Care To Play Carpool Karaoke With This Mysterious Monkey Passenger?

This delightful inquiry puts Steiffgal right into 5th gear! Put the pedal to metal and check out this note from a new friend from the UK. Peter writes...

"I am hoping you can identify the toy primate in the back of this miniature car, please?  The photo was taken in December of 1912, in London.  For reference in size, the girl, in the driver's seat, is 4 years old, while her brother, the passenger, is 2 and seems the same size as the primate.  I'd appreciate your thoughts. Thank you."

Let's go into overdrive and check out this back seat driver. Based on the quality of the photo, it is impossible to tell with certainty about the details or the manufacturer of this marvelous monkey.  But the photo does hold a handful of  clues that could link the passenger to Steiff. 

Here's a road map to start this investigation. From what Steiffgal can tell, there are two circumstantial details of the photo and one known fact of the period that support the Steiff monkey hypothesis.  First, the image was taken in England in 1912, and we know that Steiff was actively supplying the British market with its high end toys at that time.  Second, Steiff did produce very large, dark brown monkeys during the first quarter of the 20th century.  And, thirdly, the Steiff nephews were very interested in automobiles (and all things mechanical.) The Steiff family was the first in their small town to own an automobile, purchasing it around 1912. Shortly after, the company started to produce all sorts of car related novelties, including radiator caps, headlight covers, and travel mascots. These things were advertised internationally, so the world beyond Giengen was probably starting to associate Steiff items with cars.  A picture of Steiff's monkey radiator cap from 1912/13 is pictured here on the left; the photo is from the Cieslik's Button in Ear, the History of the Teddy Bear and His Friends. 

So what's on this monkey's driver's license? Now, if, and that's a BIG IF, the monkey was made by Steiff, which model could he be? According to Peter, the little boy sitting in the car, who is about the same size as the monkey, is 2 years old. The average height of a 2 year old boy is about 36 inches, or about 90 cm. The monkey is most likely fully jointed (as it is sitting), has a prominent flat facial mask, and long bent arms. Given all that, it is Steiffgal's best detective work that the monkey may be Steiff's early, but not earliest, Affe, or Monkey. This five ways jointed model was produced in brown mohair from 1904 through 1928, in sizes including 28, 35, 43, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, and 120 cm. His ears, face, and hands were made from felt. His simple but charming face was detailed with black shoebutton eyes and a stitched nose and mouth. He also had a tail. When he left the factory, he would have had a small Steiff trailing "f" button and a white paper ear tag with the numbers "5390" on it as his identification. This translates to 5=jointed, 3=mohair, and 90=90 cm. A photo of a cousin of Affe 5390 is pictured here on the left; the photo is from Christie's. 

Steiffgal hopes you enjoyed this turn of last century joyride!

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

This Fully Jointed Steiff Rabbit Is One Cheerful Earful!

"Will you be my honey bunny?" Well, when it comes to Steiff's rabbits, it's hard to decline that request! Check out this delightful and very vintage Steiff bunny that just recently hopped into Steiffgal's hug this summer. It's all but certain you won't be able to resist this cheerful-earful either!

This beautiful bunny is Steiff's early Hollaenderhase or Dutch Rabbit. She is 26 cm, begging and made of white mohair (that has mellowed to a nice vanilla color over time.) Her face is detailed with striking pink and red glass pupil eyes and a simple tan hand embroidered nose and mouth. She has early and "chunky" proportions, including very large thighs and long and narrow padless feet. The remarkable, yet really subtle thing about this rabbit is that she is seven, yes seven, ways jointed! In addition to her head and limb jointing, each of her ears is uniquely jointed and can be moved around in a full circle! This fantastic and really novel pattern was produced in white, white and brown, and white and black in 22, 28, and 35 cm from 1907 through 1916.  Here she is modeling for you on the left; she wears a denim dress that is not original to her but made by Steiff, and a 1920's-era English children's handkerchief bandanna that is not original to her.  
  

Steiffgal "adopted" this happy hopper on a trip to the UK from a new friend who runs a great vintage doll and bear stall in a well known London antique mall. It truly was love at first sight, and the rabbit - since named Sarah - accompanied Steiffgal on her trans-London adventures. Sarah loved the ice cream and soda fountain parlor at Fortnum and Mason, and like her friend mini-Molly, even enjoyed a "Strawberries and cream" iced tea drink at the Mad Hatter's Tea at the Sanderson Hotel!  But, UNLIKE the other White Rabbit usually associated with Alice in Wonderland, Sarah was exactly on time for this fun gathering of friends.
 

This rabbit appeared in Steiffgal's life at a most coincidental and auspicious time. Steiffgal has been working on an interesting project to tell the story of FAO Schwarz and the family's role in bringing Christmas and play to America at the turn of last century. Part of this research involves reviewing old family photos and documents. Once photo, from about 1914, shows two of the Schwarz children at home, playing with some toys including a doll, squirrel, and a pair of rabbits. Upon closer review of the photo, it appears that the rabbits are indeed two of Steiff's fully jointed Dutch rabbits - one being all white (like Sarah) and the other perhaps brown and white. You can see this remarkable photo here on the left. Steiffgal and a friend recently presented some of their findings about FAO Schwarz at the 2015 United Federation of Doll Clubs annual event in Kansas City.  And guess who made a guest appearance at this seminar?  Sarah the bunny of course!  She stole the show as a "real life" example of a vintage Steiff treasure with historical ties to this remarkable family.  

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Sarah, the fully jointed Holland rabbit, has been a double-dutch treat for you.  

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

Less Is More When It Comes To Steiff's Teeny Tiny Pre-War Mohair Dogs

Steiffgal’s a little short on time this week for blogging. So this is a perfect moment to introduce you to one of the most petite treats in her collection – a tiny and very early Steiff Molly Dog. Take a big look at this particularly small pup and see what makes her so interesting – and irresistible!

This happy handful is the smallest version of Steiff’s Molly the Puppy dog. She is sitting, unjointed, and just a hair over 6 cm tall from head to toe measured vertically. She is made from white and brown tipped mohair. Her wee face comes to life with brown and black glass pupil eyes, a simple black hand embroidered nose and mouth, and the pattern’s typical “folded over” style ears. And she even retains her long trailing “f” style button after all of these years. This little girl indeed is the smallest version of Molly produced (formally documented as 7 cm), and appeared in the line from 1927 through 1943. Pre-war, this sitting brown and white Molly pattern was produced overall from 1925 through 1943 in 12 sizes ranging from 7 through 80 centimeters. She was one of the very first models reintroduced post war, reappearing again in 1949 in five sizes ranging from 10 to 25 cm through 1969.

Molly the Puppy is arguably that most important dog pattern ever produced by Steiff. The 1925 introduction of Molly proved so popular that she is credited for opening the floodgates to a huge influx of Steiff dog designs. Between 1925 and 1938, close to 40 new canine species were noted in the Steiff catalogs after her debut, many reflecting her wide eyed expression, childlike proportions, and happy disposition. These included the now classic Bully the Bulldog, Charly the King Charles Spaniel, and Treff the Bloodhound, as well as some lesser-known designs including Cheerio, the laughing dog, and Putzi, a caricatured standing dog.  And despite her advanced age and location on the family tree, this Molly still enjoys a good time; she is pictured here on the left enjoying a "Strawberries and cream" iced tea drink at the Mad Hatter's Tea at the Sanderson Hotel in London. 

And what about her size – or lack of it, in this case? She is indeed tiny, so much so that Steiffgal didn’t even notice her the first time she was checking out a remarkable window display of vintage dolls and toys in the shop of a new friend. But upon a second review, there she was, and now Steiffgal can’t take her eyes off of her! (And, according to the picture to the left, Molly can't take her hungry eyes off a tiny quiche from the same Mad Hatter's Tea!) 

Ironically, really small Steiff mohair animals can be harder and more complicated to make than their larger siblings. This is because their scale requires especially careful material cutting, intricate stitching, labor intensive turning, and especially precise stuffing and finishing. There just isn’t a lot of “wiggle room” for mistakes or manufacturing variation with these tiny mohair treasures; and because they are not economically efficient to produce, their small stature usually is accompanied by a larger than expected retail price tag. As a result, Steiff created relatively few 7 cm sized pre-war era canine companions; these included Bully the Bulldog, Charly the King Spaniel (pictured here on the left with her fellow 7 cm Molly companion), a few Fox terriers including Spotty, Treff the Bloodhound, and Fellow the black and white puppy. Post war, as far as Steiffgal can tell, the only 7 cm mohair dog Steiff made was Fox the Fox terrier, who only appeared in the line in this smallest size in 1949.

Steiffgal hopes this little post on this tiny Steiff Molly adds a big smile to your day.

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