This Huge Steiff Chimp Is More Fun Than A Barrel Full Of Monkeys!

What's on your Steiff bucket list? For the longest time, Steiffgal dreamed of adopting a Studio Jocko chimp. She had seen a few in photographs and immediately fell in love with their scale, playful looks, and charming personalities. Whenever Steiffgal asked her what she wanted for a birthday, anniversary, or holiday gift, she would jokingly exclaim, "a Studio Jocko!" Well, be careful what you wish for... because wishes - especially Steiff wishes - can come true. Please meet Studio Jocko, Steiffgal's new beloved Steiff pal. Here he is pictured on the left, relaxing on the couch with a few relatives. 

It's easy to go bananas over this great ape. He stands 150 cm tall (5 feet) and is head and arm jointed. He is made of really long, chocolate brown mohair. His face, feet, ears, and hands are made from tan felt and are detailed with light airbrushing to give them additional dimension and depth. He has typical Jocko chimp detailing, like pert eyes set into eye pockets, a white mohair chin, and an open, smiling mouth - albeit on a huge scale. Jocko has an internal rod metal skeleton for stability, and he stands on two flat feet. He is solidly stuffed with excelsior, which must have taken several strong men weeks if not months to complete. According to the Sortiment book, this big boy was produced in this size only in 1960 and 1967. Here on the left is the Steiff Display Animal catalog page from 1967 featuring him. 

Now let's take a brief "guided tour" of Jocko.  

As you can see, he really is a very big dude indeed. Here he is pictured with Steiffgal. Just for reference, Steiffgal is 5'5". It is Steiffgal's best estimate that if indeed he were real and made from muscle and bone, his girth and proportions would put him between 300-400 pounds. He actually weighs about 25 pounds.  

His handsome, proportionally large face is simply irresistible - and always smiling! It measures 22 inches from his chin to the top of his head, and 20 inches ear to ear.

Here is a close up of his dimensional and very lifelike ear. You can see the smallest 4 inch Jocko resting on it so you get an idea of its scale. Big Jocko's ears measure 5.5 inches high each. 

And here is a close up of his hand. Again, the smallest Jocko helps to put his size in context. His hands measure about 8 inches long and 9 inches wide.  

Jocko has flat felt feet to help him stand (with a little help.) They measure 14 inches long and 8 inches wide. 

As you can see, Jocko is extremely photogenic. If you are in the Maryland area on September 28th and 29th, 2018, Jumbo Jocko and Steiffgal will be attending the United Federation of Doll Clubs (UFDC) Region 11 conference in Towson, MD. We will be manning a Steiff table in the salesroom with lots of Steiff temptations for doll and Steiff collectors alike. Jocko looks forward to meeting as many Steiff fans as possible at this great event, and is available for once-in-a-lifetime selfies. Click here for more information on this UFDC celebration.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on her Studio Jocko has been a larger than life experience for you.

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

A Vintage Steiff Find of Possibly Titanic Proportions

Hey, what's black and white and read all over? Hopefully this post on this remarkable Steiff rabbit! Steiffgal found this bouncing beauty in Orlando, Florida in the salesroom of the 2017 United Federation of Doll Clubs annual convention. Here's what makes him so outstanding from the design and historical perspectives.

This honey-bunny is called Steiff's Dutch rabbit. He stands 28 cm tall (not including his ears) and is made from black and white mohair. He has early Steiff rabbit proportions, including a chunky torso and limbs. His pattern is relatively basic and more playful than realistic. He is fully jointed, meaning his head, arms, legs, and ears can be rotated 360 degrees. His face comes to life with pink and red glass pupil eyes and a very simple pink hand embroidered nose and mouth. This pattern was produced in white, brown and white, and black and white overall from 1907 through 1916. The black and white version was produced overall from 1912 to 1916, with the 28 cm version appearing only in 1912.

There are three key details about this rabbit that make him the ultimate Dutch treat.

The first is his eyes. They are hand blown, red and pink glass pupil style eyes. You can see tiny air bubbles in the glass if you look at them closely under a loop. Steiff used these eyes on a number of rabbits from the c. 1907 through 1943 time frame. Glass eyes started appearing on a wide scale on Steiff items around 1908, so these really are an early and elegant example of this detailing. It is also interesting to note that the example of this black and white rabbit pictured in the Steiff Sortiment book has black eyes backed in red felt. But it is not unusual for Steiff to produce the same item with slightly different features, and that is probably the case here. But more on this in a bit.

The second is his jointing. This bunny really gets around - pun intended. He is fully jointed, which is not terribly unusual. However, the fact that each of his ears can be rotated in a full circle is quite rare. This is different than having the ears poseable because they are lined in metal wires. As early as 1904, Steiff started to experiment with a number of designs that really took advantage of emerging joint movement technologies. In some cases, these animals were six or even seven ways jointed. Franz Steiff was very interested in creating and patenting a system that would help to replicate the natural movement of an animal's ear. After several years of trial and error, he finally designed such a specialized joint and received a US patent for it on September 8, 1908. Over time, Steiff used this technology on items including cats, squirrels, and this rabbit pattern.

Finally, it is key to mention this rabbit's material and coloring. He is made in part from black mohair. Steiff made only a handful of items from or with black mohair at the early turn of last century; these included a crow, a goat, a few dogs, and black mohair patches on their early guinea pig and rabbit patterns. The company also introduced a black mohair Teddy bear in the early 1900's but it was not commercially successful. Early black mohair items really are few and far between, and seldom if ever seen on the secondary market. 

The black and white version of this rabbit debuted in 1912. This is the same year that the Titanic disaster struck, and Steiff responded by producing black mohair "Mourning Bears" with red felt backed eyes. An example of Steiff's Mourning Bear is pictured above on the left; the photo is from James D. Julia. These black bears from 1912 are considered the "holy grail" for many Steiff collectors. Although the Holland rabbit under discussion here has "albino" style glass eyes, the one pictured in the Sortiment has the same red-backed eye detailing as the company's Mourning Bears of the identical period. Given the timing of all of this, it is possible that the company's black and white mohair Holland rabbits from 1912 were made from the same lots of black mohair as the Mourning Bears, and that perhaps the red felt backed eyes that appear on some examples are a nod to this tragedy as well. It certainly is a mystery of Titanic proportions!

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on the company's black and white Holland rabbit has been a hop, skip, and a jump for you.

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

Three Cheers For Steiff's Red, White, And Blue Teddy Bears!

Happy July 4th to friends and fellow collectors in the United States. Steiffgal hopes your holiday is full of colorful fireworks, yummy cookouts, fun gatherings, and of course, beers - or in this case, bears! To celebrate this beloved and much anticipated day of tradition, Steiffgal thought it might be fun to check out the story behind three "patriotic" Teds from her hug - a red one, a white one, and a (sort of) blue one. So without further ado, please meet Pocket Alphonso, George, and Penelope.

Size defies when it comes to Pocket Alfonzo, our "red" representative. He is 15 cm tall, fully jointed, and made from bright red mohair backed in apricot colored fabric. His paw pads are tan felt, and he has a black hand embroidered nose, mouth, and claws. His face comes to life with black button eyes and a prominent, trimmed muzzle. His head and limbs are softly stuffed with polyfill while his belly is stuffed with metal pellets, giving him a hefty, robust feeling when you hold him. Like the original and legendary Alfonzo, he wears a white trimmed, light orange Cossack outfit. This happy handful was made in 2008 in an edition size of 1908 for Teddy Bears of Whitney in the UK.

It's always party time when Pocket Alfonzo appears - really! A dear friend  - you know who you are - gave Steiffgal this petite treat as a birthday present a few years ago. Steiffgal and pal met up in New York City for a trade event that happened to be at the same time as her special day. The bear came wrapped up in a spectacularly dolled-up box, complete with colorful tissue and a bow large enough to decorate the roof of a car! Apparently the giver took the bear to a special store famous for its over the top wrapping. Boy, was it noticed AND so appreciated. Steiffgal will never forget this gift or its breathtaking presentation.  

By George, Steiffgal is certain you will enjoy this next introduction. Now please say hello to this early white Teddy baby, who just happens to be named George - but more on that later. He is 43 cm tall, fully jointed, and made from long, white mohair which has mellowed to a vanilla color over time. His muzzle and feet-tops are made from white mohair, which has also darkened a touch. Typical to his pattern, George has an open, felt lined mouth; flat, cardboard lined feet designed for standing; downturned paws; and a distinctly, childlike appearance. His irresistible face comes to life with oversized brown and black pupil eyes and a brown, hand embroidered nose and mouth. George retains his large trailing "F" button and traces of his red ear tag, dating his production to the c.1929-35 time frame.

George has a capital history. Steiffgal purchased George in the saleroom associated with the 2016 United Federation of Doll Clubs national event in Washington, DC. She adopted him from her friend and colleague John Port, an expert dealer in antique bears and toys. George was sitting in John's booth with a few other bear buddies. George's fantastic size, charming expression, and wonderful, vintage condition literally called to Steiffgal across the pavilion floor like a siren song - but in the best way possible. Visiting John's well stocked booth at the UFDC event is one of Steiffgal's favorite shopping experiences of the year, and she looks forward to seeing what goodies he has on offer at the upcoming 2017 event in Orlando. And yes, George is named after George Washington, in a nod to his presidential status among Teddy babies, as well as the location where Steiffgal adopted him. 

This final colorful cub just might turn your brown eyes blue! Here we have Penelope, a 25 cm tall Teddy baby doll and our blue representative today. She is standing and head jointed. Her arms fall loosely at her sides, and her legs are solid and rigid. Her body is made from a flesh colored velvet like material. Her head, hands, and the tops of her feet are made from brown mohair. Her feet are flat and lined in cardboard allowing her to stand; the bottoms are made from tan linen. Penelope's head is in the typical Teddy baby style with a tan inset muzzle; an open, felt lined mouth; and oversized brown and black glass pupil eyes. She retains her raised script button-in-ear and traces of her US Zone tag sewn into the seam of her leg. Penelope was probably born in the c. 1950-52 time frame, given her configuration of IDs and materials. 

This blue-belle did not start out life this way. Like George, Steiffgal found Penelope in the showroom of the 2016 UFDC national event in Washington, DC.  However, Penelope was partially hiding, upside down, and in the bottom of a pile of vintage toys in another sales booth. Steiffgal saw her two legs sticking up in the air from across the aisle, and went over to investigate. And there she was! However, she was wearing a poorly fitting and unflattering, unoriginal outfit that did nothing to bring out her natural beauty and playfulness. Never judge a book by its cover! Steiffgal immediately adopted Penelope, and then went on a mission to find her the perfect outfit. Luckily, there were several dealers specializing in vintage doll clothes also in the showroom. Steiffgal located a few options for Penelope, but quickly realized a combination of dark blue velvet pants, a light blue Peter Pan collar shirt, and a blue and white striped apron suited her to a T.  Don't you agree?

Steiffgal hopes this red, white, and blue bear discussion has put you in colorful - and festive - state of mind. Happy birthday, America!

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

Looking To Become A Steiff Road Warrior?

Wanna get away? That was a popular advertising line from a big airline here in the US a few years back.  And it certainly rings a bell right now as many of us are facing freezing temperatures, ice, and too much snow. 

If you are indeed planning a vacation, have you ever considered proactively weaving a bit of your Steiff passion into it? Steiffgal has found numerous Steiff treasures while "on the road," both via quests as well as serendipity. There are many ways to add a little "button-in-ear" to practically any destination. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

General antique shows:
Antiques are a national passion, and for the most part, there are shows happening all over the country at any given time. Once you know your travel dates and destination(s), simply google this information along with words like "antique" and "show," and any major or promoted show should pop right up. Steiffgal recently took a trip to Florida. In preparation, she googled "Florida," "antique show," and "January 2016" and came up with two shows that were near her travel destinations. She found one great Steiff treasure at each.  

Doll and toy shows:
In addition to general antique shows, Steiff enthusiasts on the road may wish to time their visits to specific doll and toy shows - which often also feature great Steiff. A good website to see when many of these shows are happening is http://dollshowusa.com/, which lists events by state and date. These could be smaller shows, and can be associated with regional doll clubs. But you can do quite well at these events, and it is always energizing to be around fellow collectors.  

Of course, the "mother of all doll shows" in the USA is the annual United Federation of Doll Clubs (UFDC) national event, which is held in July of each year. This gathering features a magnificent salesroom, which is open to the public for one day. It is truly worth the trip to see this museum-quality presentation, which always features a number of fabulous Steiff selections. You can read all about this annual show here: http://ufdc.org/convention/. UFDC also holds a number of smaller regional events that can be wonderful Steiff destinations; these are listed here: http://regions.ufdc.org/calendar. 
  

Local antique malls and stores: 
It is always fun to browse through area antique malls and stores, especially when the weather is not cooperating on a vacation day. And you never know what might turn up in the next glass showcase! Steiffgal has found that searching on www.Yelp.com is a good way to find the better destinations in any given area. You can also check out https://www.antiquemalls.com/ which lists area antique malls. But always call ahead to make sure that the store or mall will be open (or is still in business) when you plan to visit. 

Doll clubs: 
Doll clubs are another great source of information for Steiff collectors on the road. UFDC has clubs all over the world. These are posted by regions on the organization's website at http://regions.ufdc.org/. Try pinging the area director of your destination area via email.  This contact information is available on the webpage. These folks should be able to tell you the best museums, destinations, and toy/doll/antique shopping in their areas. They will also be aware of any upcoming area toy events and shows that are open to the public.

Facebook: 
And finally, Steiffgal would be amiss if she did not mention Facebook as a great way to add a little Steiff to any vacation. Putting up a post on your page requesting Steiff-centric destinations in a specific area is a good way of getting "boots on the ground" information. If you are comfortable with it, and you know a Facebook friend with a passion for Steiff who lives in the vicinity of your travels, perhaps contact them and suggest you meet for coffee. Steiffgal has done this numerous times and has made some great friends in the process!

Steiffgal hopes these recommendations will help you source some fantastic Steiff finds on your next vacation!

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

Buttoning Up Your Steiff Holiday Wish List With Highlights From Morphy's December 2015 Toy Auction

Is your Steiff holiday wish list buttoned up yet? Well, if you need a few ideas, look no further than Morphy Auctions' upcoming Premier Toy & Advertising Sale, which will be held December 18th-20th, 2015.  This great event features over 40 top tier button-in-ear treasures representing a full spectrum of Steiff categories and price points.   It will probably come as no surprise that Steiffgal's got a plush-crush on most of these lovely lots.  Here's a few that really caught her eye... and why!

Morphy's Lot #112

Well, hello Dolly... or in this case, Dollies!  Check out lot #112, a "Pair of Exquisite Steiff Dolls in Bavarian Clothes."  This charming couple is cataloged as... 
  
"This wonderful pair consists of Anton the boy and Lisl the girl. Both are approximately 35cm tall, fully jointed, and made from felt and linen. Anton has honey blond mohair hair and black shoebutton eyes. He wears a white cotton shirt, black felt lederhosen-style shorts with green suspenders, a felt Tyrolean jacket with leather buttons (one missing), and woolen socks. Lisl has blonde mohair hair that has darkened over time and stunning cobalt and black pupil eyes. She wears a white cotton shirt and apron which have darkened over time, a black calico and felt dirndl with beaded decorations, a colorful neck scarf, and tall socks. As is typical to Steiff dolls of the period, both are wearing hats and handmade shoes. Both dolls appeared in the Steiff line from 1909 to 1927 in 28, 35, 43, 50, and 60cm; Lisl was also produced in a 75cm in 1912 only. Anton's black eyes suggest he was produced earlier than Lisl. Both doll's IDs have been lost to time. Both dolls have charming, youthful faces and present beautifully together. Auction estimate:  $2,000 - 3,000."

Similar Steiff Dolls At The UFDC Museum, Kansas City

And what makes these two so dolly delightful from the collector's vantage point?  Their incredibly dear looks, larger size, lovely condition, and traditional German attire. Anton and Lisl are picture-perfect examples of Steiff's "Children" style dolls, which appeared in the line from 1909 through the late 1920's.  Unlike earlier Steiff dolls that were more caricatured, harsh, and designed for adult collectors, these dolls were realistically proportioned, had gentle personalities, and angelic, rosy faces.  They truly were designed for child's fun and play.  These models were all fully jointed and had felt heads and bodies - except right around WWI when felt was scarce and the bodies were sometimes made from rough cotton or linen type materials. All of these dolls were dressed head to toe in handmade clothing that included school uniforms, ethnic costumes, sporting attire, and “Sunday best." 

It is very interesting to note that the United Federation of Doll Clubs (UFDC), the world's largest and best known doll collecting organization, features a pair of Steiff dolls very similar to Anton and Lisl in their outstanding doll museum, located in Kansas City, MO.  This pair from the UFDC museum is pictured above on the left on doll stands. 

Morphy's Lot #268

The next Steiff Morphy Auctions' highlight will absolutely give you the warm and fuzzies... in a very big way indeed! Here we have lot 268, an early postwar white Steiff Teddy bear.  This beautiful bruin is cataloged as... 

"A wonderful example of a 20-1/2" tall mid-century Steiff bear with glass eyes in what appears to be in unplayed with all original condition. This original "Teddy", circa 1948, has a block button, working growler within his chest, vibrant white coloring & even his felt pads are bright showing no discoloration/wear/loss. A knockout Steiff and certainly a fine addition to any bear and/or Steiff collection! Auction estimate:  $1,500. - 2,500."

Steiff Block Button Example

And what makes this terrific Ted so special from the collector's point of view? Well, here Steiffgal has to say, "Be still my heart!" This bear's size, coloring, classic appearance, condition, and that little detail called his "block letter" button make him a universal celebrity. This "block letter" button is really desirable, and means that the word "Steiff" appears in all capital letters. This button was only used on items from around 1947 through 1952, and is extremely rare. As a matter of fact, Steiffgal only has four or five items with this button amongst her collection of 1,000+ vintage items, including a transitional (i.e., pre- to post war) period squirrel.  This same block letter button from Steiffgal's squirrel is pictured here on the left. 

Morphy's Lot #120

This third Morphy Auction Steiff highlight is a charm, in so many ways.  Here we have lot #120, Steiff's smallest pre-war begging rabbit with a tail moves head mechanism.  This petite treat is cataloged as...  

"This 9 cm rabbit is an extremely rare version of the Steiff's collectible tail-moves-head novelties from the 1930's. She is unjointed, excelsior stuffed, and begging. Her body is made tan colored mohair that has overall light losses consistent with age. Her tiny face is detailed with brown and black glass pupil eyes, a simple red hand embroidered nose and mouth, and a few remaining clear monofilament whisker. Her tail-moves-head mechanism is in perfect working order. Rabbit has her trailing "f" button and slight traces of her red ear tag as her Steiff IDs. This pattern was produced in 11, 15, 18, 23, 29, and 36 cm from 1931-1938. Auction estimate:  $500-1,000."

And what makes this head turner so special from the collector's perspective? This rabbit manages to get a lot of great into a small package for sure.  Her size, presentation, rarity, and mechanical movements make her one honey bunny.  Steiff's tail moves head models are among the company's most beloved and sought after treasures.  These early "action super heroes" of the 1930's included cats, dogs, goats, and lambs, among others.  For the most part, each was based on standard line popular designs of the time, and left the factory with a round cardboard tag on its tail that read "turn here and I will move my head." Tail turns head items were considered higher end, luxury toys, and most were produced through the late 1930's. 

A Copy Of Patsy Ziemer's Book

In addition, this rabbit has a fantastic and fully documented provenance.  It was consigned from its original owners, the family of the late Patsy Ziemer. Patsy and her family escaped from Nazi Germany and came to America in 1939. Once in the US, twelve year old Patsy and her father authored the best selling book, Two Thousand And Ten Days of Hitler, which described her life in pre-war Germany.  You can see an original copy of this book pictured here on the left.  Copies of family documents, including more information on Patsy's amazing and accomplished life, are included with this rabbit (and other items for sale at Morphy's from this family's collection.)

Steiffgal hopes this preview of highlights from Morphy's December, 2015 Premier Toy Auction has put you in a playful and holiday mood.  

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

It's All Cheers For This Fantastic And Extremely Rare Early Steiff Puppy

Cheers! A toast to great Steiff finds... where ever they are discovered! And nothing could be truer in the case of this exceptionally rare Steiff dog that Steiffgal found in the sales room of the 2013 United Federation of Doll Club's annual convention in Washington, DC! Let's take a look at this "Dom Perignon" calibre canine and see what makes him so spectacular from the design and historical perspectives.


Please raise a glass to Cheerio, "the laughing puppy." Like Molly the Puppy, Cheerio does not have a designated breed, he is simply a young dog.  This totally adorable example is 17 cm, begging, and made from mohair.  He is chunky, proportioned like a toddler, and head jointed only.   Cheerio has three black hand embroidered claws on each of his hands and feet.  Of course, it is impossible to miss his beaming open-mouthed smile which is made from pink velvet.  It is most probable that Cheerio's pink felt tongue is a replacement.  This Cheerio is wearing a vintage silk bandana imprinted with an American flag; this is so as he was "adopted" into Steiffgal's collection in our nation's capital city.

It is interesting to note that Cheerio is one of the earliest open mouthed dog Steiff produced.  The first appears to be an open mouthed poodle on wheels which was in the line from 1912 through 1919.  This open mouth feature is relatively uncommon in early Steiff dogs.  However, it is also noted on some Bully Dogs, German Shepherds, and Arctic Expedition Dogs from the early 1930's as well as Flock and Tino from the mid 1930's through the early 1940's. 

In addition to his smile, Cheerio's round, oversized head has a number of interesting design details that are typical to his time of production. His ears are relatively small and "folded over" and he has enormous brown and black glass pupil eyes, similar to those features on Molly the Puppy. Other Cheerio models have very large blue and black cartoon eyes - the same ones used on Petsy the Baby Bear. Cheerio's eyes are in eye pockets, analogous to those seen on Jocko the Chimp and Treff the Bloodhound. And, his prominent tongue, more friendly than taunting, is also seen on Steiff's other caricatured and cartoon strip inspired dogs including Pip, Mops, and Putzi.

Despite his winning looks and personality, Cheerio only brought good will to the Steiff line for a handful of years.  Steiffgal's Cheerio is the begging version; he was produced in 17, 22, and 28 cm from 1928 though 1931.   Begging Cheerio was also made as a press and release music pup in 22 and 28 cm from 1928 through 1930.  Cheerio was also manufactured standing on all fours in 10, 14, 17, 22, and 28 cm from 1928 through 1932.  Standing Cheerio also appeared as a press and release music box in 17 and 22 cm from 1928 through 1930. He is pictured here on the left and sold for close to $5,000 at Christie's in 2010.  Perhaps the rarest Cheerio is "Cheerioette", the long limbed velvet bodied "Charleston animal" that was produced in 30 and 43 cm from 1928 through 1931.  

Cheerio has a fascinating history that is well documented in the Steiff archives.  Cheerio is actually Steiff's version of Bonzo, who was a very popular cartoon character created in 1911 by George Studdy.  Steiff was very interested in creating their own version of Bonzo, and had a very strong and successful record of working with other companies and artists in bringing their characters to life.   Good examples of this include projects with Disney (Mickey and Minnie Mouse), Billy DeBeck (Barney Google), and Pat Sullivan (Felix the Cat).  In the case of Bonzo, Studdy himself was solely in charge of granting licences and approvals to use his characters.  In about 1927, Steiff created a version of Bonzo, but Studdy did not like it at all.  This Bonzo is pictured here on the left; it sold in 2010 for almost $26,000 at Christie's.  According to company records, Studdy described the samples as "vulgar" and rejected them offhand, and gave the licence to the English company Chad Valley instead.  Paul Steiff, who was in charge of the project, apparently wrote, "We can't and don't wish to make an exact replica of Bonzo" on the rejection note.  The company then went on to create Cheerio in the likeness of Bonzo, and registered the design in 1929.  

Steiffgal hopes that this discussion around Steiff's wonderful Cheerio has brought a big smile to your face today!

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