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.

Crazy Like A Fox Over This Early Postwar Steiff Find!

Are you crazy like a fox?  Hey, there's nothing wrong with that, if your nuttiness is all about Steiff!  Steiffgal definitely fits that description - perhaps you do as well?!  Some of Steiffgal's favorite Steiff animal designs are the company's great foxes produced over the years.  So she was over-the-moon excited to adopt a delightful vintage example from an antique show she recently attended in Florida.  Check out this great example and see what makes him such a field and forest find!

Here we have Steiff's early postwar Fuchs or Fox.  His official "size" is 14 cm, but he actually measures 13 cm tall and 16 cm long.  His hefty and impressive tail adds another 10 cm.  He is standing on all fours, head joined, and made from tan mohair that has been airbrushed with vibrant, copper colored highlights all over the top of his body and head.  He has black airbrushed paws as well as black highlights on his nose, eyes, and around the periphery of his ears.  The insides of his ears and his lips have very light pink airbrushed highlights.  His face comes to life with a slightly shorter mohair muzzle, brown and black glass pupil eyes, and a black hand embroidered nose and mouth.  He truly has a realistic, yet playful look about him.  This model was made officially in 10, 14, and 17 cm from 1949 through 1957 overall.  Unlike the 14 and 17 cm versions, the 10 cm version is unjointed.

Who knew foxes cleaned up so well?  Steiff, apparently... as the company also produced this beloved design as a boy and girl pair of well dressed, head jointed fox dolls.  This dynamic duo was made in 25 cm from 1950 through 1954 and dons traditional German outfits made from fine felt, calicoes, and other top-tier materials. Their stiff, standing bodies are made from linen. Steiffgal has the boy in her collection but has been on the hunt for his girlfriend for ages!  She purchased him at the 2010 Steiff auction at Christie's in London.  A bucket list experience indeed. You can see this lonely bachelor pictured here on the left.

One thing that makes the fox pattern under discussion today so special is its legacy.  It was actually also produced pre-war in a number of variations.  These included a wool plush version available with or without wheels in 14, 17, and 22 cm made from 1933 through 1939 overall; a sitting wool plush version in 14, 17, and 22 cm made from 1932 through 1937 overall; and a mohair version in 14 and 17 cm made from 1937 through 1943.  

This pre- and postwar spanning model fits within a very interest point in the design evolution of Steiff foxes.  Steiff debuted its first fox in 1897; this model was made from felt, standing, and on metal wheels.  It was produced in 22 cm through 1905.  Next came the company's first mohair foxes in 1909.  These had a distinctive "Teddy bear" like face, black mohair trim around their ears, and an eye-catching white mohair inset chest panel. These were made fully jointed, sitting, and on wheels through 1933.  A nice example of this design is pictured here on the left. The fox design under discussion here followed immediately on the heels of the company's earliest mohair models.  It shares many transitional aesthetic features, but in essence is a simplified model (less jointing, less complicated manufacturing and detailing) than its predecessor's design.  By 1960, Steiff had simplied its mohair fox even further, with the introduction of Xorry Fox in 11, 18, and 28 cm.  Xorry appeared in the line through 1969.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's pre- and post war fox design has been a smooth transition for you.

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