Going Green With This Seasonally Hued Steiff Sweetie

"Tis the season for all things green and red! As such, the timing is perfect to share a recent addition to Steiffgal's hug with you. This seasonally hued sweetie is a bit of a mystery but so charming nonetheless. He was on Steiffgal's wish list for awhile given his rarity and somewhat ephemeral construction. Check out this darling doll and see what makes him the perfect 1970s-era ambassador.  

Here we have Steiff's little known "Buzzel Sepp." In Germany, "Sepp" is a nickname for someone with the formal name of Joseph. And "Buzzel" refers to his shape and construction. But more about that in just a bit. In all honesty, Steiffgal is not exactly certain who this guy is or who he may represent. He is not obviously a chimney sweep, farmer, or gnome - Steiff's usual cast of male doll suspects. Perhaps he is a shepherd, as he is pictured with a red plastic staff in some reference books. Unfortunately, Steiffgal's Sepp has lost this accessory. 

Buzzel Sepp is upright and unjointed. It is not clear if he is standing or sitting as he has no legs. His simple body is made from bright green and white mohair. He rests on a flat bottom. His head is made from a synthetic - probably polyester - fabric. His face comes to life with blue semi-circle felt eyes, a tan circular felt nose, and a long, brown fiber mustache. He is accessorized with a red felt scarf and a green felt hat. His hat has a little daisy on it for decoration. Buzzel Sepp has a working squeaker in his base. This silly guy appeared in the line in this size only from 1972-1974.

It is interesting to note that he is noted in the 1947-2003 Steiff Sortiment as made from dralon but he is clearly made from mohair - at least in this case.

Buzzel Sepp has some distinctive IDs. His chest tag is Steiff's red and yellow split style version. This chest tag debuted in 1972, aligning perfectly with Sepp's production date. On the back of this tag, it is noted that Sepp cost 19.90 marks. Given that $1 = DM 3.48 in 1972, this would have been about $5.72 in 1972 dollars; $5.72 in 1972 is worth approximately $37.85 in 2021. This doll also has a silver hangtag with the word "formgeschaumt" or "foam molded" on it. That refers to his pre-formed foam stuffing. And because he does not have any ears, his ear tag is located on the seam of his bottom with his lentil style Steiff button embedded into it. You can see this somewhat unusual configuration here on the left.

Steiff's Buzzel items appeared in the line in 1970s. They were all 20 cm, sat upon a flat bottom, had a squeaker, were stuffed with pre-formed foam, and washable. Other Buzzel models created included a rooster, a rabbit, a cat, and a Santa Claus, among others. These items - except for Sepp and Santa - were simplified versions of popular Steiff designs. Steiffgal suspects the Buzzels were created specifically as less expensive and/or lower end toy line for children given how the word "washable" featured so prominently in their marketing. And, in Steiff's 1972 product catalog, their Buzzel line is noted as, "foam-molded, therefore super soft, really to love for the very little ones." You can see Sepp and his other Buzzel friends as they appeared in this vintage catalog here on the left. Just click on the image to make it bigger. 

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's quirky Sepp doll has added a joyful buzz to your day.

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

Tuning Into This Rare And Unusual Musical Steiff Santa Claus Doll

Does this great Steiff Santa doll strike a chord with you? Check out this unusual holiday hero with a very special feature - he's musical! Have you ever seen another one like it? A friend from Pennsylvania shares... 

We bought this 15" Steiff with a music box key wind in the sack. The music box is in the sack attached to his back with a large key protruding from it. I would love to know anything you can tell me about it. Thank you!

Well, let's warm things up with what we know about this friend from the North Pole. The doll itself is based on the company's legacy midcentury Santa doll pattern introduced in 1953. This earliest Santa doll was 31 cm and five-ways jointed. He had a rubber head, felt body, bright red felt suit and cap trimmed in white mohair, and a white, fluffy mohair beard. By 1955, this design was also produced in 13 and 18 cm. These Santa dolls appeared in the line through 1963 and were, and remain, year-round favorites with collectors worldwide. The Santa under discussion today measures 15" tall, or 38 cm, so he was probably not part of Steiff's standard line Santa production. His larger size suggests he was a special order, perhaps intended as a seasonal window or mantel display. 

Now let's tune into his musical feature. With full disclosure that Steiffgal has not handled this item in person and inspected for originality, she can suggest two possible origins for his music box.  

First: Given that the music box is located in his sack, and not in his torso, it is possible that it is not Steiff original to him and was placed there by a previous owner. The music box is described as having "a large key." Every wind up music box Steiffgal has handled has a very small, simple turning knob. It's size hints that the music box may not be Steiff original to him. Just about every musical Steiff item Steiffgal can think of from any era has its musical feature embedded in its body - probably to secure it in place, as well as to protect it against bangs and bumps. For example, the musical Basi pictured to the left has her music feature in her bottle shaped body; it is activated by pressing her up and down. As Steiff's midcentury Santa dolls were not distributed with a Santa sack, it wouldn't be that challenging to make one, put a wind up music box in it, and sew it to the doll's body. That would be MUCH easier than opening up the doll, removing stuffing, inserting a music box, and sewing everything up seamlessly. 

Second: It is also possible that the musical feature is all original to the doll. Most Steiff collectors are familiar with the company's standard line musical Cockie Cocker Spaniel, Teddy Bear, and cat patterns. These were all produced in the mid to late 1950s. However, Steiff also produced a number of other uncatalogued musical rarities based on beloved 1950s era designs, including their Lulac rabbit and lying tiger. "Music Tiger" is pictured here on the left. Given the timeline and popularity of the 38 cm doll design under discussion here, it is not out of the question that the company tried to make a musical Santa Claus doll, too; maybe even in a distinctly larger size. Perhaps the musical machinery was too large or strangely shaped to bury it in the doll's torso so the designers made a sack for him, and hid the music box within it. If the Santa sack is elegantly constructed from period fabric, matches the look and feel of the doll, and has aged in tandem with the rest of the overall doll and clothing, this would suggest that is factory original to the doll. But, in the end, only Santa knows for sure... and he's keeping tight lipped over this!

Steiffgal hopes this discussion of this musical Santa Claus has wound up your interest in this unusual doll. 

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

A Century of Steiff's Santa Claus Production

The big man in red is in the house - just about! In honor of Santa's imminent arrival, Steiffgal wanted to share this article on Steiff's vintage Santa dolls with you. She prepared it originally for Auction Daily and also appears on their website. 

Margarete Steiff GmbH, the legendary toy company from Germany, has created a number of irresistible Santa dolls over the years. For many families, especially of German descent, Steiff dolls are just as much of a holiday tradition as trees and stockings. That’s easy to understand, given their appeal! Let’s take a look at some of the highlights of Steiff’s Santa Claus dolls.

The earliest references to Christmas in Steiff’s collateral appeared in the early 1910s, when the company produced holiday advertising featuring standard line items under trees and used as ornaments. However, none of the items featured were specifically made for Christmas. The first Santa Claus appeared in the general line in the early 1920s, but it was not a doll in the traditional sense. It was a 20 cm wooden Santa Claus toy on a rocking base. Rocking Santa was featured in the catalog from 1923 through 1927. According to the 1924 catalog, this “wobbly figure“ cost 2.5 marks and was “made of the best wood, finely crafted, and colorfully painted with luminous colors.“ You can see this early Santa pictured here on the far left. 

Christmas became a higher priority for Steiff in the early 1950s, when the company was re-establishing its presence as a leading international toymaker post World War II. Like Santa at the helm of his sled, racing across a dark wintery sky, the arrival of a Steiff Santa doll in 1953 was a very welcome sight indeed. Steiff’s earliest Santa doll was 31 cm and five-ways jointed. He had a rubber head, felt body, bright red felt suit and cap, and a white, fluffy mohair beard. By 1955, this design was also produced in 13 and 18 cm. These Santa dolls appeared in the line through 1963 and were, and remain, year-round favorites with collectors worldwide. The 13 and 31 cm versions are pictured here on the left. 

Due to his popularity, Steiff’s Santa Claus doll pattern was also made as a 21 cm hand puppet from 1954 through 1961. This puppet had a molded head identical in design to the full-bodied doll. He was detailed with a white full mohair beard and hair, felt hands with stitched digits, and a felt body. He was a little larger in scale than other hand puppets of the time, which generally measured 17 cm. He was dressed in a handsome red felt jacket and hat. His outfit, like the doll from which he was based, was detailed with real white mohair trim down the front of his coat, around his hat, and around his cuffs. His hat was topped off with a white wooly pom-pom. You can see this happy handful, pictured here on the left. 

One of the most astonishing of Steiff’s Santa Claus dolls is the company’s display or practically life-sized version. This big daddy- 150 cm, or nearly 5 feet tall -was manufactured in the 1960s. These supersized Steiff Santa dolls were dressed to the nines in fine felt tailored suits trimmed in mohair, just like their rock star namesake! Today, these are extremely rare, as, for the most part, time has not been kind to them. Because their faces were made from rubber, they tend to dry out, sink, and crack as the years go by. Few were made, and not too many are still around, making existing examples as rare as hen’s teeth. Here on the left you can see this display doll; he is pulling a wagon-full of some of the company's most popular mid- 1960s era animal designs. 

In the 1970s, due to pressure from other toy manufacturers, Steiff began economizing on their design and production to control costs and stay competitive. They produced a series of unjointed, inexpensive, and cone-shaped plush dolls and animals in the “Buzzel” style. One noteworthy example of Steiff’s 1970-era Buzzel production is the company’s 20 cm standing Buzzel Santa Claus doll. He is made from red and white dralon material and felt, with a long, white dralon beard. His face is precious and simple; he has small blue felt eyes, a round peach colored felt nose, and a tiny red circle for his lips. Santa is wearing his traditional Santa suit which is integral to his body. He carries a brown Santa sack, which has a little bell in it. This particular doll was produced in this size only from 1972 to 1974. These dolls were designed for fun, play, and love so, it is really rare to find one in collectible condition nearly half a century after manufacturing. A nice example of Steiff's Buzzel Santa is pictured here on the left. 

From the 1980s onward, Steiff’s line regularly featured Santa Claus-themed items and novelties. Although a few humanized Santa dolls were issued, most of these editions were in the form of Teddy bears dressed as the merry man in red. These have included holiday ornaments, soft baby toys, musical items, and even nutcrackers, smokers, and festive candelabras. Given his legacy status, the company’s 1950s-era Santa doll was reissued in 19 and 28 cm as a US exclusive from 1984 through 1988. This happy fellow is pictured here on the left. However, many enthusiasts who came of age with Steiff consider the company’s 1970 and early-era Santa Claus items to be the most authentic representation of the Steiff holiday spirit.

Steiffgal ho-ho-ho hopes this discussion on Steiff's vintage Santa dolls has put you in the Christmas spirit!

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

It's Time To Welcome The Big Man In Red!

Just in Claus you haven't noticed, its just a few hours until Christmas Day is upon us! And nothing says season’s greetings quite like the main man in red - Santa Claus - at least here in the United States.

Check out this page from a 1967 Steiff catalog featuring an almost life-sized Santa Claus doll. You can click on the image to make it bigger. Many collectors are familiar with the company's popular and beloved smaller Santa Claus dolls, which were produced in 13, 18, and 31 cm from 1953 through 1963 overall. This pattern was also made as a puppet. In the 1960s, Steiff produced this big fellow as a display piece in 150 cm, or about 5 feet. These supersized Steiff Santas were dressed to the nines in fine felt tailored suits trimmed in mohair - just like their rockstar namesake!

Today, these life-sized Santas are extremely rare, as for the most part, time has not been kind to them. Because their faces were made from rubber, they tend to dry out, sink, and crack as the years go by. As such, there are not too many of these still around. Steiffgal only knows of one, and he's having a rough go of it. And speaking of faces, it is interesting to note that the same facial mold used to create this display Santa was also used on the company's display sized shepherd and gnomes which were all produced at the same time as this Santa; you can see two of these "lifesized" gnomes here on the left. You can click on the image to make it bigger.

Steiff's Santa catalog page, like many of Steiff's vintage advertising images, is utterly charming, visually engaging, and tells a happy story. It is also fun to check out the other secondary items in the shot - those toys and articles placed around the featured article to help bring it to life. The selections often represent a "time capsule" of popular line items of the time, which is absolutely true in this case as well.

Santa's delightful deliveries from 1967 include:

*A caramel mohair “mask style" original Teddy bear (made from 1966-93 in sizes ranging from 11-100 cm overall.) 

*A grey mohair Snobby poodle (made from 1954-74 in sizes ranging from 10-43 cm overall.) 

*A white plush Diva cat (made from 1967-78 in 35 cm.) 

*A mohair giraffe (made from 1953-74 in sizes ranging from 14-75 cm overall.) 

*A brown mohair jointed Jocko monkey (made from 1949-81 in sizes ranging from 10-80 cm overall.) 

*A grey mohair Jumbo elephant (made from 1952-75 in 22 and 35 cm overall.) 

*A Mungo multicolored monkey (made from 1957-71 in 17, 25, and 35 cm overall.) 

*A tan wool plush camel (made from 1950-69 in 14, 17, 28, and 35 cm overall.)

Steiffgal ho-ho-hopes this life-sized discussion on Steiff's display Santa Claus has put you in a holly-jolly mood!

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

Cataloging Steiff's Display Rarities From The Mid 1960's

A great way to learn more about vintage button-in-ear rarities is to go to the source - literally! Steiff has always been consistent in producing sales materials, catalogs, and literature about their product line over time, and these original documents are like miniature time capsules of information for collectors. Steiffgal recently purchased a specialty catalog from 1967 which features the company's vast range of lifesized animals produced 50 years ago. The cover, which has a family of display orangutans, is shown here on the left. These include a 130 cm or 52 inch papa, a 120 cm or 48 inch mama, and a 40 cm or 16 inch baby. Let's take a peek inside this great reference and see what it has to say!

The catalog cover itself measures about 23 cm wide and 17 cm tall and is designed like a binder, with metal rings holding the hole-punched sheets in place. The introduction page - which is written in German, French, and English - reads: "Besides the famous toy animals we also manufacture animals in natural until twice natural size. They are most popular for shop windows and stores to draw the attention of the buyers of our mark. Those animals are made of the same good mohair, plush, or nylon  and have a metal frame. If a person wants to sit on them, it would be better to add a metal ring which unites the four legs. This ring must be paid extra.

The catalog is beautifully illustrated with full color photography throughout. The pages are printed single sided, with blank backs. The catalog contains mostly "beauty shots" of the company's display line, but also has a few pages in the front which offer sales and shelving items, including price tags, lighting, signage, and merchandisers. Perhaps the most interesting page is shown here on the left. Check out the range of display pieces for smaller items, including what looks like green metal "cots" for the company's sleeping style cosy items. Steiffgal has never seen these in real life, have you?

Now let's make a big deal over some display animal highlights. The catalog has over 80 individual pages featuring these lifesized lovelies, so its difficult to pick out just a few. Several species, like elephants and the big jungle cats, were well represented with several models of each on offer. Here are some examples that really caught Steiffgal's eye - for their rarity, beauty, or just plain goofiness. (You can click on all the photos to make them bigger and read the catalog page details.)

It's never too early to start putting together your Christmas wish list! And Steiffgal bets just about every vintage Steiff collector would love to find this almost lifesized Santa Claus doll under their holiday tree! Santa stands 150 cm or 60 inches tall and is based on the company's beloved standard line postwar rubber faced Santa doll, who was produced in 13, 18, and 31 cm from 1953 to 1963 overall. Steiffgal has only seen one example of this display sized man in red firsthand - he's as rare as his namesake!

There's not a hare out of place when it comes to this next display highlight. This great mohair pattern looks to be for the most part a prehistoric proportioned Manni rabbit, given his begging position and coloring - with a little bit of Niki rabbit's facial detailing in the mix for good measure. And given that Steiff traditionally does not include ear length when measuring rabbits, this honey bunny is even larger than his 80 cm or 31-1/2 inch "official" size. Just for comparison, check out the teeny tiny Perri squirrel in the photo - he's probably only 12 or 17 cm! 

Now let's cool things down a bit with this jolly sitting polar bear. His body position is quite distinctive - he seems to be squatting on his bent legs. He must be carefully balanced, given the size and scale of his portly midriff. Another picture of him that Steiffgal has seen shows a metal rod base stand mounted strategically on his "bare bottom," probably to help keep him upright. This 180 cm or 72 inch perky polar bear has really prominent rubber claws, faux suede pads, and a million dollar smile. 

This busy pair only want to be your beasts of burden. The display catalog features two donkey designs, but Steiffgal thought this dralon, open-mouthed pattern was a bit more interesting than the other, given its seldom seen accessories. Steiff does a great job with farm animals, and their donkeys have broad and universal appeal. Sometimes they are produced "au naturel," while other models feature brindles and/or saddles. The company's early "Democratic" donkey mascot don a blue felt blanket. Whatever your political affiliation, it's very easy to get carried away over these 120 cm or 48 inch and 90 cm or 35 inch Steiff donkeys adorned with functional, hand-woven raffia baskets!

No need to trash-talk over this fantastic, lifesized black and white mohair Steiff Cockie Cocker Spaniel. It is interesting to note that Steiff's mid to late 20th century sitting black and white Cockers are in the form of rare novelties, including a tail turns head model and a musical version. There is no "standard line" postwar black and white sitting Cocker. So this guy must be pretty special! This catalog page illustration has it all - a great and seldom seen 80 cm or 32 inch display rarity, an authentic situation all dog owners can relate to, and little Steiff friends hidden in the mess.  

Anyone care to dance? It's hard to resist these two humongous and utterly charming mohair Zotty bears. Clearly these big bruins are based on the company's legacy mohair Zotty Teddy bear pattern, which appeared in the line from 1951 through 1978 in sizes ranging from 17 to  100 cm. These cavorting cubs seem to be having the time of their lives. Could that have something to do with the large beer keg and two porcelain steins in the background? These display items measure 80 cm or 35 inches and 100 cm or 40 inches, respectively. 

Bird's the word with this final display pick. Here we have two royal looking Crown Crane birds, measuring in at 140 cm or 56 inches each. Both are standing, unjointed, and elaborately detailed in various colors and lengths of mohair materials. They balance elegantly on metal framed legs that are covered in felt and realistically airbrushed. Steiffgal has seen and handled a number of Steiff display birds from this period, including a flamingo and an ostrich, (both also featured in this catalog) but never the company's cranes. It is her strongest suspicion that like the flamingo and the ostrich, these cranes were designed with removable heads and necks for ease of packing, shipping, and storage. 

Steiffgal hopes you found this discussion on Steiff's 1960-era display items larger than life.

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

It's Steiff Christmas In July - Well, Almost!

It's Christmas in July! Well, almost! The magic of Steiff certainly lasts all year, with unexpected "gifts" like this sometimes showing up in the most delightful ways. Check out this note from a new friend who writes about a very special heirloom that has been in her family for over six decades. Through a series of correspondences, she shares....
 

"For 60+ years, this Santa miraculously appeared in the center of the dining room table during every Christmas Eve. Although, as a little girl, I paid particular attention to the goings on, Santa always arrived unannounced as if by magic. By Christmas morning he would be gone, leaving a child’s presents behind. It was the same for my children, and hopefully it will be for theirs. 

I have tried to find out more about my Christmas friends, but cannot seem to find a reference other than the Steiff’s Santa himself. There are smaller sleighs, but clearly, this one, with is bridles and sleigh attachments was something quite unusual. The small presents are all wrapped and appear “attached” to the display.
I believe my parents purchased this centerpiece in Germany in the 1950's. We lived in several cities in Germany when I was growing up. I think my mother once suggested that it was in the Steiff shop window as a display piece for Christmas. I think she had to wait until after Christmas to purchase it and then waited the full year to place it in our world.

Might you know more? I would appreciate all that you can tell me about these 60 year old friends. Thank you so very much." 

What a wonderful item, with such great family history.  Let's first take a look at the two core Steiff items in the piece - the Santa doll and his reindeer.  

Santa clearly rules the reins here!  This sweet doll is clearly Steiff's earliest post WWII Santa doll. An example is shown here on the left. He is s 31 cm and five ways jointed. Santa has a rubber head; felt body; bright red felt suit, boots, and cap trimmed in white wool plush; and a white fluffy mohair beard.   He is self standing and has an amazing resemblance to the jolly man from the north pole!  From the collector's perspective, it is interesting to note that Santa's head was created from the same molds and patterns used for Steiff's three lucky dwarfs, Gucki, Lucki, and Pucki.  Santa was produced in 13, 18, and 31 cm from 1953 through 1963. 

It's time to buck the trend and check out Santa's dear deer.  The display features three Steiff's Rehbock or Roebuck. An example of this pattern is shown here on the left. They are each an impressive 35 cm tall, unjointed, and made from tan mohair. They are beautifully airbrushed with golden brown highlights, making them truly handsome beasts. Each also has highlight detailing on his legs, body, and face. All have ears are lined in mohair, white mohair tails, and fabulous felt antlers.  Their faces all come to life with black button eyes, a black hand embroidered nose and mouth, and a red accent on their snouts.  This pattern was made from 1954 through 1974 in this size only. 

So what does this all mean in terms of dating the display?  It is Steiffgal's best educated guess, given the configuration of the items pictured and the timeline suggested by the owner, that this was put together around 1954.  This the earliest date that both the rubber faced Santa and the large mohair roebucks both appeared in the line.  It goes without saying that this is a very attractive showpiece - that is made from relatively standard line toys from the early to mid-1950's.

The sled, decorated and branded harnesses, fittings, and wrapped gifts do look to be Steiff quality and were not produced on a commercial scale.  You can see a close up of some of these accessories here on the left.  Again, it is Steiffgal's feeling that this display was originally designed by Steiff in Giengen as a special request window display or focal point for a toy, department, or other high end store in Germany.  And, given its period of production, as well as craftsmanship, is possible that it was part of a larger animated window display as well.  

 

A few things in the display were not made by Steiff, including some clip-on koala bears, but they were most added on in a loving fashion over the years to enhance the presentation (most likely from a youngster's point of view.)  It is not clear if some other Steiff items in or on the sled, including a small velvet giraffe, mohair pony, and a small gnome or two, are original to the display or like the clip on koalas, were added in at some point. 

It is Steiffgal's understanding that it was not out of the question for stores to sell these elaborate holiday display items post season to special customers.  These were not in general available to the public.  Or, perhaps it is possible that the current owner had family or a family friend with connections to a store or even a Steiff executive who was able to procure this for her family.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this wonderful Christmas family heirloom has put you in a most festive state of mind.

 

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