Now we are truly on a roll! Steiffgal recently returned from a trip to St. Louis, MO to celebrate all things dolls, bears, and toys at the 2022 United Federation of Doll Clubs annual event. The salesroom associated with this gathering always has some of the finest Steiff temptations on offer - and this year did not disappoint! Check out this charming and unusual Steiff primate on wheels Steiffgal found on opening night of the festivities. You'd have to agree - he makes for one heck of a souvenir!
This handsome and unusual prewar Steiff sweetie pull toy is "officially" named Record Peter. He is 18 cm and fully jointed. He is made from white mohair. His hands, feet, face, and ears are made from tan colored felt. His pensive face comes to life with green and black glass pupil eyes, a seamed mouth, and light purple-ish and pink colored airbrushed highlights on his nose area and forehead. He rides upon a black metal, four-wheeled cart. The centered wheels are solid wood and painted red. When Record Peter is pulled along, his arms and legs move back and forth vigorously, giving the appearance that he’s working hard to keep his cart moving. When he left the factory in Giengen, Germany about a century ago, he had a pull cord attached to the front of his vehicle. Record Peter retains his long trailing "f" button and traces of his white ear tag as his Steiff IDs.
Prewar, Record Peter appeared in the standard Steiff catalog in 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 cm in deep chocolate brown from 1913-1943 and in white in 18 cm from 1925-1934. He was also produced in a few other "surreal" colors, including blue, yellow, green, red, and black! These hues are so incredibly rare that Steiffgal has only seen photos of them. Given this Peter's ID configuration, it is Steiffgal's best thinking that he was "born" in the very beginning of his manufacturing time frame.
Now let's take a step back and look at one of the features that makes this Record Peter so unusual - in addition to his white mohair. If you study his rear end (and its ok to stare in this case) you will notice he has a tail. Unlike many other standard line tail-less primates produced by Steiff, this model indeed has a long, thin mohair tail. This appendage probably was challenging to manufacture, given its size and shape.
Here on the left, you can see the 1929 catalog page advertising some of the company's primate line for the year. You can click on the image to make it bigger. This page has a subtle bit of information that adds some insight to the tail issue. Here, items noted as product category "9" are chimpanzees, while items noted as product category "10" are monkeys or Record Peter items. From the scientific perspective, chimps, gorillas, and orangutans do not have tails – classifying them as "apes." Those primates with a tail are classified as "monkeys." That is why the tail-less brown mohair "Jocko" pattern we know and love is considered a "9". However, it is curious that a white, freestanding mohair primate with a tail on this page is classified as a "9," suggesting it should NOT have a tail. Perhaps something here got lost in translation?
On the way bottom on the right of the catalog page, you can spot the white primate on wheels under discussion today. A close-up of him is here on the left. You can click on the image to make it bigger. The copy reads, "Record-Peter, Speedaway movement of amusing effect. No clockwork or mechanism to get out of order, simply pull cord. Strong colored wire frame, varnished wood wheels, voice, each in a box." He is also noted as product number 10/318 (10 = a Record Peter, 3 = sitting, and 18 = size in cm); that he weighs .31 kilograms (which was important for shipping and logistics) and that he was packed one to a box.
Steiffgal hopes you've enjoyed this tale of a tail detective story!
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