Putting On A Show Of Support For Steiff's Fantastic And Early Handpuppets!

Hands in the air if you love Steiff puppets! These great novelties are universally treasured by Steiff, toy, and puppet collectors, and are a great cross-collectible. Although the first Steiff catalog was produced in 1892, hand puppets did not appear in these publications until 1911. However, the designs for a puppet bear, cat, and dog had all been registered in a German patent office since 1909. Through pure serendipity - in the best possible way- Steiffgal recently met an amazing collector with a passion for Steiff's puppets, especially the company's pre-war rarities. Come learn more about puppets and what makes Steiff's puppets so spectacular from the perspective of a lifelong puppet enthusiast.

Steiffgal: Please tell us your name, where you live, and what you collect.

Marcus Sampaio: My name is Marcus Sampaio. I was born in Salvador, the birth city of Brazil. In 2009 I immigrated to Canada and since then I’ve been living in Toronto, an amazing multicultural city. I’m a passionate collector of all sorts of puppets from different parts of the world.

Steiffgal: How did you get interested in puppets? Please describe your puppet collection, and how you store or display it.

Marcus: Puppets have always fascinated me since I was a little kid. All the great memories of attending marionette shows and playing with hand puppets — fostered by my parents during my childhood — led me to a side career as a puppet performer and theatre producer of A RODA puppet Company. 

My collection is very broad. I have Shadow Puppets made of animal hide, Wooden Marionettes (also called string puppets), Rod Puppets and, of course, the beloved and most known Hand Puppets! Some were once used professionally but many are well loved old toys.

Steiff stole my heart at the very first moment I saw a Jocko puppet. Today I have quite a large collection of these adorable Steiff critters and a soft spot for monkeys. Within the plush world, I also have puppets by interesting manufacturers like Schuco, Kersa, Eduard Cramer, Hermann Teddy, Grisly, Clemens, Anker, Invicta, SAF, Alpha Farnell, Hamiro and the list goes on…

I live in a condo and I don’t have much display space available. So most of my puppets are stored away, sadly! I use a barrister bookcase to display my favourite plush puppets. Some other special ones keep popping out of the trunks and hanging around the house.

Steiffgal: Do you actually use the puppets as puppets in performances? Or are they more like fine collectibles that are appreciated for their beauty, aesthetics, and rarity?

Marcus: I used to perform with the wooden puppets created by my artistic partner Olga Gomez, within the context of our puppet company A RODA in Brazil. The wooden puppet on the left is from A RODA's show "Love and Madness." Currently I collect puppets for their beauty, craftsmanship and also to preserve such an important part of the culture they come from. People would be amazed to know that pretty much every corner of the world has a form of puppetry.

Steiffgal: What about Steiff brand puppets particularly catches your eye?

Marcus: Steiff is truly an amazing brand! The attention to detail, craftsmanship and understanding of how toys are used, impress me. They are not only incredibly beautiful but they also function very well technically, as puppets. Their designs are so well thought out. Just as an example, if you take a close look at the back of a mid-century Steiff hand puppet, you will notice that it is slightly wider than its front. This pattern fits the puppeteer’s hand very nicely and even gives the puppet a nicer shape. 

Steiff is also very consistent in their production. Once I had 2 Dally Dalmatian hand puppets and decided to compare their black dots. I was amazed to see that they were identical but at the same time, their expressions were slightly different, as if they had different souls. I don’t see this design consistency and attention to detail very often when it comes to toy puppets.

Steiffgal: What are the top three favorite puppets in your collection, and why?

Marcus: Wow, that’s a tough one! My collection is so wide and the puppets that I have are so different in styles, origin and materials that it is hard to compare and pick one. But I can say that some pre-war Steiff Jockos are among my favourite plush puppets, probably due to my early memories of a play with a monkey puppet climbing a coconut tree. One named Blondie is pictured here on the left. My other two favourites are a late 19th Century Czech marionette of a noble man with a moustache and a full body Japanese Bunraku puppet.

Steiffgal: And finally, what is the holy grail you would like to find to add to your puppet collection? 

Marcus: Just in the beginning of 2020, I had the amazing opportunity to purchase a full body Japanese Bunraku puppet. I never thought I would be able to have such a treasure in my hands one day, but it happened! He is pictured here on the left. Most puppeteers cherish this highly respected form of puppetry that dates as far back as the 16th century in Japan. And when it comes to Steiff, I would love to add some of the rare and beautiful pre-war puppets that I’m still missing. An old Steiff Teddy Bear Puppet would be a dream come true!

Steiffgal: Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and insights with the Steiff collecting community today! 

For more information on Marcus and his puppet passion, check out his website at https://onceuponapuppet.com.

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.