Satisfying Your Rabbit-Habit With These Two Great Easter Finds

What would you like to find in your Easter basket? A chocolate bunny, some neon-colored marshmallow Peeps, and jelly beans would be a good start for sure. But how about a Steiff rabbit surprise as well? No Steiff collector would say no to that! Steiffgal recently welcomed two Steiff rabbit rarities into her hug. Given the Easter rabbit is about to make his grand annual appearance, she though it would be a perfect time to share these honey-bunnies with the Steiff loving community.

It's a clothes call with this first cheerful-earful. Here we have Steiff's "Zappy" rabbit. He is 25 cm, head jointed, and made mostly from tan and white dralon. His footpads and the lining of his ears are the same dralon color - a very light peach. He is wearing green felt shorts and rust-brown felt suspenders. Little silver buttons join the suspenders to the shorts. His face is detailed with large brown and black pupil eyes, a pink hand embroidered nose and mouth, pink airbrushing, and lots of clear monofilament whiskers. His IDs include a raised script button, a fully legible yellow ear tag which is numbered 8625,00, and a colorful, named, bear faced chest tag. His article number corresponds to 8=dolls and figures, 6=dralon plush, 25=25 cm, 00=without wheels and "normal color." Zappy was produced in this size only from 1966 through 1974.

So what secrets does Zappy hide deep within his rabbit den? It is interesting that at least from his numbering, we can tell that Steiff categorized this design more of a doll than a rabbit. And, a close look through the Sortiment reveals that he does indeed "live" in the dolls and figures chapter, not in the rabbits chapter. Awhile back, Steiffgal handled another example but that Zappy had lentil style Steiff buttons on his shorts, not plain ones like the example under discussion today. Zappy is one of the very last dressed animal dolls Steiff produced as part of its standard line. Steiff's animal dolls debuted in the late 1920's and were noted for their hybrid animal/human proportions and great outfits. Over time, their designs and clothing were simplified; the debut animals were made of mohair, fully jointed, and dressed to the nines. This dralon version with basic felt shorts truly represents the end of the line for Steiff's legacy animal doll production.

It's easy to warm up to this second Steiff rabbit rarity. This bunny is begging, unjointed, and measures 22 cm without ears and 28 cm with them. Her face, arms, legs, and ears are made from long tan dralon. The lining of her ears is made from apricot colored dralon. Her muzzle area is made from velour-like material. Her face comes to life with oversized black and brown pupil eyes, a brown hand embroidered nose and mouth augmented with brown paint, and clear monofilament whiskers. Bunny's body, which is shaped like an egg, is hollow and made from short green dralon. It is decorated with a red and yellow felt flower on a green felt stem. Her Steiff IDs include a lentil style button, a fully legible yellow ear tag, and a red and yellow split style generic chest tag. Steiffgal cannot find any mention of this item in any of the standard Steiff reference books. Given her arrangement of IDs, it is her best guess that this mystery rabbit was made in the c. 1972-1977 time frame. 

So just why is this rabbit hot stuff? It is Steiffgal's best guess that she was originally designed as a hot water bottle animal for a small child, given her size, appearance, and form. Her belly is hollow, and you can open and close it up on the back via strips of velcro. Her belly is also lined in an unusual, rigid material that probably has some heat-regulating properties to it. This fabric was probably put inside the rabbit to insulate it, as well as protect a child from getting scalded if the hot water bottle inside the rabbit's belly was extremely hot. However, this example did not come with the interior bottle, so it is impossible to guess what it looked liked or how it actually navigated within the the body cavity.

Steiff has a long history of creating fun and functional items, including purses, pajama bags, egg cozies, and other rarities - including hot water bottle animals. Most collectors are familiar with the company's adorable and fabulous hot water bottle bears, which were originally produced at the turn of last century in response to record cold winters in Berlin. Only a handful of these lace-up, mohair cubs were manufactured, and they always garner enormous collector's interest when they appear at auction. As far as Steiffgal is aware, this relatively modern hot water bottle rabbit is one of the few (if not the only) postwar hot water bottle animals made by Steiff.  

Steiffgal hopes that this discussion on these two rare Easter bunnies has satisfied your rabbit-habit!

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

Sending Hoppy Easter Greetings From Our Home To Yours!

Well, the big day is almost here - Easter! And Steiffgal is sending you her "official" greetings via a friend who is more than qualified to handle that public service responsibility. Please say hello to "The Mayor," a perfect ambassador to Spring's most anticipated holiday!

So just who is this impressive Easter-beaster?  The Mayor, a 60 cm boy rabbit doll, gets his name from his impressive size, serious expression, and business attire. His "birth" name, given by Steiff, is Hansili. He is standing on flat cardboard lined feet, head jointed, and primarily made from wool plush fabric. His core body and paw pads are made from a flesh-colored, lightly flocked fabric. The Mayor's face comes to life with oversized black and brown pupil eyes, a red hand embroidered nose and mouth, clear monofilament whiskers, and skillfully placed brown and tan airbrushed highlights. His ears are entirely wool plush, lined in wires, and are posable. His all-original outfit consists of blue felt shorts with red felt suspenders, a white polyester, collared, buttoned shirt, a red and white neckerchief, and a floral corsage. This big bunny retains his named chest tag as his Steiff ID. The Mayor was made in this size from 1951 through 1966; a matching 60 cm girl rabbit doll version was also produced at the same time. 

It's easy to see how The Mayor won his leadership role by a landslide vote. He has several noteworthy features that make him quite the man about town.

First is his size.  The Mayor, as far as Steiffgal can tell, is the largest standard line, dressed animal doll Steiff ever produced on a commercial scale.  A Steiff animal doll is different than a dressed Steiff animal; an animal doll has a special, distinctly humanly styled and proportioned body and a traditional Steiff animal head.  A dressed Steiff animal may be any animal in the Steiff line dressed by the company or dressed by a collector.  Steiff produced a fantastic series of animal dolls starting in the late 1920's.  Early versions are highly coveted among collectors. 

Second is his material. The Mayor is made from wool plush.  That in itself is not remarkable, but the timing is. This fabric is usually associated with Steiff's production before, and then for several years after, World War II.  It is often considered a substitute fabric for mohair, and is beloved for its distinctly old fashioned look. The Mayor could have been produced as late as 1966, especially given his shirt is made out of a relatively modern polyester material. It is possible that The Mayor is one of the last, if not the last, mid 20th century item to reflect design elements and materials associated with war-era production.  

The third is his condition.  Despite possibly being over a half century old, The Mayor has managed to keep himself in fine and youthful shape overall.  He hardly has a hare out of place!  His coloring, especially on his head and ears is vibrant, and his materials show a little playwear, but no losses or damages.  It is pretty amazing that he retains his original floral corsage and named chest tag.  These are two very ephemeral items that are lost to time more often than not.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on "The Mayor" helps to govern you towards a delightful Easter weekend!

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

Getting Ready For Easter With Some Remarkable Steiff Rabbit Auction Highlights!

Hoppy almost Easter to you! Let's celebrate this much-loved holiday with a look at several really interesting and seldom seen rabbits that recently sold at auction in Germany. This sale, held by Ladenburger Spielzeugauktion on March 31, 2017, featured about 125 lots of vintage Steiff. Here are four "bunny-honeys" to get you in the mood for next week's celebration of renewal, peace, and all things spring.

This first auction highlight is certainly the wheel-deal. Here we have a delightful rabbit on eccentric wooden wheels. He is cataloged as, "hare on wooden excenter-wheels, with button, long stretched F, white/brown mohair, felt paws and shoe button eyes underlaid with red felt, length: 14 cm height: 11 cm, unusual." According to the website Liveauctioneers.com, who hosted the auction online, this rabbit was estimated at 150 to 300 euro and hammered at 800 euro. Adding in the sale's 21% buyer's premium, his final price was 968 euro or about $1,025.

This happy hopper is so appealing in many ways. This wheeled design was made in 6, 8, 10, and 12 cm from 1924-1928 overall. Its hard not to fall for his petite proportions, life-life eye treatment, and patched-in coloration, which is quite typical to his period of production. This model incorporates a standard line Steiff rabbit on all fours which was produced in white and brown mohair or black and brown mohair in 6, 8, 10, 12, and 14 cm from 1923-1928 overall. 

Our second rabbit highlight deserves a standing ovation. Here we have a wooden begging rabbit on wheels. He is cataloged as, "wood hare, on wheels, produced between 1922 - 1934, button, with long stretched F, 15 cm, slightly used, unusual." According to Liveauctioneers, this rabbit was estimated at 120 to 240 euro and hammered at 1,100 euro. Adding in the sale's 21% buyer's premium, his final price was 1,331 euro or about $1,410.

What's not to love about this egg-cellent Steiff rabbit? This ideal Steiff Easter rabbit toy was made in 15 and 20 cm from 1922 through 1934. His colors are bright, fresh, and happy, and his design can't help but make you smile. Although not as well known as their soft plush and mohair dolls, bears, and animals - at least here in the USA - Steiff's wooden toys, scooters, blocks, games, and other playthings were prominent production categories from the late 19-teens through the early 1940's.

Wooden it be nice to add this next rabbit rarity to your Steiff bunny hug? Here we have a delightful and really unusual rabbit cart. He is cataloged as, "Haswag animal car, c. produced between 1927 - 1936, button, with long stretched F, wood paws and tail mechanism are intact, lenght: c. 25 cm, height: 17 cm, depth: 10 cm, unusual, rare." According to Liveauctioneers, this rabbit was estimated at 150 to 300 euro and hammered at 2,800 euro. Adding in the sale's 21% buyer's premium, his final price was 3,388 euro or about $3,588.

This particular rabbit has Steiffgal moving and grooving for sure. This finely constructed and painted cart was produced in this size only from 1927 through 1936, as noted in his cataloging. What's so cool about this piece is that when he is pulled along, the rabbit's paws and tail move in response to his wheels spinning about. Steiffgal suspects that this movement is triggered by some simple gear connection, located on the underside of the cart. Steiff has a long and interesting history of creating movement associated with wheeled items. These including its beloved arm pumping "Record" animals on Irish mail carts and its head bobbing/nodding examples on wooden wheels, among others. 

If candy is dandy, than this last Steiff rabbit auction highlight is simply sugar heaven. Here we have a very large begging Steiff rabbit that truly looks as if he may be made from chocolate! He is cataloged as "hare, produced c. 1927 - 1937, with button, long stretched F, 44 cm, squirted mohair, in very good condition, nice strong colors, swivel head." According to Liveauctioneers, this rabbit was estimated at 300 to 600 euro and hammered at 2,000 euro. Adding in the sale's 21% buyer's premium, his final price was 2,420 euro or about $2,563.

There's not a hare out of place in this delightful Steiff bunny! This begging pattern was produced in light brown, white, gold, purple, pink, and light blue in 11, 15, 18, 23, 29, 36, 44, 50, and 70 cm from 1926 through 1941 overall. The white versions were produced with outstanding pink and red albino eyes; all left the factory with a big bow and a brass bell. This rabbit's coloration is interesting for two reasons. First, it is the only "non-jellybean" color in the series. All the others produced were lighter, more celebratory, and childlike in hue. Second, his fabric is specifically noted as "squirted mohair."  Steiffgal is guessing that this may mean "tipped." It is hard to tell from his photo if the brown fabric on this example is all brown or brown tipped. If it is indeed tipped, than this detailing aligns quite closely with the production time of other beloved Steiff designs of the 1920's that also feature tipped fabric. These include Happy, Petsy, and Teddy Clown - all who are known for their delightful and interesting brown and white mohair.

Steiffgal hopes you have enjoyed this overview of some of Steiff's more unusual Easter-Beasters.

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

Hopping Towards Easter With These Great Vintage Steiff Rabbits

Who's got a spring in their step? The Easter bunny, of course! And he's about to be called into action in a very big way on Sunday! Steiff and Easter go hand in hand as the company has made so many beautiful bunnies over the years. One particular model occupies a rare and interesting place in the company's history. She debuted in the late 1930's and stayed in the line through 1976. As such, she was produced in many different materials over time. Check out these three examples of Steiff's "hopping" style rabbits from the late 1930's to the early 1950's and see what a difference the choice of fabric can make!

It's easy to have a plush-crush on this first example. This wool plush hopping rabbit is 17 cm tall, unjointed, and made from tan colored wool plush. This material has a short, bumpy texture to it and is more "continuous" than mohair, which tends to have a more "bristle" feel to it. Rabbit has darker tan airbrushing on her back and black highlights around her tail and on the tips of her ears - which are lined in tan airbrushed felt and highlighted with pink. Rabbit has a simple pink hand embroidered mouth and nose and brown and black pupil eyes. She retains her original bow and bell and her short "trailing f" Steiff button as her ID. 

This exact rabbit is not noted in the Steiff Sortiment, although an identical looking one made from "woolen mohair" and produced in 12, 14, 17, and 22 cm from 1938 through 1943 is. It was not unusual for Steiff to produce popular, standard line items in wool plush in the 1930's and early 1940's. For example, Steiffgal has a charming wool plush Jocko who is also not noted in the standard reference books.  It is most likely that this Jocko is from the late 1930's or early 1940's.  It is Steiffgal's best guess, given her materials and ID, that this wool plush hopping rabbit is from that same time period and is based on the model made from "woolen mohair." 

This second example of Steiff's hopping rabbit is smooth as silk. This example is 14 cm, unjointed, and made from tan colored artificial silk plush. This material has a very smooth, soft feeling to it and catches light well with its nice sheen. Her coat is brought to life with tan, grey and black airbrushing. Typical to the pattern, her ears are lined in felt and outlined in black and her face is detailed with black and brown pupil eyes, a pink hand embroidered nose and mouth that is highlighted with a touch of pink paint. This example glides along on four red wooden off-center wheels. She retains her original blue ribbon and her short "trailing f" Steiff button and traces of her yellow ear tag as her Steiff IDs. This hoppy-go-lucky charmer was manufactured in this size in 1949 only.  

Artificial silk plush was a popular fabric used by Steiff around and just after World War II. During this period, when woolen fabrics and felt were not generally available for toymaking, Steiff "improvised" with artificial silk plush materials to manufacture some of its most beloved designs traditionally made from mohair - like this rabbit on wheels. Artificial silk plush was a cheaper, lower cost, and poorer quality option, but it was available on commercial scale. And "silk" most likely refers to the shine and softness of the plush. However, this synthetic material tended to lose its sheen and good looks quite quickly; as a result, it unusual to find Steiff artificial silk plush items in great condition today.  

Today's third Steiff hopping rabbit is a charm.  And a charmer!  This sweet girl is 14 cm and made from Steiff's traditional mohair.  She shares her relative's coloring and construction, including the model's distinctive felt lined ears trimmed in black airbrushing.  She appeared in the line from 1949 through 1976 in 8, 14, and 17 cm; she was simply called Hase or Rabbit to 1973 and Hoppy from 1974 onward.  This mohair hopping rabbit was made in the very earliest part of that time frame.

Unlike her earlier relatives, this early post war mohair rabbit is relatively common as many were made over a long period of time.  However, this particular example has a capital differentiator.  Her ear button is the very unusual "block letter" version, meaning every letter in the word "Steiff" on the button appears as a capital letter.  These buttons are extremely rare and appear very infrequently on items from the late 1940's through the very early 1950's.  Steiffgal only has 5 items in her entire collection with this very seldom seen form of ID. 

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on these hopping rabbits has you jumping for joy in anticipation of Easter!

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

Setting Records With This Wonderful Steiff Vintage Rabbit on Wheels!

Hoppy Easter, dear Steiff friends and collectors!  Just in the nick of time, look who just cruised into town - a marvelous vintage Steiff bunny on wheels.  No wonder he's on a cart and taking things easy today... he had a very long night of delivering candy worldwide last night!  Let's take a look at this rolling rabbit and see what makes him our much deserved "Celebrity of the Week!".

This cheerful-earful has enormous appeal!  He is 25 cm tall overall, five ways jointed, solidly stuffed with excelsior, and made from blond mohair.  Rabbit has very straight arms, thick and chunky thighs, and long narrow feet.  He does not have any paw pads.  His distinctly old fashioned face is detailed with oversized black and brown glass pupil eyes, a pink nose, and a black mouth.  There is a tiny spot of red on the tip of his mouth, perhaps to suggest his tongue.  He retains a few of his clear monofilament whiskers.  He rides upon a metal carriage with four large wooden wheels.  When the cart is pulled along, it appears that the rabbit is bobbing up and down, pumping the carriage forward with his arms and body.

Steiff produced these pull toy rabbits in 25 cm from 1926 through 1943, and then again from 1949 through 1964.  They were called "Record Rabbits" from 1926 through 1950, and then "Record Hansi" from 1951 through 1964.  A post war Steiff "Record Hansi" is pictured here on the left for reference.

It's never polite to ask someone's age (or weight) for sure.  And we can't check out his driver's license to get this information, unfortunately.  But it would be very interesting to know about how old he is, given he does not have any IDs, and appeared in the Steiff line for almost four decades!  Dating Steiff "legacy" items without IDs, like Jockos, Mollies, and Waldis - to name a few - can be very challenging.  It is also an art more than science, where tiny details and differences can help at least narrow down a production time frame. 

Based on a few hours of research and comparing photos of Steiff's wheeled and period rabbits from the late 1920's through the mid 1960's, it is Steiffgal's best guess that this particular example is from the pre-war production timeframe.  Here's why:

1.  The rabbit under discussion here has a hand embroidered, closed mouth.  Steiff's "record" style rabbits produced post WWII seem to have open, smiling, mouths.  You can clearly see this difference in the two photos above.

2.  The rabbit under discussion here has really large glass pupil eyes, giving him that distinct "youthful" look of items designed and produced in the late 1920's.  They have a distinct arch of blush/tan colored highlighting around them, which is typical to other Steiff rabbits from the late 1920's period.  You can see these facial details here on the photo here on the left. These eyes also exactly match those of other late 1920's era Steiff items in Steiffgal's collection.  Steiff's "record" style rabbits produced post WWII seem to feature smaller, more proportional eyes. 

3.  The rabbit under discussion here has extremely narrow feet and no felt paw pads.  Steiff's "record" style rabbits produced post WWII seem to have wider feet and felt paw pads. You can see these paws on the photo of the Record Hansi above.

4.  The rabbit under discussion here has a tiny drop of red on his lips; this is pictured close up on the photo to the left. The only other rabbit that comes to Steiffgal's mind that has this red dot lip feature and nose stitching pattern is a late 1920's rabbit that was auctioned off at the James D. Julia 2014 early summer toy auction.  You can check out that 1920's rabbit by clicking here; you can also see how it shares many of the same facial characteristics, general proportions, and scale of the "mystery" record rabbit.

So, what do you think about this rabbit on the go? Is he the "wheel deal" in terms of his senior citizen status? If Steiffgal had to put her money on this record style bunny, she'd date him to about 1930, give or take a handful of years. But, only he knows for sure!
 
Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this Steiff rabbit on wheels is truly one for the record!

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

An Easter Interview With Steiff's Beloved Niki Rabbit

Who's your best Easter-beaster?  That one Steiff rabbit that simply takes your breath away, makes you smile, or even brings back many happy childhood memories?  For many Steiff enthusiasts, that would have to be Steiff's beloved Niki, who just happened to stop by the Steiffgal studios for a chat today in honor of the upcoming Easter holiday.  Here's what he had to say!

Steiffgal:  Niki, thank you for dropping by today.  Clearly, given the holiday weekend, its a very busy time for you.

Niki:  Yes, its the busiest time for sure!  But I just wanted to thank all the Steiff fans out there for their interest and support over all these years.  Steiff introduced my pattern in 1951... 62 years ago... and I have never stopped feeling the love.  My family and I really appreciate that!

Steiffgal:  It's safe to say that your design was so popular that it multiplied like jackrabbits.  Tell us about that.  

Niki:  It is true that our original design and range in the Steiff line was "hare-raising."  Some people even consider Niki rabbits to be one of the most beloved and collectible postwar Steiff patterns ever produced!  I cannot argue with that.  All of my relatives were made from tan or light grey mohair, had oversized brown and black pupil eyes, pink hand-embroidered triangular noses, and felt foot paw pads. We all also had really big feet - better to hop with, I guess.  Larger Niki rabbits had mohair-lined ears and an open, peach-colored felt mouth, while the smallest Niki rabbits had pink velvet lined ears and a closed mouth, indicated by black embroidery. Overall, my family was produced by Steiff in 1951 through 1964 in 14, 17, 22, 28, and 35 cm.

Steiffgal:  Steiff rabbits are a classic Steiff design, so much that they are given their very own chapter in Gunther Pfeiffer’s “Steiff Sortiment” books.  It is also no surprise that rabbits appeared in the first printed Steiff catalog; interestingly, at least seven different rabbit designs were featured in this debut issue of 1892! Given all that history, you had mighty big legacy shoes to fill.

Niki:  Yes, but we all jumped for joy at the challenge.  Steiff gave Niki rabbits three really unique features that all but insured our blue-ribbon bunny status with collectors. 

• The first is that we are all five ways jointed. This is exceptionally rare for Steiff rabbits. The vast majority of vintage Steiff rabbits are not jointed or simply head jointed. Five-way jointing is labor intensive and, in turn, quite expensive from a production standpoint. 
• The second is that the larger Niki rabbits have open mouths. As far as my family-tree research reveals, we are the very first Steiff rabbits to be produced with an open mouth.  This, of course, makes eating carrots much easier.  
• And third, we have a distinct playfulness that is quite reflective of the era in which we were designed - the very early 1950's. 

Steiffgal:  Niki, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us today.  And good luck preparing for Easter - but we are all sure you will do an egg-cellent job!

Niki:  Thank you.  Here's wishing everyone a 14 carrot gold holiday!

No Lying, Here Are Some Perfect Steiff Pint-Sized Easter Treats

What's the most important treat the Easter bunny can deliver... candy or a Steiff treasure?  Well, Steiffgal would be fibbing if she said she didn't really love sweets, almost as much as Steiff!  And both are essential in the perfect Easter basket.  Here are three tiny vintage "lying style" treats that are perfect for a Steiff lover's Easter basket... that also leave plenty of space for chocolate bunnies, jelly beans, and other seasonal goodies. 

Wouldn't ewe just love to curl up with this first featured friend?  Here we have a very sweet example of Steiff's relatively hard to find lying Lamm or lamb. This little handful is all of 10 cm, curled up, unjointed, and made from white wool plush. She has green and black glass slit pupil eyes and a simple hand embroidered nose and mouth. When she left the factory in Germany, she was detailed with a baby blue silk ribbon and a brass bell.  This pattern was made in 10 and 14 cm from 1954 through 1955 and then again in 1966 through 1972 in 25 cm.  It is interesting to note that on this particular example, her chest tag has the name "Lamby" on it, although she appears in the reference books simply as Lamb.

Our next barnyard basket buddy just may get your goat - with his cuteness, that is!  Here we have Steiff's Ziege or goat.  He is 10 cm, lying, and made from tan mohair that has been nicely highlighted with darker tan airbrushing on his body, legs, and face.  Goat's ears and the underside of his tail are made from peach colored felt.  His face is detailed with green and black slit pupil eyes, a black hand embroidered nose and mouth, and just a touch of red around his lips.  Goat retains his original colorful bear faced chest tag, salmon colored silk ribbon, and bitty brass bell.  This design was made in 10 and 14 cm from 1954 through 1956 only, and is considered relatively rare.  Like his sister Lamb discussed above, it is interesting to note that on this particular example, goat's chest tag has the name "Zicky" on it, although he appears in the reference books simply as Ziege.

Of course, rabbits are the perfect Easter accessory, so this last selection should put everyone "at ease."  Here we have Steiff’s 6 cm Lieg Hase, or Lying Rabbit. And by “lying,” Steiffgal means “outstretched,” not “dishonest.” This rabbit is reclining and made from mohair. She is head jointed and has quite a prominent “tail end.” Her ears are lined in pink velvet and she has a pink, hand-embroidered nose; black lips, and clear monofilament whiskers. Probably her most eye-catching feature is her outstanding black and white google-style peepers! This basking bunny was made in 6, 9, and 12 cm from 1953 through 1970.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on little lying Steiff Easter-themed treasures has been a breath of spring air for you.

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

Steiff's Perfect Vintage Easter Rabbit

Hippity, hoppity, Easter's on its way!  What wonderful words, given the cold and snowy winter we've all experienced here in the Northeast.  In just a few weeks, we can all hope for a visit from the Easter rabbit, with a basket or two full of goodies in tow.  But have you ever imagined what this most famous Easter "hare-binger" actually looks like?  Steiffgal has... and here's what she came up with!

If this beautiful bunny doesn't put a little spring in your step, Steiffgal's not sure what would!  What we have here is Steiff's Hase or Rabbit.  She measures 26 cm head to toe, and 33 cm ear-tips to toe.  She is begging, head jointed, and has a non-working squeaker in her belly.  She is entirely made from white mohair, including the lining of her ears. Her charming face is detailed with a simple pink hand embroidered nose and mouth, clear monofilament whiskers, and over sized pink and red albino style glass eyes.  Surprisingly, she does not have any hand or foot claw stitching.  Hase's Steiff ID includes a long trailing "f" Steiff button and remains of her red ear tag.  Her large pink silk ribbon is not original to her, but suits her perfectly! 

According to Steiff records, this particular model was made from 1927 through 1941 in 11, 15, 18, 23, 29, 36, 44, 50, and 70 cm.  (It is not 100% clear which size this bunny under discussion falls as she is a little tall, or a little short to standard; this happens alot given the hand-made nature of early Steiff treasures.)  Hase came in light brown, white, gold, purple pink, and light blue mohair.  Steiff also made this same popular pattern in velvet from 1927 through 1932 in 11, 15, and 18 cm in white, purple, orange, light brown, light blue, pink, and yellow.  All models left the factory with a pastel colored silk ribbon and a bell.  

It is hard not to take notice of this rabbit's large and unusual eyes.  Steiff started using glass pupil eyes on their Teddy bears, animals, and dolls in the early 19-teens when manufacturing and distribution processes made it economically feasible to do so. The company soon started experimenting with different glass eye color combinations and even sizes to give their products a unique, or authentic, touch.  For example, early Steiff cats often had hazel or greenish-blue slit glass pupil eyes, much like real cats. Some novelty items, like Petsy the Baby Bear, Bonzo, and Cheerio, had deep blue and black glass pupil eyes.   This gave them a "special" quality.  Many dogs launched in the 1920's through the early 1930's had larger brown and black pupil eyes to suggest a wide-eyed and youthful innocence.  These would include Molly, Bully, and Charly, just to name a few.  And then of course there is this albino rabbit, with his delightful red and pink pupil glass eyes - clearly a "focal point" of his marvelous design.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on her perfect Steiff Easter Rabbit is sweeter than a big box of marshmallow Peeps - and far more healthy!

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