This Amazing Steiff Pre-Button Era Skittle Set Is Right On Point!

It's "game on" with this extraordinary auction highlight from the upcoming Premier Toy and Doll Sales Event at Morphy Auctions on September 23rd and 24th, 2016. Although there are many fantastic button-in-ear selections in this sale - including several Steiff automatons - this particular highlight is truly in a league of its own. Check out this amazing set of turn-of-last-century skittles set... Steiffgal is certain they will "strike" a chord with you as well.

Here we have lot #308, a Steiff pre-button era nine pin Pointer skittle set. It is cataloged as...

"This set, designed for the European market, consists of eight begging, unjointed Pointer dogs on wooden skittles and an unjointed Pointer king pin, dressed in a red felt top coat and matching red felt crown decorated with trim and beading. The dogs are made of tan felt and are hand detailed with brown painted patches. Their faces come to life with black eyes, a simple, hand embroidered nose and mouth, and floppy ears. Some of the black eyes may be replaced. All but one dog retains their long, thin tail; these appendages tended to snap off with use. Each pin would have left the factory in Giengen, Germany with a collar decorated with either a small medallion or a bell; all but traces of these accessories have been lost to time. All nine dogs in the set are mounted on wooden plinths with the king pin on a slightly higher platform. The set includes two original skittle balls covered in colorful felt which have significant tears and losses to them. Steiff produced this Pointer skittle set in felt from 1892-1908. This set and assortment is as pictured on page 577 of Gunther Pfeiffer's Steiff Sortiment 1892-1943 reference book. Because none of the pins have Steiff ID and do not appear ever to have had any, they were most likely made in the c. 1892-1904 pre-button time frame. Condition: As noted. One pin with repairs and patches to the head. Wooden plinths with minor losses from playwear. Otherwise in very good condition given the age and the gaming nature of this rare and unusual set."  This lot is estimated at $6,000-12,000.

Although most turn of last century Steiff items were made for fun and interaction, none better exemplify that then the company's skittle sets.  These bowling games were truly designed and constructed for competitive play. Today, they are quite rare and for many reasons - including their distinct shape - are trophies for most vintage Steiff collectors. This pointer example just one of a few complete sets that have come up for auction in the past few years. In 2014, James D. Julia sold a nine piece set of felt rabbit skittles with ID for $7,110. And in June, 2016, Morphy's sold an early nine piece all original Steiff skittle assortment for $11,590; this set is pictured here above on the left. 

The origin of the game of skittles is unclear, but it has roots in similar games played in ancient Egypt, Greece, Italian, and southern Turkey.  Skittles was particularly popular in Great Britain, where  the game was played over several centuries in public houses or clubs.  There were variations in rules and scoring over time and location, but in most cases the game involved bowling a ball about 6.5 meters at nine pins set in a diamond pattern.  Whoever knocked down all the pins in the fewest tosses was the winner. 

Historians are able to pin down that skittles appeared in Steiff's very first catalog of 1892.  The sets produced for the European market had nine total skittles, while those for America had ten total (as in tenpin bowling).  Each set consisted of a series of pins and one kingpin.  The company produced skittles both as standard looking felt bowling pins, as well as in the form of felt, early plush, or velvet animals perched on wooden plinths.  For the sets with animals, Steiff made the sets with hens, monkeys, elephants, pigs, rabbits, poodles, pointers, cats, chicks, dachshunds, elephants, pointers, cats, and bears, among others. The animals appearing on the pins or as kingpins were usually 10 to 15 cm tall, standing or begging, and were otherwise standard line catalog items.  In all practical cases the kingpin wore a felt jacket and crown, and was mounted on a slightly taller plinth, or was otherwise differentiated from the rest of the regular pins. Each skittle set came with two wooden balls that were covered in multicolored felt. Here on the left, you see a c. 1903 "hens and rooster" Steiff skittle set; it sold for $27,702 in 2010 at an auction at Christie's in London.

Steiff began branding its items from 1904 onward with a button-in-ear.  Thus, as in the case of this pointer skittle set, it is possible to find individual pins or even an entire set without the company's famous trademark, given they were produced starting in the very late 1800's!  However, after 1904, all items, including each skittle in a skittle set - would have left the factory in Giengen with Steiff identification. 

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's early skittle sets has simply bowled you over.  

Bowled Over By This Fantastic and Early Velvet Steiff Dachshund Skittle

Are you in the mood for a little Steiff game today?  Steiffgal nearly toppled to the ground when she received this email inquiry from a professional colleague from the New England area who asks about a vintage Steiff find.  See if it bowls you over as well!  

Blain writes...

"Steiffgal,  I have a friend who has a Steiff dog, which looks like he is sitting up on his rear legs, perched on a wooden base, who has his original elephant button... this is in VERY good condition...  Dog is two toned, no issues I can see.  Can you tell me a little about him... and what you think he is worth? Thank you!  Blain"

Steiffgal's not playing with you when she says this is one very special treasure!  What we have here is a very early Steiff skittle.  Skittles are analogous to today's modern sporting bowling pins.  The skittle itself is made of a dachshund which is perched on a wooden plinth.  The dog is begging, unjointed, and made from brown and white velvet with airbrushing.  He is rather basic in form and design.  His face is detailed with a simple hand embroidered nose and mouth and black shoe button eyes.  He wears a little leather collar.  Steiffgal has seen these finished with a small medallion or bell; this model has lost his ornamentation to time.  This begging velvet  dachshund mounted on a skittle is identical to Steiff's standard line velvet dachshund; this precious pooch was produced in 10, 14, and 22 cm from 1901 through 1927 overall.  His absolutely remarkable elephant button helps to date this item to 1904!  Although Blain did not mention the size of the dog, it is Steiffgal's best guess that he is the 14 cm version based on other Steiff skittles of the same era.

Wooden it be nice to know more about the dog's plinth?  Well, this base was designed to be knocked over when hit directly with a fast rolling felt ball.  The plinth is solid wood  and finished simply with a little varnish and a black ring around the top circumference.  European skittle sets had 9 skittles while those made for the USA had ten.  In most cases, each set came with a "kingpin" who was slightly taller and dressed in a beaded crown and felt jacket; his wooden plinth was also slightly taller than those of the other pins.  An example of a typical Steiff kingpin is pictured here on the left; this fabulous pre-1904 velvet elephant realized close to $1,500 at the June, 2014 James D. Julia Antique Doll, Toy, and Advertising Auction.

Steiff produced Skittle sets from about 1892 through 1919. Over that period of time, Steiff made the sets with hens, monkeys, elephants, pigs, rabbits, poodles, pointers, chicks, cats, and bears, among others.  The skittle pin under discussion today most likely was made as part of a Dachshund-Kegelspiel or Dachshund Skittle set.  This dog-themed game was manufactured as part of the general product line from 1901 through 1912. 

Now the question that has everyone on pins and needles.  Just what is this little guy worth?  Well, Steiffgal has not seen him firsthand, and cannot account for structural and/or aesthetic issues that do not appear in photos, like odors, weak spots, repairs, insect damage, etc.  However, given that he is as nice in real life as described and presented, his value may just bowl you over!  Here's why.  Skittles like this one are beloved by vintage collectors as they represent a wonderful long gone era of Steiff design and production.  They really don't take up too much room to display, which is an issue for many collectors.  Few survive today because in reality they were produced to be used - and used hard - as playthings.  And remember, this begging beauty retains his crowning glory, his most desirable ELEPHANT button - which is pictured above on the left!  Given all that, and based on relatively recent sales of Steiff skittles, it is Steiffgal's best guesstimate that he may realize in the range of $2,000 to $3,000 at auction today.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this velvet begging dachshund skittle has been a real game changer for you!

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

On A Roll With These Steiff Hightlights From The Upcoming James D. Julia Auction Event!

The temperature is dropping - but the fall auction season is really starting to heat up!  And that means many opportunities to add a new - or a few - new vintage Steiff treasures to your collection!  

To kick off the sales calendar, Steiffgal is very excited to announce that the next James D. Julia, Inc. toy auction features several collections of simply marvelous button-in-ear rarities and collectibles. These include groupings of exciting Steiff treasures, single items that will take your breath away, and also a bunch of very early "button-in-ear" pull toys. These items are all currently being photographed and cataloged for this event, which will occur in Fairfield, Maine on November 7th, 2014. The online catalog should be available in a few weeks. But with Steiffgal on your side, there's no need to wait for a special preview! Here is a sneak peek at a few exceptional items from a fine collection from New Hampshire that will be featured at this can't miss sale!

Size defies when it comes to this amazing duo of teeny-tiny felt farm animals on wheels! And Steiffgal really did do a happy dance when she first learned of these petite treats! Here we have the smallest sized donkey and horse ever produced by Steiff; both are made as pull toys on wheels. Oh baby - each is only 8 cm tall!! The donkey is c. 1917, standing, unjointed, and made from grey felt. He has a tiny grey felt tail and traces of his grey mohair mane. His face is detailed with black button eyes and felt ears. He rides upon a metal carriage mounted on four natural colored wooden eccentric wheels. He retains the blue leather belt that was part of his saddle cloth detailing, and his tiny Steiff button as his ID. This tiny donkey was manufactured in this size only from 1917-1933.

Donkey's neighhh-bor, the horse is also c. 1917, standing, and unjointed. He is made from rust brown felt. He has a black woolen tail and traces of his black mohair mane. His face is detailed with black button eyes and felt ears. He rides upon a metal carriage mounted on four natural colored wooden eccentric wheels. He retains his blue felt saddle cloth and brown belt. His IDs have been lost to time. This handful-sized horse was manufactured in this size only from 1917-1927. 

The next featured Steiff pull toy in this auction is truly the wheel-deal as well. This blue-ribbon buddy is a charming example of the earliest model German Shepherd dog produced by Steiff. And it is doubly interesting to note that according to the Steiff Sortiment reference book, this pattern was first produced on wheels and then without... it is usually the other way around. Although many collectors assume that Steiff has called their wonderful and popular German Shepherds "Arco" since their introduction, the breed did not actually  official receive its official "Arco" moniker until 1937.

So here are the Shepherd's doggy-details. He is standing, unjointed, and made from brown and tan mohair. His appealing and realistic face is detailed with a prominent brown muzzle, a black hand embroidered nose and mouth, and black and brown glass pupil eyes. He has a curvy tail and black embroidered claws. He rides upon four regular green wooden wheels. He retains his original leather collar, but his IDs have been lost to time. This model, an absolute favorite with vintage Steiff collectors worldwide, was manufactured in 28, 35, 43, and 50 cm from 1923-1928 and due to his limited production and time frame, rarely comes up for sale on the secondary market.

Today's final Julia's auction highlight, a very vintage Steiff zebra on wheels - may just have you seeing stripes. That's just what happened to Steiffgal when she first laid eyes on this jungle gem! These striped sweethearts have been gracing the Steiff catalog since 1899, and collectors have been "lining up" since then to add these beautiful beasts to their hugs.

Here are zebra's facts, in black and white. Here we have an utterly fantastic and seldom seen early woolen plush zebra on wheels. He is standing, unjointed, and made from textured grey material that has been lovingly and painstakingly hand painted with black stripes. He has a grey and black yarn mane and a black mohair tipped tail. His charming and distinctly old fashioned looking face is detailed with black button eyes. He rides upon four early metal wheels. He retains his Steiff button as his ID. This absolute rarity was manufactured in 28, 35, 43, 50, and 60 cm from 1910-1919 and is seldom, if ever, seen up for public auction.  

Steiffgal hopes this preview of some of the wheeled wonders to be sold at James D. Julia's November 2014 toy auction is worthy of a round of applause! The full catalog is now online and can be accessed by clicking here.


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

The MAINE Steiff Event Of The Early Summer!

Well, it is safe to say that this week's Steiff auction at Julia's was the main, or in this case the MAINE Steiff event of the early summer!  On Friday, June 13th, James D. Julia, Inc. auctioned off over 120 treasures from the Chuck and late Cathy Steffes collection of magnificent Steiff rarities.  The auction, held at Julia's headquarters in Fairfield, Maine, attracted attention, bids, and visits from collectors all over the globe!  Here's a first-hand report of some of the highlights and fun associated with the event.

And we're off!  Julia's official auction preview period started on Tuesday morning, June 10th.  During preview, the auction facility was set up to display the lots on offer, and without a doubt the hall looked more like a museum of fine arts or treasures than anything else.  In this case, all the Steiff bears were presented majestically on shelves in glass-doored display cabinets. Visitors were allowed to handle and examine any item - even the "crown jewel" treasures - which in this case were the Steffe's Titanic bear, Teddy Clown bear, Petsy bear, and rod bear. Julia's set up inspection stations - which included draped tables, bright lights, and even high powered magnifiers -  so potential buyers could literally examine each Steiff item on a stitch-by-stitch level!  Julia's also provided snacks and meals throughout the entire four day preview event, as looking at the finest Steiff in the world can certainly build up one's appetite! 

Preview lasted through Friday morning, just before the auction got started at 10am, and was a beehive of activity!  Many visitors arrived on Thursday, June 12th, and it was so much fun to see old friends reunite, as well as see strangers immediately connect over this marvelous collection.  People traveled from all across North America to attend the event in person, including collectors from New England, California, Texas, Florida, New Jersey, and even Canada.  Several press and media professionals also attended preview, and it was clear they also were falling under the spell of this remarkable hug.  Steiffgal had the once in a lifetime opportunity to receive a personal tour of the collection from Chuck Steffes, were she learned the back stories behind some of the bears.  It was particularly moving to learn which were Cathy's favorites, and why.

The Steffes collection consisted mostly of spectacular bears, cats, and rabbits.  Chuck told Steiffgal that he and Cathy originally set out only to collect bears when they began their hobby three decades ago.  It was only within the last several years that they began adding cats and rabbits to their hug - in part to add a new focus and dimension to the collection. 

By about 9:30am on Friday, many people had taken their seats in the auction hall, but it was clear that many more chairs would have to be added to accommodate the overflow crowd.  Most folks, when asked why they came to the hall instead of watching the auction on the Internet, said that they wanted to see this sale in person as they felt it was an important moment in the Steiff collector's community.   At 10am, auctioneer and company owner Jim Julia approached the podium and welcomed the crowd.  He introduced the staff and explained the logistics of the auction.  He then did something most unexpected - he gave a beautiful and gracious tribute to Cathy Steffes, and thanked Chuck and the family for the opportunity to share her passion and exquisite collection with the world.  Then Jim began the exciting event!

Today in the auction world, a very small percentage of auction bidders are actually live in the audience, and that was no different for this auction.  Many bidders placed pre-bids by phone, fax, or mail.  Others watched and bid online through the e-platforms Proxibid and Invaluable.  At this auction, there were a large bank of phone operators working with customers from all over the world.  It was really entertaining to watch them juggle pens, phones, paperwork, and bid cards - while at the same time giving a play by play description of the auction proceedings and encouraging participation from their telephone bidders.  Rumor has it that royalty from far away could have been on the other end of one of those phone lines!

It took about 90 minutes overall to auction the Steffes lots - but the time felt like the blink of an eye to Steiffgal.  There were plenty of highlights throughout the auction - and like all events like this, some people even scored with some fine buys that escaped the radar of other collectors.  

Lets button things up and take a look at notable Steiff Teddy bear sales!  These included lot 3002, a gorgeous 70 cm early white mohair cub who sold for $14,220; lot 3008, a 38 cm rod bear who also sold for $14,220; lot 3009 a 50 cm yellow "Happy" bear who sold for $13,035; and lot 3025 a 31 cm black Titanic mourning bear who sold for $35,550.  Perhaps the biggest surprise was lot 3010, an utterly charming circa 1910 60 cm gold mohair bear who came with a photo of his original owners and a letter explaining his history.  Estimated at $8,000 to $12,000, he sold for $21,330.

Felines seemed to be the cat's meow with collectors during this sale.   There was great interest in lot 3036, a very early velvet cat with an elephant button that sold for $7,703; lot 3035, an unusual mohair tail moves head cat from the early 1930's that sold for $3,851; lot 3013, an irresistible tiny "Fluffy" kitten on a cotton-candy pink mohair pincushion that sold for $7,110; and lot 3032, a simply marvelous, very early 15 cm six ways jointed cat with all IDs that sold for $10,665.

And finally, let's hop to it an check out the rabbit highlights.  Collectors jumped at lot 3015, an extremely rare 33 cm fully dressed Jack Rabbit who sold for $7,703; lot 3017, a 34 cm lilac mohair colored begging rabbit who sold for $7,110; lot 3042, a bright orange begging mohair rabbit on olive green wheels who sold for $2,963; and lot 3100, a sweet and petite bright orange mohair begging rabbit rattle who sold for $2,015.  All prices noted include the buyer's premium, which is 18.5%.

Overall, this was a magical event on many levels.  This gathering allowed the Steiff community to come together and honor the Steffes for their remarkable commitment to the brand, as well as remember Cathy, who was a good friend to many in attendance.  The event invigorated many dormant collectors - who learned about the sale through friends, the Internet, newspaper articles, or other industry channels - and it was wonderful to welcome them back to the world of Steiff. The sale also was like a calling to active collectors across North America to come together to share their love of Steiff, as there has not been such a Steiff-centric event in the USA in quite some time.  And finally, this happening has brought much joy to many collectors who now have new Steiff memories, as well as treasures, to add to their hugs.  When Steiffgal cataloged this collection many months ago - after writing up and examining each item - she gave each treasure a hug and small kiss, and promised each one it soon would have a new loving home.  At last the circle is complete.

Steiffgal hopes you have enjoyed this report on the Steffes Steiff auction as much as she has relished preparing it for you!

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

Snap To It And Check Out This Truly Remarkable Steiff Dicky Bear!

Steiffgal hates to be bossy... but she totally encourages you to SNAP TO IT and take a look at an exceptional Steiff Teddy on offer at the upcoming James D. Julia Antique Advertising, Toy, and Doll auction event on June 13, 2014.  This item, produced only as a prototype, is as interesting as it is rare.  Let's take a look at this utterly dandy Dicky Bear and see what makes him so fascinating from the design and historical perspectives.

It's hard not to get bent out of shape over this Steiff "Snap Dicky" Teddy bear. Dicky is 30 cm, made from golden blond mohair and stands on two flat feet.  He is head and arm jointed. His face is detailed with an inset muzzle, brown and black pupil eyes, a brown hand stitched nose, and three stitches to his lower lip. Like many Dicky bears, he has peach colored velvet pads with stenciled paw prints.  But here's where it gets interesting... very, very interesting!  Snap Dicky has spring joints on his hands, feet, legs, and mouth, meaning that they were designed to have movement and snap back and forth into different playful positions.  And, just when you thought things could not get any better with this rarity, they do!  Snap Dicky further comes to life with a working tail turns head mechanism.  A little research reveals that this bear is one of six known examples, three of which are in the Steiff archive.  Snap Dicky retains his long trailing “F” style button and traces of his red ear tag as his Steiff ID.  Steiff Dicky does not appear in the standard Steiff reference books;  and it is best estimated that he was produced in the circa 1933 to 1936 time frame.

Dicky's unusual jointing was an experiment in the Steiff line that lasted about as long as a finger-snap.  In the early 1930's, Steiff introduced its tail moves head mechanism, which gave their toys movement, interest, and premium status in the line.  Steiff selected some of their most popular items of the time for this feature, including dogs, rabbits, and cats.  The way this worked was when the tail was shifted gently to the right or the left, the head would shake in tandem. To build on this "movement momentum," Steiff experimented with a handful of "snap" style items, which had internal metal joints which allowed these top tier toys further flexibility in their body positioning.  

From what Steiffgal can tell, four such "snap" models were produced. The first, of course, is this wonderful Snap Dicky.  There is little published historical information on him, consistent with his prototype status.  The second, and perhaps best known, was a 30 cm brown mohair Circus Bear with disk jointed arms, leg snap joints, and a tail moves head mechanism.  He was in the line from 1935 through 1939 and approximately 897 models were manufactured.  The third was a grey or white mohair Circus Elephant with disk jointed arms, leg and mouth snap joints, and a tail moves head mechanism.  Like Snap Dicky, he had velvet paws with stenciled pads.  He was produced in 25 and 28 cm from 1931 through 1940 and approximately 1,040 models were manufactured. Circus Elephant is pictured above along with an xray of his amazing (for the time) snap jointing system.  This photo is from Cieslik's excellent book, Button in Ear The History of the Teddy Bear and His Friends.    

The fourth snap item was called "Dream Baby No. 103" and is so rare that Steiffgal had not even heard of it until doing research for this post.  According to Cieslik...

"The head was made by the Rheinische Gummi Co. (turtle mark) and filled with excelsior.  The body was in good quality felt, and the doll had a "Mama" voice box. The doll had the new jointing in the legs, so that it could assume both sitting and standing positions.  Four versions of the doll were made - all 11 inches tall, with white skirts, colored sweaters and caps:  "Greta" in light green; "Blonda" in light blue; "Rose" in pink; and "Angeli" in orange.  (1934 - 1937 - total production = 4,553."  "Rose" is pictured here on the left; the photo is also from Cieslik.

Even though these snap items were long on appeal, they lasted a short time in the Steiff catalog.  And why would that be?  It is Steiffgal's best guess that alot had to do with timing, finances, and supply and demand factors.  It is possible that towards the later part of the 1930's, the materials needed to manufacture these toys were becoming scarce or even rationed based on the geo-political realities of the time.  Additionally, these treasures were quite complicated to manufacture and required a great deal of time and resources to do so.  As a result, they were undoubtedly quite expensive to purchase.  As such, given the economic situation across the region, demand may not have been terribly high and Steiff may have determined that it did not make financial sense to continue production of these top-tier items. 

Despite their brief - if at all - appearances in the line, Steiff has created relatively recent replicas of their Snap Dicky, Circus Bear, and Circus Elephant rarities. A blond Snap Dicky was produced in 1996 in an edition size of 5,000, a brown Circus bear was produced in 1994 in an edition size of 4,000, and a novel orange tipped Circus Elephant was produced in 2009 in an edition size of 1,000. Each would be a delightful addition to any Steiff collection!

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's wonderful and rare metal jointed items from the 1930's - including this remarkable prototype Dicky - has added a little snap, crackle, and pop to your day!

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

Check Out These WOW-MEOW Cats On Offer At The Upcoming James D. Julia Toy And Doll Auction!

What's not to love about Steiff's pretty kitties? Especially those irresistible examples that truly capture the legacy of Steiff's early design and production standards! Many Steiff enthusiasts are aware of the upcoming James D. Julia auction featuring the world-class Chuck and the late Cathy Steffes collection of outstanding early Steiff bears on June 13, 2014. But this collection also includes a great number of practically purr-fect Steiff cats as well! Let's take a look at some of these most fabulous felines on offer and see what makes them so interesting from the product development and historical perspectives.

Let's get this review on a roll by first checking out this precious 1930's era 15 cm tall Steiff cat on wooden wheels. This charming cat is standing and unjointed. She is made from white and gray mohair which has been spotted in black with wonderful and distinctive highlights. Cat's face is detailed with green and black glass slit pupil eyes, a pink hand embroidered nose and mouth, and clear mono-filament whiskers. She has red hand embroidered claws and wears her original bell and bow. She also retains her original long trailing "f" style button. And boy, does she get around... on for four red wooden eccentric wheels, that is! This item was produced in 15 and 18cm from 1934 through 1937 overall and is very seldom seen on the secondary market. 

What can be up or down and great regardless?  Steiff's items on eccentric wheels!  Steiff has been making items on eccentric wheels, which have irregular axles - since the early 1900s when they mistakenly miss-drilled the axles for pull toys, therefore inventing this distinctive feature.  When items with eccentric wheels are pulled along, they have the appearance of a waddle or natural animal gait.  Eccentric wheels can be found on dogs, cats, ducks, and many farm animal examples.  

This second fantastic feline under review is such a head turner - literally!  Here we have Steiff's circa 1930's mohair tail turns head cat.  This example is really adorable - even more so in person.  She is 22 cm tall, sitting, and has a tail-turns-head mechanism. She is made from white and gray mohair which has been hand striped to give her a most realistic look. Her claws are hand embroidered in red. Cat's sweet face is detailed with green and black slit pupil glass eyes, a pink hand embroidered nose and mouth, and clear mono filament whiskers. The insides of her ears are gently airbrushed with pink highlights. Cat retains her long trailing "F" button and red ear tag as her Steiff IDs. This lovely item was produced in seven sizes ranging from 10 to 35 cm from 1931 through 1936 and like her wheeled cousin mentioned above, is seldom seen on the secondary market. 

This cat really belongs at the head of the class!  The tail-moves-head feature was used on a number of the most popular early 1930's-era Steiff items, including dogs, cats, and rabbits.  A gentle twist of the tail left or right caused the animal's head to cock in that direction.  This technology - which was a big deal at the time - was used to give these treasures a natural sense of movement as well as create a "higher end" tier of Steiff products.

Paws and take a look at this third and most interesting terrific tabby from the Steffe's collection.  Here we have an extremely rare and very early velvet Steiff rattle cat with AN ELEPHANT button!  This circa 1905 Steiff velvet rattle is truly the cat's meow - yes, the pun is intended!  This sweet cat is is 10cm, lying, unjointed, and made from white velvet that has been painted with black and grey spots and stripes. He has a very long tail which sticks out straight behind him. Cat wears a red bow and bell, and most interestingly, his highly coveted and earliest style button is attached to the red ribbon. Cat holds a tiny grey and red woolen yarn ball between his front paws. Cat's pensive face is detailed with tiny green and black slit pupil eyes, a light tan hand embroidered nose and mouth, and clear mono filament whiskers. Cat also has a rattle in its belly; Steiff created this feature by inserting a tube with beads into the torso of the item. This cat design appeared overall in the Steiff line in 6, 8, 10, 12, and 14 cm in white and grey velvet from 1899 through 1929. 

This pretty kitty is truly "buttoned up" with his original elephant button - most unusually located on his ribbon. This is the first time that Steiffgal has ever seen a button located on a ribbon, as the button is usually located in the left ear of bears and animals. So its placement is a bit of a mystery. If an item does not have ears, or a logical place for a button, it is sometimes placed right on a Steiff tag that is sewn into the seam of the piece. For some dolls with small or inaccessible ears, like Steiff's legacy Micki and Mecki hedgehog dolls, their buttons and yellow ear flags are suspended off of a red rubber wrist bracelet, like a charm.  It is amazing that this item retains his button given the delicate and transient nature of his ribbon!

Steiffgal hopes this review of these cat highlights from the Steffes collection on offer at James D. Julia's upcoming Antique Advertising, Toy, and Doll auction has been a wow-meow experience for you!

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

Rocking And Rolling With More Highlights From The Upcoming James D. Julia Steiff Auction!

"Baby let me be,

Your lovin' teddy bear

Put a chain around my neck,

And lead me anywhere

Oh let me be

Your teddy bear..."

Perhaps you recognize those opening lyrics to "Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear" by The King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley. And for many Steiff enthusiasts, Teddy bears understandably are the Kings (and Queens) of their hugs - and hearts. Steiff Teddy bears are taking the center stage, and spotlight, this summer at a number of events, including the sale of the Chuck and late Cathy Steffes collection at James D. Julia on June 13, 2014. Steiffgal's got a "backstage" pass to meet a few of the rockstar bears featured in this amazing auction - so come along and let's shake paws with a few of these celebrity cubs!

Our first superstar Ted, like rocker Rod Stewart, goes back a long, long way.  Here we have an original Steiff rod bear.  This is where it all began - well -  almost! This remarkable bear is an example of the oldest Steiff teddy bear design as we know it in existence today. He is 38 cm and rod jointed, the second type of jointing Steiff experimented with at the very early turn of the last century. This particular rod bear is made from blond mohair and has felt paw pads.  Teddy's body is very solidly stuffed. His early and lovely face is detailed with black shoebutton eyes, a shaved muzzle, a black hand-formed gutta percha nose, and a light brown mouth. And his pièce de résistance... Teddy has his original elephant button in his ear, perhaps the most desirable Steiff ID in the world!   There are so many things that could put this rod bear in any hall of fame.  But one thing you may not know about his design is the back story to his nose.  Steiffgal has recently learned that original gutta percha noses were hand formed by very slowly dripping the black, rubbery material drop by drop onto the tip of a bear's snout.  The artist would slowly sculpt and form the nose as a critical mass of material formed. So, these original and early noses were not sewn or glued on at all!  Apparently the amount of time this took, and the inconsistent results, were the reasons why Richard Steiff turned to hand embroidered facial features in his designs moving forward.  (And like a true groupie, Steiffgal couldn't help but take a selfie when she met up with her ultimate rockstar hero!) Singer Jackson Browne has at least two things in common with these next two Steiff rockstars.  Here we have a pair of brown artificial silk plush Teddy bears that were created at a time period when the company was literally "running on empty" - the late 1940's.  These Teds are 23 and 28 cm tall, five ways jointed, and have distinctive tan linen paw pads. Both bears have classic proportions to traditional pre-war designs. Their faces are detailed with black hand embroidered noses and mouths, as well as brown and black glass pupil eyes.  The combination of silk plush material and linen paw pads is unique and dates the cub's production to right after the factory reopened for business post WWII.  And why were these unusual materials used then?  During that time, traditional teddy bear making materials were in short supply or nonexistent because of rationing and restrictions.  For collectors, these guys are a "one hit wonder," but in the best way possible.  Both Teds are worthy of a Grammy Award in collectibility, given that there is no reference in the standard Steiff Sortiment reference books to their delightful chocolate-y hue! And finally, like rocker David Lee Roth, here we have a little guy who loves to clown around in a big way.   Please give a standing ovation to this fabulous circa 1912 Steiff rattle bear dressed in tiny clown accessories.  Teddy stands about 12 cm tall, is five ways jointed, and made from blond mohair.  Because of his petite proportions, he does not have any paw pads or claw stitching. He does have a working rattle, which was made by inserting a tube filled with beads into his belly. Bear's face is detailed with black button eyes and a black hand embroidered nose and mouth. He has a particularly charming expression! Teddy wears a pointed tan felt hat with a reddish colored pom-pom, a matching tan felt ruff which has pinked edges, and a reddish bow and bell.  This item does not appear in the standard Steiff reference books and is only the second one of its type that Steiffgal has come across - the other being a photograph of an item in the collection of the Dollhouse Museum in Basel, Switzerland.

Like many performers, this tiny Ted is dressed to thrill!  But do his accessories look familiar to you in any way?  His hat and ruff are quite similar to those seen on Steiff's felt monkeys of the period. Steiff had featured a felt monkey in its line from as early as 1894, but in 1912 the pattern was updated as a "modernized model with clown's hat and neck ruff." This felt clown monkey appeared on an elastic cord, on a skittle, and as a tumbler.  A photo of the tumbler is shown here on the left so you can see his felt accessories and compare them to the rattle clown bear; this photo is from Pfeiffer's Steiff Sortiment 1892-1943.

Steiffgal hopes this overview of some of the rockstar Teddy bears that will be sold at James D. Julia's June 2014 auction has made you want to break out in song.  The full catalog should be online at www.JamesDJulia.com in mid-April.  

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

A Sneak Peak At Some Amazing Steiff Treasures To Be Sold This June At James D. Julia Auctioneers!

Start spreading the news... the STEIFF news, that is! Steiffgal is over the moon grateful to be helping out with a sales event every Steiff collector must know about! On Friday, June 13th, auctioneer James D. Julia will be selling about 120 absolutely remarkable vintage Steiff treasures from the amazing and world-class collection of well known and beloved Steiff enthusiasts Chuck and the late Cathy Steffes of Virginia. The collection consists mostly of bears, cats, and rabbits, so Steiffgal thought she would give you a behind the scenes look at a rare and breathtaking example of each today. But stay tuned, there will be more previews such as this to come over the next few months!
 

No need to give more than a few "blues clues" about the identity of this first masterpiece. Here we have a gorgeous example of Steiff's highly sought after Petsy the Baby Bear. Petsy is 16" or 40 cm tall, fully jointed, and made from wonderful brown tipped mohair. He retains his red ear tag and long trailing F Steiff button. Petsy had a very short, but very sweet, appearance in the Steiff catalog, only appearing from 1928 through the very early 1930's. This particular Petsy has a delightful body shape and weight, and has the regal appearance that he was a prized possession - but not everyday plaything - of a very lucky youngster many years ago. Steiffgal was drawn to him like metal to a magnet; Petsy literally called to her as she walked into the room where the all the Steiff bears and treasures awaited evaluation at Julia's.  

The Petsy pattern is very distinctive for Steiff in terms of the company's product design and development timeline. What makes him different than earlier designs, among other factors, are his intentional and prominent middle facial seam which runs vertically from his forehead across his snout, and his oversized, posable wire lined ears.  Together these features give him a pointedly "youthful" appearance.  During his years in the line, Petsy was produced in two commercialized versions. The first was a brown tipped mohair version with blue eyes (like the example available at Julia's) with pink/red facial and claw stitching. The second was a brass mohair version with brown and black pupil eyes and black facial and claw stitching. The tipped version appeared in ten sizes ranging from 15 to 50 cm sitting (or 22 to 75 cm standing) while the brass version was only produced in one size: 22 cm sitting or 32 cm standing. Tipped Petsy was also produced as a musical Ted in 17 and 20 cm (or 25 and 30 cm standing), on a four wheeled rolling cart in 20 and 25 cm, as a 17 cm puppet, and as a 17 cm purse over time.  

UPDATE 5/30/14:  Don't just take Steiffgal's word on how good this Petsy bear is! Click here to see him featured in THE NEW YORK TIMES... his story starts about halfway down the column!

Now it's quick like a bunny onto today's second auction highlight. Here we have a very seldom seen example of Steiff's larger Jack Rabbit with his button and red ear tag! Jack is standing and head and arm jointed. His head and hands are made from mohair, while his body and limbs are made from fine velvet. His face is detailed with velvet lined ears which are highlighted with a touch of pink airbrushing, oversized black and brown pupil eyes, a pink hand embroidered nose, a black hand embroidered mouth, and a little red felt circle to highlight his smile. His clothing is integral to his body. He is elegantly attired in brown tie shoes, blue and white striped socks, light orange pants, a tan shirt, burgundy jacket, and an oversized light blue bow. Special outfit details include a brown leather belt and big brassy buttons on his suit coat. Jack Rabbit was made in 22 and 28 cm from 1927 through 1932. This was the first time that Steiffgal handled an original Jack Rabbit, and she was absolutely amazed by his condition, rarity, and the fact that he still had the tiny accessories that make his outfit so special. Things like buttons, shoes, belts, and ties are frequently lost to time, love, and playwear.  

It is important not to confuse this Jack Rabbit design with Steiff's darling interpretation of Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit. Jack Rabbit was a relatively early licenced Steiff item. The character was the star of a popular 1920's era series of American children's books by David Cory. The books were published in New York by Grosset & Dunlap. Steiff produced and sold almost 2,800 examples of Jack Rabbit between 1927 and 1931. 

This final auction highlight is worthy of a cat call - no pun intended! This gorgeous Fluffy on a Pincushion is quite the looker! Fluffy is 10 cm tall and head jointed. She is sitting, unjointed, and made from white and tipped mohair which has mellowed to a fabulous lilac color over time. Her little tail wraps sweetly around her body. Fluffy's face is detailed with tiny deep green and black pupil eyes, a simple hand embroidered pink nose and mouth, and clear monofilament whiskers. She sits - like a purrr-fect princess - upon a square pincushion made from scrumptious long pink mohair. And, just when you thought it couldn't get any better here, it actually does. Fluffy retains ALL of her Steiff IDs, including her long trailing F button, red ear tag, and amazing metal rimmed, named chest tag. This size Fluffy on a Pincushion was made from 1926 through 1932. A smaller version of this item, using a 7 cm version of Fluffy, was in the line from 1928 through 1934.

Steiffgal's literally grinning like a Cheshire cat over this fantastic feline. Everything about this kitten - from her perfect proportions, harmonious and gentle color configuration, and heart tugging appeal - truly makes her the cat's meow.

This hugely popular Fluffy design was introduced in 1926. Her details are quite typical of other products Steiff created during "the roaring 20's" - items tended to have large, childlike eyes, bright colors, playful textures, and a distinctly feminine touch to them. Fluffy was such a favorite that she was produced in nine standard sizes, as well as in the form of other novelties including a musical version, dangling "Charleston" style item, and as a tail turns head model. She appeared in the line overall through 1950. Her design was slowly replaced by Susi, another favorite sitting style cat, who was a line standard through 1978.

Steiffgal hopes this initial review of Steiff highlights from James D. Julia's June 2014 auction featuring the Steffes collection has been a top-tier experience for you.  The full catalog should be online at www.JamesDJulia.com in early to mid-April.  Happy Steiff dreaming to you!

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