This Huge Steiff Chimp Is More Fun Than A Barrel Full Of Monkeys!

What's on your Steiff bucket list? For the longest time, Steiffgal dreamed of adopting a Studio Jocko chimp. She had seen a few in photographs and immediately fell in love with their scale, playful looks, and charming personalities. Whenever Steiffgal asked her what she wanted for a birthday, anniversary, or holiday gift, she would jokingly exclaim, "a Studio Jocko!" Well, be careful what you wish for... because wishes - especially Steiff wishes - can come true. Please meet Studio Jocko, Steiffgal's new beloved Steiff pal. Here he is pictured on the left, relaxing on the couch with a few relatives. 

It's easy to go bananas over this great ape. He stands 150 cm tall (5 feet) and is head and arm jointed. He is made of really long, chocolate brown mohair. His face, feet, ears, and hands are made from tan felt and are detailed with light airbrushing to give them additional dimension and depth. He has typical Jocko chimp detailing, like pert eyes set into eye pockets, a white mohair chin, and an open, smiling mouth - albeit on a huge scale. Jocko has an internal rod metal skeleton for stability, and he stands on two flat feet. He is solidly stuffed with excelsior, which must have taken several strong men weeks if not months to complete. According to the Sortiment book, this big boy was produced in this size only in 1960 and 1967. Here on the left is the Steiff Display Animal catalog page from 1967 featuring him. 

Now let's take a brief "guided tour" of Jocko.  

As you can see, he really is a very big dude indeed. Here he is pictured with Steiffgal. Just for reference, Steiffgal is 5'5". It is Steiffgal's best estimate that if indeed he were real and made from muscle and bone, his girth and proportions would put him between 300-400 pounds. He actually weighs about 25 pounds.  

His handsome, proportionally large face is simply irresistible - and always smiling! It measures 22 inches from his chin to the top of his head, and 20 inches ear to ear.

Here is a close up of his dimensional and very lifelike ear. You can see the smallest 4 inch Jocko resting on it so you get an idea of its scale. Big Jocko's ears measure 5.5 inches high each. 

And here is a close up of his hand. Again, the smallest Jocko helps to put his size in context. His hands measure about 8 inches long and 9 inches wide.  

Jocko has flat felt feet to help him stand (with a little help.) They measure 14 inches long and 8 inches wide. 

As you can see, Jocko is extremely photogenic. If you are in the Maryland area on September 28th and 29th, 2018, Jumbo Jocko and Steiffgal will be attending the United Federation of Doll Clubs (UFDC) Region 11 conference in Towson, MD. We will be manning a Steiff table in the salesroom with lots of Steiff temptations for doll and Steiff collectors alike. Jocko looks forward to meeting as many Steiff fans as possible at this great event, and is available for once-in-a-lifetime selfies. Click here for more information on this UFDC celebration.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on her Studio Jocko has been a larger than life experience for you.

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

Cataloging Steiff's Display Rarities From The Mid 1960's

A great way to learn more about vintage button-in-ear rarities is to go to the source - literally! Steiff has always been consistent in producing sales materials, catalogs, and literature about their product line over time, and these original documents are like miniature time capsules of information for collectors. Steiffgal recently purchased a specialty catalog from 1967 which features the company's vast range of lifesized animals produced 50 years ago. The cover, which has a family of display orangutans, is shown here on the left. These include a 130 cm or 52 inch papa, a 120 cm or 48 inch mama, and a 40 cm or 16 inch baby. Let's take a peek inside this great reference and see what it has to say!

The catalog cover itself measures about 23 cm wide and 17 cm tall and is designed like a binder, with metal rings holding the hole-punched sheets in place. The introduction page - which is written in German, French, and English - reads: "Besides the famous toy animals we also manufacture animals in natural until twice natural size. They are most popular for shop windows and stores to draw the attention of the buyers of our mark. Those animals are made of the same good mohair, plush, or nylon  and have a metal frame. If a person wants to sit on them, it would be better to add a metal ring which unites the four legs. This ring must be paid extra.

The catalog is beautifully illustrated with full color photography throughout. The pages are printed single sided, with blank backs. The catalog contains mostly "beauty shots" of the company's display line, but also has a few pages in the front which offer sales and shelving items, including price tags, lighting, signage, and merchandisers. Perhaps the most interesting page is shown here on the left. Check out the range of display pieces for smaller items, including what looks like green metal "cots" for the company's sleeping style cosy items. Steiffgal has never seen these in real life, have you?

Now let's make a big deal over some display animal highlights. The catalog has over 80 individual pages featuring these lifesized lovelies, so its difficult to pick out just a few. Several species, like elephants and the big jungle cats, were well represented with several models of each on offer. Here are some examples that really caught Steiffgal's eye - for their rarity, beauty, or just plain goofiness. (You can click on all the photos to make them bigger and read the catalog page details.)

It's never too early to start putting together your Christmas wish list! And Steiffgal bets just about every vintage Steiff collector would love to find this almost lifesized Santa Claus doll under their holiday tree! Santa stands 150 cm or 60 inches tall and is based on the company's beloved standard line postwar rubber faced Santa doll, who was produced in 13, 18, and 31 cm from 1953 to 1963 overall. Steiffgal has only seen one example of this display sized man in red firsthand - he's as rare as his namesake!

There's not a hare out of place when it comes to this next display highlight. This great mohair pattern looks to be for the most part a prehistoric proportioned Manni rabbit, given his begging position and coloring - with a little bit of Niki rabbit's facial detailing in the mix for good measure. And given that Steiff traditionally does not include ear length when measuring rabbits, this honey bunny is even larger than his 80 cm or 31-1/2 inch "official" size. Just for comparison, check out the teeny tiny Perri squirrel in the photo - he's probably only 12 or 17 cm! 

Now let's cool things down a bit with this jolly sitting polar bear. His body position is quite distinctive - he seems to be squatting on his bent legs. He must be carefully balanced, given the size and scale of his portly midriff. Another picture of him that Steiffgal has seen shows a metal rod base stand mounted strategically on his "bare bottom," probably to help keep him upright. This 180 cm or 72 inch perky polar bear has really prominent rubber claws, faux suede pads, and a million dollar smile. 

This busy pair only want to be your beasts of burden. The display catalog features two donkey designs, but Steiffgal thought this dralon, open-mouthed pattern was a bit more interesting than the other, given its seldom seen accessories. Steiff does a great job with farm animals, and their donkeys have broad and universal appeal. Sometimes they are produced "au naturel," while other models feature brindles and/or saddles. The company's early "Democratic" donkey mascot don a blue felt blanket. Whatever your political affiliation, it's very easy to get carried away over these 120 cm or 48 inch and 90 cm or 35 inch Steiff donkeys adorned with functional, hand-woven raffia baskets!

No need to trash-talk over this fantastic, lifesized black and white mohair Steiff Cockie Cocker Spaniel. It is interesting to note that Steiff's mid to late 20th century sitting black and white Cockers are in the form of rare novelties, including a tail turns head model and a musical version. There is no "standard line" postwar black and white sitting Cocker. So this guy must be pretty special! This catalog page illustration has it all - a great and seldom seen 80 cm or 32 inch display rarity, an authentic situation all dog owners can relate to, and little Steiff friends hidden in the mess.  

Anyone care to dance? It's hard to resist these two humongous and utterly charming mohair Zotty bears. Clearly these big bruins are based on the company's legacy mohair Zotty Teddy bear pattern, which appeared in the line from 1951 through 1978 in sizes ranging from 17 to  100 cm. These cavorting cubs seem to be having the time of their lives. Could that have something to do with the large beer keg and two porcelain steins in the background? These display items measure 80 cm or 35 inches and 100 cm or 40 inches, respectively. 

Bird's the word with this final display pick. Here we have two royal looking Crown Crane birds, measuring in at 140 cm or 56 inches each. Both are standing, unjointed, and elaborately detailed in various colors and lengths of mohair materials. They balance elegantly on metal framed legs that are covered in felt and realistically airbrushed. Steiffgal has seen and handled a number of Steiff display birds from this period, including a flamingo and an ostrich, (both also featured in this catalog) but never the company's cranes. It is her strongest suspicion that like the flamingo and the ostrich, these cranes were designed with removable heads and necks for ease of packing, shipping, and storage. 

Steiffgal hopes you found this discussion on Steiff's 1960-era display items larger than life.

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

Flipping Out Over This Super-Sized Steiff Seal!

Care to dive head first into a little Steiff mystery?  Then take a look at this question from a new friend from Down Under, who asks about a delightful, well traveled rarity originally purchased in Japan.  Through a series of notes, Allison shares...

Hi from Australia!

I have a Steiff seal that is so big that I can not find him in any of the lists available to me.  He was purchased as a one off in the Steiff shop in Tokyo some years ago for a very high price. The Japanese lady who purchased him said she carried it on to the plane and he took up a spare seat with her in business class. Lucky seal!

His label reads on one side "PA55 MASS73 Covering 65% PAC 35% Cotton," and on the other side "Made in Germany for Steiff Knopf im ohr." There is evidence of some very faded numbers but I am certainly not able to discern them even under bright light.

The gold button is buried deep in the thick fur, with the end of the yellow label, and is bright and clear. It is on the front flipper. The fur is very detailed and varies in patterning over the whole animal. It is like a real fur coat with lots of tones of soft browns, creams and some grey blushings. There is a very definite lay of the fur just like a real animal's coat. 

He has about a 30 inch waist and while the length is hard to measure he is about 40 inches along the table top... without stretching his flippers!  

Would you be able to tell me about him, and his approximate value today?

Many thanks for your help. Cheers, Allison" 

Wow, this find makes quite a splash! What Allison has here appears to be Steiff's very large "Sitting Seal."  This great item is resting on his belly and front flippers, softly stuffed, and made from woven fur. He is officially measured at 100 cm, his length. From what Steiffgal can research, he is among the largest, if not the largest, example of a seal pattern Steiff has ever made on a commercial level. The company has made several 80 cm seals in the past, starting with two display patterns from 1960. Allison's seal was made from 1995-1996 and is not cataloged as a display piece, although it's dimensions certainly qualify it for that status. 

It is interesting to note how big seals actually are in real life. The largest species, Southern Elephant Seals, can weigh up to 8,500 pounds; males measure about 20 feet long while females are about half as long. Even the smallest seals are pretty big; Ringed Seals average 5 feet in length and usually weigh between 110 and 150 pounds, with males and females being about equal in size. As such, if Allison's seal was "lifesized," it would most likely be a lifesized baby seal.

Now for the question that throws Steiffgal into the deep end - his value.  As always, something is worth what someone will pay for it, and she has not seen this seal firsthand to inspect for condition and issues that don't appear on film, like odors, insect damage, and other subtle losses and problems.  Given he is clean and as presented, Steiffgal thinks an auction bid in the $400-600 range might seal the deal for him here in the USA.  

Steiffgal hopes you found this discussion on Allison's big seal beachy-keen!

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

Take A Load Off Of Your Feet With This Amazing Sitting Steiff Studio Elephant

Who likes a jumbo Steiff surprise?  Especially one that is unforgettable?  Well, that would be Steiffgal - and most Steiff superfans - as well!  Check out this email that will have you literally grinning from ear to ear.  A reader from the south shares in part...

"I got this elephant in 1959.  He is in great shape and very heavy.  He is about 4 feet tall and 2-3 feet deep/wide.  I have never seen another this large.  His red collar is felt.  His arms and legs move and his head turns, allowing for changing positions. He has been handled or touched very little. Tag in ear as it was in 1959.

My father's company was opening a new store, and they brought in 3 large Steiff pieces as a promotion. I remember that they were $150 each, and to a 13-year old in 1959 that was an out of range amount.  I loved the elephant so much that they let me work after school and on weekends until I had earned enough to buy it.  The other 2 sold fairly quickly and I believe - though never confirmed - that my family bought the elephant early to insure he'd be mine.

The elephant had a special crate built for him while my parents moved and I was at college.  I built my own home 25 years ago and the high shelf in my great room was designed just for him.  He was liberated from his cage when I moved in.  He sits about 15 feet high watching all. I love people's reaction to seeing him for first time.  Especially kids!"

Pull up a chair and let's take a closer look at this sitting sweetie!  What we have here is a fantastic example of a Steiff studio elephant.  As the reader described, he is made from mohair, fully jointed, and in a great sitting position.  He is so heavy because he is hand-stuffed with excelsior, and most likely has an internal metal support skeleton of some sort. He has great airbrushed highlights and detailing all over his body, but especially on his face and paws. Elephant has an open, smiling, felt lined mouth and a playful, upturned trunk.  He dons a red felt collar bib around his upper torso.  The basic pattern for this happy go lucky fellow was made in 100 and 150 cm in 1960 and then again in 1967.  You can see a photo of him in "like new" condition; this illustration is from Pfeiffer's 1947-2003 Steiff Sortiment book.  

The 1960's were huge in terms of Steiff studio elephant production. In addition to this sitting pattern, the company also made three standing life sized elephant designs. One was 150 cm and standing on all fours. The other two were on all fours but with one foot slightly lifted; these were made in 75 and 150 cm. 

However, there is something extra special about the sitting version. It is Steiffgal's best guess that he is the jumbo version of - well, Steiff's beloved Jumbo toy elephant! This great design, is head and arm jointed, sitting up, and made from super soft, short grey mohair. He is exceptionally sweet and childlike - even joyful! His face is detailed with black and white google eyes and an open peach colored felt lined mouth. His paw pads are made from grey felt. He wears a red felt bib.  Overall, Jumbo was produced from 1952 through 1975 and came in two standard line sizes, 22 and 35 cm.  Steiffgal has an unusual 15 cm version of this big beauty - it is probably a sample that never went into full production.  This petite pachyderm and his more standard 35 cm version mom are pictured here on the left.  Can't you see the family resemblance to the studio version?

Steiffgal hopes today's discussion on Steiff's sitting elephants has taken a heavy load off your feet.

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

Begging To Learn The Story Behind This Vintage Lifesized Steiff Poodle

It is so exciting to stumble upon a great Steiff treasure.  But only once in a blue moon does that find also comes with a full history and provenance!  Such was most unexpectedly the case with this recent addition to Steiffgal's hug.  Check out this lifesized Steiff poodle and see what makes him so wonderful from the design - and in this case personal - perspectives.  

This guy's got rock star appeal and knows it!  Here we have Steiff's studio Snobby poodle.  He is in the "begging" position, with a great body shape and realistically curved arms and legs. He is 80 cm and made from grey mohair.  He is head and arm jointed.  His limbs, tail tip, ears, forehead, and nose are made from very long, wavy mohair, while his torso, mouth and muzzle area, and tail are made from short mohair.  He is solidly stuffed with excelsior.  His face comes to life with oversized black and brown pupil eyes, a black hand embroidered nose, an open, peach colored felt mouth with a dimensional felt tongue, and airbrushed highlights.  He wears a great red leather collar.  It is backed in felt, and is adorned with a number of brass colored studs.

One of the things about this item that is both cool and helpful in identifying him is his fully legible yellow ear tag.  This is pictured on the left. On it is hand written:  4380,95.  This translates to: 4=begging, 3=mohair, 80=80 cm tall, 9=display animal, and 5=grey.  This makes perfect sense in describing him.  He is pictured in the Sortiment and also the Steiff catalog in black mohair, but with a different article number, 4439/08.  (You can see the Steiff catalog page below.)  Both of these references date him at 1967.  

So what's up with his numbers? Many studio items from this period have hand written numbers on their yellow ear tags.  And it is possible that his number is different than the one documented in the literature for a number of reasons.  Here are two thoughts.  First, he is indeed a different color than the more documented black version.  And second, Steiff reconfigured their numbering systems several times during the 1960's, his most likely decade of production.  In general, the number "443" on a mid- to late- 1960's item appears to be associated with Steiff's legacy "Snobby the poodle" design.

Catalog from 1967.  Provided by friends at Teddy Dorado!

Steiffgal came upon this poodle online via a heads up from a friend.  With her blessing - and much gratitude - Steiffgal purchased the poodle. It arrived at her home a few days later without incident.  A dozen white washcloths, two bottles of cleaning solution, and two hours of elbow grease later, the poodle was a good as new.  And that should have been the end of the story.  But then something amazing happened.  A few days after receiving Snobby, Steiffgal received an completely unexpected letter lovingly detailing Snobby's entire life story.  It made this incredible find even more meaningful.  

The letter read, in part:

".... he's been a fixture in our house for 40 years. He was originally bought in the late 50's early 60's. He was a gift bought by a very wealthy man.  My parents were caretakers for his estate on the edge of a lake. He was a lawyer and bought the poodle on a working trip to Germany and gave him to his daughter.  

His daughter always had plenty of toys, however, she was never around due to divorce and never played with them. As such he decided to give him to me instead of keeping him.  

I was perhaps 7 years old and made him a fixture in our home by setting him in a central area, decorating him according to holidays during the year. Christmas was garland, tinsel, and other ornaments. Memorial Day was flags, 4th of July was fireworks, unlit of course. Birthday presents on birthdays, Thanksgiving was a turkey hat and a cornucopia. This all changed as I got older, but I held onto him. 

Last year I found him in one of our storage closets looking like he needed a bit of sewing under his collar and a gentle cleaning. 

In short, it is hard to do this, but its time to pass him on to someone who can appreciate him and add their own memories in a happy home. Take good care of him..."

And Steiffgal PROMISES to do just that!

Steiffgal hopes this heated discussion on this Steiff studio poodle welcomes in the dog days of summer for you!

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

Creating Panda-Monium Over This Most Unusual Steiff Bear

Oh baby! Steiffgal does not mean to pander to you, but how can you resist this utterly charming Steiff cub! Have you ever seen anything quite like him? Check out this black and white beauty and learn what we can piece together about his mysterious origins.

There's nothing not to love about this rare bear. Baby Panda is 80 cm, standing, and unjointed. He is made from long black and white mohair, while his muzzle area is made from shorter white mohair. He has flat, cardboard lined feet and is self-standing. His paw pads are made from trivera velvet material, which has been airbrushed with paw prints. He has four rubber claws on each pad. His face is detailed with black and brown pupil eyes, a black hand embroidered nose and mouth, and black airbrushing around his eyes and on the tip of his mouth. He is simply adorable and has a most toddler-esque look to him.
 
This sweetie absolutely deserves a standing ovation. But who is he, and when was he made? He does not appear in any of the standard Steiff reference books, at least as far as Steiffgal could find.
 

It is Steiffgal's best thinking that this "petite" Panda is a version of the company's early 1970's "Jungbaer" or Bear Cub. This terrific brown plush Ted is pictured to the left for reference. Like Baby Panda, Jungbaer is 80 cm, standing, and unjointed. He also has an insert muzzle area. Jungbaer has the same trivera velvet material paw and rubber claw construction as his Panda cousin; they both share a very similar "look and feel" in terms of their body shape and proportions. Don't the two of them look like they could be friends from kindergarten? Jungbaer was made from 1972 through 1975 in this size only; in 1972 he was sold as a US exclusive. 

Baby Panda also has other family ties. It is entirely possible he is related to another Steiff standout - a full sized adult Studio Panda. A photo of him is shown here on the left. Big boy is 190 cm, standing, unjointed, and made entirely from long shaggy mohair - except for his ears, which are made from black dralon. His face, which is made from slightly shorter white mohair, is detailed with large brown and black pupil eyes and a hand embroidered black nose and mouth. His mouth has a little additional grey airbrushed highlights around his jaw. Panda's foot pads are made from heavy plastic material, while his paw pads are made from trivera velvet material. They are carefully airbrushed with authentic looking hand prints. He has four rubber claws on each of his hands and feet. Panda keeps his standing balance via a metal support stand attached to his backside.  

Like Baby Panda, the origins of Big Panda are not clear. But studying him closely, Steiffgal thinks, given big Panda's size, appearance, and body shape, that he is a modification of Steiff's Studio standing Braunbaer or Brown Bear that was in the line from 1972 through 1980. You can learn more about this big brown buddy by clicking here. 

So what does all this mean in terms of identifying Baby Panda's approximate birthday and evolution?  Well, given his appearance, size, and probable relationship to other documented bears in similar patterns, it is Steiffgal's best estimate that he was made around 1970 or so as an early example or trial of this general cub pattern.  Most likely, his construction (more complicated given two distinct colors) and materials (expensive mohair) deemed him too costly and labor intensive to put into the standard line.  As such, his pattern was converted to a simpler, more economical design by making him one color in less expensive synthetic plush. 

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this great standing baby bear has added a little Panda-monium to your day.

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

Keeping Things Balanced With This One Legged Steiff Studio Grey Heron

It's important to keep things balanced when it comes to Steiff, right?  Well, no vintage collectible better demonstrates that then this fantastic and lifelike Steiff studio bird!  Check out this "one-legged wonder" and see what makes him so interesting from the design and historical perspectives.

This great and unusual Steiff bird is really on solid footing, despite what you might think!  This studio, or life sized, Grey Heron is 50 cm tall, unjointed, and standing on one leg.  He is primarily made from short white plush and short grey plush.  He is brought to life with stenciled felt wings; long grey and white plush "feathering" on his back, chest, and head; and a long, thin yellow trivera velvet beak.  His pert face is detailed with light green and black pupil eyes and a black plush "bandit style" mask across his forehead. And of course, you can't help but notice his authentic, yellow trivera legs (or in this case, leg!) with its prominent, distinct "knee" and large four toed foot. This Grey Heron was made from 1980 through 1984 in this size only.  He is pictured from three angles in the photo above.

This big bird has a leg up in a few areas over his other Steiff bird cousins.  First of all, this is the only Grey Heron (or any heron at all) that Steiff has ever produced in the line - at least as far as Steiffgal can find.  It is also the only one legged bird Steiff has ever produced - again, as far as Steiffgal knows of.  Although this bird only has one leg, it does have a second foot which is attached to his body.  You can see how Steiff did this in a realistic manner in the photo here on the left - as if he were "tucking" his long leg under his wing. And, in case you are wondering, he really can balance on one leg - given there are no strong drafts or wandering pets within a three foot radius of him!

It is Steiffgal's best guess that this "tall drink of water" is a variation on the company's somewhat better known two legged white studio stork.  That traditional bundle-of-joy-bearer is 50 cm tall, unjointed, standing and made from short, white woven fur and long, white tufted plush. He has very subtle light blue airbrushing on his forehead and wings and sports black trivera velvet feathers on the tips of his white wings. He has delightful, posable red trivera velvet legs.  Each foot has four red trivera "toes." His face is detailed with brown and black pupil eyes and a red trivera velvet beak. Like Steiff's studio Grey Heron, this studio stork was manufactured from 1980 through 1984; he is pictured here on left.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's one-legged Grey Heron makes you want to stand up and cheer!

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