Can't Help But Crow Over This Latest Prewar Steiff Find!

Welcome to our next Steiff egg-cellent adventure! Steiffgal spotted this fine feathered friend on an online sales channel and just couldn't resist his impish personality and adorable presentation. Turns out, he's pretty rare, too! Check out this prewar, bitty barnyard buddy and see what makes him so interesting from the design and product development perspectives.

Size defies with this tiny feathered friend! Here we have Steiff's smallest sized prewar rooster. He is about 8 cm, standing, unjointed, and made from blonde mohair. His feet are made from metal which has been painted orange. His tail feathers are made from elegantly cut and shaped brown felt. His face and waddle are made from red felt, and he sports black button eyes. Rooster was produced in 8, 17, 22, and 28 cm in this specific color combination from 1930 through 1937 overall. This smallest size was made for one year only, in 1933. Although this example has lost his IDs to time, these baby birds would have left the factory with their button and tag placed on their felt back feathers or worn like a bracelet around one of their metal legs.  

This little guy has two (well, two and a half) subtle, but interesting features of note. 

First is his coloring. Most people think of Steiff's prewar roosters as being very colorful, often with green feather detailing. And, Steiff did make a very similar rooster design in this more vivid color palate in 8, 17, 22, and 28 cm from 1930 through 1943 overall. The little guy under review here today is from a lesser known series of 1930s-era tan and brown roosters. Given that the ones with the green details were produced for a much longer period suggests that they also sold better and were more popular with customers. 

Second is his legs and feet. They are made from orange painted metal. Steiff has a long history of making their early prewar birds with metal feet and legs, but they were either "slipcovered" in felt or wrapped with string. As far as Steiffgal can tell, these 8 cm mohair roosters introduced in 1933 might have been the first full bodied birds with painted metal legs, complete with their requisite poultry "spurs" just above the ankles.

And the half? Well, coincidence or not, Steiff debuted its line of woolen miniature birds in 1931. These first mini guys, and all the company's prewar standing pom-pom style birds moving forward, had painted metal legs and feet almost identical to the ones seen on the smallest prewar mohair rooster. It is possible that by 1933 - when the smallest mohair roosters debuted - that the company had perfected their metal legs and feet production technology to the point that this design element could be implemented on other more sophisticated patterns. For example, here on the left, you can see tiny rooster's metal legs and somewhat twisted toes (guess he might be having a little foot arthritis after a century!) and the metal legs and toes of his woolen miniature owl friend from 1934.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this little bird with interesting leg features has you standing tall. 

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

Care To Take Flight With This Red Woolen Miniature Bird?

We all love to feather our nests with fine Steiff treasures! Some of us prefer bears, or dolls, or the company's delightful menagerie of other animals. Check out this note from a new friend in New York who just happens to love Steiff's woolen miniature birds. He came across an unusual example and wants to learn more about it. What do you think about his fine feathered friend? He shares, 

"I have been collecting Steiff wool birds for about 10 years. I have one odd item in my collection which I hope you might be able to shed some light on. This bird was purchased online a few years ago from the original owner. Around the late 1950s, she and her siblings received Steiff wool miniatures each year at Easter, purchased at F.A.O. Schwarz. This bird was one of those she received. I have not seen any others like it. .... Do you know if this bird was a standard item, or maybe a special for F.A.O. Schwarz? Any other information you can provide would be most appreciated."

Bird's the word with this thoughtful inquiry! It is Steffgal's suspicion that this bird was not made by Steiff, but was made by another company to somewhat resemble the company's woolen miniature "exotic songbird" pattern. These pretty Steiff pets are 9 cm tall, standing, head jointed, and made from colorful woolen yarns. They come to life with a small felt beak, felt tail feathers, pert, tiny black button eyes, and plastic feet and legs. These were produced in a number of colors including yellow and white, blue and white, green and white, and red and white from 1953-1958 overall. They were also packaged as a "bird tree" on a wooden display as a standard line item from 1953-1956. You can see the bird tree and the range of exotic birds here on the left. The photos are from Pfeiffer's Sortiment book; you can click on the image to make it larger.

Birds of a feather flock together, so it is no surprise that the differences between the inquirer's bird and the standard Steiff exotic bird are pretty subtle. The Steiff exotic songbird version has three longer, narrower top feathers while the inquirer's has four rounded ones that look more like a comb. The Steiff version has seven tail feathers that are more integral to the bird; the inquirer's version also has and seven tail feathers, but they fan out more like the letter V. The Steiff version has black eyes and a small black felt beak. The inquirer's bird has red eyes and a larger scaled, dark red felt beak. The legs on both versions are similar; this is entirely possible as it is Steiffgal's understanding that Steiff did not manufacture the plastic legs but purchased them from a specialty company. As such, the plastic manufacturer could provide the same legs to multiple customers. Steiffgal suspects that the company that made this bird changed up the details and coloration a bit from Steiff's to insure that they were not infringing on Steiff's designs.

Now let's catalog a little of this bird's retail origins. Even though this bird does not appear to be made by Steiff, it is entirely possible that it was purchased at F.A.O. Schwarz. Steiffgal has a woolen miniature bird in her collection that was not made by Steiff, but also purchased at F.A.O. Schwarz. F.A.O. Schwarz had multiple suppliers providing items across categories. The inquirer also asks about the possibility of this bird being an exclusive item for F.A.O Schwarz. Even if it were made by Steiff (and it almost certainly was not), this bird is too "small" with not enough "value" to make it worth either company's time in creating an exclusive product - which took alot of effort and resources on all ends. Having worked on Steiff and F.A.O. Schwarz exclusives firsthand in the past, Steiffgal can attest to this with certainty.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on exotic midcentury birds has been a rare treat for you.

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

Here's Looking At You, Kid!

Steiffgal's not trying to get your goat here, but she's betting you haven't seen this Steiff rarity before! All kid-ding aside, this young mountain-dwelling friend is not only darling, but has some wonderful period detailing on him. Check out this baby Chamois and see what makes him so delightful from the design and product development perspectives.

Here's looking at you, kid! This Chamois kid is 22 cm tall, unjointed, and made from light and dark tan woolen mohair. He is airbrushed with darker brown highlighting on his back. His claws are designated by black airbrushing. He has a sweet, stubby tail, curvy legs, and a non-working squeaker in his belly. His youthful and appealing face comes to life with brown and black glass pupil eyes, two embroidered black nostrils, a simple black embroidered mouth, and black airbrushing around his eyes. The insides of his pert ears are highlighted with a touch of pink airbrushing. He retains his short trailing "f" button and yellow ear tag as his Steiff IDs. This Chamois kid was produced in this size only from 1933 through 1943.

Steiff also made an adult Chamois, who looks quite similar to the "kid' - except for black fabric horns and a more "adult" expression - in 17, 22, and 28 cm from 1938 through 1943.

So what exactly is a Chamois? These somewhat hybrid goat-antelopes are native to the mountains of Europe, although they can also be found in New Zealand - which also known for its altitudes! Several species of Chamois are protected by law in order to preserve their populations and well being. Fully grown males are usually around 30 inches tall and can weigh in the 66–132 pound range. As usually found in nature, the males are a little larger than females. Interestingly, both adult males and females have horns. According to Wiki, "Distinct characteristics are white contrasting marks on the sides of the head with pronounced black stripes below the eyes, a white rump and a black stripe along the back." The Steiff Chamois under discussion today indeed sports these breed-specific features.

This young Chamois certainly hides his age well! He has two key features that really reflect the time in which he was produced - just at the start of World War II.

The first is his material. He is made from woolen mohair, not Steiff's traditional mohair plush. You often see items in the Steiff line made from woolen mohair, wool plush, short pile plush, or artificial silk plush from the early to mid-1930's onward. Steiff used these substitute materials from the early 1930's through the very early 1950's when regular mohair plush was in short supply as it was being allocated for military purposes. Chamois' woolen mohair texture is a bit more coarse and flat due to its short nap and fabric properties. 

The second is his construction. He has delightful "color patching" seam work. That means that the different colors that are used to bring him to life are actually made from distinctive fabrics - not one fabric that has been painted or airbrushed to show contrast. This is especially noticeable on the deep "V" shapes on his neck and forehead. This multi-fabric detailing is expensive in terms of time and labor to do. One way to approximately date Steiff animals is to look for this old fashioned "patched color" construction. Earlier items have it, while most items dating from the mid-1950's rely on airbrushing for color differentiation.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this high-altitude early Chamois kid has left you breathless!

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

Behind The Scenes Of The October, 2014 Teddy Dorado Steiff Auction Event

It's fun to talk Steiff - especially with professionals who have the distinct pleasure of working with the brand we all know and love for a living!  Steiffgal recently had the wonderful experience of chatting with auctioneer Carsten Esser from Teddy Dorado about his upcoming Steiff sales event on October 25, 2014 in Germany.  This is the company's lucky 13th Steiff auction, and there are so many interesting items available at this sale, both for new and vintage Steiff enthusiasts... and the catalog in its entirety can be viewed here.  But for right now, lets go behind the scenes and learn a little more about this auction and the stories behind some of its highlights!

Steiffgal: Of all the delightful items coming up for auction, which ones would you most like to add to your own collection?

Carsten Esser: I have collected Steiff since I was a young boy, and have forever loved the company's very small dogs. They have always seemed to have such fantastic craftsmanship, and even today I wonder how it is possible to bring excelsior and plush to life in such a magical way. The upcoming Teddy Dorado Auction features some minty mint doggies from the 1950s; this of course brings me great pleasure - and hopefully the same to Steiff dog collectors from all over the world. A wonderful example is lot 13-1204, a 10 cm St. Bernard dog from 1953-1955 in pristine condition; he is pictured here on the left. 

However, when I founded Teddy Dorado four years ago, I made the very difficult decision not to actively collect Steiff anymore. I did so because I felt that if I continued to build my collection, I could not be a fair agent between those who would like to buy and/or sell fine Steiff treasures. So this fabulous example will have to find a new home that is not with me and my family.  But I am certain that this will not be a problem!

Steiffgal: Although you have handled Steiff for many years, and are very familiar with the company's products from the very beginning, are there any items in the upcoming auction that were new to you? 

Carsten Esser: Whenever an item appears that I have not seen in the past, well, this is always a very exciting experience indeed! And yes, this did occur with an item in this auction. We ran a Steiff valuation clinic during a Steiff Club event in a very large shopping center in southern Germany some months ago. Here, someone brought us a Steiff pedal car, which is lot TD 13-2601. The owner told us that it was his favorite toy when he was a kid, that the car still works very well, and that he hoped that now this vehicle could find a good new home. This was the first time I had seen one of these in person, and all I could think about was how exciting it will be to share this great and unusual find with the rest of the Steiff collecting world!  (This pedal car is pictured here on the left.)

But then the story gets even more interesting! The same man with the Steiff pedal car then took a tiny woolen miniature Pomeranian dog (now lot TD 13-7009) out of this pocket. He told me that he suspected that the dog was made by Steiff due to its white paper ear tag, but that it felt it was probably not terribly valuable and not worth enough to be auctioned off. Much to his surprise, I told him that the small dog would also do quite well at auction, and that his car and dog would be important lots in the upcoming October overall sale.  (This dog is pictured here on the left.)

I sometimes do see very rare or uncataloged items, and that is due in part to our business location, which is relatively close to Giengen.  My company very often receives consignments from people who live nearby the Steiff factory who have - or had - relatives who were employed by Steiff. And that is true in this auction as well, where we are listing a large and most likely one of a kind rabbit, lot TD 13-1503, from the estate of a former long term Steiff employee.  He is brown and white dralon and was most likely a prototype that was never put into production.  I particularly like his eyes, which are backed in felt. (This rabbit is pictured here on the left.)

Steiffgal: Your printed catalogs are so professionally done, well illustrated, and most informative. But how do you decide what appears on the cover? Is it the age of the items, or the lot numbers, or values, or something else?

Carsten Esser: We try to have the items on our catalog covers to be representative of the entire auction, as well as highlight some very special pieces, too. We choose items which are the "celebrities" of an auction (like Black Jack, the 1912 black bear who appeared on our summer, 2014 catalog cover and hammered for 15,000 €), items in extremely good or like new condition, very unusual treasures (like the White Teddy Girl on a mohair cushion who also appeared on our summer, 2014 catalog cover and hammered for 8,000 €), highly valued items, and things that go together nicely, like "couples." Our current cover features two such pairs: two small Teddy bears (lots 13-7001 and 13-7002) and a Fluffy cat and Rattler dog who have been together for many, many decades. They all came to us from the same private estate. If you check out our fall, 2014 catalog cover, you'd have to agree that they look great together! (Cover pets Fluffy and Rattler are pictured here on the left.)

Steiffgal: Carsten, as always, thank you so much for your time, and sharing some of your behind the scenes auction secrets with the Steifflife readers today!  

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

Size Defies When It Comes To Steiff's Adorable Woolen Miniature Mice!

With  just a handful of summer left, Steiffgal thought it might be fun to take little look at one of Steiff's legacy products that truly would fit in the palm of your hand!  It seems that everyone just loves Steiff's woolen miniatures, and for good reason!  They are completely adorable, gorgeously designed, and of course, don't take up too much room (which tends to be an issue the larger one's collection becomes!)  Perhaps the cutest - in Steiffgal's humble opinion - woolies are Steiff's tiny mice.  Check out this tiny two-some and perhaps you'll agree as well!

Size defies when it comes to these lifelike, miniature master pieces!  Here we have an albino white mouse and a grey mouse.  Both are cataloged as 4 cm, made from wool yarn, are standing on all fours, have long tails, and are head jointed.  Their petite feet, which each have four toes, are made of peach colored felt.  Their tiny faces come to life with airbrushed-highlighted felt ears, playful whiskers, bead eyes, and pink painted noses and mouths.  The grey mouse on the left was produced from 1931 through 1943 overall; he also came in white and brown.  The white mouse on the right was made from 1949 though 1984 overall and also came in grey.

Both mice sport IDs which are appropriate for their era of production.  The white mouse has a tiny raised script button and article number 7354/04 (suggesting a specific 1968 through 1984 manufacture date) while the grey mouse has a tiny trailing F button and article number 2504,1 (suggesting a specific 1937 through 1943 manufacturing date.)  These items never had chest tags, and as far as Steiffgal can see, no woolen miniatures ever did.  However, a handful of woolen miniatures are perhaps the only items in the entire Steiff history of production that did not leave the factory with a “button in ear.” Even birds, which clearly lack ears, had a button securing their label around their leg. Woolie ladybugs and hedgehogs do not, and never had, Steiff buttons. There was simply no place to attach them. But their look, feel, and manufacturing make them undoubtedly Steiff.

It is always fun with Steiff to track how designs change - or don't - over time.  This is especially true with beloved and popular items that are produced over a long period, even decades... as is in the case of these mice!  In general, with these two babies, it is clear that their core, basic pattern did not change over time.  And, given that both mice weigh 5 g, that the critical mass of the pattern remained constant over time.  However, there are a few very subtle differences between them.  These include:

• Their length from nose to fanny.  The white mouse measures 5 cm while the grey mouse measures 4 cm. 

• Their tails.  The white mouse has an 8 cm tail made from solid peach colored rubber.  The grey mouse has an 8.5 cm tail made from grayish-black stretchy elastic, like an elastic band.  You can see a close up of their tails in the photo above on the left.

•  Their whiskers.  The white mouse has numerous long, flexible, clear whiskers, while the grey mouse has just a handful of very short, stiff, brownish whiskers.

Let's talk about the size difference first.  Because each Steiff item is made by hand, it is entirely possible that size differences are a result of the touch of individual craftspeople.  It is also conceivable - because each mouse weighs the same (and clearly their bodies make up most of their mass) - that the composition of the woolen fibers used on these items changed over time, and/or aged differently.  

Now their tails and whiskers.  These differences are most likely attributable to materials available on hand at the time of their production, as well as manufacturing improvements to those materials over the decades. It is most interesting that the older grey mouse's tail, which is made from a stretchy material, has not dried out, cracked, or fallen off - which happens alot with older rubber items.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's tiny woolen mice has made a huge and happy difference in your day!

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

It's Easy To Love Steiff's Woolen Miniatures In A Really Big Way!

Sometimes just a little bit is more than enough!  And that is the case when it comes to Steiff's delightful woolen miniatures.  These petite and precious treasures, which are amazingly constructed and pack so much detail into so little space, have been collector's favorites since their introduction in 1931.  Steiffgal recently welcomed several new, somewhat unusual wonderful woolies into her collection.  Take a big look at these tiny treats - perhaps you'll fall in love with them, too!

Let's kick things off with this adorable "pet set."  Here we have Steiff's woolen miniature guinea pig and hamster.  Both are 6 cm, made from woolen yarn, with peach colored felt ears and double thick white felt front feet.  Both the guinea pig and hamster have black button eyes and clear mono filament whiskers.  The guinea pig is white, black, and orange while the hamster is golden yellow and white.  They are basically the same design in different colors with one finishing difference:  the hamster has a tiny white felt tail while the guinea pig is tail-less.  Both these items never had chest tags. Guinea pig appeared in the line from 1973 through 1980 and hamster from 1973 through 1979; both were made in this size only.

This next woolie will certainly bug you, but that's ok in this case.  Here we have Steiff's woolen cockchafer, also known as a may bug or beetle.  He is 4 cm and made of brown, white, and black yarn.  His underside and six legs are formed from a thin piece of brown dye-cut plastic.  He has a tiny black woolen tail.  His head most interestingly is made from a round black plastic bead, which is finished with two black string antennae.  Cockchafer was manufactured from 1969 through 1974 in this size only; he is one of the very few Steiff items that never had a Steiff button or tag.

Here we have a very small bundle of joy.  This lovely item is Steiff's woolen stork.  She is 11 cm, standing, and made from pure white woolen yarn.  Her tail feathers are scalloped and made from black felt, and her long legs and toe-d feet are red plastic.  Her tiny face is detailed with black button eyes and an orange plastic beak - which would be perfect to hold a tiny new baby! Her neck contains a flexible metal wire so it is somewhat poseable.  This item never had a chest tag as there was no place to put it. Stork was manufactured from 1970 through 1977 in this size only.  

It's always fun to hang out with Steiff, and this last item really illustrates that point.  Here we have Steiff's highly kinetic "Woolen Coral Reef Fish Mobile."  The mobile consists of five little woolen miniature fish that are carefully balanced and weighted on tan strings and thin metal wires to create this hanging piece of art.  The fish themselves are 7 cm each and made from colorful woolen yarns.  Each has black plastic fins, large brown and black pupil eyes, and a large, smiling, felt mouth.  The fish are primarily blue, yellow, green, orange, and red, and all have their button and yellow flag on their top fin area. This set appeared from 1969 through 1975 packaged in a square plastic box.  This marvelous mobile hangs playfully from Steiffgal's dining room chandelier and is a constant source of food for thought - no pun intended!

Steiffgal hopes this discussion of unusual Steiff post war woolen miniatures has helped to brighten your day in a big way.

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

This Delightful Steiff Diorama Deserves A Standing Ovation!

Some wonderful Steiff finds can't help but give collectors the "warm fuzzies," and today's main attraction does that seven times over! Check out this remarkable vintage Steiff diorama that not only features amazing woolen miniature treasures, but also has a very special history. This great piece is one of the auction highlights at the upcoming Teddy Dorado Steiff Auction, which will be held on October 26th in Bonn, Germany.

It's time to set the stage for this amazing Steiff scenery.  Overall, seven Nomotta woolen miniatures grace the item's green oval felt mat, which measures 23 cm long by 13 cm wide.  The mat is wrapped with a lilac colored, ruffled silk ribbon.  The stars of this show include:

1. A 4 cm red and green robin with metal legs and a grey felt beak and tail; this design appeared in the Steiff line from 1934 through 1943 in 4 and 8 cm. 
2. A 4 cm brown squirrel with a bushy tail and prominent felt ears; this item did not appear in any Steiff catalog and was most likely a sample or experimental product that was never produced commercially.
3. A 4 cm pink pig with brown airbrushing, a brown felt tail, and a good luck green felt clover; like the squirrel there was no mention of this item in any of the standard Steiff reference materials.
4. A 6 cm drake drake with webbed style orange metal feet, an orange felt beak, and a delightful white head pompom; this pattern was produced in this size only from 1934 through 1943 and came with and without orange felt slippers.
5. A 3 cm ladybug with a red body and white and black head;  this design appeared in the Steiff line from 1934 through 1943 in 3 and 4 cm. 
6. A 4 cm blue, yellow, and white blue tit bird with metal legs and a felt beak and tail; this design appeared in the Steiff line from 1934 through 1943 in 4 and 8 cm. 
7. A 4 cm sitting grey and white Schnauzer - perhaps a Rattler in miniature? - with black bead eyes and tiny felt ears; like the squirrel and pig, this woolen miniature did not appear in any Steiff literature.   

So what's the storyline behind this exceptional and unique vignette? The piece itself was produced in 1935 as a farewell gift to a Steiff Manager named Mr. Rathgeber when he left the organization to start his own company in a a village right next to Giengen.  This company is still in business today and now manufactures woven strapping for industrial and manufacturing purposes.  

As luck would have it, when Mr. Rathgeber's daughter grew up, she married a Protestant priest and moved to Bonn, the same town where Teddy Dorado is located.  The daughter learned about Teddy Dorado by reading an article in the local newspaper about the auction house.  The daughter went to Teddy Dorado to share her family story about growing up in Giengen.  She also felt it was time to move this treasure along into the hands of a Steiff collector, where it could be loved and appreciated.  As a result, she consigned this diorama to Teddy Dorado, to be auctioned off and shared with the world.  

Collectors can't help but want a front row seat to this exceptional display.  Although none of the elements of the piece have any Steiff ID, it is undeniably made by Steiff and comes with full family provenance.  It is interesting to ponder why the workers at Steiff chose these exact seven items in these sizes to decorate this "going away" gift.  Some items clearly reflect good luck and fortune - like the pig and the ladybug - while others suggest new beginnings and resourcefulness, like the birds and the squirrel.  But the Schnauzer?  Perhaps Mr. Rathgeber had a dog, or liked this particular breed.  These mysteries only adds to the delight and charm of this truly one of a kind treasure.  For more information and photos on this piece, check out the official catalog listing by clicking here.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion concerning Mr. Rathgeber's diorama coming up for auction soon has added a "lot" of interest to the piece for you!

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

Life's Just A Party When It Comes To Vintage Steiff

Every day can be a party when it comes to vintage Steiff!  And nothing could be closer to the truth than last weekend, when Steiffgal invited a few collector friends from the New England area to gather at her home for an afternoon of all things Steiff!  The happening included a tour of Steiffgal's personal collection, a sales table chock full of exciting new vintage items just acquired from two collections, an identification and valuation clinic, and of course seasonal treats and refreshments - including Steiffguy's homemade pretzels!  Here's a little summary of the highlights of this memorable occasion.

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Nothing says "welcome" like a family of life sized Steiff donkeys, right?  These two "great Grissys" (as well as a few live pug dogs) greeted our beloved visitors as they arrived at the event.

Everyone had the opportunity to add a few choice items to their collection from the huge range of items available on the sales table.  Steiffgal spent the week prior to the event cataloging, cleaning, and preparing each of these 175 goodies for their grand debut.  Of course, the large monkey in the background is not Steiff, but hired nonetheless to stand guard over the precious treasures.

Almost all of our Steiff friends brought delightful goodies for evaluation as well as group discussion.  Here are some wonderful highlights from this "show and tell" session. 

This little guy is simply a handful of puppy love!  This woolie wonder measures about 4 cm tall and 8 cm long and is made from white Nomotta wool.  He has felt ears, tiny pupil eyes, and a little black nose.  He is detailed with the tiniest red collar!  He is either a white Scotty or a Sealyham; both these patterns were almost identical and made in 8, 10, 14, and 16 cm the 1935 through 1941 time frame.

There's no need to be sheepish about this next visitor.  Here we have Steiff's woolen miniature Lamm or Lamb.  Like her sweet puppy friend mentioned above, she is also made from white Nomotta wool.  Her insides are lined in wire, so she is somewhat poseable.  Lamb has charming pink highlights on her nose and paws.  Her face is detailed with little eyes and felt ears, and she wears a tiny pink bow.  Lamb was produced in 7 and 10 cm in black and white in the 1935 through 1941 time frame.  

Now this is a find worthy of royalty, really!  Here we have what Steiff calls a Spitz or Pomeranian dog. This pensive looking puppy was produced from 1902 though 1927 in 14, 17, 22, 28, 35, and 43 cm. Spitz is sitting and made from long white curly mohair with a white felt face, ears, and legs below his hips. He has black shoe button eyes and embroidered facial features.  He is wearing a bell collar and painted pink ribbon which are period and authentic, but not original to him.  Most likely, when he was new, this Spitz featured a red cord with two pom-poms or tassels around his neck, giving him a “regal” appearance. The breed does have some connections to German royalty, which may explain why Steiff decorated them like “little kings.” This classic design was also produced in several other variations, including a jointed standing version, as a pup on wheels, and as a pincushion on a red velvet pillow. 

Let's paws and take a look at this next beloved Steiff guest, who is just about purrr-fect in every way. This is of course a fantastic example of Steiff's "Fluffy" cat. She is sitting, unjointed, and made in part from bluish tipped mohair, which is just spectacular. Her little tail wraps sweetly around her body. Fluffy's face is detailed with deep green and black pupil eyes and a simple pink hand embroidered red nose and mouth. And check out her fantastic early named metal ring chest tag!  Sitting Fluffy was made overall from 1926 through 1950 in 7, 10, 14, 17, 22, 25, 30, 35, and 43 cm. She was such a favorite that she was produced on a pincushion, as a music box, and as a tail turns head model.  

You can't help but feel lovey-dovey when it comes to this final Steiff masterpiece.  Here we have a most unusual example of the company's turn of last century's pigeon or dove.  She is 10 cm and made from soft velvet like felt.  Her feet are made from metal that has been wrapped tightly with yellow string, giving them a most authentic appearance.  Her body has been elegantly and gracefully stenciled and airbrushed with black and grey highlights.  Her eyes are black button and backed in felt; her tiny beak is also made from felt.  She wears a red ribbon with a tag on it which are period but not original to her.  She most likely left the factory in Giengen on a little metal pull cart, but that has been lost to time.  This remarkable item was produced in this size only from 1916 through 1919.

Steiffgal hopes this review of her recent Steiff celebration has been nothing but a party for you... and thanks to all the wonderful guests (collectors and their and treasures) who helped to make it that way!

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