What a Devilishly Interesting Steiff Mystery!

The devil made me do it! But in this case, it's all in good fun! Check out this note from a new friend who asks about an unusual item she found among her Mother's things. What do we have here? And could this man in red be made by Steiff? Darcie shares:

"I have a red devil doll with a Steiff tag but it is not attached. So I am not sure if it was made by Steiff. I thought Steiff’s have the metal button/tag on them. Can you help?"

Well hell-o handsome! What a great find! Although not specified, it would be Steiffgal's best bet that this devil doll is nearly identical to the blue felt version Steiff made of the Duke University Blue Devil mascot. The Duke Devil was jointed, with a felt body and a rubber head with horns. He was detailed with a blue felt suit, long blue felt tail, and white felt shoes, and carried a three pointed spear. He appeared in the Steiff line from 1954-1958, and then again from 1959-1963 as part of Steiff's early post war series of university and institutional mascots. These charming mascots were featured in F.A.O. Schwarz's catalogs in the early 1950s. 

So what might be the story behind this uncatalogued red version? Steiffgal suspects it might be a sample or very low edition as she has never seen or heard of a red version previous to this one. The handwritten number "7128" on the early postwar ear tag provided by Darcie refers to 7= in caricature, 1= felt, and 28= 28 cm tall. This makes sense in terms of this guy for sure. 7128 is also the number of the earliest blue Duke Blue Devil mascot edition. Perhaps this red felt version with the US Zone tag and raised script button was made in the c. 1951-1953 time frame (before the launch of the Duke version) when you see items with the US Zone tag, for the most part. It is entirely possible that Steiff saw greater market potential and interest in making this rubber devil doll in blue as the Duke mascot than simply in generic red.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this rare devil doll has fired up your interest in the company's unusual mid-century production.

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

This Steifff Woolen Miniature Kitten is Purr-Fect In Every Way

How can something so amazingly tiny be so amazingly cute? Well, size really defies in the case of this very appealing Steiff woolen miniature cat. Steiffgal's been hoping to add one of these fancy felines to her hug for awhile, so she was delighted when this one arrived on little cat's feet. Take a look at this little darling and just try NOT to fall in love with her. 

This happy handful is Steiff's 1970-era woolen miniature cat. She is 6 cm and head jointed. Cat is constructed from grey and white woolen yarn; her body is made from longer threads while her head is made from shorter threads. She has tiny triangular grey felt ears. Her face comes to life with green and black slit pupil eyes, a touch of pink to indicate her mouth, and clear monofilament whiskers. Her pink bow is original to her. This basic design was produced in white; white, grey, black and brown; white and black; white and orange brown; and white and grey in 4 and 6 cm from 1970-1974.

In addition to her Steiff button and eartag, this pretty kitty also has a naturally colored wooden tag indicating she was originally purchased at F.A.O. Schwarz. This tag has the identical gold F.A.O. Schwarz bell logo on both sides; its cord is a piece of silky yellow floss. The bell first appeared in the company's advertising and in the stores in 1880. It is based on a similar bell that was carved into the Schwarz family's dining room table at their home in Greenwich, CT as a symbol of success and prosperity. Most of these F.A.O. Schwarz wooden bell tags are red, but Steiffgal has seen a few of these naturally colored ones on items from the 1970s, including Steiff's legacy "mask" style Teddy bears. 

Here on the left, you can see the original Steiff catalog page from 1972 promoting their range of woolen miniature friends. If you click on it, you can make it bigger. The cats are featured on the top left. According to the description, the 4 cm versions cost 3.10 marks and the 6 cm versions cost 4.50 marks. Another woolen miniature cat - a 5 cm sitting version with a mohair tail that appeared in the line from 1954-1978 - cost 4.25 marks. Using an inflation calculator, in 2020 dollars, that means that the 5 cm sitting cat cost the equivalent of $14.63, the 4 cm lying cat cost the equivalent $10.68, and the 6 cm lying cat, the one under discussion here, cost the equivalent of $15.50.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this relatively rare Steiff woolen miniature cat has given you the warm fuzzies.

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

Boys Will Be Boys With This Midcentury Steiff Cowboy Doll

Winston Churchill once said, "No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle." And Steiffgal's certain this rare Steiff cowboy would agree wholeheartedly! Take a look at this marvelous mid-century Steiff doll and see what makes him so interesting from the design and product development perspectives.

Boys will be boys with this precious Steiff "Cowboy." He is 17 cm tall and arm jointed. He has a molded rubber head and a cloth body. His face comes to life with realistic and well contouring painting and details. His handsomely tailored and coordinated shirt, pants, vest, hat, and bandana are made from felt, calico, and leather. These items are not removable from his body. His accessories include a wooden gun housed in a leather holster; these are suspended on his original leather belt. This particular doll design was made in 12 and 17 cm from 1954 through 1957. The smaller size has a rubber body and head, while the larger size has a rubber head and cloth body. The larger one - the one under discussion here today - has the product number "117." This translates to 1=standing and 17=17 cm tall.

Cowboy made his home on the range at a really interesting time in the Steiff product development timeline. Prewar, Steiff''s doll line was primarily felt-centric. From the turn of last century through the mid-1930s, the vast majority of Steiff's standard line dolls had a felt face with either a prominent horizontal or vertical seam. Starting in the mid-1930s, the company produced its dolls with seamless, pressed felt faces.


Postwar, dolls with rubber heads (like Cowboy) took center stage at Steiff. This new way of manufacturing dolls enabled the company to introduce a great number of brand new, contemporary models in just a handful of years. These debut rubber headed models, including a series of dwarfs (Gucki, Lucki, and Lucki), Santa Claus, clowns, and of course the Horzu hedgehogs Mecki and Micki, were far more economical to produce than their labor intensive forefathers, and had a "modern" (for their era) look and feel. It is interesting to note that the dwarfs and Santa share the same facial detailing.

One of the strategies that Steiff adopted to regain its prewar prominence in the toy world postwar was to produce unique offerings exclusively for the US market. Postwar, the company employed two US distributors, Reeves International and the Loucap Company, to insure that their button in ear treasures were represented in as many high quality retail stores as possible. Both Reeves and Loucap created special Steiff exclusives for their retailers. Steiff had also been working with F.A.O. Schwarz in the US since 1906. Geopolitical and trade issues put a huge damper on this relationship from the mid-1930s onward. However, this relationship was reignited in the late 1940s/early 1950s, and a series of delightful Steiff/F.A.O. Schwarz exclusives emerged as a result. A little known one is the “Cowboy Tramp Set” exclusive introduced in 1954; it consisted of the 17 cm Cowboy doll under discussion today and a sweet mohair pony. You can see the catalog photo for this dynamic duo here on the left.

The cataloging for this Cowboy Tramp Set noted, "No rags or cutaways for this young fellow, but a cowboy outfit of matching brown felt chaps and vest, checkered shirt, slouch hat, gay kerchief, felt, and holster. Has molded face with bulbous one and roguish grin - strictly and individualist. Body of his chubby little pony is firm, covered with brown spots. Has a white mane and long white tail. Sports a red leather bridle."

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on the company's 1950s era cowboy doll has been a pleasant ride!

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

Care To Take Flight With This Red Woolen Miniature Bird?

We all love to feather our nests with fine Steiff treasures! Some of us prefer bears, or dolls, or the company's delightful menagerie of other animals. Check out this note from a new friend in New York who just happens to love Steiff's woolen miniature birds. He came across an unusual example and wants to learn more about it. What do you think about his fine feathered friend? He shares, 

"I have been collecting Steiff wool birds for about 10 years. I have one odd item in my collection which I hope you might be able to shed some light on. This bird was purchased online a few years ago from the original owner. Around the late 1950s, she and her siblings received Steiff wool miniatures each year at Easter, purchased at F.A.O. Schwarz. This bird was one of those she received. I have not seen any others like it. .... Do you know if this bird was a standard item, or maybe a special for F.A.O. Schwarz? Any other information you can provide would be most appreciated."

Bird's the word with this thoughtful inquiry! It is Steffgal's suspicion that this bird was not made by Steiff, but was made by another company to somewhat resemble the company's woolen miniature "exotic songbird" pattern. These pretty Steiff pets are 9 cm tall, standing, head jointed, and made from colorful woolen yarns. They come to life with a small felt beak, felt tail feathers, pert, tiny black button eyes, and plastic feet and legs. These were produced in a number of colors including yellow and white, blue and white, green and white, and red and white from 1953-1958 overall. They were also packaged as a "bird tree" on a wooden display as a standard line item from 1953-1956. You can see the bird tree and the range of exotic birds here on the left. The photos are from Pfeiffer's Sortiment book; you can click on the image to make it larger.

Birds of a feather flock together, so it is no surprise that the differences between the inquirer's bird and the standard Steiff exotic bird are pretty subtle. The Steiff exotic songbird version has three longer, narrower top feathers while the inquirer's has four rounded ones that look more like a comb. The Steiff version has seven tail feathers that are more integral to the bird; the inquirer's version also has and seven tail feathers, but they fan out more like the letter V. The Steiff version has black eyes and a small black felt beak. The inquirer's bird has red eyes and a larger scaled, dark red felt beak. The legs on both versions are similar; this is entirely possible as it is Steiffgal's understanding that Steiff did not manufacture the plastic legs but purchased them from a specialty company. As such, the plastic manufacturer could provide the same legs to multiple customers. Steiffgal suspects that the company that made this bird changed up the details and coloration a bit from Steiff's to insure that they were not infringing on Steiff's designs.

Now let's catalog a little of this bird's retail origins. Even though this bird does not appear to be made by Steiff, it is entirely possible that it was purchased at F.A.O. Schwarz. Steiffgal has a woolen miniature bird in her collection that was not made by Steiff, but also purchased at F.A.O. Schwarz. F.A.O. Schwarz had multiple suppliers providing items across categories. The inquirer also asks about the possibility of this bird being an exclusive item for F.A.O Schwarz. Even if it were made by Steiff (and it almost certainly was not), this bird is too "small" with not enough "value" to make it worth either company's time in creating an exclusive product - which took alot of effort and resources on all ends. Having worked on Steiff and F.A.O. Schwarz exclusives firsthand in the past, Steiffgal can attest to this with certainty.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on exotic midcentury birds has been a rare treat for you.

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

Horsing Around With This Charming Mare Pair

Are you ready for another Steiff mane event? Well, this one's twice as nice, as it features a pair of ponies! Check out this note from Steiff superfan Tom about his wife's childhood friends. He shares...

"Hi! I am hoping to find out about these two 7" horses. They were my wife's when she was a child, and if they are worth insuring, we would like to know. Also, when they were made, if they have an "item #" and description. Thank you!"

Well, its off to the races with these fine fillies. These both are Steiff ponies made exclusively for the high end North American toy retailer F.A.O. Schwarz. They are standing, unjointed, and made from tan mohair that is airbrushed with lovely chestnut highlights. Their manes and tails are made from very long greyish white mohair. Their faces are detailed with black button eyes and a little hand stitched and airbrushed mouth. Overall, this design is extremely realistic, appealing, and playful - all at the same time! 

In terms of history, this pony pattern was produced from 1963 through 1972 in this size only. Its article number is 3759/02. According to the original F.A.O. Schwarz catalog, this horse was described as “… a handsome 8.5 inch steed covered in tan and white mohair plush with flowing white mane and tail. Complete with brindle, saddle, and saddle blanket. An F.A.O. Schwarz exclusive. A toy to excite your child’s imagination, to give fun-filled hours, and provide fond memories that happily can last a lifetime.” As noted in the cataloging, these horses all left the factory in Giengen with lovely, to-scale fittings; from the photo Tom provided it appears that several of these items have been lost to time. The picture on the left, from Steiffgal's collection, shows this pony with all of her original accessories, including tiny stirrups.

Tom is also chomping at the bit to learn the value of these horses. As always, something is worth what someone will pay for it, and Steiffgal has not seen these horses firsthand to check for condition. They are lovely, but have some key issues - including missing accessories and IDs and light playwear. In the past two years, complete F.A.O Schwarz horses in very good to excellent condition with all IDs have sold in the c. $118-$495 range on eBay. It would be Steiffgal's best guessimate that "Tom's twins" might trade hands on a similar online channel in the c. $75-$120 range each. This assumes that they are as presented without any significant structural or aesthetic issues not captured on camera.

Steiffgal hopes you've enjoyed today's equine stable fable!

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

The Cattle Battle Is On With Steiff's Fantastic Vintage Oxen

Ok, it's time to get to work! But don't worry, this task is a labor of love. Let's take a look at an interesting Steiff pattern that really pulls its weight when it comes to its interesting design and history. Without further ado, please say hello to Steiff's Oxy Oxen!

The cattle-battle is on with this truly novel Steiff collectible. Oxy is standing and unjointed. His body is made mostly from tan mohair with great brown airbrush highlights and stripes on his back, legs, and face. His horns, very prominent nose, and dewlap are made from tan velvet. His face comes to life with pert mohair ears and black and white style google eyes. This pattern was made in 10, 14, and 22 cm from 1953-1957. The smallest version has a cord tail, the medium version has a velvet tail tipped in mohair, and the largest version has a mohair tail tipped in mohair. The largest version also has a long mohair forehead area. This Oxy pattern is quite endearing - and also quite interesting, given his mix of fabrics and whimsical presentation.

Oxen are traditional laboring animals, and are usually castrated adult male cattle. However, sometimes females and intact males are given jobs to do as well. Research suggests that oxen were first harnessed and put to work around 4000 BC. Oxen are a legacy pattern for Steiff. They first appeared in the line in 1897 made from spotted white felt and on wheels. The following year they debuted freestanding in 12, 14, 17, and 22 cm. By 1903 they were also being produced in velvet. Although Steiff started significantly integrating mohair materials into their product design and development around 1903, it was not until 1909 that the company produced their first mohair ox. This pattern was made from patched tan and reddish brown mohair and appeared on wheels; it was produced overall in 14, 17, 22, 28, 35, 43, 50, 60, and 80 cm through 1943. An example of Steiff's mohair ox on wheels from the 1920's is shown here on the left; it was sold in 2015 at James D. Julia for $830. Steiff's freestanding mohair ox appeared in 17, 22, and 28 cm from 1929 through 1943 overall.

But there's even more to this cattle call. You cannot help but notice that Steiff's postwar Oxy pattern has a number of design and material similarities with another, and even rarer, special edition. This is the company's Texas Longhorn, which was produced as an exclusive for the upscale US toy retailer F.A.O. Schwarz. This treasure, made in 1960 only, is considered by many enthusiasts to be one of the most collectible Steiff and F.A.O. Schwarz collaborations of all times.

Steiff's Texas Longhorns usually causes a stampede when one appears on the secondary market. This big boy is 25 cm, standing, unjointed, and made from mohair. His detailing is quite distinctive and includes a velvet dewlap extending from his neck to his lower chest, googly black-and-white eyes, and an open, peach felt lined mouth. Only a handful of Texas Longhorns were made. Some had prominent faux leather horns, while others had rubber horns. These rubber horns are similar to those seen on the company's Yuku Pronghorn Antelope, which appeared in the line 22 and 35 cm from 1962 to 1963.   

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's Oxy has not been heavy lifting for you.

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

Welcome To Our World Of Toys!

It's no surprise that a lot of Steiff collectors associate all things button-in-ear with F.A.O. Schwarz. After all, it was at this magical place that many youngsters first encountered Giengen's finest Teddy bears, animals, and dolls. The Schwarz brothers "discovered" Steiff bears around 1906, and immediately started to feature them in their stores in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. Over time, many Schwarz locations had collections of life-sized, or "Studio" animals displayed throughout their stores, Steiff animals playfully decorating their store windows, and a "Noah's ark" range of mohair and plush friends available for sale. Just thinking about those things puts Steiffgal in a very happy place! Here on the left, you can see a 1967 advertisement for the store, featuring a Steiff Teddy bear in the upper left hand corner.

Steiff and F.A.O. Schwarz also have a very special relationship in terms of exclusive items. Although the stores had been featuring Steiff items since the turn of last century, it wasn't until the 1950's that Steiff began designing and creating store-exclusive products in very small edition sizes for F.A.O. Schwarz. As such, these rare and extremely special items are particularly desirable to collectors today - especially because the future of F.A.O. Schwarz is unclear. If you are interested in F.A.O. Schwarz Steiff exclusives (and other outstanding vintage playthings), then be sure to check out the upcoming Premier Toy Sale at Morphy Auctions on June 24th-26th, 2016. The sale features a fantastic collection of delightful Steiff F.A.O. Schwarz exclusives and other North American rarities. Here are a few that really caught Steiffgal's eye!

There's no need to be stand-offish with this first F.A.O. Schwarz highlight. Here we have lot #805, Steiff's Snobby the Poodle. She is cataloged as...

"Made exclusively for F.A.O. Schwarz. Snobby is 35 cm, five ways jointed, and made from grey wool plush. She is styled in a very fluffy "French" cut. She has brown and black pupil eyes and a distinctive black leather nose. She has her original red head bow but her neck bow has been lost to time. This distinctive Snobby was produced from 1962-1968 in 28 and 35 cm as an exclusive item for the high-end toy retailer FAO Schwarz in the US. Condition: As noted. Snobby retains her Steiff button and fully legible yellow ear tag. In very good to excellent condition overall with just a touch of dust and light playwear. Size 13" L. Estimate: $400-600."

And what makes this poodle such a blue ribbon selection? Her presentation, proportions, and impish personality, to start with! Her leather nose and distinctive grey wool plush material are also quite appealing, and add just a touch of "upscale" charm to her. Steiff is well known for their poodle patterns, but this one truly is in a class of her own. 

And now we are off to the races with lot #888, a fully accessorized Steiff Pony. This pretty filly is cataloged as...

"Made exclusively for F.A.O. Schwarz. Pony is 17 cm, standing, unjointed, and made from tan mohair that is airbrushed with lovely chestnut highlights. Her mane and tail are made from very long, greyish-white mohair. Her face is detailed with black button eyes and a little hand stitched and airbrushed mouth. She is fully and originally attired with her saddle, blanket, reins, and headwear. Pony was produced from 1963-1972. According to the original F.A.O. Schwarz catalog, she is described as “… a handsome 8.5 inch steed covered in tan and white mohair plush with flowing white mane and tail. Complete with brindle, saddle, and saddle blanket. An FAO Schwarz exclusive. A toy to excite your child’s imagination, to give fun-filled hours, and provide fond memories that happily can last a lifetime.” Condition: As noted. In excellent condition overall with all IDs. Size 8'' L. Estimate: $250-500."

This pony is a triple crown winner all around. Her accessories are delightful, accurate, and in perfect scale to her body. Her coloration and impressive long mohair mane truly bring her to life. And her condition appears almost like new. Steiff did a remarkable job on this edition, and it is obvious why it remains a collector's favorite half a century onward. 

It's time to connect the dots towards our final F.A.O. Schwarz Steiff auction highlight. Here we have lot #870, Steiff's Royal Dally Dalmatian. Spotty Dotty is cataloged as...

"Made exclusively for F.A.O. Schwarz. Dally is 14 cm and made from white mohair which is marked with black airbrushed spots. His ears are black mohair. He is in the "begging" position and is head jointed. His face is detailed with black button eyes and a black hand embroidered nose and mouth. His lips are highlighted with a touch of red airbrushing. Royal Dally wears his original red leather collar and retains his chipped red wooden F.A.O. Schwarz tag; his crown, cape, and other IDs have been lost to time. Dally was made in 1963 only as an exclusive item for the upscale US toy retailer F.A.O. Schwarz. Condition: As noted. In very good condition overall with just a touch of dust and light playwear. Size 5-1/4'' T. Estimate: $200-400."

This princely pet is truly Steiff royalty. Steiff created several exclusive Dalmatians for F.A.O Schwarz in the early 1960's, most likely due to the popularity of the 1961 Disney film 101 Dalmatians. Many of these patterns were based on standard line Steiff items of the period with just a few tweaks or modifications. However, Royal Dally is really unique. His body position is quite unusual; he is one of the few, if not the only, postwar dog produced in this unusual sitting up begging position, with his arms prominently hanging in front of his body. There are many dogs cataloged as "begging," but they are usually sitting with all paws on the ground. Royal Dally also has solid black mohair ears and is the only Steiff Dalmatian that Steiffgal knows of with this design treatment.

Steiffgal hopes this review of some of the fine F.A.O Schwarz Steiff exclusive items up for sale at Morphy's sale next week has generated "lots" of interest with you! You can check out the entire auction catalog by clicking here; the Steiff items start at lot #800. All Steiff will be sold on Saturday, June 25th starting at 9am east coast USA time. Best of luck to all bidders!

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

An Exclusive Look At A Rare And Charming Steiff Cocker Spaniel

Pull up a chair and check out this really sweet sitting little dog!  She's based on a standard line Steiff dog from the 1960's and 1970's... but with a little "exclusive" twist.  Do you recognize her?

It's probably no surprise that this black and white sitting Cocker Spaniel is named Cockie. She is 12 cm tall and head jointed. Her body is white mohair that has been hand airbrushed with black spots and highlights.  Her ears are made from solid black mohair.  Her face comes to life with black and white plastic "google" style eyes, a black hand embroidered nose, and an expressive muzzle area.  She wears her original red collar and has all of her Steiff IDs, including her "raised script" style button, named "bear faced" chest tag, and yellow ear tag.  Her unusual accessory is a metal leash, which is original to her.  

This sitting sweetie was produced from 1962 through 1966 only, and exclusively for the upscale toy retailer F.A.O. Schwarz.  She came as part of a doghouse set.  This consisted of a dollhouse style kennel, a red plastic food bowl, the metal dog lead, and a bone.  The kennel had a pull cord on the top, and when you pulled it, it made a barking/growing noise.  This set was most likely "assembled" at F.A.O. Schwarz.  You can see this doghouse set here on the left, the photo is from Gunther Pfeiffer's 1947-2003 Steiff Sortiment Book.

This F.A.O. Schwarz Cockie design is based on Steiff's standard line black and white standing Steiff Cocker Spaniel which appeared in the Steiff line from 1960-1976 in 12, 19, and 29 cm overall.  But, like many Steiff F.A.O. Schwarz dog items, this exclusive pattern was slightly different than the standard line version, so it was very desirable for collectors.  Other such F.A.O. Schwarz examples included standing Dally Dalmatians (produced in 11, 22, and 28 cm from 1953 through 1955; the standard line versions were sitting) and a 15 cm standing open mouthed beagle, produced from 1965 through 1966 only; the standard line standing beagle was closed-mouthed. An example of Steiff's standard line standing black and white Cockie is pictured here on the left.
 

Tongues are awag over Cockie's really cool ear tag.  It is pictured here on the left. The numbers on it are quite descriptive indeed, and are 3312,96.  In Steiff code, that translates to:  3=sitting; 3=mohair; 12=12 cm; 9=display animal or special edition; and 6=black.  Unfortunately, it has been years since Steiff has used such a numbering/identification system for their items, the digits on today's tags are purely for transactional and tracking purposes.  

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this adorable and sitting F.A.O. Schwarz Cocker Spaniel has been an exclusive experience for you!

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