Strike Up The Brass Band Over This Mysterious Steiff Fawn

Oh deer! What do we have here? This charming field and forest friend is not only just lovely and elegant in design, but she also has a less obvious but totally WAH-HOO good surprise element to her as well. Get ready to fawn over this precious prewar rarity!

Here we have Steiff's 22 cm mohair fawn. She is standing, unjointed, and made from tan mohair. The lining of her ears and her tail are made from white mohair. Her face is detailed with black button eyes and a black hand embroidered nose and mouth. Her legs are particularly thin, shapely, and elegant and are made from velvet. She has a gentle, distinctly old fashioned look to her. This pattern was produced in 17 and 22 cm from 1934-1943.

Now for her little secret. Given her era of production, she would have left the factory with either a long or short trailing "f" style knopf, depending on her specific year of manufacture - with earlier versions having the long trailing "f" version and the later versions having the short trailing "f" version. However, this gal proudly wears an unusual BRASS colored short trailing "f" Steiff button and has traces of her yellow ear tag. The button measures 6 mm in diameter. This seldom seen branding appeared on a few Steiff items from 1933/34 through 1943. You can see that brass button in the photo below.  

So just how rare is this brass prewar button? It is really hard to quantify, as Steiffgal has only handled - literally - a handful of items with this distinctive ID in memory. In her personal collection, she has one prewar treasure with this distinction. This is a small standing Waldi dog. He 10 cm, unjointed, and made from copper colored mohair. He has long, floppy ears. His face is detailed with shiny black glass eyes and a black hand embroidered nose. His mouth is indicated by a little black airbrushing. Waldi wears his original green leather collar and has his "watermelon" shaped bare faced tag, with his name imprinted in crimson. This guy was made in 10, 14, 17, 22, and 28 cm from 1933 - 1943... the identical time frame as the fawn under discussion today. This prewar Waldi is pictured below on the left. 

It remains a mystery why Steiff used a brass button for branding some of their items during this turbulent geopolitical period. It might have to do with availability of materials, or shortages, or other rationing reasons. It is also not clear why some items would have a brass button, and others would not - as Steiffgal has seen examples of both the prewar Waldi and this fawn with Steiff's standard silver colored prewar IDs. Only these precious treasures know for sure... and they aren't talking!

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's lovely prewar fawn with her unusual button has put the pedal to the metal for you.

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

Back In The Steiff Saddle, Sort Of!

Hurray! For the first time in nearly eighteen months, Steiffgal finally attended a real live, in person collector's event. This was the Spring Doll, Bear & Miniature Show held at the Sturbridge Host Hotel in Sturbridge, Massachusetts. It was so exciting to walk into a large room chock full of Steiff, toy, and doll temptations, as well as meet and greet friends only seen on Zoom since last March! Attendees seemed genuinely thrilled with the opportunity to again celebrate their shared passions with the toy collecting community.

It wouldn't be a show without a little souvenir, and Steiffgal couldn't help fawning over a little midcentury Steiff treasure she spotted right in one of the first booths she visited. Check out this 17 cm wool plush Jungreh or fawn. Isn't she lovely! Fawn is standing, unjointed, and made from lumpy-bumpy tan wool plush. Her pert ears are lined in white wool plush. She has delightful, authentic brown airbrushed contrasting on her neck and back, and little black airbrushed feet. Her face is detailed with very large black button eyes and a black hand embroidered nose and mouth, pink highlighting, and a white stitch across her nose. She has a wonderful, quality, old fashioned look to her. Her IDs include a short trailing "f" button and midcentury style yellow ear tag. You can see her button and ear tag in the photo near the end of this post. 

This fawn was one of the earlier items produced after the factory reopened after WW2 for toymaking business. She was first produced postwar in artificial silk plush in 17 and 22 cm in 1948 through 1949. She was then made in wool plush in 17 and 22 cm from 1949 through 1953. Then, in 1954, her pattern was modernized just a bit and she was made in mohair in 14, 17, and 22 cm through 1978 overall. 

Postwar, you often see this progression from artificial silk plush to wool plush to mohair fabric construction on many of Steiff's legacy and timeless favorites, including rabbits, horses, and bears, among others. Steiffgal even has an early postwar Jocko in artificial silk plush, wool plush, and of course, mohair. They are a darling trio indeed!

Wool plush is a distinctive fabric which holds a key place in the company's product development timeline history. Steiff used wool plush, a relatively inexpensive and more readily available toymaking fabric, in times of conflict or other hardships when mohair was not being produced, or allocated for military purposes. You generally see wool plush items made in the c. 1930 through mid 1950 time frame, but a few models - like the company's Wotan ram - incorporated it through the 1970s. Wool plush is pretty hearty and ages well. Its structure and texture make it far less likely to fade, thin, or bald like mohair fabrics. Unlike artificial silk plush, wool plush can also can be cleaned gently like other fine woolen fabrics.

Steiffgal deerly hopes you too will be enjoying the fun of live, in person events soon... and finding vintage button-in-ear treasures that make you smile. 

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

Fawning Over This Lovely, Long Legged Steiff Prewar Rarity!

Isn't she lovely? Although all Steiff creatures are made with TLC and an eye towards appeal and realism, some also have that "X" factor - there's just something simply elegant about them. Such is the case with this lovely prewar field and forest friend. Check out this fantastic fawn and see what makes her so delightful from the design and product evolution perspectives.

There's no doubt you'll be fawning over this lovely, long legged rarity! Here we have Steiff's 17 cm fawn. She is standing and unjointed. Her body is made from tan mohair, while her legs from the thighs down are made from tan velvet. This has darkened a bit over time, which often is the case with older velvet fabric. Her face is detailed with expressive black button eyes and a black hand embroidered nose and mouth. She has a touch of red to indicate her lips as well. Her ears are pert and triangular shaped. Her legs are especially graceful and angular. and have a touch of black airbrushing to indicate her feet. Fawn was made in 17 and 22 cm from 1934 through 1943 overall. She has a charming and distinctively old fashioned look to her. Although her Steiff button has been lost to time, she would have left the factory with either a long or short trailing "f" style Knopf, depending on her specific year of manufacture.

This velvet legged fawn design was introduced at a very turbulent time in history. Due to evolving geopolitical and financial realities, it goes without saying that things were not so good in Germany from the 1930s through the end of World War II. This impacted Steiff in countless ways and the company had to be extremely strategic in the ways it conducted its business just to stay afloat.  

One thing that collectors can track pretty closely is the company's use of different fabrics during that time. In the mid-1930s, Steiff introduced this mohair female fawn with velvet legs, as well as a 35 cm mohair male roebuck with velvet legs. He only appeared in the line from 1936-1938. Both are pictured here on the left, hanging out with the wonderful felt doll Snik the gnome. The image is from the company's 1938 product catalog. Using a German marks to US dollar converter, and then an inflation calculator, it is interesting to note that the roebuck would cost the equivalent of about $40.61, the 17 cm fawn would cost the equivalent of about $22.97, and the 22 cm fawn would cost the equivalent of about $28.12 in 2020.  

It is Steiffgal's best guess that the pair's debut and design were carefully planned and took into consideration unreliable supply chain issues as well as economics. Given the scarcity and price of mohair during this time, Steiffgal suspects that velvet was used on the legs instead of mohair in both designs in part as a cost and material saving effort. Fortunately, from the aesthetic perspective, velvet does help give the deer's legs a very shapely and elegant presentation. 

Given how "deerly" beloved its prewar fawn pattern was, Steiff began producing it again once the factory reopened for toy making business in the late 1940s. The basic design was tweaked just a bit and was made in 17 and 22 cm, first in artificial silk plush in 1948-1949 and then in wool plush from 1949-1953. In 1954, Steiff completely updated its fawn pattern, producing it mohair in 14, 17, and 22 cm through 1978 overall. Like their earlier relatives, these charming, more modern looking deer also had black eyes, but were now chunkier and overall less shapely, and were decorated with a little white stitch across their nose. You can see the 14 cm version of the updated post war designed fawn here on the left. 

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this prewar mohair and velvet deer has made a material difference in your day today!

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

This Late 1920's-Era Deer Is A "Reh" Of Sunshine Indeed!

Oh deer! What do we have here? Steiffgal recently had the pleasure of handling a lovely vintage Steiff fawn with the most charming expression and presentation. Check out this fantastic field and forest friend and see what makes her so interesting from the historical and product design evolution perspectives.

This "reh" (German for deer!) of sunshine is Steiff's "Deer." She measures about 28 cm both standing and wide. Deer is unjointed and made from burnt-orange tipped mohair. The insides of her ears and her fanny are made from white mohair. Her hooves are indicated by black airbrushing. Reh's face comes to life with oversized black and brown pupil eyes, a distinctively shaped, hand embroidered nose highlighted with a white stitch, and a tiny red accent to indicate her mouth. She retains her long trailing "F" button and traces of her red ear tag as her Steiff IDs.

So just how old is this darling deer? It is interesting to note that this exact model is not noted in either the Steiff Sortiment reference book or Steiff's catalogs. But, because it is impolite to ask anyone directly about their age, Steiffgal's detective work suggests that she was made in the 1929-1934 time frame. An almost identical deer, albeit on red wooden wheels, is noted in Steiff's records. This model was produced in 28, 35, 43, and 50 cm from 1929 through 1936. Because the model under discussion today has bits of her red ear tag, which was the eartag color through about 1934, this deer is probably no older than 1934. You can see the wheeled version here on the left; the image is from Pfeiffer's 1892-1943 Steiff Sortiment.

This deer has two key design details that place her at a very interesting place in the deer product development timeline.

Materials. You can't help but notice this deer's wonderful and colorful fabric - a burnt orange tipped mohair. They "heyday" for tipped mohair at Steiff occurred during the mid to late 1920's through the early 1930's. Other well known famous patterns from that era that used this distinctive, playful, and happy fabric included Petsy the Baby Bear (1928 through 1930); Teddy Clown (1926 through 1930); and Fluffy the Cat (1926 through 1943.) Very few items were with tipped mohair were introduced in the line after the 1930's.

Form. This wide-eyed and youthful deer's appearance aligns perfectly with the mid- to late 1920's Steiff aesthetic. Items produced during this time frame were for the most part utterly charming, with a distinctively toddler-esque, feminine, and happy appearance. In the mid-1930's, Steiff updated some of its fawn and roebuck pattens. These new designs were made from tan, airbrushed, mohair; had more shapely legs and bodies; and more realistic and lifelife necks and faces. In addition, their legs were made from velvet instead of mohair. There are several possible reasons for this fabric change. One might be that during the mid- to late 1930's, mohair was becoming more expensive and less available due to political and economic realities. Steiff's mid-1930's-1943 fawn with velvet legs is pictured here on the left; the image is from Pfeiffer's 1892-1943 Steiff Sortiment.

Steiffgal hopes that this discussion on this unusual and appealing Steiff deer has you fawning over Steiff's great late 1920's era items.

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

All I Want For Christmas Is...

Perhaps you know the expression, "Good things come in threes." In the Steiff world, that just might refer to a great find complete with its button, ear tag, and chest tag. Or Gucki, Pucki, and Lucki, the trio of beloved gnomes from the 1950's. For Steiffgal, today it is also the number of items from the upcoming December, 2015 Morphy Auctions toy sale she has just added to her holiday wish list. Check out these three lovely lots and see what makes them so interesting from the collector's perspectives.
 

Lot 268

Will you be my Teddy bear? Steiffgal bets that's the question on many collector's minds in regards to this first outstanding item. Here we have lot 268, which is called, "1940's Steiff White Bear." It is cataloged as... 

"A wonderful example of a 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! Size 20-1/2'' L."

Shield shaped nose

And just what makes this Ted so unbearably appealing? The list is as long as the one in Santa's hands right about now! Collectors will recognize this bear as a remarkable example of Steiff's early post war "Original Teddy." This bear was produced overall from about 1950-1966 in blonde, caramel, brown, and white in 14 sizes ranging from 10-100 cm. This early post war bear pattern featured the new square-ish, shield shape nose on cubs 18 cm and over.  (An example of this nose stitching pattern is featured here on the left.)  Although Steiffgal has not seen him firsthand, this particular example appears to be in just about tissue-new condition. His white mohair is brilliantly clean and full, and his pads look pristine. His size is most impressive and probably correlates to the 50 cm version. And it's hip to be square with his block style button. This rare ID, used on Steiff editions from about 1948-1952, is considered amongst the most desirable with collectors worldwide. 
 

Lot 258

Steiffgal is just quackers over this next auction pick. Here we have lot 258, which is called "Unusual Prewar Steiff Duck With ID." It is cataloged as...  

"A charming example of Steiff's early and seldom seen standing and unjointed 22 cm "Play Duck." His excelsior-stuffed body is made from light yellow wool plush that has very light losses consistent with age. He comes to life with yellow felt webbed feet, an open, smiling, dimensional beak, a touch of airbrush highlighting, red felt backed black button eyes, and a pom-pom (similar in look and feel to the company's woolen miniatures) as his crown. His small playful wings angle backwards; one has a very small home repair on the inside fold. Duck retains his trailing "f" button and traces of his red tag as his Steiff IDs. Play Duck was produced in this size only from 1933-1943; this particular example was made in the earliest part of that time frame. Condition: As noted. Duck is in very good condition overall. Provenance: From the Patsy Ziemer Collection; this item comes with copies of the Ziemer family history."
 

Other pre-war ducks

Bird's the word when it comes to Steiff's delightful early ducks. Ducks are a legacy pattern for Steiff, with felt ducks appearing in the company's debut catalog of 1892. It has been Steiffgal's observation that for the most part, Steiff's prewar ducks have always had a more playful than realistic look to them, with their typically oversized and prominent beaks and feet. They were the first animals placed on eccentric style wheels (so they waddled when pulled along), were often made in bright colors, and were sometimes produced wearing charming hats or jackets - adding to their appeal. (A great pair of late 1920's-era Steiff ducks is pictured here on the left for context.) This particular auction example under discussion today, with its irresistible presentation, nice condition, IDs, and "crowning glory" pom-pom, is seldom seen on the secondary market and is quite desirable. It would be a feather in anyone's cap to add this darling duck to their Steiff collection.

Lot 169

This last auction pick just may be on Santa's wish list, too! Here we have lot 169, which is called a Steiff Studio Elk. This big beast is cataloged as...  

"An amazing, almost life sized, mohair Steiff animal from the 1960's time period. These studio animals were quite expensive and often times were used as display pieces in various toy stores such as Strawbridge & Clothier, Lord & Taylor, F.A O. Schwarz etc. that sold Steiff animals, people, toys etc. This fellow is approx. 60" tall, his antlers slip into the head and due to age and original mounting process they droop a bit (resting onto his back) otherwise his overall height would probably be increased by at least another 8" - 10". In remarkable original "bright" condition with virtually no mohair loss, discoloration, wear, holes, etc.! Retains the typical script Steiff button in his ear. Size 60'' L."
 

Steiff display okapi

Oh deer! Who could resist this lifesized friend, especially around Christmas time? This display animal is technically a Rothirsch, or Red Stag. He was made in this size - 190 cm - in 1967 only. The heyday of Steiff's display animal production was in the 1960's, when the company made many more "common" lifesized animals (like giraffes, tigers, and donkeys), but also many "exotic" ones, like chamois bucks, kudus, and this stag. (A Steiff display okapi from the 1960's is pictured here on the left for comparison.) For the most part, display animals from this period were manufactured from mohair, stuffed with excelsior, had sturdy metal skeletons, and had extraordinary detailing - like the antlers on this stag. Some were produced for store displays; these were sometimes mechanized so that their heads would bob, their tails would move, or they would shake a limb or two. Others found their ways into private collections. Regardless of his previous life, this particular Red Stag would make any room feel like the holidays all year 'round today!
 
Steiffgal hopes this review of three top Steiff highlights from the upcoming Morphy Auctions sales event has been a triple-treat for you. Check out the entire auction catalog by clicking here.
 
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. 

Fawning All Over This Delightful and Very Early Steiff Deer On Wheels

Steiffgal loves to "field" questions from all over the world. So this wonderful inquiry from Canada about a very vintage field and forest friend really caught her eye. Check out this note from Kendra, who shares through a series of correspondences...
 

"Hi Steiffgal,

I have a Steiff deer that stands approximately 18-½ high at the head and is 18-½” long from the nose to the tail. The closest I can come to describing the material would be a felt-like texture. The eyes are solid black. It appears to have had a red mouth at one time. The diameter of the button in ear is 5mm. This item was purchased at an estate auction several years ago.  Is there anything that you can tell me about this piece?

Thank you, Kendra"

Oh deer, where to start with this lovely creation?  What we have here is Steiff's early deer on wheels.  He is standing, unjointed, and riding upon a metal carriage with four metal wheels.  His handsome head and face are detailed with felt lined ears, great felt horns, and black button eyes.  Based on a close up study of his actual material, Steiffgal believes he might be made from what's called "simple plush," a very early material Steiff used on "furry" animals at the turn of last century.  It is possible that he left the factory in Giengen wearing a simple collar with a bell.  This pattern was produced in 22, 28, 35, 43, 50, and 60 cm from 1899 through 1919 overall.  

Given that models with horns were only produced through 1908, and that the deer has a tiny trailing "f" button, it can be determined that Kendra's deer on wheels - which is either the 43 or 50 cm version -  was most likely manufactured in the 1906 to 1908 time frame.

It's easy to get the warm fuzzies looking at this wonderful deer!  And his materials are truly reflective of the transitional era of his manufacture.  Mohair became viable on a commercial scale in Germany around 1903.  It turned out to be a great material for Steiff's newly introduced Teddy bears, as well as other naturally "furry" animals in the line.  However, before 1903, Steiff was producing fuzzy products including dogs, cats, bears, and field and forest animals like deer.  In order to give these earliest turn of last century items as much of a realistic touch as possible, they were made from period toy making fabrics, including early textured plush materials like this "simple plush" and short pile plush. As time went on, Steiff started transitioning their designs from these early fabrics to mohair, which could be produced in almost infinite options in terms of color and texture.  It also offered a soft, lush, authentic appearance, which perfectly aligned with Steiff's position as a growing worldwide leader in the international toy marketplace.  

Steiffgal hopes you have fawned all over this discussion on Kendra's vintage deer!

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

Fawning Over This Lovely Vintage Reclining Steiff Deer

Every Steiff enthusiast has a few extra special items in their collection that are truly deer - ahem, dear... to their heart.  Those treasures that seem to truly capture the essence of the Steiff brand, its breathtaking designs, and impeccable quality.  Steiffgal recently welcomed such a piece to her hug, and in all honesty, cannot stop fawning over it.  Take a look at this vintage Steiff forest friend and see what makes her so unique from the product design and construction perspectives.

Steiffgal's not lying when she says this reclining deer is one special collectible.  This sweet fawn is lying, unjointed, and made from light brown mohair.  Her little legs are bent and folded over in such a way to appear like she is relaxing peacefully, as she would in a forest in nature.  She has a tiny,  bump-out style tail. Her precious face is detailed with a black hand embroidered nose which is highlighted with a tan stitch; black button eyes; a spot of red to indicate her lips; and large, pert, all mohair ears that have a distinctively triangular shape to them.  The mohair on her facial area is slightly shorter than on her body and limbs.  She retains her long trailing"f" style Steiff button and traces of a yellow ear tag. Fawn was made in 14 cm only from 1934 through 1943.  

From a design and construction perspective, this fabulous fawn has two really special features of note.  

The first of course is her remarkable front leg shape, design, and assembly.  Her two front limbs literally fold over and tuck underneath her.  So of course the question comes up - how did Steiff create this effect?  It would seem almost impossible to cut, sew, and stuff such a small area given its location and scale to the rest of the item.  So what's the secret?  Steiff created this effect by putting a piece of bendable metal wire in the front legs during her manufacturer.  The legs were assembled straight out, but then bent gently into place during finishing.  You can see her underside construction here on the left - don't worry, she's just posing for the camera here!

Steiffgal's not going out on a limb to say that this front leg construction is quite unusual.  As a matter of fact, the only other item that comes immediately to mind as also having this wired front leg detail is Steiff's pre-war lying sheep.  This sweetie was produced in 14 cm only in lamb's wool plush from 1937 through 1939 - the same size and production era as the deer under discussion in this post.  This sheep is pictured here on the left. 

The second is a bit more subtle but no less interesting in terms of ingenuity.  One cannot help but notice the elegant and lifelike lines of the lying fawn, especially around her back hip area.  It turns out that on both sides of her hips, she has an unusual "swoosh" shaped insert into her mohair.  These are in perfect symmetry on her body. These inserts have the effect of adding texture and a rounded differentiation to this area of her body, as well as physically bumping out her hips in a most authentic way.  The swoosh is almost "patched" into this area and it is mind-boggling to figure out from a manufacturing perspective how this was done!  But, thankfully the skilled Steiff seamstresses knew the secret, and we can all love and appreciate their handiwork today.  One of the fawn's swoosh inserts is pictured here on the left.  

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's truly wonderful and tranquil lying fawn has added a little rest and relaxation to your day.

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

Fawning All Over This Tiny And Unusual Steiff Treasure

It's pretty easy to fawn over Steiff treasures - especially the tiny ones - and that is certainly the case here!  Check out this note from a reader who asks about an unusual Steiff item she found in a box of family treasures.  Through a series of communications, Betsey writes in part:  

"Steiffgal,

I was looking online to try to identify an antique Steiff fawn and found your site - so here I am. 

I found this item in a box of my deceased parents personal belongings - my father and mother were born in 1910 and 1915, respectively.  The fawn in question stands 4.75" tall and is 4.5" long if standing fairly straight up.  He is a kind of deep cinnamon/pumpkin color with 'age-darkened' white spots on his body and around the front of his chest.  He also has white detailing on the top part of his rather rounded, permanently-tucked-in tail.  His hooves and snout are black.  He has dyed-to-match pumpkin colored triangular felt ears; his left ears is still adorned with a tiny silver colored Steiff button. He has round black button eyes.  His coat is very woolen like, similar to the pom pom bunnies.  He is only wired, not at all jointed, and the wire can be seen when you part the wool of his belly.

I have hesitated calling him a fawn because his ears are not big and tall like real deer ears and his nose and hooves are not fine, but nearly the same width as his head and legs.  Of course, this may merely be simplicity of his design. He looks a bit more like pictures I've seen of alpacas, shorn all one length, like a poodle with a puppy-cut.

He is quite darling, and just now as I smell him...  he smells like mittens, woolen mittens like my mother made.

I hope you can help me learn more about him.  Thanks so much for taking the time to read this message.

Betsey"

What a dear - whoops, Steiffgal meant deer - inquiry!  What we have here is Steiff's very rare and seldom seen woolen miniature Reh or deer.  Deer is is 10 cm tall and made from pumpkin colored Nomotta wool.  Nomotta is a type of high quality, alpaca-like wool which has been treated with a moth repellent product; "Nomotta" is actually a play-on-words for the German phrase, "No Moths."  This Nomotta deer has white highlights on his chest and tail, as well as spots on his back.  His face is detailed with a black nose, a simple black mouth, and black bead eyes.  His ears are made from felt.  He is flexible as he has an internal wire framework.  This tiny handful was made in 10 cm only from 1935 through 1938.   

Steiffgal's just guessing here... but given the ages of Betsey's parents, and the production timeline of their Steiff treasure -  it is possible that this deer originally served as a courtship or early marriage gift for the young couple.   

This fawn is an outstanding example of an early Steiff woolen miniature, or "woolie."  Woolies debuted in the 1931 Steiff catalog in the form of six simple birds; each item was a different color and was produced in 4 and 8 centimeters. This introduction proved extremely successful.  Almost immediately, Steiff introduced rabbits, cats, mice, mice, monkeys, ducks and other popular species - including Betsey's little deer - as woolen miniatures. The vast majority of these tiny treasures were in the 5- to 15-cm size range. Despite their small proportions, most were head jointed and/or made with internal wire frameworks for flexibility.  They also often had charming details that included tiny metal legs; felt beaks, wings and ears; colorful slippers; and head wear, including bonnets, top hats and lacy veils. Steiff produced these woolen miniatures pre-war through 1943.  (Pictured above is a photo of what Betsey's deer looked like when new; this illustration is from Gunther Pfeiffer's 1892-1943 Steiff Sortiment reference book.) 

Post war, Steiff began producing woolies again in 1949; resuming the manufacture of some of the more popular earlier models—like the robin, green woodpecker, finch, blue tit, sparrow and rabbit—and introducing some brand new breeds as well. Steiff also got a little creative with the woolies, manufacturing hanging mobiles made from woolies in the late 1960s through the mid ’70s.  Around the same time as the mobiles, Steiff also experimented with woolies by combining them with mohair features. Two examples of these included a 6-cm. woolie skunk with a black and white wire reinforced posable mohair tail and a 5-cm. squirrel with a brown posable tail.  Steiff woolen miniatures appeared in the catalog though the early 1980s; after that, demand decreased and it became too labor intensive and expensive to produce them. Steiff subsequently dropped them from the line.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion about this unusual woolen miniature as brought you a huge amount of happiness today.  

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***UPDATE:  February 17, 2013***

Steiffgal received the following note and photo from Betsey:

"Dear Steiffgal,

Look at what I found in a box of pictures my sister just sent me!  Does it make you feel clairvoyant?

See what looks like 'linked pins' over my mother's left breast (frat' pin?) and then her gazing at the little center of attention beneath the Christmas tree. Seeing this picture made me feel like Indiana Jones finding the holy grail - and you were the expert/historian who created the treasure map!  I just had to share it with you." 

So it does appear that the little deer was a courtship present from Betsey's father to her mother.  A beautiful and delightful Steiff mystery solved!