This great Steiff inquiry walked in on little cat's feet! And talk about launching a collection with a rockstar! A new friend from Germany writes about her debut vintage Steiff purchase. She is curious about its birth year, give or take a bit. Rebecca shares,
"I bought my first vintage Steiff animal and it's the famous Tom cat. As I know that she was produced over many many years I'm now super curious which exact time it was that mine was produced. It's the smallest one. And it has the old button with the long "f" at the end. So I think that means that it can be between 1923 and 1953, right? Do you think you can say it more specific? I just can't find more information. Kind regards from Germany!"
Wow, Rebecca's purchase is truly the cat's meow. It is Steiff's mid- to later prewar Tom cat. This fantastic feline was made for the standard line in 8, 10, 14, 14, 22, and 28 cm from 1923-1943 overall. The 8 cm and the 10 cm versions had a pitch black velvet body and a fuzzy black mohair tail. From 14 cm onward, all sizes were made entirely from black mohair. These cats were technically measured vertically, from the top of their heads to their toes. Their long vertical tails almost "doubled" their height measurements. They were detailed with green and black round or slit glass pupil eyes, a simple hand embroidered mouth and nose (Steiffgal has seen both pink and red examples), and clear monofilament whiskers. They left the factory wearing a decorative silk ribbon and sometimes a little bell to match. The bow on Rebecca's example is not factory original.
Now back to the question - his birthday. The best telling clue here is that he has the short trailing 'f' style button. This button appeared on items in the line from about 1936 through the very early 1950s. So we know that the earliest the cat was produced was 1936. As noted above, this particular cat with a black velvet head and body and mohair tail was made in 8 or 10 cm from 1933-1943 overall. This skinnies down his production timeframe to most likely in the c. 1936-1943 timeframe. So he's clearly from the late prewar period.
One thing that's nearly purr-fect about this feline pattern is how long it has appeared in the Steiff line. The earliest version made its grand public debut in a photograph featured in the 1903-1904 Steiff catalog... in the same picture that introduced PB55... the world's first jointed Teddy bear! This puts Tom in very good company for sure. This photo is here on the left - you can click on it to make it bigger. And Tom CONTINUES to make guest appearances in the line on and off to this day in the form of replicas and special editions. His timeless, universal popularity and appeal have truly earned him legacy status within the Steiff collecting community.
Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's prewar black Tom cats has tickled your whiskers in a most happy way.
Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more.
It's time to cast a little black magic, in the best possible way. Cats are one of Steiff's most popular and prolific lines, but there is one example in particular that has every collector feline groovy. That's the company's Tom cat, the all black kitten on all fours with an arched back and prominent tail. Steiffgal would like to introduce you to a somewhat rare example she recently added to her collection.
It's no tall tail to say that this Steiff Tom cat is quite the looker! He measures 14 cm head to toe, and 25 cm top of tail to toe. He is standing, unjointed, and made from black mohair. His body, limbs, and head are made from shorter mohair, while his tail is made from much longer mohair. His tiny triangular shaped ears are made from velvet. He has a red embroidered nose and mouth, and three matching red claws on each foot. His teal-green and black eyes are in the slit-pupil style, and he has clear monofilament whiskers on his muzzle and forehead. He has a very serious, pensive look to him. His red silk ribbon may be original to him, his brass bell has been lost to time. He retains his short trailing "F" button as his Steiff ID. Tom cat was made in 8, 10, 14, 17, 22, and 28 cm from 1923-1943; the two smallest sizes were made with velvet bodies and heads.
Steiff's Tom cat design literally has had nine lives - or maybe even more! The original Tom cat was produced in both black and white velvet. Both versions were very skinny, standing on all fours, unjointed, and had arched backs and open mouths. They all left the factory in Giengen, Germany wearing a silk ribbon and bell. Black Tom cats were produced in 10, 14, and 17 cm from 1904-1918. White Tom cats were produced in 14 and 17 cm for three years only - from 1906-1908 - and are exceptionally rare. Steiffgal has never actually seen an early white velvet Tom Cat! Steiff's next version of its Tom cat was the one under discussion today. Then once the factory reopened for toymaking business after WWII, Steiff produced its Tom cats in 8, 10, 14, 17, and 22 cm from 1950-1976. These post war models were very similar in appearance to their 1920's-40's versions.
One thing that's the cat's meow about this pattern is how long it has appeared in the Steiff line. It debuted in a photograph featured in the 1903-1904 Steiff catalog... in the same picture that introduced PB55... the world's first jointed Teddy bear! This got Steiffgal thinking about other named Steiff legacy pets that have stood the test of time and have not changed significantly in appearance over many decades - appearing prominently both pre- and post- war. Of course, there's Jocko the Chimp, who's design debuted in 1909. Molly the Puppy was "born" in 1925, while Waldi the Dachshund appeared on the scene in 1933. These timeless treasures remind us how good design transcends years, generations, and borders.
Steiffgal hopes you found this discussion on Steiff's pre-war Tom cat close to purr-fect.
Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more.
There's no bad luck when it comes to collecting Steiff, even when things don't work out exactly as you had hoped! Recently, Steiffgal just stumbled across a very interesting item on the online auction site, eBay. The item was titled "Vintage Halloween Stuffed Black Cat Toy Arched Back Erect Tail." Out of curiosity, she clicked on the photo to learn more, and was pretty much blown away over what she saw listed. Can you guess what this item was?
It is most likely that this item is on every vintage collector's "meow mix!" The listing for this cat exactly read... "We are offering a Halloween Black Cat with original red ribbon (faded)
around neck with small brass bell. Stitched pink mouth Plastic green
eyes with black pupils. Height to top of arched back approx. 6"; height
to tip of erect tail approx. 9"; front to back where tail begins approx.
approx. 3 3/4".
Yes, all of this is exactly true - but for one major omission! In Steiffgal's best estimate and based on the photos in the listing, the item was most likely Steiff's original OPEN MOUTHED Kater, or velvet Tom Cat, dating from as early as 1903!
...And
because the item didn't have an ear button, and perhaps never did, it
could have been made in 1903 - a full year before the first "elephant" style ear buttons
debuted on Steiff items in 1904!
Just what makes this black beauty the cat's meow? The original Tom Cat was produced in both black and white velvet. Both versions were very skinny, standing on all fours, unjointed, and had arched backs and open mouths (like they were screeching or yawning). They all left the factory in Giengen, Germany wearing a silk ribbon and bell. Black Tom cats were produced in 10, 14, and 17 cm from 1903 through 1918. White Tom cats were produced in 14 and 17 cm for three years only - from 1906 through 1908 - and are exceptionally rare. Steiffgal has never actually seen an early white velvet Tom Cat.
So you are probably wondering... did Steiffgal place the final bid on this Kater? No, it appears that another bidder used a bit of auction "black magic" and was victorious only by a few dollars. Such is life, you can't win 'em all.
But here's the silver (button) lining for this cat tail (oops, tale!) While researching the eBay listing for the early Tom Cat, Steiffgal came across this photo - here on the left - of these same black cats from Gunther Pfeiffer's 1892-1943 Sortiment Book. Notice anything unusual about the larger cat in the photo? He has a Steiff button IN HIS TAIL in addition to the one in his ear! How cool is that? It is most likely a "muster" button, which was used very early on by Steiff on items considered samples, evolving designs, or
prototypes. In general, the button indicated that the item was Steiff property and was not intended for sale or distribution. "Muster" translates loosely from German to English as "pattern" and in a sense, these "muster" items were just that. It is most unusual to find early Steiff items with buttons as well as muster buttons today.
Steiffgal hopes this Tom Cat auction adventure has been a pleasant paws in your day.
Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more.
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