized hands, and simple footwear pattern as this Golliwog. This farmer doll is pictured here on the left. Even the clothing looks like they may have been borrowed from the same closet! Such streamlining adds production efficiencies to the manufacturing process, as well as gives the product line a somewhat standard "look and feel" which is important for branding, quality control, and marketing purposes. 

And speaking of marketing... you can see a super sweet print ad from around 1912 or so featuring Steiff's goofy Golliwogs here on the left. You can click on the image to make it bigger. The photo is from Dottie Ayers and Donna Harrison's Advertising Art of Steiff, Teddy Bears and Playthings.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on early Steiff Golliwog dolls has gotten you into a playful mood!

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

Boys Will Be Boys When It Comes To Steiff's Max and Moritz Hand Puppets!

In the mood for a little merry mischief? Or perhaps some double trouble? Then this playful pair of puppets is just what the doctor ordered... as you can "take two and call me me in the morning!" Check out these brothers in arms from Steiff and see what makes them so fun, and interesting, from the historical and product development perspectives.

Boys will be boys when it comes to these fictional friends named Max and Moritz. Both are in the form of glove puppets with hollow bodies and softly stuffed heads. They are 30 cm tall and made from trevira velvet, a popular and durable fabric that was popular in the Steiff line in the c. 1970s-1990s timeframe. Their clothing is integral to their bodies. Max is wearing a brown shirt, tan pants, and a red jacket. His short, spiky black hair is made from plush. His round face comes to life with black button eyes, a rounded flat nose, pink highlighted cheeks, and a painted mouth, nostrils, and eyebrows.

Moritz is wearing a blue shirt and light tan pants. His long blonde hair, with a great cowlick in the front, is made from plush. His long, lean face comes to life with black button eyes, a distinctively pointed nose, pink highlighted cheeks, and a painted mouth, nostrils, and eyebrows. Both Max and Moritz retain all of their IDs, including their named chest tags, buttons, yellow tags, and hang tags. These character puppets appeared in the line in this size only from 1979-1982.

These perky puppets are based on the beloved German folk characters Max and Moritz, the "stars" of a book called Max and Moritz (A Story of 7 Boyish Pranks). It was written by author Wilhelm Busch (German, 1832-1908). This work was first published in 1865. This darkly comedic tale is written in verse and consists of seven “chapters.” The brothers are the ultimate troublemakers and they cast their shenanigans throughout their town. The book, still a favorite since its debut 155 years ago, has become an integral part of the German culture and psyche. Author Rudolph Dirks credits Max and Moritz as the inspiration behind his early and important comic strip The Katzenjammer Kids which debuted in 1897. And even today, some German parents are known to have named their twin sons after this devilish duo!

It’s no joke to say that Steiff “maxed out” in its production of Max and Moritz characters over time. The company produced both as full bodied dolls in 30 and 35 cm versions from 1910 through 1926. You can see these handsome dudes here on the left; the photo is from the Cieslik's Button In Ear The History of the Teddy Bear and His Friends. All were made from felt, fully jointed, and closely mirrored Busch’s original renditions, including the character’s distinctive faces, hairstyles, and body types. These dolls were featured prominently in the company's playful advertising photos of their era. Max and Moritz were also produced as 25 cm “record” or pull toy dolls on wooden wheels from 1916 through 1926 overall. Fast forward, Steiff produced Max and Moritz as tiny 10 cm rubber dolls from 1962 through 1967. These puppets under discussion today are the final appearance of Max and Moritz in the Steiff line as far as Steiffgal can tell.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's Max and Moritz hand puppets has added some comic relief to your day!

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

Steiff's Roaring 20's Come To Life With This Fantastically Illustrated New Reference Book

What's old is new again... especially when it comes to Steiff! Steiffgal was thrilled to learn that her friend and colleague Carsten Esser from Teddy Dorado just published a book about Steiff from the 1920 through 1929 time frame. For many Steiff collectors, this decade represents the company's "golden age" of design, creativity, and manufacturing. Many new and appealing patterns, such as Teddy Clown, Petsy the Baby Bear, Molly the Puppy, Bully the Bulldog, and Fluffy the Cat were introduced during those ten years - and remain absolute collector's favorites to this day.

The 384 page book is called "Steiff Catalog 1920-1929" and is a wonderfully illustrated archive. It includes information from a wide variety of Steiff company ephemera - including catalogs, brochures, fliers, and price lists, among other records. Visually, the book is a treat - in any language. The pictures and illustrations are charming and so nicely reflect the "look and feel" of the roaring '20's. It is interesting to see how the company's print materials and graphic designs became increasingly more sophisticated over the ten year period of the book. Although German is the predominant language in the text, there are many documents in other languages, too. It is not important that readers speak German to learn alot from this publication. 

One of Steiffgal's favorite illustrations in this new book is from 1929 and is a leaflet featuring the company's newly launched "Teddy Baby" pattern. This brochure shows three playful closed mouth style cubs. Versions in mohair and alpaca are offered in six sizes ranging from 15 to 45 cm. The alpaca versions are roughly 20% higher in price than those made from mohair. Given the conversion rate of about 4.2 German marks = 1 US dollar in 1929, the prices for these Teds at the time ranged from $0.67 to $5.47 each. To put that in context, the "average” American in 1929 made about $0.70/hour or almost $1,400/year. In today's dollars, $0.67 to $5.47 from 1929 would be roughly equivalent to $9.27 to $75.66.  

Who wants to join Steiffgal on a time traveling, Steiff buying adventure to 1929? 

In addition to featuring photos and illustrations of the product line, the book also has "behind the scenes" images of really interesting business materials. These give readers and collectors insights into the company's priorities and scope of operations at the time. For example, one of the documents pictured in the book is from 1924 and lists the names and addresses of the company's worldwide sales and distribution partners. These include organizations in Germany, New York City, Belgium, Denmark, England, France, Greece, Holland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Austria, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, and Turkey. Also on the list but crossed off in a black pen line are Brazil and Egypt. Remember, this was almost a century ago, and business development tools like email, the internet, and reliable and international telephone services just were not available. So these accounts - many thousands of miles away from Giengen - were discovered and nurtured the "good old fashioned way" of extensive travel, face to face meetings, and relationship building. Members of the Steiff family and their most trusted colleagues did much of this heavy lifting themselves.

For more information on this great Steiff reference book and ordering details, please see www.teddydorado.de.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this fantastic new Steiff reference book has opened up the gates of learning for you.

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

Bright Eyed And Bushy Tailed Over This Fantastic - And Well Traveled - Vintage Squirrel

Can a picture paint a thousand words?  Yes, especially if its subject could be a vintage Steiff treasure!  A few years ago, author and illustrator Claudia McGehee contacted Steiffgal about a little toy squirrel that played a very big role in the life of one lucky young man at the turn of last century.  Her question was, given some line drawings from century-old diaries and memoirs, could an item be identified as Steiff?  This squirrel had emerged as an important element of the 1918 Alaskan adventure story she was researching and writing.  The "mystery squirrel" is pictured here on the left; the original artwork is from Wilderness: A Journal of Quiet Adventure in Alaska, By Rockwell Kent Hanover, NH: Wesleyan University Press, 1996.

Of course, Steiffgal goes nuts (in the best way possible) over these sorts of inquiries. Given the existing drawings, it appeared that the "mystery squirrel" could possibly be one of two Steiff models - either a gray and white mohair version, or a red-brown and white mohair version. Both of these squirrels were made from 1909 through 1919. The gray one was produced in 17, 22, and 28 cm. The red-brown one was produced in 17, 22, 28, and 35 cm. Both were six ways jointed - meaning that the head, arms, feet, and tail all could turn. Both originally came with a squeaker as well.  These squirrels are pictured to the left, the photos are from Pfeiffer's 1892-1943 Sortiment.  Although it is impossible to tell with 100% certainty if Claudia's mystery squirrel was indeed made by Steiff without seeing it firsthand, its appearance, dating, and origins all suggest that this is entirely possible. 

The squirrel in question plays a major role in Claudia's new work, My Wilderness, An Alaskan Adventure, which was published just a few weeks ago by Sasquatch Books. The book recounts the true-life story of New York artist Rockwell Kent II and his 9 year old son Rocky's adventures living, painting, and exploring all around Fox Island, Alaska in 1918.  The story is told through young Rocky's eyes, and is magnificently written and illustrated.  It is a must have for anyone who appreciates wonderful children's literature, the beauty of early frontier life, and, of course, Steiff! The book cover is pictured here on the left.

Steiffgal had the great pleasure of interviewing Claudia McGehee (who is pictured here on the left) about My Wilderness An Alaskan Adventure, and learning more about its "starring squirrel," Squirlie.  Here's a bit of that conversation.

Steiffgal: Tell us how you came across this tale of the Kent family and why you chose to share it in the form of a children's book.

Claudia McGehee:  Born in 1882, American artist Rockwell Kent II worked as a commercial illustrator, painter, writer and adventurer. I came across Kent’s book art and loved the qualities of his black and white engravings and drawings. I then saw an exhibition of Kent’s work in Chicago in 2001 and discovered his paintings were just as powerful. One painting intrigued me most; it was of a father and son, standing together outside a rustic log cabin. Was this the artist and his own son depicted here? I thought there had to be a good story behind it. 

And there was! Kent had published his memoir about living several months in 1918 on Fox Island, Alaska. His oldest son Rocky, had accompanied him. Kent excelled in painting cold northern landscapes. He also loved Big Nature. To paint in Alaska and to share a wilderness experience with his young son made the opportunity too good to pass up. It was a successful, happy time for the two; Rockwell Kent the artist produced many wonderful paintings while on Fox Island, and Rocky lived a childhood dream of exploring a wilderness island!

Soon after seeing the exhibit, I started thinking about what a lovely father-son adventure this was, and with my illustration style, a picture book idea was born.

Steiffgal: How did you first learn about Squirlie (the book's squirrel character, pictured here on the left) as part of this history?  Did that discovery in any way change how you felt about Rocky, or how you would present his character in the book?

 

Claudia McGehee:  Soon into research, I discovered little Rocky had brought along a stuffed toy squirrel named Squirlie. I was instantly smitten with this detail and knew I would work Squirlie at least visually into my book.

Rockwell Kent’s memoir mentions Squirlie several times.  The first reads, “Squirlie is Rockwell’s pet, brought from home with us. It sleeps every night close in Rockwell’s arms. I begin to almost believe in it myself.”  The father also notes that Squirlie often accompanied young Rocky on his adventures, specifically writing, “They went for a long way into the woods like good companions.”  The memoir also playfully reveals that Squirlie had a birthday celebration on the island and received many special gifts!  

Little Rocky was a kind, sensitive boy from his father’s descriptions, and how he treats Squirlie “with tender care” convinced me Squirlie was very special to him. I chose to show Squirlie as part of every day island life with the boy. Squirlie can be seen poking out of Rocky’s pocket in most of the illustrations, but he is also there, unseen, in the dramatic boat scene. Squirlie represented a comfort from home.  (In this picture above on the left, you can see a close up of Claudia's drawing of Rocky and Squirlie tucked into bed together after a long day of fun and adventures on Fox Island.)

Steiffgal:  It is probable that Squirlie was indeed made by Steiff. And, given that the Kents were from New York, it is possible that they purchased him at FAO Schwarz, as that toy store carried Steiff items as early as the turn of last century.  Do you have any specific history on
Squirlie?

Claudia McGehee:  I had my suspicions early on, from two drawings of Squirlie in Kent’s original memoir, that Squirlie may be a Steiff. (One of these drawings, "Squirlie's Birthday Party," is pictured here on the left, it is from  is from Wilderness: A Journal of Quiet Adventure in Alaska, By Rockwell Kent Hanover, NH: Wesleyan University Press, 1996.) I asked a friend, an avid Steiff collector, her opinion, and she thought so too!  And I am encouraged by Steiff Gal’s thoughts on the matter as well.

I corresponded with one of Rocky’s descendants as part of my research and asked about Squirlie in particular. He couldn’t confirm that Squirlie was a Steiff.  He did recall that Rocky’s mother made little stuffed animals for her grandchildren, so it is plausible that she made Squirlie, given they were on a frugal artist’s budget.  

But noted scholar Scott Ferris wrote to me, "As for Squirlie … I have only seen it in illustrations. As for it being produced by Steiff, that certainly makes sense, on two fronts: one, as you point out, the Steiff stuffed toys were quite popular at the time; and two, RK being a lover of all things German, he probably would have voted for acquiring a German made toy for his son."

Steiffgal:  Do you know why Rocky chose to take Squirlie  - of all his toys and personal items - on this Alaskan adventure?

Claudia McGehee: I can only guess, but as mentioned above, Squirlie was already a part of Rocky’s life, it sounds. He was small and portable and cuddly. Exactly what you might need in the wilderness!

Steiffgal: And finally, we all would love to know... what became of Squirlie over time?

Claudia McGehee: As far as anyone I spoke with knew, Squirlie is no longer in the Kent family. So we may never know for sure! I am still on the hunt for clues, however. Perhaps one of your readers owns a 19-teens mohair Steiff squirrel that still has the faint smell of Alaskan wilderness!!

Steiffgal:  Wouldn't that be over the moon marvelous!  If anyone out there thinks they may have Squirlie in their Steiff hug, please do let me know!  Thank you so much, Claudia, for sharing this wonderful story with us today! 

Steiffgal hopes this conversation with about Squirlie and his great Alaskan adventure has been like a trip of a lifetime for you!

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

Steiffgal's 3 Wishes For The Upcoming Teddy Dorado Auction

So, if you could have three Steiff wishes, what would they be?  Steiffgal knows that's a really hard question, and would have trouble answering it herself.  But it's certainly easy to dream big when it comes to Steiff auctions!   And, many of the lots at the upcoming Teddy Dorado auction on October 27th, 2012 offer plenty of opportunity for happy thoughts!  You can check out the event's online catalog by clicking here... but be forewarned that you just may fall in love with a treasure or two (or more!)  Take a look at Steiffgal's bronze, silver, and gold picks for this upcoming Steiff auction... and what makes them so interesting from a design and historical perspective.

Steiffgal's bronze medal choice makes her want to shake, rattle, and roll.  Here we have an adorable Steiff rattle bear in like new condition.  This tiny Ted is 10.5 cm sitting, 13.5 cm standing, five ways jointed, and made from white mohair.  Her face is detailed with black glass eyes and a brown hand embroidered nose and mouth.  She has long and slender arms and legs and a pointy muzzle.  Because of her petite proportions, her hands and feet do not have felt paws.  She is hard stuffed with excelsior and has a bell rattle in her belly.  Ted retains her large, trailing "F" button; it it is estimated that she was produced in the 1912 through 1925 time frame.  Interestingly, she come in a pretty, festive cardboard box that is labeled "Weihnachten 1925" or "Christmas 1925." 

And what makes this sweet Ted the leader of the band?  Clearly, no Steiff enthusiast could resist her adorable facial expression or immaculate condition.  Not bad for a gal who's probably close to ninety years old!  But she's got rhythm for sure!  Her still functional rattle - a feature which Steiff used on a handful of its most popular c. 10 cm models through the 1920's - can't help but make most Steiff collectors feel like dancing!

Our silver medal choice is truly larger than life.  Here we have Steiff's Dwarf Spitz dog; he measures 20.5 cm high and approximately 20 cm long.  This Miniature Pomeranian dog is unjointed and standing.  He is hard stuffed with excelsior.  His body is made from long pile mohair, while his face, legs, and the back of his ears are made from short white mohair.  His face is detailed with dark brown and black glass pupil eyes and a black hand embroidered back nose and mouth.  The insides of his ears are lined in white felt.  He has a working lateral pressure voice squeaker.  Spitz retains his original red leather collar with metal ring; short trailing "F" Steiff button, "Dwarf Spitz" named chest tag, and fully legible yellow ear tag.  This delightful dog was manufactured in the 1935 through 1943 time frame. 

And what makes this little guy such a big deal? First, his condition is just extraordinary. It is challenging to find pristine examples of Steiff items from the late 1930 through early 1940 time frame - but this guy takes the blue ribbon in all categories here. Plus, Steiff has a wonderful history and legacy of producing Spitz or Pomeranian dogs. Over time, since the turn of last century, Steiff has produced this breed on wheels, fully jointed, and as a pincushion on a red velvet pillow. The earliest models were decorated with a red cord with two pom-poms or tassels around his neck, giving then a “regal” appearance. The breed does have some connections to German royalty, which may explain why they are decorated like “little kings”.  

You'll have to take Steiffgal's word on this - this Steiff "book" certainly deserves the gold medal!  Here we have Steiff's Spielbuch or Game Book.   This item is approximately 18.5 cm wide and about 15.5 cm high.  According to Steiff records, it was designed to provide "different templates for children from two years, to the placement of tactile sensitivity, color joy, skill and sense."  This unusual item is made from sheets of thick felt and is "bound" by metal rings.  Each page features hands on to-dos for young children, including activities related to colors, sizes, snaps, ties, buttons, and the like. The cover features a large, mostly flat three dimensional mohair rabbit head; his face is detailed with large brown and black glass pupil eyes, a pink-red hand embroidered nose and mouth, felt lined ears, and a red ribbon and bell. His ear is branded with a short trailing "F" Steiff button and a fully legible yellow ear tag.  The Game Book appeared in the Steiff catalog from 1935 through 1937; this particular example is the property of a former Steiff assistant.  

And what makes this Game Book today's winning best seller? This page turner certainly meets the gold standard in terms of the WOW factor...  it is so rare, unusual, and in relatively good condition given its age and raison d'être.  And, in all honesty, Steiffgal didn't even realize such an item ever existed in the line before reading about it in the Teddy Dorado catalog, and it's pretty hard to "stump the chump."  Don't you think it would be a divine addition to Steiffgal's library and archive? 

Steiffgal hopes this sneak peek at highlights from the upcoming Teddy Dorado auction has you going once, going twice, going three times to check out their other amazing offerings at www.teddydorado.com.

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