One-derful Highlights From Ladenburger Spielzeugauktion November 6th Auction!

The countdown continues towards November 6, 2021 for Ladenburger Spielzeugauktion GmbH's Special Steiff Auction! This amazing sale, offers 367 OFF THE CHARTS vintage button-in-ear temptations. It's so hard to pick highlights here as practically every lot qualifies as a headliner. Steiffgal offered her top Teddy Baby selections a few days ago; now here are her WAH-HOO good favorites. To qualify for today's elite list, these items (as far as Steiffgal can tell) were not produced on a commercial scale and/or have not appeared in any standard Steiff reference book, such as the Sortiment tomes. So here we go!

There's no monkeying around when it comes to lot #3967, a Steiff monkey made from paper plush. The cataloging for this item is: "paper monkey, probably produced from 1919-1920, exceptional monkey, in paper plush substitute, wood pulp plush, jointed, with small button, block letters, long stretched F, glass eyes, seat height 18 cm, used condition, exceptional, extremely rare." The presale estimate for this little guy is €220-€440.

There are many things that make this five ways jointed chimp such a champ. His design, scale, and presentation are really appealing. But of course, you can't help but notice his "unconventional" construction of paper plush and linen. Steiffgal has seen, or has known about, a few paper plush Teddy bears. But nothing like this monkey, ever!

During and immediately following the First World War, Steiff was unable to procure adequate supplies of high end fabrics. Mohair and felt manufacturing had decreased, and the materials produced were allocated towards military purposes. In order to continue some production, Steiff was forced to come up with some alternative products, as well as materials. Given the abundance of wood in the area, the company started producing things like building sets and furniture for children. Steiff also found a way to produce a tweed-like material from local natural products. This "paper plush" was made from nettles and called "Brennessel." Paper plush items appeared in the line from 1919 through 1921, and included popular models of the company's standard line bears, dogs, cats, and rabbits... and apparently this monkey, too!

Next, size defies with this teeny tiny Lulac rabbit, lot #3993. This is kind of an oxymoron here, as Lulacs are famous for their size and cartoonishly long limbs. He is cataloged as: "Lulac, '60s, with button, chest label and cloth tag label, number on cloth tag label 1322,00, without damage, this size couldn't be found in the STEIFF-catalog, it is probably a sample item." His presale estimate is €250-€500.

It's difficult to tell just from the photo here, but this guy is like an extra from the movie "Honey I Shrunk The Kids!" This bitty bunny really is only a petite 22 cm tall, measured vertically from the top of his head to his toes. As noted, he probably was a small scaled sample of a popular pattern of the time - created as a possible product line extension. And there is precedent for this; Steifgall has a 15 cm version of Steiff's sitting Jumbo elephant which appeared in the line from 1952-1975. Jumbo was produced commercially at 22 and 35 cm. You can see this little guy along with his 35 cm mama below.

Steiff's wonderful five ways jointed Lulac rabbits debuted in 1952. It is Steiffgal's best thinking that their name derives from the German verb “to laugh” which is lachen, and the word "smile" which is lächeln. Lulacs are famous for their comically long arms, legs and torsos, goofy eyes, and playful personalities. Standard line Lulac rabbits were produced in produced in 43 cm from 1952-74 and 60 cm from 1964-66. So this 22 cm version is one rare rabbit indeed.

And finally, this last auction rarity is certainly a shoe-in for WAH-HOO good status. Check out lot #4318, a pair of fancy mohair kicks for kids. They are noted as, "exceptional children's hares shoes, probably '50s, very nice, strong colors, sole is 16.5 cm long, unused condition, rare, collection Koskinen." They carry a presale estimate of €120-€240. 

These shoes are worthy of walking the red carpet. And Steiffgal so wishes they were made in her size! They feature a rabbit design which is somewhat like Steiff's lying rabbit pattern. This little cutie is known for her stretched out body position and black and white google eyes. These often have the appearance of giving a side glancing "stink eye." Lying Rabbit was made in 6, 9, and 12 cm from 1953 through 1970.

Steiff's tradition of creating innovative product line extension items goes back to the turn of last century. The company has a long history of creating unusual novelties based on their most popular designs of the time. These things include purses, puppets, tea cosies, roly polys, tail moves head items, music boxes, and other functional and/or fun treasures.

It is entirely possible that someone at Steiff made these shoes as an experiment, for fun, or as simply an end of day or whimsy item - perhaps as a birthday or even Easter gift for a child or grandchild. It is also possible, given that the rabbit pattern's detailing is not exactly identical to Steiff, that they don't seem to have any IDs, and the painting and detailing of them is so unusual to Steiff, that they were made by another very high quality manufacturer also producing really appealing midcentury novelties. For example, the company Felpa Zurich MUTZLI created a series of children's hangers; they were covered in mohair and featured the face of a soft mohair Teddy bear or other animal. Only the shoes know for sure - and it is clear they are keeping their origins deep within their sole!

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on these WAH-HOO good auction picks has totally energized your day!

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

Let These Four Cheerful Cubs Brighten Your Day!

It's hard to bear all the bad news lately. You can't turn on the TV or radio - or check out Facebook - without learning something depressing or scary. In times like this, it's important to take good care of yourself, and surround yourself with loving things. So today's blog has two simple missions - first, to give you a reason to smile and second, to provide a bright spot in your day. Here are a quartet of Steiff friends that are happy to help you with those important goals.

Our first terrific Ted is Penelope. She is one of Steiff's early 1950-era Teddy baby dolls. She stands 22 cm tall and is head jointed. Her unjointed body is made from tan fabric while the tips of her feet and hands are made from brown mohair. Penelope is clearly a fashion plate with her adorable light blue Peter-Pan style blouse, seersucker apron, and blue velvet pants. And this girl loves bling, as you can see from her pendant (which is actually an earring Steiffgal found, but don't tell her!) and her UFDC pocket pin. Steiffgal found Penelope at a doll show in 2016, and they've been close friends ever since. Penelope has accompanied Steiffgal to dreadful things like dentist and doctor visits and the like, and is always a great source of comfort - and conversation.

Here we have Maisy, who's as fresh as a daisy! She is a Steiff Teddy baby bear with really unusual velvety-cloth paw pads. Given this out-of-the-ordinary fabric, she probably dates from just before or just after WWII. Maisy is about 25 cm tall, fully jointed, and made from long and shaggy light maize colored mohair. Her nose and claw stitching is very light brown in color. Like Penelope, she's quite the girly-girl. She loves her pretty denim frock (which was made by Steiff) and is quite proud of her fantastic charm necklace, which features a bunch of playful beaded friends. Steiffgal found Maisy on eBay, and was immediately smitten by her great coloring and eternally optimistic personality. As soon as Maisy jointed the hug, she caught the eye of Charles, a 40 cm white Steiff Teddy baby from around 1930. It's easy to see why. They've been the happy couple ever since.

Our next sweet treat is Candy, who is 28 cm tall, fully jointed, and made from chocolate brown artificial silk plush. Candy was made around 1948 or so. She has very interesting linen paw pads on her hands and feet. She looks a little grumpy, but that's ok if you are a supermodel like she is, and she doesn't want to distract attention away from her totally terrific Teddy bear slippers. These quality kicks are made from brown mohair, have felt soles, and are decorated with brown and tan embroidery; even the bears' ears are dimensional. This slippers were a surprise gift from a friend, so they are even more special! Isn't it interesting how great footwear can make the whole day better? Steiffgal purchased Candy at auction; she wasn't planning on bidding on her, but you know how that goes.

And last but not least is this zany Zooby bear. This little joker is 28 cm and was made in the mid-1960s. He is head and arm jointed. His pointy claws are made from white felt. He is self-standing; the soles of his feet are made from a brown leather-like material; the tops are made from dark brown mohair. From a historical perspective, Zooby’s design is based somewhat on Steiff’s pre-war Zirkus-Baer or Circus Bear, a 32 cm standing bear produced from 1935 through 1939. Zooby likes wearing a felt clown hat, for obvious reasons. You can't help but notice his goofy facial expression, like he's just told a bad joke and is waiting for your hysterical response. Just the thought of that can't help but make you smile, right?

Steiffgal hopes these four cheerful cubs have brought a little humor, levity, and play to your day.

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

This Steiff Woolen Miniature Bunny Is A Shoe-In!

There is no question that size defies when it comes to Steiff's wonderful woolen miniature animals, especially those produced before World War II. It is absolutely amazing how much personality and detailing the company was able to include in the design of these tiny treasures - some no more than a few centimeters tall or wide! A few of these charming, larger scaled pets also featured internal wire skeletons, so they were practically as posable as the company's standard line Teddy bears and animals. Steiffgal recently added one very special palm-sized example to her collection, and she's sure you'll be all ears to learn more about him. Check out this handsome hare and see what makes him so special!

This petite treat deserves a standing ovation! He is 9 cm tall, begging, and made from Nomotta wool. His head, upper body, and tail are made from tan colored threads, while his lower body is made from red colored threads. His ears are made from tan felt and his arms, which have been lot to time, would have been made from the same material. He is fully string jointed, meaning that he can move his head and body side to side. His face come to life with brown and black glass pupil eyes and traces of a pink airbrushed nose and mouth. He had clear monofilament whiskers when he left the factory in Giengen, Germany eight decades ago. Rabbit's legs are made from metal and he retains his adorable, all original tan felt slippers, which you can see here on the photo to the left. He retains his tiny, long trailing "f" style button-in-ear. This happy hopper was made in this size only from 1936 through 1941.

This boy bunny was actually produced as a hare pair - really! Steiff launched this little Romeo as half of a "his and her" rabbit couple. The girl, who was the same size and had the same construction as the boy, differed in her coloration. Her upper body was made from red colored thread and her lower body was made from tan colored threads - just the opposite of the boy. And her slippers were red instead of tan, like the boy's footwear. You can see this cute couple on the photo here on the left, it is taken from Pfeiffer's 1892-1943 Sortiment.

Given their popularity, the number of woolen miniature bunnies in Steiff's pre-war line multiplied like, well, jackrabbits. They were produced in all sorts of sizes and configurations, including lying and hopping versions. A great rarity is the company's "ski rabbit," a 17 cm woolen miniature bunny wearing a scarf and accessorized with wooden skis and ski poles. Others were made into "congratulators" which were designed as gifts to be personalized with messages from the giver to the recipient. A tumbler featuring a 10 cm white or brown woolen miniature begging rabbit was also produced from 1936 through 1941. You can see a few of these variations, along with the rabbit under discussion today, in this page from Steiff's 1938 catalog. You can click on the image to make it bigger and easier to read. 

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this woolen miniature rabbit in slippers has made you smile from head to toe. 

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

The Perfect Stocking Stuffers... Early Steiff Woolen Miniatures!

One of Steiffgal's favorite things about this time of year is what her nephews call the "big socks," or Christmas stockings. After all, what's more fun that an oversized piece of faux hosiery filled to the brim with sweets and gifts?  So this got Steiffgal thinking - what would be perfect Steiff stocking stuffers?  Maybe the company's early woolen miniatures or "woolies?"  After all, they don't take up too much room, wrap easily, have a fantastic legacy, and truly capture the precious nature of the season! So let's check out these three very vintage "tiny treasures" to really get into the spirit of the holidays!

Bird's the word with this first pre-war Steiff woolie stocking stuffer.  This mellow yellow fellow is Steiff's Golden Bunting bird.  He is 8 cm, head jointed, and made from yellow, tan, brown, and olive green woolen yarns.  He stands upon metal legs that have been painted brown.  His tail feathers are made from brown felt, and his beak is made from orange felt.  He has tiny black button eyes.  Yellow Bunting wears his Steiff button and tag like a bracelet around his leg.  He never had a chest tag.

This golden oldie was produced in 4 and 8 cm from 1934 through 1943.  Around the same time period, Steiff also made woolie Robins, Green Woodpeckers, Finches, Blue Tits, and Sparrows.  Like the Golden Bunting, all were made in 4 and 8 cm and had very similar construction.  Only their yarn colors differentiated from species to species.  You can see several of the 4 cm versions of these other birds - and also the 8 cm Golden Bunting - in the picture on the left.  It is interesting to note that Steiff reintroduced all their 4 and 8 cm Robin, Green Woodpecker, Finch, Blue Tit, and Sparrow models right after the factory reopened for toy-making business in the late 1940's.  However, the Golden Bunting version, for some mystery reason, never appeared in the line after 1943.

Steiffgal's just quackers over this second woolie Steiff stocking stuffer.  Here we have a little 4 cm Steiff duck.  His body, head, and backside pom-pom are made from yellow woolen yarn.  His decorative head pom-pom is made from white woolen yarn.  His large, friendly beak and oversized feet and legs are made from orange felt.  His face is detailed with black bead eyes and a touch of orange airbrushing.  His button and tag, which have been lost to time, would have been on one of his feet.

This darling woolie duck was made in only this size and color combination from 1931 through 1941.  For the most part, pre-war Steiff woolie birds were designed to stand on metal legs, so this lying duck is somewhat unusual in terms of form and presentation.  

Not a creature was stirring - except for this mouse!  This final Steiff woolie stocking stuffer is not only insanely adorable, but also extremely seasonally appropriate!  This is Steiff's woolie mouse in felt slippers.  He is 9 cm, standing, head jointed, and made from white and orange woolen yarn.  His head and lower body are white, while his midsection is orange.  His hands and ears are made from single thick felt.  His legs are made from grey metal which has been painted light pink.  His little slippers are made from single thick orange felt and literally "slip on" his feet.  His tiny face comes to life with red bead eyes, a touch of pink to indicate his nose and mouth, and a few clear monofilament whiskers.  When he was a younger man - eh, mouse - he had a long matching tail.  He retains his tiny short trailing f Steiff button in his ear.
  
This petite treat was made in from 1936 through 1942 in this size only.  He also came in several other color combinations, including grey and red and brown and yellow.   Steiff also made several other standing woolie models with tiny felt slippers around this same time period; these included birds, rabbits, ladybugs, beetles, and bumblebees. 

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's tiny pre-war woolies has gotten you excited for the holidays in a mighty big way.

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