Barking Up The Right Tree With This Petite And Princely Steiff Pinscher

And they call it puppy love! And for good reason. This sweet sitting pup recently joined Steiffgal's hug. He came in a giant box lot. But as all collectors know... sometimes these types of purchases contain unexpected treasures like this.

Sit and stay and check out this sweet pup. He is a sweet example of Steiff's Pinscher dog. He is 17 cm tall, sitting, and unjointed. He is made from long tan mohair that was tipped in brown when he was new. You can see this tipping in his armpits, folds, and other places where the sun does not shine! Pinscher has black hand embroidered claws on his front and back paws. His face is detailed with charming proportional brown and black glass pupil eyes, a black hand stitched nose and mouth, a spot of red on his lips, and a center-seamed muzzle. His pert triangular mohair ears are lined in tan felt, and as is customary to the breed, he has a proportionally very small tail. He has a nonworking squeaker in his belly. 

Like most of Steiff's creations, this Pinscher is lovingly and authentically rendered. He in a very appealing and authentic sitting position; his back legs are angled and bent in the way a real puppy sits - especially when they are trying coax you into giving them a snack! This guy retains his long trailing "f" Steiff button and bits of his red tag as his Steiff IDs. This tipped mohair Steiff Pinscher pattern was produced in 17, 22, 28, 35, 43, and 50 cm from 1914 though 1931 overall.

Pinschers are few and far between in the Steiff line. Over time, three versions were produced prewar. As far as Steiffgal can tell, there has not been one in the line after the early 1940s. It is interesting to note that Steiff's debut Pinscher was produced at the same time as the company's rod jointed bears. Like the rod jointed bears, this guy was also fully rod jointed, had black wooden shoebutton eyes, and a handmade black gutta percha nose. He appeared in 35 cm from 1903 through 1906. He had a distinctly Teddy bear look to him but his limbs were more slender and he did not have felt paw pads. You can see a picture of him here on the left; the image is from Pfeiffer's 1892-1943 Sortiment.

After an eight year hiatus, Pinschers again graced the Steiff catalog. The Pinscher under discussion here today followed the rod jointed version. Steiff's final Pinscher was similar to the tipped version, but made in long grey brown mohair in 17, 22, and 28 cm from 1935-1942. 

Pinschers are a distinctly German breed, so it should be no surprise that Steiff chose to produce a few for their line. These dogs originated in southern Germany (also where the Steiff company is located.) They were first officially recognized in 1885 and accepted into the American Kennel Club in 2003. German Pinschers were one of the foundation breeds in the origins of the Doberman Pinscher and the Miniature Pinscher as we know them today. German Pinschers were almost lost to time both post WWI and WWII. According to the AKC, there were no litters registered in West Germany from 1949 to 1958. Due to the heroic efforts of one man, the breed was rescued via intensive breeding and conservation efforts.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this petite Pinscher has brought a little more happiness to your day.

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

Sit and Stay Awhile With This Delightful Steiff German Pinscher Dog!

Pinch me!  Or in this case, better yet, "Pinch" me!  Ever have that feeling when a wonderful Steiff item just makes its way into your collection, like it was meant to be?  Well, that's how Steiffgal felt when a somewhat rare - and totally adorable - vintage Steiff dog recently joined her hug.  Check out this captivating Steiff canine and see what makes him so interesting from the design and historical perspectives.  

This sitting sweetie is none other than Steiff's German Pinscher dog.  He is sitting, head jointed, and made from long mohair that was tipped in brown when he was new.  His face is detailed with oversized brown and black glass pupil eyes, a prominent black hand stitched nose and mouth, and a center-seamed muzzle.  His pert triangular mohair ears are lined in pink felt, and as is customary to the breed, he has a proportionally very small tail.  He has black hand embroidered claws on his front paws; his back paw stitching has been lost to time.   Pinscher is in a very appealing and authentic sitting position; his back legs are angled and bent in the way a real puppy sits - especially when they are trying to be compliant for a treat!  This handsome hound retains his long trailing "f" Steiff button and red ear tag; his collar and pendant were made by Steiff but are modern and not original to him.  This Steiff Pincher pattern was produced in 17, 22, 28, 35, 43, and 50 cm from 1914 though 1931 overall. 

So how much is that doggie in the window?  Steiffgal cannot reveal this, but she can share that she found this Pinscher in the booth of a dear dealer friend at the 2014 Steiff Sommer Event in Giengen, Germany.  And indeed, it was love at first sight!

German Pinschers have a far back but somewhat limited history in the Steiff product line.  The first ones appeared in 1903 and were five ways rod jointed; in many ways they looked quite similar to Steiff's earliest rod jointed cubs with their simple expressions and gutta percha noses.  These earliest Pinschers were made in 35 cm only from 1903 through 1906. These are extremely rare; one at Christie's in London realized $12,862 at auction in 2010; he is pictured here on the left.  The next Steiff Pinschers in the line were like Steiffgal's new friend as discussed above -  the ones produced from 1914 through 1931.  The last prewar Pinschers produced by Steiff were made from 1935 through 1943.  These pretty pets came in 17, 22, and 28 cm and were also sitting and head jointed.  However, they were produced in grayish brown mohair and had a slightly updated body and facial pattern.  As far as Steiffgal can tell, Steiff has not had a German style Pinscher in the line for over 70 years... perhaps the time is right again soon?

Like many popular dog breeds today - like dachshunds -  Pinschers of many types originated in Germany.  You can check out a real-live German Pinscher here on the left. For over two centuries, German Pinschers have traditionally has their ears and tail docked. You can see these details on Steiffgal's Pinscher under discussion here. The early belief was that docking the tail was "thought to prevent rabies, strengthen the back, increase the animal's speed, and prevent injuries when working" ... while cropping the ears "prevented injuries while working and increased the intense appearance of the canine and eliminate the subdued, puppy look of droopy ears." Today, both of these procedures are primarily done for cosmetic reasons and many owners do not elect them for their dogs. It is interesting to note that it is thought that German Pinschers came close to extinction in the first quarter of last century.  Thankfully, a gentleman from West Germany named Werner Jung began breeding German Pinschers after World War II, and is credited with saving the breed. 

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's delightful pre-war Pinschers has been as welcomed as a loving pinch on the cheek!

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