There's Never A Dull Moment When It Comes To Steiff's Wild Boars

Can you be a big boar and the life of the party at the same time? Well, yes, definitely if you were made by Steiff! Check out this portly prince - a fine example of Steiff's 1960s era life-sized studio display handiwork - and see what makes him so delightful from the cultural, design, and historical perspectives. 

This happy hog is Steiff's lifelike and accurately proportioned Young Wild Boar. He measures 24 inches wide and 12 inches tall, is unjointed, and standing on all fours. His body is made from longish mohair that has been painted and stenciled in various shades of brown and copper. His mouth is open and lined in felt. He has a felt tipped snout and a long, skinny, twisted mohair tail. His face is detailed brown and black pupil eyes and a few touches of airbrushing. This sweet field and forest friend was produced in this size (cataloged at 35 cm) from 1963-1967. 

One of the things that makes Steiff's production so legendary is the company's ability to create really authentic looking animals at different points in their lifecycles. This particular example is named Young Boar - and he really looks like his namesake. He was produced alongside an adult boar, who is named Wild Boar. Wild Boar is not just a scaled up version of Young Boar; he has the adult features of this species including a thick brown coat, relatively thin legs and a stocky body, and pronounced tusks. The baby, on the other hand, is most noted for his striped coat as well as more youthful, rounded proportions. You can see the 1967 Steiff Studio display catalog page featuring these two beautiful boars just below. What an impressive family, indeed!

Wild boars have been part of the German culture, cuisine, and ecosystem for centuries. One even "starred" in The Singing Bone, a German fairy tale published by the Brothers Grimm in 1812. However, one did not show up in the Steiff line until 1952 in the form of a 7 cm velvet young boar. This popular pet was produced through 1973. In 1961, Steiff introduced its first mohair wild boar. The smallest version, at 10 cm, was designed as a baby and made from short airbrushed mohair. The 15 and 20 cm versions resembled adults with spiky mohair. All were standing and unjointed. Steiff's early postwar mohair boars remained in the line through the mid-1970s. And making up for lost time, soft plush adult and young wild boars designed for play have appeared almost continuously in the catalog from the early 1970s onward. 

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on vintage button in ear boars has made you as happy as a pig in muck!

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

Helen Ratkai is THE Steiff Couturiere!

A Ratkai Steiff Elephant

Hey good looking! Of course, that refers to all Steiff collectibles... and collectors, too! Steiff has a long tradition of dressing their fine creations in lovely and well-tailored attire since the turn of last century when the company introduced their first felt dolls around 1903. In the 1950's, a series of glamorously dressed Steiff animals began appearing in the fine toy and department stores like FAO Schwarz and Lord and Taylor. But they were not costumed by Steiff, but by a New York City artist named Helen Ratkai. Let's learn a little bit more about her creative work, and how it continues to inspire Steiff lovers - and even philanthropy - even today!
 

Helen's Steiff creations were gorgeous, one of a kind treasures. Although each one was distinct, most were based on standard line 1950's era small or medium sized Steiff animals, including dogs, cats, horses, zebras, monkeys, lambs, and other familiar farm, forest, and jungle friends. Ratkai hand dressed each Steiff treasure to the nines in elegant and designer-quality skirts, dresses, blouses, or other clothing; all were made from the finest silk, velvets, laces, and fabric ribbons. Many had hats, handbags, jewelry, and other fashionable accessories, often detailed with flowers, sequins, and beading. Perhaps the only commonality between Helen's items were their identification: each bore a tag reading "Helen Ratkai is my couturiere" stitched somewhere unobtrusively on the item's outfit; a sample of this tag is pictured here on the left.

An article published December 20, 1957 in the Sarasota (FL.) Herald Tribune featured a profile of Ratkai and her elegant animal creations.  It read in part...
 

A Ratkai Steiff Lamb

"FAO Schwarz, the fabulous toy store on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue, sells toys for grown-ups which include a smoking monkey at $295, a drinking bear for $195, and a cat that knits.  Another "adults only" group is the stuffed animal dressed up to look like a person. These are small but "too sophisticated and delicate for children," said Helen Ratkai, an artist who started the line dressing animals for her nieces, aged 5 and 12. The idea caught on with grown-ups, and today she sells these animals in the United States, South America, Bermuda, and Hawaii. The Duchess of Windsor has a Ratkai-gowned rabbit and the Eisenhower's have an elephant. 

A Ratkai Steiff Dog

"People buy the animals because they look like real people - friends or relatives. But no one is offended by the gift. After all, you never think they look like you - always someone else," she said. Mrs. Ratkai's creatures wear creations of French ribbons and Swiss lace, velvet, satin, and taffeta. They sport long, dangling earrings, fur stoles, and giddy bonnets trimmed with birds, bees, and flowers. They carry jeweled evening bags, beaver muffs, and parasols. "I try to follow fashion, mainly in fabrics and hats. Elephants are the hardest to dress because they're so fat and always seem to look best in pink and blue. Monkeys are easiest because they're the funniest. They make a good try at being elegant," said Couturier Ratkai. The inspiration for her designs is "Tony," a black French poodle "who lets me put anything on him and sits in the only chair in the workshop." Why do her animals sell? "Well," she said, "they make people laugh. And nowadays we need something to cheer us up." 

Ratkai's animal fashion plates are "cover girls" to many Steiff collectors, even today. Some even specialize in Helen's unique treasures. One such collector is Cathleen Smith Bresciani, designer, philanthropist, and author of the children's book Sassafrass Jones and the Search for a Forever Home, which features vintage Steiff items in its cast of characters.  Steiffgal had the pleasure of sharing her story with readers awhile back.

A Smith Bresciani Ratkai Inspired Wild Boar

Bresciani has dozens of Ratkai Steiff originals displayed all over her home, and the artist's dressed animals have provided a lifetime's worth of creative inspiration for her. So much so, that Cathleen has just launched a fundraising project for one of her favorite nonprofits - Canine Companions for Independence - inspired by Ratkai's beloved dressed characters. Canine Companions is a national 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that enhances the lives of people with disabilities by providing highly trained assistance dogs and ongoing support to ensure quality partnerships. To help raise money for CCI, Cathleen has created a limited series of vintage Steiff animals that she has personally dressed in one-of-a kind Ratkai-inspired outfits, hats, and accessories.  She has graciously donated her materials, time, and talent towards this initiative, and all proceeds from the sale of these items will go directly to CCI. The first group of these highly collectible treasures has just been listed on Steiffgal's Vintage Museum Marketplace on Ruby Lane, and it goes without saying that Steiffgal is thrilled to partner with Cathleen on this worthwhile and exciting charitable project.  An example of one of Cathleen's Ratkai-themed dressed Steiff animals - a "prom-worthy" piglet - is pictured here on the left.  Take a look at the others when you can!

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Helen Ratkai's dressed Steiff animals has been a black tie affair for you.

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