This Dox really rocks! And he's not in bad shape for being 833 years old - in dog years, that is! Check out this petite pooch from the earliest era of Steiff production and see what makes him so interesting from the design and product development perspectives.
This happy handful is 10 cm and unjointed. He is made entirely from brown painted velvet and is in the begging position - meaning that he's eyeing what you are snacking on and asking for a nibble. His design and proportions are simple and a bit chunky - except for his long, thin, elegant tail and perky, triangular ears. It is very exciting to find an example like this one with his tail still attached, given how delicate and fragile this appendage is, and that it is attached to his body with just a few simple stitches. Doxie's face comes to life with a hand embroidered nose and mouth and tiny bead style black eyes. You only see these tiny bead eyes on the company's earliest products. Doxie wears a simple black leather collar; it probably was accessorized with a little medallion when he left the factory over a century ago.
This pattern was made in 10, 14, and 22 cm from 1901-1927. Given this little guy does not have a button or any indication that he ever did, he is probably from is from the earliest portion of that timeframe... the "prebutton" era. Steiff collectors love examples like this for their age and presentation, while doll collectors often pose these "VIP" pets with their 19th and 20th century prized dolls.
This design is a beloved, legacy pattern that appeared as several product line extension items through the first quarter of the 20th century. These included a 10 or 14 cm basket-bearing pincushion from 1902-1918, a 12 or 17 cm tumbler on a semispherical wooden base from 1901-1917 overall, and a set of 9 or 10 velvet Doxie skittles from 1901-1912. These novelties are extremely rare overall, and generally do extremely well on the secondary market or at auction.
Steiff also produced a number of other similarly styled dog breeds in velvet in the early 1900s. These were usually begging or sitting, and differentiated by their detailing and painting. These included a 10, 14, and 22 cm sitting Bulldog from 1901-1927; a 10, 14, or 22 cm sitting Pointer; and a 10, 12, 14, 7, and 22 cm sitting Fox Terrier from 1899-1927. Like the velvet Doxie under discussion today, many of these also appeared as pincushions, tumblers, and skittles given their appeal and popularity.
Steiffgal hopes this discussion on the company's very early velvet Doxie has been puppy-perfection for you.
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