How Do You Make Vintage Steiff Buying Decisions?

Steiffgal had an interesting thought question posed to her the other day by one of her Steiff collecting-colleagues. This person had been collecting for many years, and had accumulated a significant collection of favorites and rarities. Sensing that they were at a new point in their collecting path, they simply asked, "How do I know when I should buy something for my collection, and when I should pass on an opportunity?" 

 

Of course, there is no one right (or wrong) answer to this inquiry, and it totally varies from person to person. Clearly, one's budget, buying patterns, available space, collection management strategies, preferences, and other factors play a huge role in "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" Steiff buying investments. However, after noodling the question for a while, Steiffgal came up with five general guideline recommendations for her colleague. She thought they might be helpful to some SteiffLife blog readers who may also be wondering about these sorts of things as well. 

 

1. If you have a mature collection, and/or have pivoted your interests to more expensive and rarer items, it is probably time to buy more with your head than with your heart. When many of us started collecting, we bought tons of Steiff items willy-nilly because they were available and we fell in love with them, or with the idea of growing our collection through them. That is buying with your heart. By buying with your head, Steiffgal means that collectors might want to think about each purchase a little more strategically, taking into full consideration the price of the item, the condition of the item, and how it fits into their collection. 

 

2. If you have been building your hug for a while, aim to have each new addition ELEVATE - not just expand - your collection. Consider purchasing non-redundant pieces that complement your existing inventory or take it in a new and exciting direction. For example, Steiffgal recently started collecting antique Steiff ephemera (catalogs, postcards, advertising materials, etc.) to display with her prewar items. This has opened many new doors as well as research opportunities. 

 

3. As your collection evolves over time, seriously consider only buying an item if you don't already have an example in your collection, or if it significantly upgrades one you already own. 

4. Following up on recommendation #3... if you are upgrading or replacing an item, rehome the replaced item ASAP. Don't hang onto it. This is one simple way to keep the potential for "collection clutter" in control, as well as paying (perhaps in part) for the replacement. "The more the merrier" doesn't hold true for most well curated collections. Depending on what you are selling, options for moving items along include eBay, Facebook marketplace, Craigslist, doll club sales and events, auctions, and other online channels. 

5. And, if you are still not sure if you should buy something after much consideration, ask yourself "What are the chances I will find another one in the foreseeable future?" All things being equal, if the answer is "slim to none," buy the item. If it is "likely to definitely” don’t buy the item. If it is somewhere in the middle, circle back to recommendations #1-4.

 

Steiffgal hopes this Steiff food for thought has added a little spice to your collecting outlook. 

 

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