Look who just appeared on little cat's feet - really! This pretty kitty was a surprise find on an online auction. And, when she arrived, she was an even FINER feline than advertised! Check out this 1920's Steiff superstar. Steiffgal is certain you'll agree... she's simply the cat's meow!
This marmalade Tabby turns Steiff's legs to jelly! She is 10 cm tall, standing on all fours, head jointed, and made from tan mohair that has been striped with fantastic and realistically detailed orange highlights. Her limbs and tail are elegant, proportional, and shapely. Her face comes to life with oversized teal and black slit pupil style glass eyes, a light pink embroidered nose and mouth, a bunch of clear, monofilament whiskers, and a spot of red right on her lips. She has a particularly pensive look to her. She retains her original blue silk ribbon and bell. This cool cat was made in mohair in 7, 10, 12, 14, 17, and 22 cm from 1928 through 1937.
Tab - you're it - when it comes to this cat's outstanding and original IDs. She retains her long trailing 'F' Steiff button, crisp and fully legible red ear tag, and perfectly preserved red imprinted chest tag with its "watermelon" shaped bear face. The numbers on her ear tag, 1310,0, correspond to: 1 = standing; 3 = mohair; 10 = 10 cm (standing height); and ,0=without wheels. All of these IDs strongly suggest that this kitten left the factory in Giengen in the late 1920s or early 1930s. And what a well preserved specimen she is - we should all look so good c. nine decades onward! 
Although Steiff had been selling its items in the USA since the turn of last century, it appears that the company really started investing heavily in American consumer advertising a few years after the conclusion of WWI. In the late 1920s, Steiff was promoted on the radio by an on-air personality named "Uncle Andy Claus" as part of a program sponsored by Erwin-Wasey and Co. Erwin-Wasey was an international advertising company that specialized in radio advertising; the agency was famous for its product sampling campaigns. Although it would be challenging, and expensive, to "sample" Steiff products nationally, Erwin-Wasey and Co. came up with the idea of sending Steiff letters, pins, and brochures to children who responded to a direct on-air marketing campaign promoted through Uncle Andy Claus. Here on the left you can see the letter that went out to children as part of this very early "Steiff club." You can click on it to make it bigger. Personally, Steiffgal finds it a little weird that Margarete "signed" this note from the late 1920s, given that she passed away in 1909. Details, details... 
The letter also talks about a little brochure that accompanied the mailing. This cheerful, orange and black printed pamphlet gives a brief history of the company and calls out the "superstar" items of the era, including Treff the Bloodhound, a horse on wheels, Fluffy cat, a bear on wheels, Charly the King Charles Spaniel, an elephant on wheels, Molly the puppy, a donkey on wheels, Bully the Bulldog, Teddy Clown, a mosaic ball, stick horse... and this very Tabby cat under discussion today. Her description reads, "A most lifelike cat with a "come hither" expression in standing position. Fine quality plush, most natural coloring, sewn in glass eyes, assorted colored ribbons." You can see this illustration and description here above on the left.
Steiffgal hopes you found this discussion on this marmalade Tabby a sweet treat.
Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more.