You Are Certain To Have A Plush Crush On This Amazing Steiff Prewar Rarity!

No need to sugar coat this amazing rarity! Here we have a wonderful example of Steiff's little known sitting "coat plush" cat. Have you ever seen a Steiff animal in this little known fabric? She is just about purr-fect in every way. 

This pretty kitty is 17 cm tall, sitting, unjointed, and made from grey and white coat plush. Her back is covered in now faded black stripes. Her tail wraps around her rear, as often noted in Steiff's sitting cat patterns over the years. She has green and black pupil eyes and a pink painted nose and mouth. Her face is detailed with black stripes. Any whiskers have been loved off or lost to time. Her bow is not original to her, but her bell might be. She retains her button as her Steiff ID. This fantastic feline was made in 14, 17, 22, and 28 cm from 1931-1939 overall. 

Let's now take a look at how she is cataloged in Pfeiffer's 1892-1943 Sortiment. It says, "Rauhstoff, Grau/weiss, sitzend, billige Series." This translates to English as "Rough cloth, grey/white, sitting, cheap series." These descriptors are very telling about her construction and era of production in two key ways.

First, let's consider her material. It is called rough cloth or coat plush. This is the first time that Steiffgal had handled an item made from this wartime era fabric, it is that unusual. More commonly noted substitute fabrics found on items produced just before and just after WWII include wool plush, artificial silk plush, cotton plush, and linen. From an aesthetic perspective, this material looks and feels a bit like flannel cloth - the fabric usually seen on nightclothes and plaid shirts! It has a very slightly fuzzy surface. Steiffgal suspects that the absence of this fabric appearing over a wide range Steiff prewar designs suggests that it was unpopular, hard to work with, and/or unavailable on a commercial level.

However, it is interesting to note that coat plush was used on two other cat models around the same time as this one. One, a standing version, was made in 14, 17, and 22 cm from 1931-1933. This same model was also produced on blue eccentric wooden wheels as a pull toy in 14, 17, and 22 cm from 1931-1932.

And second, let's noodle what Pfeiffer might mean by the words "cheap series." It is unclear if this specifically means "cheap to manufacture" or "cheap (or cheaper) to purchase", or both. The early 1930s at Steiff were a time when the company was implementing numerous strategies to slash costs and create efficiencies throughout the entire organization. So the chronology of these words does make sense. This sitting cat was made at the same time as a number of the company's now legacy sitting cats, including Susi, the sweet tabby; Siamy, the Siamese cat; and Fluffy, the adorable blue tipped kitten. Clearly, these head jointed mohair cats were far more elegant in their materials, construction, and detailing than this basic, unjointed one. This "cheap series" cat also has simple painted facial features - not embroidered ones - which are far more economical to apply than hand embroidered ones.

All of these small tweaks in the aggregate certainly brought her costs down... but not her appeal or importance in the company's product development timeline in any way.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this prewar era coat plush rarity has warmed your heart and soul!

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

Having A Ball With This Prewar Steiff Kitten Novelty

Without trying to be catty, Steiffgal suspects you've never seen a Steiff kitten just like this one! Check out this fancy feline who is simply having a ball - literally. This prewar novelty is totally the cat's meow!

This lovely lady is simply cataloged as "Wool Plush Cat." But her details are far more interesting! She measures 9 cm tall and 17 cm long, not including her tail. She is head jointed and in a lying position. She is made from tan wool plush with now faded black airbrushed striping. She has a pinch style squeaker in her torso. Kitty comes to life with felt backed ears, green and black glass pupil eyes set low on her face, and a pink hand embroidered nose and mouth. Her accessories include a satin bow, jingle bell, and a red, yellow, and blue woolen miniature pom pom ball which is held between her two front paws. This delightful rarity was made in 17, 22, and 28 cm (measured horizontally, not including the tail) from 1933-1942.

Kitty's design and presentation closely mirror Steiff's late prewar design aesthetic as well as business drivers and strategy. In the early 1930s, the realities of Germany's challenging geopolitical, social, and economic situation really began impacting every level of operations at Steiff. As such, the company started using less expensive and more readily available non-mohair fabrics as well as launching simplified designs to minimize materials and labor costs. Here to the left you can see this pretty kitty as she appeared in Steiff's 1938/1939 print catalog; you can click on the photo to make it bigger. 

Here's how this kitty's pattern checks many of those boxes. 

1.  She is made from wool plush, which is lovely and durable, but is less elegant than the company's signature mohair. Wool plush is considered a wartime era, substitute fabric and was often used in Steiff's production on items bookending WWII. 

2. Her face is nicely done, and very appealing and expressive, while her body is  very basic in form. Starting around 1931, Steiff began consolidating their design and manufacturing efforts on an item's head, while leaving the rest of the body as simple as possible. A great example of this is the company's line of dressed animal dolls of that era. They consisted of a lovely, detailed mohair head on a plain, generic linen or fabric body. 

3.  Kitty she has only one joint - a head joint. Jointing is very expensive and time consuming, and the fewer joints an item has, the more efficiently it can be made. 

4. And finally, her accessories are also quite telling. Her bow, bell, and simple woolen miniature pom pom are inexpensive to source and quick to attach to her, but really elevate her presentation and draw your eye forward to her finest feature, her head. Steiff debuted its general woolen miniature line, which was invented in part to address the realities of manufacturing in Germany in the 1930s, so it is interesting to see it being used here to compliment and upscale this design. 

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this wool plush kitty has 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!

This Marmalade Silk Plush Steiff Susi Kitten Is The Cat's Meow!

Orange you in the mood for something unexpected? Steiff's midcentury kittens are always the cat's meow, but this particular find is purr-fect in every way! Check out this fantastic feline and see what makes her so interesting from the design and historical perspectives.

This smooth-as-silk sweetie is an unusual example of Steiff's beloved Susi cat design. She is 16 cm tall, sitting, and head jointed. Susi is made from artificial silk plush. Her muzzle, front feet, and neck are white while her body, head, and tail are a marmalade color. The marmalade areas are hand airbrushed with dark orange or brown stripes. Her face comes to life with piercing green and black round pupil glass eyes, a pink hand embroidered nose and mouth, traces of a few clear monofilament whiskers, and a touch of pink paint to mark her lips. She has red embroidered claws on her front two paws. She retains her original pink bow. Her IDs include a large, watermelon style red imprinted chest tag, a short trailing f button, and traces of a light yellow or white ear tag.

Steiff's legacy Susi pattern has been a collector's favorite since her debut in 1936. It is rumored that this beloved design was named after a member of the Steiff family. Prewar, she was produced in grey and white 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! Shortly after the conclusion of WWII, Steiff began manufacturing just a handful of their most popular prewar patterns - including a version of Susi. Her pattern was first produced in grey and white artificial silk plush in 14, 17, and 22 cm from 1948 to 1949, and then in mohair in 10, 12, 14, 17 and 22 cm from 1948 through 1978.

As far as Steiffgal can tell, this marmalade and white artificial silk plush full bodied Susi cat does not appear in any of the standard Steiff reference books. However, it is interesting to note that she resembles a most unusual marmalade and white artificial silk plush Steiff puppet sold at auction in 2019. This puppet, which is pictured here on the left, generated 20 bids and realized over $3,000! You can see that they share similar coloring and materials, as well as the same green and black pupil eyes, and other facial detailing. This puppet was described in the catalog as, "hand puppet, faux silk plush, cat, shiny button, rests of the ocher-colored paper sign, was produced during the war, good condition, nice colors." The photo is from Liveauctioneers.com.

So, what's the story with this very pretty, albeit uncatalogued kitty? Here are a few ideas. It is entirely possible that she is a variation of the grey and white artificial silk plush version from the late 1940s. Her IDs align perfectly to that time frame. Given her stunning but unconventional hue and era of manufacture, she may have been produced as a sample of a design that never went into commercial scale production; was made from the only fabrics available at the time; or perhaps was designed and produced as an item for sale at the PX stores where American soldiers shopped immediately post WWII. However, only she knows for sure!

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this happily hued Steiff Susi has tickled your whiskers, in the best possible way.

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 Pretty, Prewar, And Purple Steiff Princess Rains Supreme!!

WARNING! You are about to get all out joint over today's blog special guest! This pretty kitty has just about everything going for her, including her looks, color, era, and "secret skill." Check out this fine feline and see what makes her so fabulous from the design and collector's perspective. 

This (now) purple kitten rains supreme. Here we have Steiff's fully jointed "Kitty." She is 15 cm tall and 21cm wide, not including her impressive tail. She is made from blue/black tipped mohair that has faded overall and evenly to a delightful, dark purple hue. Her underbelly, ears, muzzle, feet, and the tip of her tail are made from white mohair. Her face comes to life with a pink hand embroidered nose and mouth and teal green and black slit pupil eyes. Kitty was produced in 15, 18, 21, and 23 cm from 1931-1935. This example retains her long trailing "f" button as her Steiff ID. 

But wait, there's more! Kitty's long tail is functional as well as aesthetic. This model is actually a tail turns head model, meaning that when her tail is rotated in a circle, her head follows in tandem. This technology was patented by the Steiff company in the early 1930s and basically consists a system that connects the head and the tail through a series of internal metal connectors and joints. 

Head jointed animals were an important part of the Steiff line in the early 1930s. Over time, about 25 different tail turns head models were produced through the very early 1940s. For the most part, these were based on the best selling standard line patterns of the time and included cats, dogs, rabbits, penguins, goats, and lambs, and even Mickey Mouse, among others. However, as far as Steiffgal can tell, this Kitty was one of the few tail moves head items that was only made as a tail moves head animal and not produced in any other form. It is interesting to note that she is neither pictured or mentioned in Steiff's 1931 novelty catalog where many of the other tail moves head animals debuted. 

Now, let's use some colorful language to describe her hue. Today, Kitty is a marvelous shade of deep purple. But she did not start out life that way. According to Pfeiffer's 1892-1943 Steiff Sortiment, this model was produced in "blue/black tipped" mohair. But it has clearly mellowed to a pretty purple color over time. Another wonderful novelty produced with "blue/black" mohair at about the same time as Kitty was Steiff's King Peng penguin. You can see and example of a King Peng here on the left, the photo is from Christies. Today, when you find a King Peng, often his once blue/black mohair has become a similar purple color as Kitty's. As such, Steiffgal suspects that Steiff's 1930-era blue/black mohair was produced with a dye or dyes that oxidized or somehow had a chemical reaction with air or moisture over time. If this color change was due to something simple like direct sunlight, the change would not be so even or so consistent.

Steiffgal hopes that this discussion on this pretty purple princess has crowned your day.

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

This Steifff Woolen Miniature Kitten is Purr-Fect In Every Way

How can something so amazingly tiny be so amazingly cute? Well, size really defies in the case of this very appealing Steiff woolen miniature cat. Steiffgal's been hoping to add one of these fancy felines to her hug for awhile, so she was delighted when this one arrived on little cat's feet. Take a look at this little darling and just try NOT to fall in love with her. 

This happy handful is Steiff's 1970-era woolen miniature cat. She is 6 cm and head jointed. Cat is constructed from grey and white woolen yarn; her body is made from longer threads while her head is made from shorter threads. She has tiny triangular grey felt ears. Her face comes to life with green and black slit pupil eyes, a touch of pink to indicate her mouth, and clear monofilament whiskers. Her pink bow is original to her. This basic design was produced in white; white, grey, black and brown; white and black; white and orange brown; and white and grey in 4 and 6 cm from 1970-1974.

In addition to her Steiff button and eartag, this pretty kitty also has a naturally colored wooden tag indicating she was originally purchased at F.A.O. Schwarz. This tag has the identical gold F.A.O. Schwarz bell logo on both sides; its cord is a piece of silky yellow floss. The bell first appeared in the company's advertising and in the stores in 1880. It is based on a similar bell that was carved into the Schwarz family's dining room table at their home in Greenwich, CT as a symbol of success and prosperity. Most of these F.A.O. Schwarz wooden bell tags are red, but Steiffgal has seen a few of these naturally colored ones on items from the 1970s, including Steiff's legacy "mask" style Teddy bears. 

Here on the left, you can see the original Steiff catalog page from 1972 promoting their range of woolen miniature friends. If you click on it, you can make it bigger. The cats are featured on the top left. According to the description, the 4 cm versions cost 3.10 marks and the 6 cm versions cost 4.50 marks. Another woolen miniature cat - a 5 cm sitting version with a mohair tail that appeared in the line from 1954-1978 - cost 4.25 marks. Using an inflation calculator, in 2020 dollars, that means that the 5 cm sitting cat cost the equivalent of $14.63, the 4 cm lying cat cost the equivalent $10.68, and the 6 cm lying cat, the one under discussion here, cost the equivalent of $15.50.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this relatively rare Steiff woolen miniature cat has given you the warm fuzzies.

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

Getting All Dolled Up Over This Pretty Steiff Kitty

It's not often that you come across something that is the best of all worlds. But such is the case with this week's special My Steifflife blog visitor! Check out this simply adorable - and remarkable - Steiff cat doll. There's no question you'd want to welcome her into your meow mix!

This pretty kitty is the whole package. Her official Steiff name is PuppKatz Cat Doll. She is is 22 cm tall, standing, and head jointed. Her body is solidly stuffed and made from tan flesh colored fabric that has a slightly velvet-like finish to it. Her feet are flat and designed for standing; they are lined in cardboard. Her arms hang softly at her sides. Her feet and the tops of her paws are made from white mohair. Her mohair head is typical to Steiff's early 1930s cat head designs and is gently tabby striped. Cat's pert ears are lined in felt. Her pensive face comes alive with teal green and black slit style pupil eyes and a pink hand embroidered nose and mouth. Cat's clear monofilament whiskers have been lost to time. PuppKatz was made in 14, 22, and 28 cm from 1931-1943 overall.

This PuppKatz is part of a series of animal dolls Steiff produced in the 1930s and 1940s. Other species represented included bears, rabbits, dogs, elephants, and ducks. All shared the same stationary human form body. Most were made in 14, 22, and 28 cm and had removable clothing. As such, the original clothing was often lost to time, which is the case here with this PuppKatz. However, PuppKatz's current outfit of white underwear and a pretty belted dress, is perfectly scaled and adorable on her. She also came with a little pin with the name "Amy" on it. As such, that is her new name moving forward. 

The strategy behind the PuppKatz, and other animal doll patterns, is quite interesting and reflective of the prewar period in which they were made. These items launched in the early 1930s. Germany at this time was in a period of high unemployment and financial uncertainty. As a response to poor economic conditions, Steiff started making items that were simplified in design, used less expensive or even alternative materials, and were "theme and variation" in nature. The change in tone from items introduced from the end of the 1920s to the early 1930s is absolutely striking. Steiff's 1920-era items for the most part were colorful, fluffy, feminine, and childlike. Their early 1930-era items tended to be a bit glum looking, longer, narrower, and thinner. 

Steiff's animal dolls fit the needs of the 1930s business environment to a T. They were all on the same easy body that was made from inexpensive fabric and could be detailed in countless ways. In the case of this PuppKatz, she was made in three sizes, and each size was available in up to 11 different outfits over time. This one design ultimately represented 29 different SKUs in the product line. These outfits included sporting clothes, pajamas, suits, dresses, traditional clothing, and swimsuits, among others. These outfits were numbered and noted by a distinct code in the animal doll's article number. By having so many options for this one simple design, the company was able to fill its catalogs efficiently when product design and development resources, as well as raw materials, were severely limited by factors beyond the company's control. Steiff's 1938 catalog featured a whole spread of their animal dolls and various outfits; you can see that page here on the left. Please click on the photo to make it larger and more legible. 

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on PuppKatz has tickled your whiskers in the best possible way.

Look Who Reappeared On Little Cats Feet?

Reunited, and it feels so good! Childhood and Steiff often go hand in hand, so it is always a sweet treat to come across a old button-in-ear friend from long ago. This just happened to a new friend from across the pond, who asks about her blue-eyed beauty. Vicki from the UK writes...

"Hi, I recently found my childhood toy in my dad's under stair cupboard. She is what appears to me to be a leopard I have attached a photo of front and back. She's a hand puppet with a stuffed head with a solid finger hole in her head (difficult to describe) the button is in her ear with some yellow fabric still present although ragged. She has blue glassy eyes and whiskers. I would like to know if you can tell me the age as I can't find anything similar when I search online just cats but she's not tabby. Thanks for your help. I'm from Hertfordshire. She has no claw stitches but her nose is sewn with pink thread. Inside the fabric is very rough but I'm guessing it's mohair (I wasn't sure if real fur?) I've had her since I was little and I'm 38."

Well, isn't this the cat's meow? What we have here is not actually a leopard but a kitty, although the two probably share alot of the same feline DNA in real life. Steiff has named her "Hand Minka Cat." This oversized puppet measures about 30 cm tall and is made from white and patterned woven fur. Her head is stuffed with soft foam, which has a tendency to break down over time. Her face comes alive with a pronounced white muzzle, oversized blue and black pupil eyes, a pink nose, and dark whiskers. She left the factory wearing a red ribbon. Minka Cat appeared in the line in this size and color combination only from 1978 to 1984. Given Vicki was born in 1980, her ownership timeline corresponds perfectly to the production era of this puppet.

Puppets are legacy novelties for Steiff, and a cat puppet has been in the line since about 1912. As for Vicki's particular cat puppet, it is part of a series of larger, all woven fur puppets from 1978. These included a bear, rabbit, dog, owl, donkey, penguin, and this cat. All were 30 cm in size and had charming, childlike presentations to them. They were more soft and silly than serious - and clearly designed for play. 

The 1970's were a challenging time at Steiff in terms of production and costs, as the competition with products from Japan really disrupted the toy marketplace. The year after Minka debuted, in 1979, Steiff launched its "Hand Cat" puppet, which was 27 cm in size and had a blue trevira velvet body. Only its head and paws were made from patterned plush. His only "detail" was  small white felt collar. All of these updates to the pattern were probably done for the purpose of making a smaller, cheaper, more efficient-to-produce cat puppet for the line. Hand Cat appeared though 1983. You can see this Hand Cat puppet here on the left; the picture is from Pfeiffer's 1947-2003 Sortiment. 

Like a cat with nine lives, it is interesting to note that in 1984, Steiff re-engineered its trevira bodied Hand Cat puppet - again.  It now featured an even simpler face, which saved on labor costs, and was made in a much more basic grey plush fabric, which saved on material costs. This model appeared in the line from 1984 through 1992 overall. You can see this cat - and other soft plush puppets on offer at the time - pictured here on the left; the photo is from Steiff's "Steiff Collection 1992" customer catalog. 

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Vicki's cat puppet has been a happy handful for you.

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

Your Jaw Will Drop When You See This Turn Of Last Century Steiff Tom Cat!

Mouth agape! That was exactly Steiffgal's reaction when this turn-of-last-century rarity finally made its way into her Steiff collection. Like every Steiff enthusiast, Steiffgal also has a wish list, and this terrific Tom had been on it forever - until now! Check out this cover boy (really - and more about that later!) and see what makes this fantastic feline so interesting from the historical and design perspectives.

They say orange is the new black, but sometimes being old is in vogue, too! Here on the left is Steiff's original Tom Cat in the smallest sized produced. He is standing, unjointed, and made from jet black velvet. Measured vertically, he's 8 cm from the top of his head to his toes and 10 cm from the top of his tush to his toes. His thin, almost straight tail measures 8 cm long and .5 cm wide - and even more astonishingly - it is stuffed with excelsior! How did they do that, given its scale and configuration? Tom Cat wears his original silken bow and bell. This pattern was produced in 10, 14, and 17 cm from 1903 through 1919 in black velvet, and in 14 and 17 cm in white velvet from 1906 through 1908. This example retains his original blank button, dating his production to around 1905 or 1906.

Face it, you can't look away from Tom Cat's distinctive head design and construction. He comes to life with tiny, triangular shaped ears, black seed bead eyes backed in yellow felt, and an open, pink felt lined mouth. The lining is held in place with tiny pinkish-tan colored stitches - perhaps to resemble teeth? You can see where the seamstress tied the knot of pinkish-tan thread for these stitches on the cat's chin area. This is a tiny but interesting detail; it is not unusual to see an embroidery thread  knot on the face of an early Steiff bear or animal. Tom Cat also retains a number of his clear, monofilament whiskers. One could say he has a face only a (Steiff) mother could love! You can see all of these delicate details on the photo trio above. 

This Tom Cat is truly a headliner - from both aesthetic and well as historical angles. This petite treat was featured in an important photograph from the company's 1904/04 product line catalog. But what's so special about that? It's the same picture that debuted PB55... the world's first jointed Teddy bear! Timing is everything, eh? A snapshot of this catalog page is shown here on the left; you can spot the arched back Tom Cat a little to the right of center standing on top of a donkey on wheels. Given the scale of the items in the image, it is Steiffgal's best guess that the Tom Cat pictured is the 17 cm version. What you can't see on the photo is the cat's intricate mouth construction, but you can make out his bow and bell. This picture is from the Cieslik's Button in Ear The History of the Teddy Bear and His Friends reference book, published in 1989.

Now let's paws and look at the details noted on the photo. According to the hand written notes along the bottom of the page, these original black velvet Tom Cats were 14.40 Deutchmark per twelve. That is VERY ROUGHLY equivalent to $0.30 each in 1903.  This translates to approximately $8.59 in today's US dollars, given inflation and other financial and economic factors. 

Steiffgal hopes this discussion of this rare Tom Cat has left you on your toes for your next great find!

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

This Pre-War Steiff Siamy Is Simply The Cat's Meow

It's always fun to add a little something unexpected to your Steiff meow mix! And such is the case with this wonderful feline treasure that snuck in on little cat's feet. Steiff's Siamy Siamese cats have been favorites with collectors since their introduction in 1930. Check out this very vintage version and see what makes her purr-fect in every way.

Despite being a bit mohair challenged, this pretty kitty has quite the tail to tell. She is 22 cm, sitting, head jointed, and made from mohair - tan on her body and head, and brown on her ears, muzzle, front legs, back foot pads, and tail. You can see traces of brown airbrushed highlights on her face. Her face comes to life with blue and black slit pupil style glass eyes and a simple pink hand embroidered nose and mouth. Her red claws are also hand embroidered. She proudly retains only one of her original clear monofilament whiskers. She has a non-working squeaker in her belly and sports a teeny tiny long trailing "F" button as her Steiff ID. Sitting, mohair Siamy was made in 14, 17, 22, 25, and 30 cm from 1930 through 1932 and then again from 1934 through 1942 overall. 

Given how many cat-calls she received from collectors, Siamy was produced in a number of forms. She appeared as a tail turns head model in 15, 18, 23, 26, and 31 cm from 1931 through 1933, and in wool plush in 14, 17, 22, 25, and 30 from 1930 through 1932. Siamy-inspired novelties included a 17 cm hand puppet called Punch Siamy that appeared in the line from 1930 though 1934 and a 30 x 30 cm Siamy pajama bag that appeared in the line from 1930 through 1937. The puppet and pajama bag are both incredibly rare on the secondary market.  Steiffgal has only dreamed about the Siamy pajama bag, and has only handled one Siamy puppet in over four decades of collecting all things button-in-ear. 

Siamy used one of her nine lives to reintroduce herself into the Steiff catalog after the company reopened for toymaking business at the conclusion of World War II. However, she was only made in 11, 15, and 23 cm from 1953 through 1954. The post-war pattern had several key design updates over the pre-war pattern. To see these obvious differences, compare the photos above! The cat on the left is a prewar 22 cm Siamy and the cat on the right is a postwar 23 cm Siamy. 

Specifically, these update included:

• The postwar model was distinctively more plump and rounded than the prewar model.
• The postwar model had its tan mohair tail and front legs painted brown, while the prewar model had a brown mohair tail and front legs. 
• The postwar model appeared with either an open or closed mouth. Steiffgal has only seen closed mouthed prewar models. 
• The postwar models had a somewhat inverted triangular shaped muzzle and forehead construction, while the prewar models had a simpler, rounded muzzle. 
• The medium and largest postwar models had felt lined ears and the smallest had felt ears. Prewar Siamy cats all had brown mohair ears. 

But one thing about Siamy's pattern didn’t change significantly over time—she retained her famous trademark blue eyes which continue to melt the hearts of collectors almost 90 years after her debut.

Steiffgal hopes that this little discussion on Steiff's Siamys 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. 

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.

Singing A Happy Tune Over This Unusual Steiff Musical Tiger!

Well, this interesting find should be like music to your ears if you like Steiff tigers. And why is that? This wonderful jungle gem has a secret - he's got a special and most unusual music feature hidden in his belly. Check out this terrific tiger and see what makes him one of the coolest cats around!

It's easy to break out in song over this pretty kitty. "Music Tiger" is unjointed and about 20 cm tall and 30 cm long (not including his tail.) He is in Steiff's "lying" position, meaning he is curled up with his legs resting gently to his side. His face is detailed with piercing green and black eyes, a pink embroidered nose, a black embroidered mouth with a touch of pink airbrushing, and tufts of longer mohair around his jowls. He has many long, clear, monofilament whiskers.  He is made from short mohair, which has been hand airbrushed and stenciled to give his coat a most authentic and realistic look.  Even his paw pads have charming "footprints" on them.  On his underside, there is a small brass winder that activates his happy tunes; it is in working condition. 

Collectors will recognize this beloved pattern as the one identical to Steiff's popular lying tiger cub design, which was produced from 1953 through 1978 in 17, 28, 43, and 60 cm.

Let's take a look at some of the special IDs of this singing sweetie, which does not appear - as far as Steiffgal knows of - in any regularly referenced Steiff book. The first is his eye-catching chest tag.  It is Steiff's regular, colorful bear faced version with his name on it.  Given the "secret location" of his music box, and the fact that his basic pattern is relatively standard in the Steiff line, this tag is essential in identifying him from pictures as something really unique. The second is his special musical item tag.  The tag is metallic silver, red, and blue, and features a Steiff logo and the word "Musicanto" on each side. It is in four languages, and reads, "Contains a genuine Swiss music box. To wind: Turn knob in the tail or underneath tummy."  

It's not polite to ask someone their age, so let's figure out another way to date this Music Tiger. Steiffgal has two other Steiff musical animals that have this tag. The first is the company's Music Kitty. This fancy feline is 17 cm, head jointed, and resembles Steiff's beloved sitting Susi cat pattern. Music Kitty was made in 1955 through 1957, and then again in 1961; she is pictured here on the left. The second is Steiff's Music Cockie Cocker Spaniel. Cockie is 17 cm and sitting. She is made from black and white mohair and is head jointed. She has a large, open, smiling mouth. Her face is detailed with large, friendly brown and black pupil eyes and a black hand embroidered nose.  Music Cockie was produced from 1955 through 1957 only.  Both Music Kitty and Cockie's music features are activated by winding up their tails.  And of course, who can forget Steiff's fabulous Music Teddy, which was made in 35 cm from 1951 through 1957?

Given all of that, it is Steiffgal's best guess that this Music Tiger, like his other talented and performing cousins, was most likely made in the 1955 through 1957 time frame, give or take a pinch.

It was not terribly unusual for Steiff to take some of its most popular patterns and try "theme and variation" items from them. Some of these "experiments" were produced on a commercial level and appeared in the catalog; others were made in extremely limited quantities if at all. For example, Steiffgal also has a larger lying tiger made as a silk-lined and zippered pajama bag. This also does not appear, as far as Steiffgal knows, in any standard Steiff reference book. In 2009, Ladenburger Spielzeugauktion featured two marvelous musical rarities; a musical Lulac rabbit and a very large musical tiger.  The auction house dated each from approximately 1952. Both are pictured here on the left - click on the photo to enlarge it!

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

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this Music Tiger has been a high note in your day.

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.