This Oversized Steiff Cat Is Kind Of A Big Deal!

Talk about a wow-wow-wow meow find! Steiffgal was handling a small collection for a new friend and came across this most unexpected item amongst a number of other button-in-ear treasures. According to the consigner, all of these precious childhood Steiff companions were purchased at F.A.O. Schwarz in the late 1950s and early 1960s. That information was good to know... but proved really invaluable in this particular case. Come learn more about this purr-fect Steiff rarity. 

What we have here is a supersized Steiff Fiffy cat. She is lying, head jointed, and made from white mohair that has been carefully hand-airbrushed with black stripes. Her tail wraps around her rear in a most realistic way. She has green and black slit pupil eyes, and a pink embroidered nose, mouth, and claws. Her pink ribbon appears to be original to her. Steiff's standard line Fiffy cat was produced from 1955-1962 in 12, 17, and 25 cm. This Fiffy retains her button, ear tag, chest tag, and red wooden bell shaped F.A.O. Schwarz tag as her Steiff IDs. 

Soooo... what's the big deal here? Well, this gal is UNUSUALLY large, and in fact is 30 cm. The largest one noted in the standard Steiff reference books is 25 cm. This example has a yellow ear tag which is numbered #2330.90. These digits translate to: 2=lying, 3=mohair, 30=size in cm, 9=special edition, and 0=normal or natural coloring. Given her dimensions, numbering, and presentation, it is Steiffgal's best thinking that this monumental Fiffy was produced as a special edition item for F.A.O. Schwarz in the mid 1950s to the early 1960s. 

It was not uncommon for Steiff to make tweaks to popular standard line patterns and present them as exclusives to F.A.O. Schwarz in the 1950s and 1960s. So there is precedence for this unusual find. These modifications included things like size, coloration, body position, materials, or other design details. For example, Steiff produced standing or lying Dally Dalmatians (the standard line versions were sitting), a sitting black and white Cockie (the standard line version was standing), and an open mouthed Biggie Beagle (the standard line version had a closed mouth) as dog specials for F.A.O. Schwarz. And for the felines, the list is shorter, but equally intriguing. It is suspected that a pair of 8 cm, legless, curled up baby cats that appeared in F.A.O. Schwarz's "Kittens in a Basket" offering were based on Steiff's beloved standing Tapsy kitten design. These happy handfuls are pictured here on the left. Like the fabulous Fiffy under discussion here, the one with the open eyes also has a faintly legible ".90" at the end of her article number.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this supersized Fiffy has really tickled your whiskers!

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

Getting All Fussy Over This Lovely Steiff Gussy

This pretty kitty can only be described as the cat's meow! Steiff's early postwar production is beloved for its innovation, attention to detail, smaller scale, and the fact that items from this time frame are just so darn cute. Cats and dogs ruled the roost during this period, with this black and white beauty being a true stand out in the feline category. Come see what makes her so special from the design and product development perspectives.

Here we have Steiff's "Young Kitty Gussy." She is pictured here on the left and is 12 cm, standing, and head jointed. Her body and head are made from white mohair, while her tail is made from black mohair. She has black airbrushed highlights on her feet, rear end, sides, and around her black felt ears. Her face comes to life with a white velvet muzzle, piercing green glass slit pupil eyes, a pink hand embroidered nose and mouth, a spot of pink airbrushing on her lips, and clear monofilament whiskers. She left the factory wearing a pink ribbon. This Gussy's IDs include a raised script button, yellow ear tag, and a named, blue imprinted, bear faced chest tag.

Gussy was also produced in 17 cm. She is pictured here on the left. The larger version had two main design differences from the smaller version. Bigger Gussy featured velvet ears instead of felt ears, and had a pink velvet lined mouth instead of a closed mouth. Gussy was produced from 1952-1969 overall. In 1999-2000, Steiff produced a really sweet 17 cm Gussy replica, but did not call her Gussy. She was named 'Classic 1952 Cat', most likely a reference to her year of introduction. This special edition is pictured below and is wearing a blue ribbon.

Open mouth cats are pretty rare for Steiff. The only other mid-century examples that Steiffgal can think of here are the company's Siamy Siamese cats, which were made in 11, 15, and 23 cm from 1953-1954.

Gussy debuted in the line at a really critical time in the company's history. Gussy was introduced in the very early 1950s, so it is possible to find examples with US Zone tags and red imprinted chest tags. A few years after the conclusion of WWII, when the factory was up and running for toy making, Steiff started to produce a large number of smaller, beautifully detailed animals for export. These were brand new patterns, not carry-overs or "updated" prewar designs. Many of these were dogs and cats, as these have always been "best sellers" for the company. These new patterns helped build (and rebuild) Steiff’s business worldwide as soldiers returning home from the war in Europe often brought these “toys” back home as gifts and souvenirs of their time abroad. After all, they didn’t take up too much room in standard issue G.I. duffle bag—most even could fit in a coat pocket. These beloved and newly launched “pocket pets” included Dally the Dalmatian, Tessie the Schnauzer, Snobby the Poodle, and Gussy the Young Kitty, among others.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Young Kitty Gussy has tickled your whiskers!

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

The Eyes Have It With This Adorable Prewar Steiff Kitten

Looking for a little something to tickle your whiskers this fine fall day? Then check out this short but sweet note from a new friend. Jenny needs help identifying a precious pet. Could it be made by Steiff? She shares,

"I was wondering if you could help me identify an old possibly Steiff cat... It feels like wool and stuffed with wood. Thanks!"

What a pretty kitty! From the looks of him, Jenny's kitten looks to be sitting, probably head jointed, and made from wool plush, not mohair. Wool plush has a more fluid, continuous look and feel to it, while mohair tends to have more of a prickly "hooked rug" appearance where the fabric backing meets up with the surface fibers. The fact that he is "stuffed with wood" is consistent with his stuffing being made from excelsior. Other distinctive features of this example include traces of airbrushed highlighting on its body, tiny pink claws, clear monofilament whiskers on his nose and forehead, a tail that wraps gently around his backside, a pink hand embroidered nose and mouth, and piercing teal and black slit style pupil eyes. His size is noted at 6.5 inches tall, or nearly 17 cm tall. 

All of those factors help to cat-alyze his likely identification. It is possible that Jenny's kitty is a rare and well loved example of the company's seldom seen prewar sitting wool plush cat. This appealing pattern was made in 10, 14, 17, 22, and 28 cm from 1929 through 1933 overall. All of these fancy felines left the factory wearing a large silken ribbon. You can see this wool plush rarity pictured here on the left, the photo is from Pfeiffer's 1892-1943 Sortiment. You can't help but notice the basic resemblance of this wool plush cat pattern to the company's most beloved sitting Susi cat design. She was produced prewar in 14, 17, 22 and 28 cm from 1936 through 1943, and then again postwar from 1948 through 1978 in 10, 12, 14, 17 and 22 cm. 

 

The timing of all of this is quite interesting. The cat under review today was made at a critical time point in the company's history. Germany entered a period of economic depression and widespread unemployment in 1929 while growing anti-German sentiment crippled Steiff's export markets. These realities triggered a number of fundamental product design, production, and distribution changes at Steiff. One very noteworthy revision was the increased use of substitute fabrics in manufacturing. As traditional toy making materials became more expensive and more challenging to source, the company started to look at alternative fabrics to use in place of mohair. This may explain why this cat debuted in wool plush - a less expensive and readily available fabric - exactly at this time. 

Steiffgal hopes this discussion of this prewar cat has added a purr-fectly pleasant paws to your day.

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

This Rare Midcentury Steiff Cat Is Certain To Tickle Your Whiskers!

Here's a sweet Steiff rarity that walked in - and quickly walked out - on little cat's feet! This early postwar kitten just appeared in the line for a handful of years in the early 1950s, and has seldom made an appearance on the secondary market or in images since then. Check out this fabulous feline and see what makes her so interesting from the design and product development perspectives. 

This leisurely lovely is simply cataloged as "Cat." She is lying, head jointed, and measures c. 27 cm wide and c. 14 cm tall. She is made from very long, soft mohair which has some grey airbrushed highlights to it in all the right cat places. She has red hand embroidered claws on each foot. Her face comes to life with pert felt lined ears, a shorter mohair muzzle area, green and black slit pupil eyes, a pink hand embroidered nose and mouth, and clear monofilament whiskers. She retains her now faded blue silken ribbon. Her squeaker works, sometimes. As for IDs, she has her script style Steiff button, traces of her yellow ear tag, and her US Zone tag. This rarity was made in this size only from 1952-1953, technically in 22 cm. She has a lovely, old fashioned look to her. 

According to the Sortiment books, her article number is 2322,1. This translates to: 2=lying, 3=mohair, 22=22 cm, and ,1=squeaker... so everything aligns here!

A picture is worth a thousand words, and here is one of the very few photos Steiffgal could find in regards to this cat. Here on the left, you can see page 5 from Steiff's "Neuheiten 52" or "New Hits for 1952" catalog. Please click on the photo to make it bigger. Cat is pictured among Steiff's now legacy early wool plush Snobby poodles, a 17 cm wool plush camel, and a pair of Gussy cats. As the title of the catalog suggests, all of these specific items "debuted" in 1952. It is interesting to note that several of these newbies are made in wool plush, a substitute material mostly used just before and just after World War II. It is possible that in 1952, both the mohair supply and the ability to manufacture this premier toy making fabric were still not back to full capacity. Perhaps Steiff did what they have always done best in adverse situations - make lemonade out of lemons. In this case, they produced a number of wool plush items that really "popped" in this distinctive, readily available fabric. 

Now back to this pretty kitty. Why did she disappear in just a two year timeframe? It is interesting to note that in 1955, Steiff introduced their beloved lying "Fiffy" cat. This little love would go on to be produced in 12, 17, and 25 cm though 1962. Fiffy was head jointed and made from white mohair that was hand-airbrushed with black stripes. Like the cat under discussion here today, her little tail wrapped around her rear, and she came to life with green and black slit pupil eyes, a pink embroidered nose, mouth, claws, and clear monofilament whiskers. It is Steiffgal's best guess that Fiffy became Steiff's midcentury lying cat of choice based on a few factors. It is possible that Fiffy was faster and easier to manufacture, required less expensive materials, and had a more "updated," modern aesthetic than did the company's 1952-1953 lying cat. 

Steiffgal hopes this story about this rare mid-century cat really tickled your whiskers. 

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

There's Nothing Scary About This Fantastic Pre-War Steiff Tom Cat

It's time to cast a little black magic, in the best possible way. Cats are one of Steiff's most popular and prolific lines, but there is one example in particular that has every collector feline groovy. That's the company's Tom cat, the all black kitten on all fours with an arched back and prominent tail. Steiffgal would like to introduce you to a somewhat rare example she recently added to her collection.

It's no tall tail to say that this Steiff Tom cat is quite the looker! He measures 14 cm head to toe, and 25 cm top of tail to toe. He is standing, unjointed, and made from black mohair. His body, limbs, and head are made from shorter mohair, while his tail is made from much longer mohair. His tiny triangular shaped ears are made from velvet. He has a red embroidered nose and mouth, and three matching red claws on each foot. His teal-green and black eyes are in the slit-pupil style, and he has clear monofilament whiskers on his muzzle and forehead. He has a very serious, pensive look to him. His red silk ribbon may be original to him, his brass bell has been lost to time. He retains his short trailing "F" button as his Steiff ID. Tom cat was made in 8, 10, 14, 17, 22, and 28 cm from 1923-1943; the two smallest sizes were made with velvet bodies and heads.

Steiff's Tom cat design literally has had nine lives - or maybe even more! The original Tom cat was produced in both black and white velvet. Both versions were very skinny, standing on all fours, unjointed, and had arched backs and open mouths. They all left the factory in Giengen, Germany wearing a silk ribbon and bell. Black Tom cats were produced in 10, 14, and 17 cm from 1904-1918. White Tom cats were produced in 14 and 17 cm for three years only - from 1906-1908 - and are exceptionally rare. Steiffgal has never actually seen an early white velvet Tom Cat! Steiff's next version of its Tom cat was the one under discussion today. Then once the factory reopened for toymaking business after WWII, Steiff produced its Tom cats in 8, 10, 14, 17, and 22 cm from 1950-1976. These post war models were very similar in appearance to their 1920's-40's versions.

One thing that's the cat's meow about this pattern is how long it has appeared in the Steiff line. It debuted in a photograph featured in the 1903-1904 Steiff catalog... in the same picture that introduced PB55... the world's first jointed Teddy bear! This got Steiffgal thinking about other named Steiff legacy pets that have stood the test of time and have not changed significantly in appearance over many decades - appearing prominently both pre- and post- war. Of course, there's Jocko the Chimp, who's design debuted in 1909. Molly the Puppy was "born" in 1925, while Waldi the Dachshund appeared on the scene in 1933. These timeless treasures remind us how good design transcends years, generations, and borders.

Steiffgal hopes you found this discussion on Steiff's pre-war Tom cat close to purr-fect.

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

This Latest Steiff Find Is The Cat's Meow

Sometimes, the best things in life tiptoe in on little cat's feet.  And such is the case with this week's happy find!  Steiffgal popped into an antique show while traveling recently.  There were many great vintage temptations on offer, but hardly any Steiff... until the VERY LAST booth in the hall.  Check out what was hiding out among a bunch of old toys, puzzles, and other vintage childhood favorites.

What a purr-fectly wonderful discovery! Here we have a nice example Steiff's very early post war "Kitty" cat. She is 17 cm tall, fully jointed, and made from mohair. Her body, limbs, tail, and face are made from very light grey mohair, while her paws, chest, muzzle, and ears are off white mohair. Her back, arms, legs, tail, and the sides of her head are lightly airbrushed with darker gray stripes, making her the true Tabby! Her all original and early slit pupil eyes are made from green-teal and black glass. Kitty has pink hand embroidered facial features, with a red dot on her mouth to indicate her lips. Her claws are red and she retains her original clear mono-filament whiskers. Steiff's Kitty was made from 1949 through 1970 in 10, 17, and 22 cm. This example's coloration, eyes, and "Made in the US Zone" put her in the very early portion of this time frame. 

They say cats have nine lives, and in the case of this example, that is exactly true! Today, when a toy is produced, it usually appears on the market for just a handful of years.  This is due to the "limited edition" phenomenon, as well as changes in market preferences - especially for things like licensed characters. But, in the case of Steiff's 20th century production, some items would appear for years, decades, or even generations.  For example, the company's Molly dogs were introduced in the 1920's and were produced through the end of the 1970's.  And Steiff's black "Scary Cat" pattern appeared in the company's debut catalog of 1903, and is still being manufactured on and off to this day!  Post war, this fully jointed cat pattern was clearly a fan favorite, appearing in the line for almost 20 years. 

Despite her longevity, this pattern did experience a few updates and changes over time. These changes were aesthetic, to keep up with modern preferences, but also structural, to help keep her manufacturing costs in check. So what are some differences between the older and newer Kitty cats? Here on the left, you can see a more "modern" Kitty, produced during the early 1970's. As you can tell, the older ones simply have a more "vintage" look to them. But here are three objective, key physical details that may help to date this beloved and legacy pattern. 

Eyes: Older Kitties have distinctive green-teal and black glass slit pupil eyes, while newer ones have olive-green and black slit pupil plastic eyes.

Coloration and ID: Older Kitties have grey and off white coats that are airbrushed in grey stripes, while newer ones have off white coats what are airbrushed in darker grey or black stripes. Older ones tend to have powder pink noses, while newer ones tend to have darker pink noses.  Older ones also often, but not always, have a "US Zone" tag sewn into their front leg seam. 

Materials: The smallest older Kitties have felt ears and a white velvet muzzle, while newer ones have mohair ears and muzzles. You can see two examples of the earliest Kitties with these details here (along with their sweet friend, a woolie mouse from F.A.O. Schwarz!) 

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's fully jointed kittens has been the cat's meow for you.

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

Purr-haps You Recognize This Unusual Steiff Cat ?

Guess who just walked in on little cat's feet? This charming Steiff kitten! Do you recognize her classic design? She's from a very interesting production era at Steiff. Let's take a closer look at this pretty kitty with an eye towards her period features and place on the Steiff cat "family tree."

This purr-fectly lovely girl is an early version of Steiff's Susi cat. She is 17 cm tall, sitting, and head jointed. Susi is made from artificial silk plush. Her muzzle, front feet, and chest area are (were) white while her body, head, and tail are (were) grey. The grey areas are hand airbrushed with black stripes. Her face comes to life with back painted green and black slit pupil glass eyes and a pink embroidered nose and mouth. Her clear monofilament whiskers and her red claws have been lost to time. You can feel the squeaker in her belly, but it is not working now. This version of Susi was produced in 14, 17, and 22 cm from 1948 to 1949 only.

Let's paws for a moment and take a peek at the history of this fabulous feline. Steiff debuted its original Susi cat in 1936. Prewar, she was produced in mohair in 14, 17, 22, and 28 cm through 1943. In Pfeiffer's 1892-1943 Sortiment, she is described as "mohair plush, gray tabby, sitting, very pretty model, round shape." It is very unusual to find subjective or "flattering" descriptions in the Sortiment books as they are almost always entirely factual and literal. So Susi's design must have really caught someone's eye!

Given cats do have nine lives, and taking into account her date of introduction, it is possible Susi's updated pattern was designed to replace the company's legacy sitting, head jointed "Fluffy" cat pattern. Fluffy was introduced in the mid-1920's and reflected the "roaring 20's" aesthetic ideal of that era. Items designed for that period were often "fat, fluffy, and feminine," and sometimes featured "unnatural" color - like the blue on Fluffy's backside. But the times had clearly changed in the interim. You can see a photo of Fluffy here on the left; this example is from the collection of Shelley Smith.  

Post war, Susi remained the cat's meow.   She was produced in mohair from 1949 through 1978 overall in 10, 12, 14, 17 and 22 cm. Almost 40 years onward, she is still a classic favorite, with the smallest versions especially in demand among Steiff and doll collectors alike.

Now let's get into the meow-mix of Susi's period features.  This Susi is made from artificial silk plush.  This substitute fabric was used in the place of mohair during times of material shortages at Steiff.  It was seen on popular line items from the mid-1930's through the very early 1950's - just before, and just after WWII.  It is safe to say that Steiff items made from artificial silk plush were produced during very difficult political and economic times in Germany. Artificial silk plush wears out and get dirty easily, so its initial shine and good looks fade almost immediately. It is not a very durable or attractive fabric in the long run.  However, it was available for toy production, and to their credit, Steiff always found a way to get their job done - making fine playthings for children. 

This Susi cat's construction also has several "old fashioned" details that are not seen on later versions of this pattern.  These include a prominent white "triangular" shaped forehead and inset white front feet.  It is possible that these seams were eliminated for cost and labor saving reasons as the design evolved over time.  And early Susi's - like this one - were made from distinctly grey and white fabrics, while those produced years or decades later were all white with grey and black airbrushing to produce the same "fur" effects. 

And to button up this discussion, it's important to note artificial silk plush Susi's ID.  She proudly wears the somewhat rare STEIFF all capital letters button.  This button appeared approximately in the 1947 through 1952 timeframe, perfectly aligning with her actual production time.   
Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's rare early post war silk plush Susi cat has you feline groovy.

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

Steiffgal's All Smitten Over This Celebrity Kitten

Now isn't this the cat's meow? Steiffgal was checking out eBay during some down time recently and came across this sweet Steiff mascot. She quickly "bought it now" from a seller who was downsizing his family's collection. Although this item itself is somewhat recent, this pretty kitty has more than a half-century long legacy in Germany - both in the media and with the Steiff company. To learn more, let's turn our "lights, camera, and action" on this Steiff celebrity cat.

This "purr"-fect treasure is a great example of Steiff’s "Koko" mascot. She was made for the popular and long-time German magazine "TV Hören + Sehen, ” or "TV Hear and See." This fine feline is 28 cm tall, unjointed, standing, and made from grey and white knitted fur that is detailed with grey tabby stripes. Her extra long, curly tail is quite eye-catching and made from white knitted fur. Her paw pads are tan trivera velvet, and her ears are lined in white trivera velvet. She has three painted claws on each of her paws. Koko's mischievous face comes to life with oversized teal and black pupil eyes, a tan plastic formed nose, black airbrushed mouth, and black monofilament whiskers.

Truly "the whole package," Koko comes with her original diecut cardboard packaging stand, which displays her so nicely. The back of the stand is designed to both prop up the the cat, as well as hold her prominent tail securely in place. You can see this feat of engineering on the photo above on the left. On the front, the stand has both the Steiff and magazine’s logos. The German writing on the front of her display translates to, "Koko the popular cat from TV to Hear + See, now from Steiff." Koko has distinctive Steiff IDs, including a special logo'd chest tag, button in ear, and ear tag. This edition was produced in this size only in 1988.

It is interesting to note that this is not the first TV Hören + Sehen Koko Cat mascot that Steiff has produced over time. In 1954, Steiff made a 12 cm begging version of Koko. Her body was made from mohair, while her ears and front paws were made from felt. Her face was made from rubber. Of course, she also had a long and prominent tail. Steiffgal has never seen or handled this extraordinary rarity. It is her best guess that very few were produced over a very short time, and just a handful remain in existence today. This would be because their faces, which were made from rubber, probably have dried out and fallen apart by now. Many Steiff rarities made from rubber or with rubber detailing from this exact time period face this same sad reality. The picture on the left of the "original" Steiff Koko Cat is from Gunther Pfeiffer's Steiff Sortiment 1947-2003.

Now let's read up on TV Hören + Sehen. This magazine has been published weekly in Germany in its current form since 1962, although its origins go back to the mid-1920's, with much growth and change in the early 1950's. Today, the circulation is just under one million copies per edition. The publication features a guide to the upcoming week's television and radio programs. It also includes features, news, interviews, recipes, cartoons, games, horoscopes, and other articles about lifestyle, fitness, and popular culture. Although Steiffgal has not seen or handled a copy of the magazine in person, from its contents, it sounds like it may be a hybrid of the popular magazines "People," "TV Guide," and "Ladies Home Journal" here in the United States.

Steiffgal hopes that this discussion has left you smitten over this dear Steiff kitten.

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

It's Twice As Nice With These Two Steiff Tabby Cats From The Late 1920's

Although by nature more of a "dog" person, Steiffgal has started to put a few more Steiff kittens into her meow mix lately. Her most recent additions have something in common - they are both sweet "Tabby" style cats from the late 1920's. Check out these two fantastic felines and see if they have you "feline groovy" too.

Standing Tabby in all of her glory.

This first Tabby has a purr-fectly angelic look to her. She is 10 cm tall, standing on all fours, is head jointed, and made from tan mohair that has been striped with orange highlights. Her limbs and tail are elegant and shapely Her face comes to life with oversized teal and black slit pupil style glass eyes, a light pink embroidered nose and mouth, and a spot of red right on her lips. She has a particularly inquiring look on her face. This Tabby even retains a few of her original monofilament whiskers remaining on her muzzle and forehead. This cool cat was made in mohair in 7, 10, 12, 14, 17, and 22 cm from 1928 through 1937.

Lying Tabby closely observing something.

The second Tabby appears to be lying down on the job, but that's ok in this case. She is unjointed and measures 5 cm tall and 10 cm long (not including her tail.) She is lying in a very relaxed way, as if she's observing something very interesting in the room - perhaps a dust bunny, or a window shade moving in the breeze? Tabby is made from tan mohair that is striped in more tan or light brown colored highlights. Her sweet face comes to life with oversized light teal and black slit pupil style glass eyes, a light pink hand embroidered nose and mouth, and a spot of red right on her lips. She retains most of her original monofilament whiskers. Lying Tabby, in all honesty, was made in 8 sizes ranging fro 5 to 20 cm from 1928 through 1935.

Close up of standing Tabby's face.

Both of these Tabby patterns reflected Steiff's approach to cat design and production in the 1920's. It was at this time that the company started diversifying their cat offerings, as well as matching their cats’ appearances to the cultural preferences of the time. Steiff’s cats from the mid-1920’s onward were distinctly feminine, fluffy, and playful in appearance - much like all things popular from the “roaring ‘20s.” Felines from this period often had oversized, childlike eyes; were made from brightly colored materials; and had youthful detailing or textures. They were in great demand both as playthings for children as well as companions for adults. It is also interesting to note that it was at this time that the company began giving “real” names to its cat designs, with the first one being “Fluffy,” a blue-tipped mohair sweetie who was introduced in 1926. Prior to that, any cat in the line was simply named “Cat." Fluffy was a smashing success, and remains a collector's favorite today.

Close up of lying Tabby's face.

It is safe to say that Fluffy let the cat out of the bag in terms of creating a huge demand for Steiff's cat offerings. As such, Steiff quickly followed up on Fluffy’s popularity with a number of additional cat introductions. Like Fluffy, these were all designed and named to evoke softness, gentleness, and cuddling. These included the adult “Kitty,” who was standing on all fours, fully jointed, and featured a “tail moves head” mechanism; baby “Tabby,” who was standing on all fours or lying; the exotic, blue eyed, sitting “Siamy” Siamese Temple cat; and “Susi,” a very pretty sitting, head jointed tabby cat. Kitty, Tabby, Siamy, and Susi were all manufactured through the early 1940’s. And due to their popularity, they all reappeared in the line in the late 1940’s after the factory reopened for toy making business at the conclusion of WWII.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on the company's early Tabby cats has made for a pleasant paws in your day.  

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

Stumbling Across A Fantastic Steiff Feline

Steiffgal's not lyin'... this story is gonna knock you right off of your feet!  Check out this note from a reader who just stumbled across the most adorable and extremely rare lying Steiff cat - for free!  Alicia writes:

"Hello!
Thanks in advance for any help or more information with this cat.  I came upon her at a garage sale today. It was actually in a FREE box. I didn't even know about Steiff but grabbed the old stuffed animals in there - well, because they looked old! It wasn't until I got home and tried to make out the metal piece on her ear that I realized I had an old Steiff cat. Yay!  I've done quite a bit of searching and can't find one just like her so I'm asking you if you could give me any more information.
 

She looks like she's laying down. Tan or blond in color. I think mohair. Looks lightly striped. The eyes are green - and maybe glass? You can see stitching in the seams. Her nose and mouth are pink thread. A little red dot marks the mouth. The inside of the ears are not felt - they are the same as the rest of the body. The arms and legs do not move - the head rotates 360 degrees. She is 9.5" long NOT including the tail. The Steiff pin is a dark silver color and the last F loops down and goes until under the E. No other tags.
Thanks much!!
Alicia"

This pretty kitty (and her story) are gonna have everyone talking for sure! Steiff named her simply Katze or Cat. She is is made of tan mohair, is head jointed, and is in a lying or crouching position. She is airbrushed with light brown stripes, making her one terrific Tabby. Her tail is quite long and thin and is positioned straight outward. Cat's youthful face comes to life with oversized green and black slit pupil eyes and a pink hand-embroidered nose. When she was new, she left the factory with a pastel colored silk ribbon and little metal bell.  Steiff produced this design in white, and white and brown, in 13 and 15 cm from 1927 through 1928 only. Having seen the 13 cm version in real life, it is Steiffgal's guess that this is the 15 cm.  Given her very limited time in production, this pattern is seldom seen on the secondary market and is usually of great interest to collectors.  

This precious pattern was also made as a "couch animal cat" - meaning the kitten was mounted on an oval felt mat which was trimmed in a ribbon ruffle - in 10 and 12 cm from 1928 through 1930.   

In addition to its rarity, there are several factors that really add to the appeal of Alicia's lucky find. First, her cat was designed and produced in the mid to late 1920's.  This period is emerging as a new favorite for collectors, and is famous for its playful, wide-eyed, innocent, and whimsical looking patterns - think Molly the Puppy, Teddy Clown, and Bully the Bulldog, for example.  Secondly, its general lying position design is based on some of the company's late 19th century legacy cat designs, which usually had a woolen ball between their two front paws.  You can see an example of this above on the left. And thirdly, Alicia's kitten has a truly distinctive front and back leg construction.  These bent limbs are graceful, angular, and have lifelike proportions.  Such attention to detail is not seen often on earlier cat models.  

Now for the question that often turns Steiffgal into a real-life Grumpy Cat.  So what's the value of this lying kitten? As always, something is worth what someone will pay for it, and Steiffgal has not see the item firsthand to check for any structural or aesthetic issues that do not appear easily in photos - like a smoky smell, dry mohair, insect damage, or other problems.  Clearly, someone could argue that this cat is worth nothing, as that's what Alicia paid for it!  But, assuming that it is indeed as lovely as the photos suggest, it is possible that it could sell at auction in the $800 to $1,200 range.  A slightly smaller version of a similar lying Steiff cat from the same time period realized $1,185 at a James D. Julia Antique Advertising, Toy, and Doll Auction in 2014.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this great found lying Steiff kitten was the cat's meow for you.

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

Check Out These WOW-MEOW Cats On Offer At The Upcoming James D. Julia Toy And Doll Auction!

What's not to love about Steiff's pretty kitties? Especially those irresistible examples that truly capture the legacy of Steiff's early design and production standards! Many Steiff enthusiasts are aware of the upcoming James D. Julia auction featuring the world-class Chuck and the late Cathy Steffes collection of outstanding early Steiff bears on June 13, 2014. But this collection also includes a great number of practically purr-fect Steiff cats as well! Let's take a look at some of these most fabulous felines on offer and see what makes them so interesting from the product development and historical perspectives.

Let's get this review on a roll by first checking out this precious 1930's era 15 cm tall Steiff cat on wooden wheels. This charming cat is standing and unjointed. She is made from white and gray mohair which has been spotted in black with wonderful and distinctive highlights. Cat's face is detailed with green and black glass slit pupil eyes, a pink hand embroidered nose and mouth, and clear mono-filament whiskers. She has red hand embroidered claws and wears her original bell and bow. She also retains her original long trailing "f" style button. And boy, does she get around... on for four red wooden eccentric wheels, that is! This item was produced in 15 and 18cm from 1934 through 1937 overall and is very seldom seen on the secondary market. 

What can be up or down and great regardless?  Steiff's items on eccentric wheels!  Steiff has been making items on eccentric wheels, which have irregular axles - since the early 1900s when they mistakenly miss-drilled the axles for pull toys, therefore inventing this distinctive feature.  When items with eccentric wheels are pulled along, they have the appearance of a waddle or natural animal gait.  Eccentric wheels can be found on dogs, cats, ducks, and many farm animal examples.  

This second fantastic feline under review is such a head turner - literally!  Here we have Steiff's circa 1930's mohair tail turns head cat.  This example is really adorable - even more so in person.  She is 22 cm tall, sitting, and has a tail-turns-head mechanism. She is made from white and gray mohair which has been hand striped to give her a most realistic look. Her claws are hand embroidered in red. Cat's sweet face is detailed with green and black slit pupil glass eyes, a pink hand embroidered nose and mouth, and clear mono filament whiskers. The insides of her ears are gently airbrushed with pink highlights. Cat retains her long trailing "F" button and red ear tag as her Steiff IDs. This lovely item was produced in seven sizes ranging from 10 to 35 cm from 1931 through 1936 and like her wheeled cousin mentioned above, is seldom seen on the secondary market. 

This cat really belongs at the head of the class!  The tail-moves-head feature was used on a number of the most popular early 1930's-era Steiff items, including dogs, cats, and rabbits.  A gentle twist of the tail left or right caused the animal's head to cock in that direction.  This technology - which was a big deal at the time - was used to give these treasures a natural sense of movement as well as create a "higher end" tier of Steiff products.

Paws and take a look at this third and most interesting terrific tabby from the Steffe's collection.  Here we have an extremely rare and very early velvet Steiff rattle cat with AN ELEPHANT button!  This circa 1905 Steiff velvet rattle is truly the cat's meow - yes, the pun is intended!  This sweet cat is is 10cm, lying, unjointed, and made from white velvet that has been painted with black and grey spots and stripes. He has a very long tail which sticks out straight behind him. Cat wears a red bow and bell, and most interestingly, his highly coveted and earliest style button is attached to the red ribbon. Cat holds a tiny grey and red woolen yarn ball between his front paws. Cat's pensive face is detailed with tiny green and black slit pupil eyes, a light tan hand embroidered nose and mouth, and clear mono filament whiskers. Cat also has a rattle in its belly; Steiff created this feature by inserting a tube with beads into the torso of the item. This cat design appeared overall in the Steiff line in 6, 8, 10, 12, and 14 cm in white and grey velvet from 1899 through 1929. 

This pretty kitty is truly "buttoned up" with his original elephant button - most unusually located on his ribbon. This is the first time that Steiffgal has ever seen a button located on a ribbon, as the button is usually located in the left ear of bears and animals. So its placement is a bit of a mystery. If an item does not have ears, or a logical place for a button, it is sometimes placed right on a Steiff tag that is sewn into the seam of the piece. For some dolls with small or inaccessible ears, like Steiff's legacy Micki and Mecki hedgehog dolls, their buttons and yellow ear flags are suspended off of a red rubber wrist bracelet, like a charm.  It is amazing that this item retains his button given the delicate and transient nature of his ribbon!

Steiffgal hopes this review of these cat highlights from the Steffes collection on offer at James D. Julia's upcoming Antique Advertising, Toy, and Doll auction has been a wow-meow experience for you!

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