Picturing The Possible Design Origins Of Steiff's Beloved Jocko Chimpanzee

Steiffgal was working a project for one of her auction house clients and came across this charming image. Well, actually it came to her... probably because Steiff is usually in her head at any given time!

Image from Potter & Potter Auctions

What we have here is a 28 x 37-¼" printed broadside from around 1913. It was published in Hamburg, Germany by Adolph Friedländer, a man who ran a lithography company that produced over 9,000 posters between 1872 and 1935. Most of these were for performers and traveling acts, including magicians and circus and vaudeville performers. The words on the poster read Every Evening / Jeden Abend / Tous Les Soirs, and it is illustrated with a performing chimpanzee in four vignettes: modeling a tuxedo and top hat with a cane and cigarette; tossing a barrel over his head; riding a bicycle down a flight of stairs; and walking on stilts. The three languages on the poster suggest that this primate performance was international, or at least appeared in the UK, Germany, and France. This item is lot #256 at Potter & Potter Auctions' February 1, 2025 Wunderkammer sale, and is estimated at $2,000-3,000.   

Image from Zwiggelaarauctions.nl

So what is the possible connection to Steiff here? It is interesting to note that starting around 1910 or so, trained, performing chimpanzees were the darlings of the entertainment world. They appeared in circuses, in sideshow and venue acts, and in publicity photos and postcards - usually dressed in scaled human clothing. Steiff has always been aware of current events, media trends, and popular culture as inspirations for new product design. This started around 1904 or so, when the company produced a licensed version of Peter Rabbit - who at the time was making headlines in the children's literature world. Other history/cultural/celebrity productions of basically the same era included a series of dolls based on the Happy Hooligans comic strip; Caesar, the King's dog; and Tige (Buster Brown's dog), among many others. 

Primates have appeared in several forms in the Steiff line since the company's catalog debut in 1894. However, in 1909, Steiff introduced its most realistic, lifelike, and appealing brown mohair chimpanzee. Coincidence or not?

Image from Steiff's 1913 catalog

This fully jointed primate pattern - which would "officially" be named Jocko in 1929 - had authentic body and limb proportions and lifelike felt hands, feet, and facial features. Medium sized Jockos onward sported a white mohair chin and featured felt eye pockets. This ocular detailing meant that their brown and black glass pupil eyes were surrounded by raised felt eyelids. Brown mohair Jocko was produced in 15 sizes, ranging from 10 to 90 cm, from 1909 through 1943 overall.  

Image from Zwiggelaarauctions.nl

Bringing this discussion full circle, Steiffgal found an almost identical version of this poster, except that it had the words "The great consul Patsy" written in large letters across the bottom. She could not discover additional details on Patsy, but infers that the chimp pictured may have been named Patsy. Patsy was a popular boy's name in the early 1900s, and derives from a Latin word meaning “noble,” “nobleman,” or “patrician.” It is intriguing to think that someone from Steiff may have seen this poster, or performance, or one like it, and decided that it was time to elevate the company's chimp design to match the popular aesthetic of the time. And collectors more than a century onward are thanking them for this really wise choice!

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Jocko's possible design origins has been a feast for your eyes!

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

Ringing In The Holidays With A Very Special And Early Steiff Lamb

'Tis the season of bells. It seems like sleigh bells, the bells rung by the Salvation Army volunteers manning red donation kettles, and the ubiquitous "Jingle Bells" song on the radio are top of mind with everyone as we celebrate this special time of year. For Steiffgal, the holidays came a few days early with another bell related treat - a precious and early Steiff lamb with full provenance. Check out this charming barnyard buddy and see what makes her so special from several perspectives.
 

It's easy to jingle all the way with this adorable little lamb. What we have here is Steiff's Lamm or Lamb. She is standing, unjointed, stuffed with excelsior, and made from lamb's wool plush. Lamb's wool plush has a marvelous, "lumpy-bumpy" texture to it, much like that of a real lamb. Although her design is relatively simple, she has wonderful and angular back legs and perfectly lifelike proportions. Her face is detailed with green and black slit pupil style glass eyes, a red hand embroidered red nose an mouth, and a touch of pink airbrushing on her eyes and muzzle. Her ribbon and bell are original. This pre-WW2 design was made in 14, 17, 22, and 28 cm from 1928 through 1943. This basic design in this wonderful material was also produced in a lying position, on wheels, as a music box, and as a ride on animal.
 

Steiffgal was fortunate enough to win this great example at the recent Morphy Auctions' Toy Auction Sale on December 18, 2015. This lovely lamb really called to her as she already had the 22 cm version of this pattern. And, as all collectors know, you can never have enough of a good thing! The happy duo are pictured together here on the left. They have almost identical ribbons and bells. Isn't their resemblance uncanny?
 

One of the things that makes this example so special is that it came with full provenance. Lamb is from the estate of Patsy Ziemer. She was given to Patsy on her first birthday by a family friend who also gave her a pair of felt slippers at the same time.  You can see this documented in her baby book - a page of which is pictured here on the left. According to her family, "Patsy was born Patricia Erica Lyon in the Philippine Islands on October 20, 1927. She had ancestors dating back to nobility in Germany as early as 1110. Her parents were American Civil Service teachers living in the Philippine Islands when she was born. They moved to Germany in 1928 where they established and managed the American School in Berlin. Her parents were active in pre-war Berlin society and observed first-hand the development of the Nazi party. They barely escaped from Germany as hostilities heated up in 1939. Shortly after arriving in Lake City, Minnesota at the age of 12, Patsy wrote the book Two Thousand and Ten Days of Hitler with her father’s coaching. It described her experiences in pre-war Germany, became a best seller in New York, and was published in many languages."  

To honor Patsy and her memory, Steiffgal has named this lovely lamb "Patsy."

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Patsy's sweet sheep has really rung a bell with you.

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