Having A Quack-Attack Over Steiff's Fantastic Duck Chain History

Steiff's Duck Chains are charming novelties that were traditionally produced in the form of a mother duck with two, three, or five babies in tow. These birds on the go rode upon eccentric wooden wheels which truly captured their natural strides. This Duck Chain image above with five ducklings is from Ladenburger Toy Auctions. 

Toys with "eccentric wheels" have appeared in the Steiff line for over a century. Steiff even owns a patent on this mechanism! The way it works on rolling items is that the wheels are aligned off center or on a bent axle, causing them to move up and down when rotated. Eccentric wheels were invented accidentally, but Steiff realized the opportunity created by their drilling mistakes. The first animal to appear on eccentric wheels was a duck. Steiff launched this item in 1912 as... "This waddling felt duck with brightly colored fathers is fixed onto solidly built, eccentric wooden wheels, which provide the duck with its characteristic waddle. Also fitted with a deceptively realistic "quack-quack" voice. A droll little toy."

Steiff's first and legacy Duck Chain, also on eccentric wheels, debuted in 1917 and was made from felt. It consisted of a 10 cm mother duck (pictured here on the left) and two or five 6 cm ducklings (pictured just below.) All were unjointed and stuffed with excelsior. They had grey bodies and green wings and heads. Their wings were decorated with embroidery. Their beaks, legs, and feet were made from orange felt, and their eyes were little black buttons. The mother was cataloged as article number "2110,42 ex," and the ducklings were cataloged as article number "2106 ex." These numbers translate to: 2= lying; 1=felt; 10= 10 cm and 06= 6 cm; 42= simple pattern with a voice; and ex= eccentric wheels. These were branded with Steiff buttons and tags on their felt feet. 

 

In terms of their vehicles, the mother sat on a square metal wire carriage with four wooden eccentric wheels. When she was pulled, she waddled and made a peep sound which was generated by a movement activated voice box embedded in her belly. The ducklings were each mounted on a diamond shaped metal wire carriage with two wooden eccentric wheels. They did not have a voice box. Loops and hooks at the end of the carriages kept the family linked together. This felt Duck Chain was featured in the Steiff catalog through 1932.

 

Duck Chains were also produced in other materials over the years. In the prewar era, the felt version was produced from 1919-1921 in a substitute plush because felt was in short supply for toy making purposes during and shortly after World War I. From 1925-1936, Steiff produced its Duck Chain with two or five ducklings in mohair. Duck Chains appeared in colorfully painted wood from 1924-1927 overall and then in an updated model with integral wheels from 1932-1943. After the debut of the woolen miniature line in the early 1930s, a woolen miniature Duck Chain featuring a drake and three ducklings, all on wooden wheeled metal carriages, appeared in the catalog from 1934-1941. You can see this petite treat here above on the left; the image is from Ladenburger Toy Auctions. 

Postwar, Duck Chains were produced from colorfully painted wood in families of four birds riding on integral eccentric wheels from 1949 through 1966. You can see an example of a 1950s era Steiff wooden duck chain here above on the left; the image is from Ladenburger Toy Auctions. Duck Chains made their final appearance in the catalog from 1969-1973, as a family of four birds in sanded beechwood, decorated with burned-in markings and riding upon large red eccentric wheels that were integral to their bodies. 

 

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on the history of Steiff's Duck Chain production has fully aligned with your expectations!

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

Good Things Come In Threes With This Fabulous Prewar Steiff Duck Chain

It's time to get your ducks in a row and check out this next marvelous Steiff find. It's hard to believe that this family of fine feathered friends was most likely made over a century ago - they appear practically brand new today. Who wouldn't want to feather their Steiff nest with them? They are truly "aligned" in so many interesting ways....and here's why!

Good things come in threes with this duck family trio. It consists of a larger mother duck - measuring about 10 cm tall and 14 cm wide - and two baby ducks - measuring about 6 cm tall and 9 cm wide each. All the ducks are unjointed and are solidly stuffed with excelsior. They have grey felt bodies and green felt wings and heads. Their wings are decorated with yellow embroidery to look like feathers. Their beaks, legs, and feet are made from orange felt, and their eyes are little black buttons. The mother retains her original grey silk neck ribbon. The mother is cataloged as article number "2110,42 ex," and the two ducklings are cataloged as article number "2106 ex." These numbers translate to:  2= lying; 1=felt; 10= 10 cm and 06= 6 cm; 42= simple pattern with a voice; and ex= eccentric wheels. The mother and one of the ducklings retain their tiny raised script button in one foot.

Now let's check out their fabulous rides! Mom is mounted on a square metal wire carriage which glides along on four green wooden eccentric wheels. When she is pulled, she waddles and makes a peep which is generated by a little movement activated voice box embedded in her belly. You can see this feature illustrated in the photo at the end of this post. She also has a green and white twine pull string that looks period, if not original, to her. Each of her babies is mounted on a diamond shaped metal wire carriage which rides upon two green wooden eccentric wheels. They also waddle about when they are rolling along. There are loops and hooks at the end of the carriages to keep the family linked together. 

Steiff's beloved felt "duck chain" parade was a legacy item in the early 20th century. It was produced in two standard line versions: a mom with two ducklings or a mom with five ducklings. Both versions appeared in the line from 1917-1932 overall. From 1919-1921, this duck chain was produced in a substitute plush material because felt was in short supply for toy making purposes during and shortly after World War I. Steiff's signature duck chain novelties were marketed as, "This waddling felt duck with brightly colored fathers is fixed onto solidly built, eccentric wooden wheels, which provide the duck with its characteristic waddle. Also fitted with a deceptively realistic "quack-quack" voice. A droll little toy."

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this duck chain pull toy has really tugged at your heartstrings!

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

The Perfect Steiff Hot Dog For This Fourth Of July Weekend!

Well, the Fourth of July weekend is upon us, and summer - at least here in these parts - is in full swing. Many friends and families celebrate this fine holiday with parties and cookouts featuring hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill. So Steiffgal thought the time was perfect to introduce you to her latest warm weather find - also a hot dog - but just not the type you enjoy with mustard. (But feel free to relish her!) Ladies and gentlemen, please meet Gretl!  Gretl is named after a friend's real life Dachshund who also toddles along and has a thing for the UPS delivery man.

Steiffgal is literally jumping for joy over this "Hopping Dachshund." She is 22 cm tall and 30 cm wide, not including her long, skinny tail. She is standing on all fours, unjointed, and made from short brown mohair. She has three black claws on each of her feet. Her face, which has a rather pensive look to it given her forehead-muzzle seam construction, comes to life with brown and black glass pupil eyes and a hand embroidered black nose and mouth. She mounted on two metal dowels and rides upon four oversized, natural colored wooden wheels. Sometimes these types of wheels have some Steiff identification like the company's name carved or stamped on them, but these are plain. Gretl's pull string is attached directly to her neck and is original to her. She left the factory in Giengen with a leather collar, but that has been lost to time. Gretl retains her tiny long trailing "f" button and traces of her white ear tag as her Steiff IDs. 

Gretl was officially made in this size in mohair from 1912 through 1917, and then again from 1923 through 1926. Given her small button and white ear tag fragments, she was produced at the earlier part of this time frame. Her pattern in mohair was brought back into the line in 1927 through 1929, this time in three sizes: 17, 20, and 22 cm. These later versions had larger trailing "f" buttons and white or red ear tags as their Steiff IDs.

It is always interesting to look at manufacturing dates when it comes to Steiff's legacy patterns and characters. Gretl's pattern in mohair seemed to take a hiatus for a few years between 1918 and the early 1920's. And why is this? As a result of World War I, which ended in November, 1918, the company was suffering from the results of the war. Manufacturing, material supplies, inventories, and infrastructure were in disarray as the country was starting to figure out how to manage the postwar rebuilding process. Felt, mohair, and other high end materials were in extremely limited supplies, and for several prior years had been allocated almost exclusively towards military purposes.  

But Steiff, being an amazingly creative and resilient company, found a way to work around those supply chain issues and keep itself busy as well as in business. Given the abundance of wood in the area, the company started producing things like toys, building sets and furniture for children. Steiff also found a way to produce substitute materials from local alternative natural products including nettles and wood. These substitute material selections appeared in the line from 1919 through 1921, and included models of the company's most popular standard line bears, dogs, cats, rabbits, and other favorites. And, given the popularity of the company's "Hopping Dachshund," she too was produced in 1918 through 1920 in substitute, improvised fabrics. You can see Gretl's cousin from this period in the illustration on the left; she is hiding out on the bottom shelf on the far right. This illustration is from Steiff's c. 1919 catalog; the picture is from the Cieslik's Button in Ear:  The History of the Teddy Bear and His Friends, 1989.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion of Hopping Gretl and her interesting product development history has been the wheel-deal for you.

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

Is This The Steiff Spring Hare-binger We've All Been Waiting For?

Are you looking for a "hare-binger" that a welcome change of season is slowly on its way?  Steiffgal certainly is!  As such, she couldn't be more delighted to receive this inquiry about one of spring's favorite sons. So hop to it and check out this interesting note that Steiffgal just received from a new Steiff friend from the United Kingdom.  Andrea from Reading, Berkshire writes...

"Hi Steiffgal,

I brought this for my son a few years ago from a charity shop and recently found it in the loft.
Please can you clarify that this is an original Steiff product and how much the value of it would be worth as it matches all the descriptions on your website?

Thank you, Andrea."

For the record... it is Steiffgal's best guess, based on the pictures provided, that this indeed is a Steiff "Record Rabbit."  Steiff's "record" style animals are those that are mounted on a wheeled metal chassis (sometimes called "Irish mail carts") and appear to move back and forth as they are pulled along... giving the impression that they are the ones powering the vehicle!  This is different than most other Steiff items on wheels, which remain entirely stationary as the tires rotate.  Steiff's debut "record" animal was the now famous Jocko the Chimpanzee, who was produced "record style" in 10, 15, 29, 25, and 30 cm in brown or white mohair from 1912 through 1943 overall.  You can see an early version of this record primate here on the left.

Now let's race back to the rabbit under discussion today.  This happy hopper is 25 cm, fully jointed, and made from mohair.  He has long floppy ears, oversized and expressive black and brown pupil eyes, and a hand embroidered nose.  His smiling, open mouth is lined in peach colored felt.   This item was produced postwar in this size only from 1949 through 1964. His features, including his facial detailing and distinctive mouth, are quite similar to the company's beloved, fully jointed Niki Rabbit pattern.  Niki appeared in the Steiff line in 14, 17, 22, 28, and 35 cm from 1951 thorough 1964.

Steiff's postwar Record Rabbit's design is based on a prewar carriage riding bunny, also named Record Rabbit.  This prewar rabbit is also 25 cm, fully jointed, and made from mohair.  However, the prewar version of this pattern has a few very subtle differences between it and the postwar version.  For example, the postwar version has an open mouth; the prewar version has a closed mouth.  The postwar version has a rounder, "toddler" appearance; the prewar version is more curvy and angular.  And the postwar version has broad, felt padded feet; the prewar version has extremely thin, padless feet. The prewar version appeared in the line form 1926 through 1943; a photo of him appears on the left.  

Rolling right along, its time to answer the dreaded valuation question. As always, something is "worth" what someone will pay for it.  Steiffgal has not seen this item firsthand, and cannot check for condition issues that do not appear on these photos, such as weak areas, odors, rot, thinning, excessive playwear, possible restoration, presence (or absence) of IDs, etc.  On the upside, this 14 carrot cutie looks to be in good to very good condition, with minimal losses on the wheels.  Steiffgal even spots a few of his original monofilament whiskers!  Given all that, it is Steiffgal's best guesstimate that he may sell on an online channel like eBay in the $150-250 range.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Andrea's postwar record rabbit has put a nice spin to your day.

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