Special Steiff Collector's Event Scheduled For November 12, 2011!

Come Enjoy a Celebration Designed by

 Steiff Collectors for Steiff Collectors!

 Announcing the 2011 Steiff Teddy Bear Lover’s Event

Saturday, November 12, 2011

2:00pm – 4:00pm

The Cambridge Historical Society

159 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA

Free Street Parking!

Hosted by Rebekah Kaufman (also known as Steiffgal)

With Special Guest Jim Pitocco, President, Steiff North America

Highlights of the celebration include:

• A review of Steiff’s delightful 2011 line plus a sneak peak at 2012 highlights

• A discussion of Steiff’s “rare bears” through the 1960’s

• A visit with “Lou”, a 14” 1905 blank button white cub in like-new condition

• A Steiff appraisal and valuation clinic – limit of 3 items per guest

Enjoy viewing a display of unusual, non-cataloged Steiff oddities from the 1920’s onward while enjoying seasonal refreshments. 

New Steiff items available for purchase!  Renew your membership or sign up for the Steiff Club on the spot.  Goodie bags for the first 75 guests!

Bring yourself, your favorite Steiff item in your collection for “show and tell”, and a human friend, too!

The event is free, but you must RSVP by November 8th to Carolyn at Carolyn@steiffusa.com or 401-312-0080, x 221.

Looking forward to meeting you!

Looking For Steiff... In All The RIGHT Places!

There's almost nothing Steiffgal would rather do than spend a day at a big antiques show hunting for Steiff treasures.   And one of the best places to do so here in New England is the annual October antiques weekend in Wilmington, MA, which is put on by New England Antiques Shows.  So let's take a Steiff safari and check out some of the button-in-ear highlights spotted at this great event!

We are off to the races with this find that Steiffgal spotted in one of the very first booths she visited.  Here we have Steiff's 14 cm Nachzieh Tabby or Pull Toy Tabby.  She is standing on all fours, unjointed, and made from white mohair that has been hand airbrushed with black stripes.  She has green and black slit pupil eyes and a very sweet pink hand embroidered nose and mouth.  And check out her red claws!  Tabby even has a few of her mono filament whiskers left. This cat is mounted on a black metal carriage on red wooden eccentric wheels, meaning that she sways to-and-fro when pulled gently along.  This specific model of Rolling Tabby was produced in 10, 14, and 17 cm from 1949 through 1969; the combination of her raised script button and US Zone tag put her production in the approximately 1952 through 1953 time frame.  

These next two items spotted at the show truly stand - and deliver.  

The first is Steiff's famous little stinker, Skunk. He is 10 cm, unjointed, and standing. His lower body is made of elegant black velvet. The top of his body is white mohair that has been highlighted with black airbrushing. His robust tail is made from long, black and white mohair. His small ears are made from round mohair circles. His face is detailed with tiny black and brown pupil eyes and a pink hand embroidered nose and mouth. This smelly sweetheart was manufactured in 10 and 25 cm in 1962 and 1963, and is considered highly collectible by Steiff enthusiasts due to his short time in the Steiff catalog.  This particular skunk is unusual because its ear tag identification number does not correspond with those in standard reference books, plus it also notes that the covering is 100% cotton, which doesn't account in any way for his mohair surfaces.   

The second may jog your memory a bit.  Here we have Steiff's standing on all fours Igel Joggi or hedgehog Joggi.  Joggi is 12 cm and unjointed.  His top is made from very long, almost prickly style mohair, similar to the hair on Steiff's famous hedgehog family, headed by Micki and Mecki.  His face and underbelly are made from short white mohair.  Joggi has tiny double thick white felt feet.  His face is detailed with little pink felt ears, black button eyes, and a tiny black hand embroidered nose.  Joggi was made from 1961 through 1966 only and is considered quite rare.

Keeping things field and forest focused, here is our next find on this Steiff safari.  Here we have Diggy Dachs, or Diggy Badger.  Diggy is standing on all fours, unjointed, and made from black, white, and brown tipped mohair.  One of his great features are his little felt finger and toenails, which remind Steiffgal of those on another Steiff rarity of the same time, Zooby the bear.  Diggy was made in 10 and 17 cm from 1963 through 1964 only.  

Things are better together, and this final find certainly proves that.  Here we have two adorable 1970's era Steiff "Masked Teddies." Both are made from blond mohair and five ways jointed.  They have brown and black pupil eyes, black hand stitched noses and mouths, and felt hand and paw pads. Overall, this popular and beloved pattern was made from 1968 through 1990 and came in white, tan, caramel, and brown in sizes ranging from 9 to 100 cm.   They are called Mask Teddies because of their well defined, masked shaped facial areas.

Steiffgal hopes you enjoyed this virtual Steiff safari - and that it has inspired you to join the hunt for these wonderful treasures where ever you may be!

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

This Steiff Sealyham Comes Sealed With A Kiss

Steiffgal is suffering from a bad case of "puppy love" based on a recent vintage acquisition!  She was fortunate to receive a small collection of early 1950's-era Steiff collectibles from a woman in her 60's who was looking to downsize - but insure her items ended up in a Steiff loving home.  One of these treasures was a medium sized dog with an interesting arrangement of IDs.  Take a look at this precious pooch and see what makes him so interesting from a collector's perspective.  

This precious dog has enormous "seal" - appeal!  Here we have Steiff's early post WW2 Sealyham.  He is about 6.5" (17 cm) tall by 12" (30 cm) long.  Sealyham is standing on all fours, made from white mohair, and is head jointed.  His ears are lined in tan felt which has been airbrushed with pink highlights.  He has round glass brown and black pupil eyes.  His muzzle is detailed with a black hand stitched nose and mouth; he has a spot of red airbrushing on the tip of his lips. This particular Sealyham model was produced in 10, 14, 17, 22, 25, 28, and 35 cm from 1949 through 1957. 

So, just how old is this white wonder in "dog years?"  His unique combination of ID makes it easy to determine.  He has a "watermelon" shaped, angular bear faced  chest tag with red imprinted letters.  This tag is pictured on the far left of the illustration above. This tag was used from 1928 through 1952.  He also has a white linen "made in the US Zone" tag; this ID was required on all Steiff exports between 1947 and 1953.  This tag is pictured in the center above. Finally, he has a plain, blank 7 mm steel button in ear; this unusual button was used between 1948 and 1950.  This button is pictured on the far right. If you dovetail all of these dates, he most certainly left the factory in Giengen, Germany between 1948 and 1950.

Sealyhams have a long - and consistent -  tradition in the Steiff line.   Both standing and sitting white mohair versions debuted in 1930.  The standing version came in 8 sizes ranging from 8 to 35 cm and appeared through 1943.  The sitting version came in 6 sizes ranging from 8 to 25 cm and appeared through 1939.  Pre-1943, Steiff produced numerous Sealyhams on wheels, a few nomotta wool woolen miniature or "woolie" Sealyhams, and a 30 cm Sealyham Nachthemdentasche - or Sealyham night dress bag. Sealyhams were produced again immediately after the factory reopened for business in the late 1940's.  However, only standing examples were produced.  These models, which appeared through 1957, had very minor if any changes in fundamental design from the model launched in 1930.   A sweet 10 cm Steiff Sealyham from the mid 1950's is pictured here on the left.  

Steiffgal hopes this discussion of this relatively rare Steiff pooch has met with your seal (-yham) of approval.

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

Blanking Out In Excitement Over This Phenomenal Early Steiff Bear

Boom!  That was the sound of Steiffgal practically hitting the floor when she got this inquiry about this exciting and marvelous family treasure.  Take a look at this note from a reader from Florida, who asks about a turn of last century Ted that has been in her family for three decades.  Tamie writes, through a series of correspondences....

"Hi Steiffgal,

My father-in-law has a Steiff bear that he purchased in an estate auction 30+ years ago.  He actually bought a trunk and this bear was tucked inside of it, so he was a free "bonus" to the sale.

 

Could you look at the pictures and tell me what you think?  The bear is in very good condition - no rips or tears.  He is 11" sitting and 16" standing.  The stitching on his nose is light brown in color, and he has a tiny black button in his ear.  His ear tag is white and has the numbers 5328 on it. 

He won first place at a teddy bear party in Kennebunkport, ME years ago.  It was at this event that the grandson of Mr. Steiff signed his foot.

Thanks, Tamie"

 

Tamie, how you describe this bear coming into your family's life is the ultimate fantasy for most Steiff collectors!   What we have here is a simply outstanding example of an early 20th century Steiff bear.  He is made from mohair, five ways jointed, and has black wooden shoe button eyes.  The fact that his facial and paw/claw stitching is brown (which has faded a bit over time) means that this bear is actually white.  Early blond Steiff bears had black facial and paw/claw stitching. His paw pads are felt and seem to be in remarkable condition for his age.  This bear has the classic Steiff proportions and look of an early 1900's bear. This particular cub pattern was produced in blond and white from 1905 through 1933 in 10, 15, 18, 22, 25, 30, 32, 35, 40, 46, 50, 60, 70,  and 115 cm. 

It's never nice to ask someone their age, but this particular bear wears it right on his - well - ear!  Because Tamie's bear has such distinctive ID, it is possible to figure out within a FEW MONTHS when he left the factory in Giengen, Germany.  His button, which is blank, 6 mm in diameter, and made from nickel plated iron, was only used between 1905 and 1906.  It also appears that his white ear tag is the earliest version of this form of ID, and was used between 1905 and 1908. The tag has the article number of the bear (5328 meaning jointed, mohair, and 28 cm sitting) and the German word "geschutzt" which means "patented."  If you dovetail the dating of his blank button and his white tag, it becomes clear that he was made in the 1905 to 1906 time frame.  We should all look so good at around 105+ years old!

 

Now for the "fill in the blank" question - his value.  As always, Steiffgal is not a formal appraiser and believes something is worth what someone will pay.  In this particular case, time does equal money when it comes to his fair market value! Based on relatively recent sales of other turn of last century white Steiff bears, (and without seeing the bear firsthand...) Steiffgal best estimates that this bear would bring $5,500 to $7,500 at retail today.  

 

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Tamie's blank buttoned beauty has been a pleasant earful for you. 

 

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