Steiff Dreams Can Come True - The Story of Black Jack From 1912

Have you ever watched a TV show where a regular person has literally "hit the jackpot" with an amazing boot sale, flea market, or auction find?  Well, this doesn't occur in reality very often!  However, it did happen in the most Steiff-like way to a terrific and lucky lady recently, who just happened to place the right bid at the right time on the right auction lot.  Here is an interview with her about this spectacular find; this conversation was first published in the Spring, 2014 Steiff Club magazine. 
 

Steiffgal:  Josie, thank you so much for speaking with us today!  Could you please tell us a bit about yourself?

Josie: My name is Josie Rockett, and I live with my family in Rye, in the South East of England. I am a full time Mummy to my three young children and most of my time is spent looking after them, our two dogs, and running our home. 

Steiffgal:  Are you a Steiff collector?

Josie:  I am a collector of vintage and antique Teddy bears. Our hug is fairly small and mostly consists of British bears; we actually only have a couple of Steiff bears in our collection. 

Steiffgal:  You had a very exciting find at auction recently.  Can you give us some background on that?

Josie:  I wasn't at the auction when I won the lot; it was an incredibly lucky twist of fate. I spotted a lot at a general auction being held at an auction house, there was no photograph, only a description. I liked the sound of it, took my chances, and placed a bid remotely. I was very happy to win the lot and my Father, who lives close to the auction house, went to collect it for me.

Steiffgal:   Your auction win turned out to be much more than you expected.  Tell us about opening up the old trunk and what you were thinking as you were going through its contents.

Josie:  Nothing could have prepared me for what I was about to find. A week after the auction my Father came to visit us. On arrival he handed me an old red suitcase. As I opened the case, the first thing I saw were some dolls, some doll clothes, and some lovely Teddies. Then saw something wrapped in a blanket at the bottom of the case. I picked it up and started to unravel the blanket. The first thing I saw was a black mohair paw.  I then very slowly lifted the blanket off completely to find a beautiful black antique Teddy! My heart was pounding, I cannot tell you the excitement and joy that then erupted in our house! Had I just found an antique black Steiff bear?

Steiffgal: That is a fantasy situation that every Steiff collector dreams of! How did you know you might have a special treasure?

Josie: My first feeling was that he may be a Steiff bear from the moment I saw him. His shape and line and beautiful expression led me to feel that he could be a Steiff.  After an excited sleepless night, I got up the next morning, took some photographs, and sent them to off to Steiffgal. She confirmed that she too thought he was an early black Steiff bear. Based on where I was located, and what I had found, she suggested I contact Carsten Esser at TeddyDorado auction house about the bear.

Steiffgal:  You did take the bear Germany to meet Mr. Esser. Tell us about this trip.

Josie:  The trip to Germany was amazing! My Father came with me and we had such an adventure. Meeting with Carsten was wonderful; I was quite nervous but very excited. It was a little nail biting watching him examine the bear, but he did it with a smile and it wasn't long before we were all very excited! The next step was for the bear to go to Giengen for authentication, as he didn't have any Steiff IDs on him. It felt good to leaving the bear with Carsten.  Up until that point I felt like I had been his guardian. There was a little sadness but an overwhelming feeling of relief and happiness that he was in such safe hands.

Steiffgal:   You named the bear "Black Jack."  Can you tell us how that name came about?

Josie:  The name Black Jack was really given to him because he is a black Teddy bear. It is also quite lovely that my late Grandfather was called Jack. Both my brother and I were given names that started with a "J" as a tribute to him, so it is very special for him to have the name Jack.

Steiffgal:  How did you decide whether to keep the bear or sell him at auction?

Josie:  This was a very difficult decision. We did consider keeping Jack but after giving it a lot of thought we decided that he would be most at home in a fine Steiff collection or museum where he could be properly enjoyed. Our house is full of children and pets and in the short time I had him, he was wrapped up and hidden away for safety. If he were to stay with us, he would remain this way. I don't believe he wants to be hidden away anymore.  And I thought that the very best place for selling him would be through TeddyDorado at the 2014 Steiff Sommer Festival Auction, given that this event attracts the attention of almost every Steiff collector on the planet!

Steiffgal:  Jack went through a rigorous process by Mrs. Manuela Fustig, head of the Steiff Archive in Germany, in order to be authenticated as Steiff.  This certificate is pictured here for the readers to see. What went through your head when you learned that he received this certification?

Josie:  I can't tell you how amazing it was to hear that news, it was so great to be able to say "Black Jack is a Steiff bear!" From the day I found him up until that moment, it all felt like a dream. I think the news just made the whole situation more real for me.

Steiffgal:  Will you be going to the Steiff 2014 Summer auction to watch his sale? 

Josie:  Yes! It will be so lovely to say good-bye to Jack and wish him well for the next part of his journey. I think there is something magical about him coming back to his place of birth to find his new home. What an adventure he has been on! I have never been to Giengen and I am so looking forward to going. And, if I could tell his new owner one thing, it would be pretty simple.  Just love him!

Steiffgal:  Josie, thank you so much for sharing this amazing story with us! 

Steiffgal also had the pleasure of speaking with Carsten Esser, auctioneer at TeddyDorado, who will be selling Black Jack - who just happens to be lot 12-1912 in the company's June auction!  She asked him a few questions, to get a feeling of how important this bear is in terms of collector's interest and to the Teddy bear industry overall.  Here's what he had to say!

Steiffgal: Carsten, what were your thoughts about the bear when you first heard of him?

Carsten:   The first time I heard about that bear I thought "What a great find" - which I do not think very often as we frequently handle very old and near mint Steiff treasures here at TeddyDorado.  Then almost immediately after that I thought "Hopefully he is still in very good shape!" I requested photos, and when I received them, I thought, "Oh dear, he passed that level of examination in a brilliant way!" I wanted to learn more about the bear and do some research on him, so I offered the owner the opportunity to send us the bear as a consignment or at least to get a certificate of origin on him from the Steiff Company.  We decided to meet in person about the bear at hotel near the Cologne-Bonn Airport, which is close to our headquarters. 

Steiffgal:  What was it like to see the bear in the fur for the first time? 

Carsten:  When I first saw the Teddy bear he was wrapped in white silky paper - like fine clothes sometimes are. Then I took the white paper off and my first impression just was "Yes!" and I could not hide a bright smile on my face but I still was saying nothing I think. Then I carefully looked all over the bear, and studied his pattern, face, pads, and seams. He was in very good condition for being over a century old! I tried all his joints, and took a close look at his antique golden taffeta ribbon. I probably studied the bear very intensely for three minutes - and looked at nothing else in the room during this magical period. When I was done with the initial examination, I told the consignors that based on my experience and knowledge, they indeed had an original Steiff Teddy bear made sometimes between 1908 and about 1914 or 1915.   I also told the consignors that this bear never had red felt under his eyes, like the famous Steiff Titanic bears, and was probably even rarer than a Titanic bear!

Steiffgal:  So what happened next?  How did you prove the bear was indeed made by Steiff?

Carsten:  The consignors agreed to leave this bear with me, and I then brought it to the archival experts at Steiff in Giengen.  The bear spent the holiday season 2013/14 inside Steiff archives. A few months later, after much research, testing, and evaluation, we finally received the official documentation from Steiff indicating that this bear was authentic and manufactured in 1912.

 

Steiffgal:  So what was it like to receive this great news?

Carsten:  It was exciting and a great relief, but I always knew in my heart that Black Jack was made by Steiff. To me this Teddy bear is very special and absolutely in a class of its own like the other famous Steiff bears we have auctioned off at TeddyDorado, including Othello and Wistful Happy. It is also incredibly exciting that the Steiff company is creating a replica of Black Jack for their spring 2015 line.  This fabulous new collector's piece will debut at the 2014 Steiff Sommer Festival!  The speed of this replication and launch is unprecedented, and simply confirms Jack's universal appeal!

Steiffgal:  And now the last but hardest question.  What is Black Jack worth?

Carsten:  The opening bid is 8,000 euro, but even as the auctioneer,  I really do not have any idea what he will sell for in the end.  Time will tell, and we will all see what happens.  As with other high profile TeddyDorado auctions, there will be many photographers and media in the room when Black Jack goes under the hammer.  Everyone is very happy and excited that this magic moment is coming so soon!

Steiffgal:  Thank you for telling us more about Black Jack, and best of luck at the auction!

Steiffgal hopes that someday you have a Steiff find of a lifetime as well!

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

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue At The Upcoming Withington Steiff Auction Event!

June - at least around these parts - has got to be one of the finest months of the year. It's not too hot, the flowers are in full bloom, and its the prime season for wonderful happenings, including lots of weddings and happy family times together. And, apparently, auctions as well! Steiffgal has just learned of a wonderful collection of Steiff treasures coming up for sale at Withington Auctions. This event will be held in Nashua, NH on Friday, June 20, 2014. In keeping with the theme of happy seasonal events - especially those involving brides and grooms - let's take a look at some of the highlights from this upcoming sale!

It would only be proper to start out this review with "SOMETHING OLD." Steiffgal's eye went immediately to lot S96, which can be found by clicking here. Of course, collectors will recognize these delightful doggies as a group of three Steiff Treff the Bloodhounds, who are also pictured here on the left. According to Withington's, they are cataloged as... "3 Steiff Treff Bloodhounds, Beige, brown glass eyes, dark brown yarn nose and paws. Large one is 12 ½” sitting; Medium one is 10” sitting and Medium one is standing on all fours. All swivel necks." 

Care to sniff out some additional details about this great design? Treff appeared in the Steiff line from 1928 through 1938. Models were produced in mohair, velvet, and an inexpensive alternative material called "coat plush" in sizes ranging from 7 to 50 cm overall. This design is famous for its long, floppy ears which are lightly stitched down; brown and black pupil eyes which are set in eye pockets; hand embroidered black noses; dainty muzzle “freckles"; and red facial highlights on their lips and under their eyes. Every Treff left the Giengen factory adorned with a large pastel-colored silk ribbon. These ribbons were meant to add a little lightness and color to Steiff's items; this mandate came directly from Richard Steiff around 1925. Treff was so popular that she was produced sitting, standing, on wheels, as a music box, and on a pin cushion during her time in the line. 

Now onto "SOMETHING NEW." Well, that's a bit challenging with this wonderful vintage collection, but something in LIKE NEW condition really caught Steiffgal's eye. Check out lot S126, which can be found by clicking here. The lot is simply cataloged as, "3 – Steiff mohair plush animals, “Sonny” rabbit 5”, “Hush Puppy” 11”, small standing Bear 5 ½." And yes, all three treasures in the lot are dear. But one is exceptional! That is the 11" Steiff Hush Puppy! 

Steiffgal certainly cannot keep quiet about this bashful Basset! Steiff's Hush Puppy examples are quite rare and desirable, and are based on the company's standard line Basset hounds that appeared in the line from 1961 through 1963 in 12, 14, and 22 cm. Steiff's standard line Bassets are sitting, head jointed, and made from mohair that has been carefully airbrushed in multiple shades of tan, brown, and black. Each has long, droopy ears; hand embroidered black noses; and realistic, dimensional soft jowls. The larger ones have extremely round, realistic-looking eyeballs that are embedded into their facial mask structure. The 12 cm model one has flatter, but no less realistic looking, eyes that seem to have a reflective quality to them. Standard line Steiff Bassets wear green collars and usually have "Basset" on their named chest tags.

But here's where it gets interesting. According to company records and literature, Steiff produced Hush Puppy branded 12 and 14 cm Basset hounds as premiums from 1970 through 1972; these were differentiated from the standard line of Basset hound items by a red collar and a special chest tag that had the “Hush Puppies” logo on it. However, this model on offer is 22 cm, and as far as Steiffgal can tell, does not appear in the standard Steiff reference books. A rare beast indeed!
 
Ok, now in keeping with our celebratory theme, it's time for "SOMETHING BORROWED." These two items were selected by Steiff for replication as they have always been of such great interest to collectors. Check out this ORIGINAL pair of Steiff's spiders, lot S68, by clicking here! According to the catalog, these are... "Lot of 2 - Steiff Spider, “Spidy”. 4 ½” length. Three beady eyes, eight wired legs, two antennas, two mouths, red/brown/green coloring on back and neck. Wool and cotton. Raised button, C.T. 2312,00, Steiff Spider, “Spidy”. 9” length. Five beady eyes, eight legs, four antennas. Beige mohair, red, green and brown coloring design on back and neck. Raised button on left leg."
 

It's certainly time to get a leg up on these great vintage spiders! This small and large sized Spidy pair are 12 and 22 cm respectively. Both have bead-like black glass eyes and are manufactured from light beige mohair, which is gloriously hand airbrushed in brown, red, and green. Small Spidy has legs and feelers made from gray pipe cleaners, while the larger size has thin mohair legs and feelers. Both large and small Spidy spiders were produced in 1960 and 1961 only, making them quite collectible. Spidy was produced at a time when the company was experimenting with different unconventional materials such as pipe cleaners, rubber, and plastic sheeting to create a series of "creepy crawlers." These included bats, salamanders, snails, and of course, these spiders. And, indeed Steiff did "borrow" a good idea from themselves, creating a replica set of a large and small Spidy in 1991 and 1992 in an edition size of 4,000 pieces.

And finally, it would not be a celebration without "SOMETHING BLUE." And there's not much that's more "true blue" than the US Navy and their mascot the goat! Check out lot S05, a pair of Steiff Navy Goats, by clicking here! According to the catalog, these are... "Steiff Navy Goat, 8” height (to his ear), 12” length. Beige, plush, leather horns and hoofs, green glass eyes. Navy felt blanket. Raised ear button. Cotton tag #1228.0. 1940s, Steiff Navy Goat, 5 ½” height (w/out horns). Grey mohair (long) on body. Mohair (short) on face and feet, short tail, green googly eyes, felt striped horns, black yarn nose, navy blanket with “N”. #7315.90, MINT"
 

Let's give a salute to these great goats and their interesting history. During the 1950's and very early 1960's, Steiff produced a number of mascots especially for the US market. Mascots were produced for several of top-tier schools, as well as the country's military training institutes - including the United States Naval Academy. The official launch of Steiff's mascot program began in 1951 with the production of two caricatured versions of the US Navy goat. Both were 28 cm; one was sitting and one was standing on all fours. This lot features this early standing version. Each was made from white mohair and had leather hooves and horns; green and black "squint" style eyes, a long beard, and wore a blue and gold felt blanket with a large "N" on the side. These goats were entirely original designs and were manufactured through 1959. Steiff also produced a smaller Navy goat in 15 and 25 cm from 1957 through 1960. This is the smaller goat in the lot. The smaller navy goat's pattern is quite similar to the one that would later be seen on the standard line item Rocky the Capricorn goat, who appeared in the line from 1963 through 1976. 

Steiffgal hopes this celebratory post has put you in the mood for love - Steiff auction love, that is!

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

The MAINE Steiff Event Of The Early Summer!

Well, it is safe to say that this week's Steiff auction at Julia's was the main, or in this case the MAINE Steiff event of the early summer!  On Friday, June 13th, James D. Julia, Inc. auctioned off over 120 treasures from the Chuck and late Cathy Steffes collection of magnificent Steiff rarities.  The auction, held at Julia's headquarters in Fairfield, Maine, attracted attention, bids, and visits from collectors all over the globe!  Here's a first-hand report of some of the highlights and fun associated with the event.

And we're off!  Julia's official auction preview period started on Tuesday morning, June 10th.  During preview, the auction facility was set up to display the lots on offer, and without a doubt the hall looked more like a museum of fine arts or treasures than anything else.  In this case, all the Steiff bears were presented majestically on shelves in glass-doored display cabinets. Visitors were allowed to handle and examine any item - even the "crown jewel" treasures - which in this case were the Steffe's Titanic bear, Teddy Clown bear, Petsy bear, and rod bear. Julia's set up inspection stations - which included draped tables, bright lights, and even high powered magnifiers -  so potential buyers could literally examine each Steiff item on a stitch-by-stitch level!  Julia's also provided snacks and meals throughout the entire four day preview event, as looking at the finest Steiff in the world can certainly build up one's appetite! 

Preview lasted through Friday morning, just before the auction got started at 10am, and was a beehive of activity!  Many visitors arrived on Thursday, June 12th, and it was so much fun to see old friends reunite, as well as see strangers immediately connect over this marvelous collection.  People traveled from all across North America to attend the event in person, including collectors from New England, California, Texas, Florida, New Jersey, and even Canada.  Several press and media professionals also attended preview, and it was clear they also were falling under the spell of this remarkable hug.  Steiffgal had the once in a lifetime opportunity to receive a personal tour of the collection from Chuck Steffes, were she learned the back stories behind some of the bears.  It was particularly moving to learn which were Cathy's favorites, and why.

The Steffes collection consisted mostly of spectacular bears, cats, and rabbits.  Chuck told Steiffgal that he and Cathy originally set out only to collect bears when they began their hobby three decades ago.  It was only within the last several years that they began adding cats and rabbits to their hug - in part to add a new focus and dimension to the collection. 

By about 9:30am on Friday, many people had taken their seats in the auction hall, but it was clear that many more chairs would have to be added to accommodate the overflow crowd.  Most folks, when asked why they came to the hall instead of watching the auction on the Internet, said that they wanted to see this sale in person as they felt it was an important moment in the Steiff collector's community.   At 10am, auctioneer and company owner Jim Julia approached the podium and welcomed the crowd.  He introduced the staff and explained the logistics of the auction.  He then did something most unexpected - he gave a beautiful and gracious tribute to Cathy Steffes, and thanked Chuck and the family for the opportunity to share her passion and exquisite collection with the world.  Then Jim began the exciting event!

Today in the auction world, a very small percentage of auction bidders are actually live in the audience, and that was no different for this auction.  Many bidders placed pre-bids by phone, fax, or mail.  Others watched and bid online through the e-platforms Proxibid and Invaluable.  At this auction, there were a large bank of phone operators working with customers from all over the world.  It was really entertaining to watch them juggle pens, phones, paperwork, and bid cards - while at the same time giving a play by play description of the auction proceedings and encouraging participation from their telephone bidders.  Rumor has it that royalty from far away could have been on the other end of one of those phone lines!

It took about 90 minutes overall to auction the Steffes lots - but the time felt like the blink of an eye to Steiffgal.  There were plenty of highlights throughout the auction - and like all events like this, some people even scored with some fine buys that escaped the radar of other collectors.  

Lets button things up and take a look at notable Steiff Teddy bear sales!  These included lot 3002, a gorgeous 70 cm early white mohair cub who sold for $14,220; lot 3008, a 38 cm rod bear who also sold for $14,220; lot 3009 a 50 cm yellow "Happy" bear who sold for $13,035; and lot 3025 a 31 cm black Titanic mourning bear who sold for $35,550.  Perhaps the biggest surprise was lot 3010, an utterly charming circa 1910 60 cm gold mohair bear who came with a photo of his original owners and a letter explaining his history.  Estimated at $8,000 to $12,000, he sold for $21,330.

Felines seemed to be the cat's meow with collectors during this sale.   There was great interest in lot 3036, a very early velvet cat with an elephant button that sold for $7,703; lot 3035, an unusual mohair tail moves head cat from the early 1930's that sold for $3,851; lot 3013, an irresistible tiny "Fluffy" kitten on a cotton-candy pink mohair pincushion that sold for $7,110; and lot 3032, a simply marvelous, very early 15 cm six ways jointed cat with all IDs that sold for $10,665.

And finally, let's hop to it an check out the rabbit highlights.  Collectors jumped at lot 3015, an extremely rare 33 cm fully dressed Jack Rabbit who sold for $7,703; lot 3017, a 34 cm lilac mohair colored begging rabbit who sold for $7,110; lot 3042, a bright orange begging mohair rabbit on olive green wheels who sold for $2,963; and lot 3100, a sweet and petite bright orange mohair begging rabbit rattle who sold for $2,015.  All prices noted include the buyer's premium, which is 18.5%.

Overall, this was a magical event on many levels.  This gathering allowed the Steiff community to come together and honor the Steffes for their remarkable commitment to the brand, as well as remember Cathy, who was a good friend to many in attendance.  The event invigorated many dormant collectors - who learned about the sale through friends, the Internet, newspaper articles, or other industry channels - and it was wonderful to welcome them back to the world of Steiff. The sale also was like a calling to active collectors across North America to come together to share their love of Steiff, as there has not been such a Steiff-centric event in the USA in quite some time.  And finally, this happening has brought much joy to many collectors who now have new Steiff memories, as well as treasures, to add to their hugs.  When Steiffgal cataloged this collection many months ago - after writing up and examining each item - she gave each treasure a hug and small kiss, and promised each one it soon would have a new loving home.  At last the circle is complete.

Steiffgal hopes you have enjoyed this report on the Steffes Steiff auction as much as she has relished preparing it for you!

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

Moving And Grooving With This Fabulous Vintage Steiff Scotty

It goes without saying that many vintage Steiff treasures are truly gorgeous!  But Steiffgal would like to share one with you today that is literally a "head turner!"  This week by post she received this marvelous black bearded beauty from Germany.  Take a look at this pup with a secret... and be prepared to shake your head in amazement!

Great Scott!  Here we have Steiff's standing Scotty.  He measures 15 cm head to toe, and 23 cm nose to rear end, not including his tail.  He is made from lovely black backed mohair that has silver threads throughout the material, giving him a very dignified appearance.  Scotty has a long, jet black beard and eyebrows. He has a brown hand embroidered nose, mouth, and claws, and delightful, tri-colored almond shaped glass eyes in white, brown, and black.  The insides of his ears are lined in tan felt.  His bow and bell are not original to him; when he left the factory in Giengen over eight decades ago he most likely wore a little black and white leather collar with a few Steiff buttons on it.  This particular Scotty model was produced in 9, 11, 15, 18, 23,  and 26 cm from 1931 through 1934.


Let's move right on to what makes this Scotty so spectacular.  Like several popular Steiff items of the early 1930's, this pattern has what is known as a "tail moves head" mechanism.  This means by gently twisting the tail back and forth, his head moves in unison - giving the animal a most charming sense of realistic movement.  Take a look at the video to see for yourself!

Steiff's early "action super heroes" of the 1930's include cats, dogs, rabbits, and lambs, among others.  For the most part, each was based on standard line popular designs of the time, and came with a round cardboard tag on its tail that read "turn here and I will move my head." You can see this tag here on the left, the photo is from Teddy Dorado.  Tail turns head items were considered higher end, luxury toys, and most were produced through the late 1930's.  Perhaps the best known tail moves head design was Rattler Terrier, who appeared through the early 1940's. 

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this Scotty has you bobbing your head in agreement that he is one dynamic dog!

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

This Tiny Tiger Has Huge Steiff Appeal!

Steiffgal's so sorry - this post is a few days late and clearly she is running a little behind!  So to make up for lost time, she thought she'd share a little something with, well, a little behind!  Check out this tiny handful of Steiff adorable-ness and see what makes him so interesting from the design and historical perspectives.

This wee wild beast is Steiff's smallest and fully jointed tiger.  Bitty baby is cataloged at 8 cm, although he actually only measures about 7 cm head to toe and 7 cm nose to rear. He is made from tan mohair that has been highlighted with orange airbrushing and then detailed with black stripes. His face comes to life with mohair ears, green and black slit style pupil eyes, a red hand embroidered nose and mouth, and a few clear monofilament whiskers.  And you can't help but note his tiny tail, which is made from rope that has been lightly striped to match his body and limbs.  This design was produced overall in 8, 10, and 14 cm from 1952 through 1959.  This smallest rope-tailed version was only made from 1956 through 1958; the larger sizes had mohair tails.

This tiger is just one of a handful - literally - of postwar, five ways jointed Steiff treasures less than 10 cm in size.  As a matter of fact, as far as Steiffgal can tell, tiny tiger is a class by himself!  He appears to be the only standard line, five ways jointed animal less than 10 cm produced by Steiff after the factory reopened after the war in the late 1940's.   Steiff has produced a few teensy-weensy five ways jointed Teds in less than 10 cm in that time frame, including some promotional bears for other companies.  Perhaps the best known vintage "little guys" are the company's 9 cm five ways jointed Teddy Babies, which were in the line from 1949 through 1957.

Now for the tail end of this discussion.  Another interesting thing about this petite jungle prince is clearly his rope posterior.  His tail indeed sets him apart from his larger five ways jointed tiger brothers.  However, a rope tail is not terribly unusual for items from his period in the Steiff line.  Similar styled rope tails can be seen on Steiff's lions, zebras, elephants, okapis, and camels, among others.  These are found on the smaller versions of these models, perhaps to give a sense of lightness, simplicity, and youth to the items.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's tiny fully jointed tiger is worthy of a high-five from you.

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