Bibbed Beauties: Steiff's Rare And Wonderful White Zotty Bears

Steiff's White Zotty bear, in the line for only two years, remains a collector's favorite more than six decades post his introduction. Here's a little more about this pattern, within the context of his legacy Zotty bear design. 

“Zotty” is from the German word “zottel,” which means “shaggy," and as such, is the perfect name for this signature Steiff bear. He was designed as a breath of fresh air after the factory reopened for toymaking business post WWII as his elements truly reflected the optimism and aesthetics of the 1950s. He was instantly popular, and many other toy companies introduced copycat Zotty bears as a result of his success. These companies would vary the pattern just enough not to infringe on the Steiff version.

Zotty’s legacy (and perhaps namesake) goes back over a century. In 1914, Steiff debuted their first “Zottlebaer” or “Shaggy Bear. ” He was in the line through 1927 and was known for his shaggy coat, sweet face, and soft texture.

Steiff's debut, midcentury Zotty bear was produced in 9 sizes ranging from 17 - 100 cm from 1951 through 1978. He was fully jointed and made from long shaggy caramel tipped mohair with an orange bib and a shorter mohair muzzle. His paw pads were made from felt. Earlier versions had glass pupil eyes, while later versions had plastic pupil eyes, for safety reason. Depending on size and era, Steiff sometimes backed the eyes in felt. Zotty featured an open, felt lined mouth, an embroidered nose, and distinctly toddler-like proportions. Zotty was created by Steiff designer Mr. Siegfried Zeller (1915-2000) around 1949-1950. His son, Rolland Zeller (1944-2008) also worked for Steiff and designed over 2,000 items over the course of his career there. You can see this great Steiff duo, along with an original caramel Zotty bear, in this photo on the left. 

Given his supersonic rise in popularity, Steiff debuted a white version of Zotty in 1960. He was made in 28 or 35 cm. He had almost identical design details as his caramel tipped cousin, but was made from very shaggy white mohair. In Steiff's 1960 new releases catalog, he is pictured along with a Disney Perri squirrel and a mohair Nagy beaver who were also relatively new products in the line at that time. Both Perri and Nagy which would go on to appear in the catalog for decades. You can see this catalog page here in the photo on the left. 

It is not clear why White Zotty was produced in so few sizes, relative to the standard line Zotty, or why he was discontinued just a year later in 1961. Traditionally, white mohair Steiff bears are quite popular and sell really well. It is possible that he just did not take off with customers, and/or the finances did not make sense. It is also possible that his white mohair was not available, or really expensive, or simply was challenging to work with. Whatever the reason - only he knows for sure!

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on the history of Steiff's white mohair Zotty bear has been a hair raising experience for you!

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

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

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

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

 

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

 

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

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

 

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

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

Going Loopy Over The History Of Steiff's Wolf Production

Some of Steiff's creations leave collector's howling in delight. It is safe to say wolves are one of those very special designs! These majestic creatures did not appear in the Steiff line until 1956 - more than six decades onward from the company's late 1890s debut catalog. Let's join the pack and check out some of these field and forest highlights that have graced the Steiff catalog over the years.

Steiff's debut wolf was a 17 cm tall puppet named Loopy. His body was made from tan mohair with grey highlights on his back and arms. His face was made from longer tan mohair; it was airbrushed with a few shades of grey, tan, and brown to give it depth and texture. He came to life with black and green slit eyes, a black stitched nose, and an open, felt mouth - complete with four pointy teeth and a red felt tongue. His paws had black hand embroidered claws. This design was produced from 1956 through 1978. You can see this puppet pictured here on the left. 

Steiff's next wolf was based on the company's Loopy puppet, and was a full bodied creature. This is unusual as Steiff traditionally debuted a full bodied item, and then created a puppet novelty from that item's pattern - not the other way around. Full bodied Loopy was made in 25 and 35 cm. He was unjointed and made from long and short grey mohair, which was detailed with airbrushed highlights. He had black embroidered claws and came to life with an inset facial mask, brown and black pupil eyes, black embroidered facial features, and a touch of airbrushing. The smaller version had a closed mouth; the larger version had an open mouth with a felt tongue. Loopy was produced in 1964 only and today is one of the rarest and most sought after Steiff postwar editions. You can see the 25 cm version of full bodied Loopy here on the left. 

It is not clear why standing Loopy appeared in the catalog for only a year. He is pictured in the Steiff Button In Ear Brand New Models 1964 catalog on page three of this publication and you can see that entry here on the left. Snurry, the sleeping cat, and a white dralon Cosy Teddy graced the cover of this brochure. Steiff usually put its most important debut items on the cover of these publicity pieces. This suggests that the company never had high hopes for this design.

Other somewhat more recent mohair wolves in the line include the distinctly youthful Loopy wolf, who was 12 cm, sitting, and head jointed. This happy handful appeared in the line from 1991-1993 and is also relatively rare. You can see him here on the left. And in 2003, Steiff introduced a wolf as part of the company's Last Frontier Animals series for North America. This example was 26 cm tall, standing, and made in an edition size of 1,500 pieces.

It is interesting to note that Steiff's wolf production has traditionally featured wolves as companions to other dolls or animals. Here are a few examples of that. In 1983, Steiff made a mohair Big Bad Wolf face mask in an edition size of 3,000 to accompany Reeves International's Suzanne Gibson Little Red Riding Hood set. In 1988, the company produced an adorable Teddy baby and wolf set made in an edition size of 1,000 for the toy store Speilwaren Wolff of Giengen, Germany as part of Steiff's 85th anniversary celebration. This mohair wolf was 15 cm tall, standing, and unjointed. And in 1995, Steiff introduced its Polar bear and wolf set - also for Speilwaren Wolff - in an edition size of 2,000 pieces. This wolf was sitting, unjointed, and was detailed with a red collar. You can see this handsome pair here on the left. 

And finally, what is the tie between the word "Loopy" and Steiff's midcentury wolf production? "Lupin" sounds a lot like the name Loopy - and for good reason! Lupin (or lupine) directly translates to wolf or wolf-like, and originates from the Latin word lupus (wolf) and lupinus (of or belonging to a wolf). So that all makes perfect sense from a naming perspective.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's wolf production has you running with the wolves - in the best possible way!

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

A Brief Revue Of All Steiff Things 'Goo!

Marsupials are a subclass of mammals, with one key difference: all females deliver their babies prematurely and nurture them in their pouches, sometimes for up to a year. Today, there are only 344 species of marsupials on the planet; most live in Australia, New Guinea, and the surrounding island nations. Perhaps the best known marsupials are kangaroos - who also happen to have a long history in the Steiff line! A fine example of the company's late midcentury 14 cm Linda Kangaroo is pictured here on the left. 

These “pocketed pretties” were one of the very earliest animals made by Steiff. The first ones were produced in 1897 – only five years after the company published their first catalog in 1892, and nine years before the introduction of the button-in-ear trademark in late 1904. These 1897 standing, unjointed 'goo debuts included a 28 cm version made from short pile plush and a felt model made in 12, 17, and 28 cm. 

Soon after, in 1902, Steiff introduced a velvet kangaroo in 12 and 17 cm that was similar in design to its felt offering. The 12 cm velvet version also was produced with a basket on its back as a pincushion from 1902-1905. The 17 cm versions of both the felt and velvet kangaroos were made as tumblers on wooden hemispheres from 1901-1905 overall. You can see an example of that here on the left, the photo is from Pfeiffer's 1892-1943 Sortiment. These turn of last century models may have been male as none had pouches. All were basic in design and in some ways looked more like little rodents than the bouncing beauties intended.   

 

That possible case of “mistaken identity” did not last long. In 1906, Steiff updated their original kangaroo pattern to make it more lifelike; the new model was now five ways jointed, made from short pile plush, had a robust curved tail and shapely limbs, and a much more detailed face. New kangaroo was produced in 35, 43, 50, and 120 cm and was available through 1917. 

It was not until 1929 that Steiff’s kangaroos were again updated; many of these new design features remained on kangaroos through the 1970s. Most importantly, this late 1920’s pattern finally included a pouch and a joey, starting in 1933! These models were made from mohair and were manufactured in 35, 43, and 50 cm through 1939. The joey was 10 cm and also made from mohair; interestingly, his construction consisted just of a head and body and no limbs. He resembled a cute bottle-stopper with a mouse-like head. 

Fast forward to 1953. The factory had reopened after the war and Steiff was jumping at the bit to rebuild its toy empire. They introduced Kangaroo “Kangoo”, who was very similar to the prewar design. Mohair Kangoo was made through 1966 in 14, 28, 50, and 65 cm. The biggest one debuted in 1958; here on the left, you can see the 65 cm version as it was introduced in the company's catalog that year. The larger versions were arm jointed; all sizes were made with a pouch. The 14 and 28 cm Kangoos had plastic joeys, the 50 cm size had a velvet joey, and the 65 cm size had a mohair joey; all the joeys were “full body." Kangoo also appeared, albeit less frequently, without a pouch as a male Kangaroo. You can see an example of the "pouchless" Kangoo below on the left. 

A newer but similar kangaroo design named "Linda" took Kangoo’s place in the Steiff line from 1967 through 1974. Linda was made in 14, 28, and 50 cm; like Kangoo, the 14 and 28 cm Lindas had plastic joeys and the 50 cm size had a velvet joey. In 1960, Steiff debuted its postwar Studio Kangaroo; this big bouncing beauty was head and arm jointed and had a prominent pouch and darling joey. This model appeared in the line in 150 cm through 1967; she was also made in 120 cm in 1967. 

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on the history of Steiff's 20th century kangaroo evolution has you jumping for joy!

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

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.

Can't Help But Crow Over This Latest Prewar Steiff Find!

Welcome to our next Steiff egg-cellent adventure! Steiffgal spotted this fine feathered friend on an online sales channel and just couldn't resist his impish personality and adorable presentation. Turns out, he's pretty rare, too! Check out this prewar, bitty barnyard buddy and see what makes him so interesting from the design and product development perspectives.

Size defies with this tiny feathered friend! Here we have Steiff's smallest sized prewar rooster. He is about 8 cm, standing, unjointed, and made from blonde mohair. His feet are made from metal which has been painted orange. His tail feathers are made from elegantly cut and shaped brown felt. His face and waddle are made from red felt, and he sports black button eyes. Rooster was produced in 8, 17, 22, and 28 cm in this specific color combination from 1930 through 1937 overall. This smallest size was made for one year only, in 1933. Although this example has lost his IDs to time, these baby birds would have left the factory with their button and tag placed on their felt back feathers or worn like a bracelet around one of their metal legs.  

This little guy has two (well, two and a half) subtle, but interesting features of note. 

First is his coloring. Most people think of Steiff's prewar roosters as being very colorful, often with green feather detailing. And, Steiff did make a very similar rooster design in this more vivid color palate in 8, 17, 22, and 28 cm from 1930 through 1943 overall. The little guy under review here today is from a lesser known series of 1930s-era tan and brown roosters. Given that the ones with the green details were produced for a much longer period suggests that they also sold better and were more popular with customers. 

Second is his legs and feet. They are made from orange painted metal. Steiff has a long history of making their early prewar birds with metal feet and legs, but they were either "slipcovered" in felt or wrapped with string. As far as Steiffgal can tell, these 8 cm mohair roosters introduced in 1933 might have been the first full bodied birds with painted metal legs, complete with their requisite poultry "spurs" just above the ankles.

And the half? Well, coincidence or not, Steiff debuted its line of woolen miniature birds in 1931. These first mini guys, and all the company's prewar standing pom-pom style birds moving forward, had painted metal legs and feet almost identical to the ones seen on the smallest prewar mohair rooster. It is possible that by 1933 - when the smallest mohair roosters debuted - that the company had perfected their metal legs and feet production technology to the point that this design element could be implemented on other more sophisticated patterns. For example, here on the left, you can see tiny rooster's metal legs and somewhat twisted toes (guess he might be having a little foot arthritis after a century!) and the metal legs and toes of his woolen miniature owl friend from 1934.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this little bird with interesting leg features has you standing tall. 

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

Check Out This Bearded Beauty From The Steiff Archives!

It's easy to be all smiles over this next Steiff mystery. Check out this note from a friend in Germany, who has just added a very special bearded beauty to his collection. But who exactly is this rarity, and what might be the back story behind him? Orlando writes:

"I bought a sitting Schnauzer from the Steiff archive, which I can't find in any book. He has the number 3530, which is written on the archive tag. He has a leather collar, his breastplate, and his ear flag with a button. The pressure voice, works. Maybe you can tell me something about the dog. Was it perhaps intended for the American market? Thank you for your efforts. I'm looking forward to your reply."

This darling doggie is an unusual version of the Steiff's popular and legacy Tessie Schnauzer design. These pretty pooches were made in 10, 14, 22, and 28 cm from 1954 through 1976. Tessie dogs produced for the standard line were standing and made from long, light grey mohair. They had irresistible faces that came to life with black and brown pupil eyes, a black hand embroidered mouth, a happy pink tongue, and pert triangular shaped ears. Their accessory was a red leather collar.

Orlando's version has the same general look and feel as the standard line issue Tessie dogs, with a few key differences:

• 1. Standard line Tessie was standing and Orlando's is sitting. 

• 2. Standard line Tessie was made from mohair and Orlando's appears to be made from a different sort of fabric. 

• 3. Standard line Tessie has a closed mouth and Orlando's has an open, smiling mouth lined in velvet - sort of like those seen on Steiff's early 1950s Cockie Cocker Spaniels. 

• 4. Standard line Tessie came in sizes up to 28 cm and Orlando's appears to be larger.

So what does this all mean? The Steiff archive tag, with the numbers 3530 and 1955 on it, does help to shed some light on the dog. These numbers translate to 3=sitting, 5=wool plush, and 30=30 cm tall. So his fabric is in part wool plush, he is 30 cm tall, and he was made in 1955.

Now let's talk about his unusual form - sitting instead of standing. The sitting version was sampled in 1955, one year after standing Tessie's introduction. Steiffgal has two plausible ideas why Steiff tried out a version of their Tessie Schnauzer dog in sitting form.  

The first has to do with growing the company's overseas presence and market position. It was not uncommon for Steiff to make design tweaks to its standard line, postwar dogs and present them as exclusives to F.A.O. Schwarz and other high end stores in the USA in the 1950s and 1960s. For example, Steiff produced a standing Dally Dalmatian (the standard line version was 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 specials for F.A.O. Schwarz. This sitting Tessie might have been proposed for an exclusive for the USA, but never put into production for one reason or another.

The second has to do with regular business product line extension. If a design is great and selling well - why not make it in a theme and variation form? The best analogy Steiffgal can come up with here is Steiff's foray into creating a postwar sitting Arco German Shepherd. Postwar, Arco has always appeared in the catalog standing. Steiffgal has seen just a few of the sitting versions here and there, but has never seen them documented in any reference book as a standard line item. In 2020, a 25 cm sitting Arco with all IDs sold at auction; it generated 12 bids and hammered at €2,300 / $2,481. His cataloging read, in part... 

"Arco, button, chest label and cloth tag label, cloth tag label is worn, sitting 25 cm, flat STEIFF button with embossed cursive writing in ear, item-No. 3325, cloth tag label on ear isn't readable, neck mark, Arco, mohair stuffed with wood wool , brown/black glass eyes, black nose/ mouth decoration, always 3 claws, press voice is faulty, red leather collar, this Alsatian Arco in sitting version was planned by the company STEIFF 1963 as novelty in different sizes , but wasn't put into the assortment, it were probably only a few sample items produced, very nice, unused original condition, extremely rare STEIFF rarity, expertise by the company STEIFF GmbH Giengen is enclosed." Here on the left you can see this sitting version of Arco, the image is from LiveAuctioneers. 

It is not clear why these sitting versions of Tessie and Arco never went into full blown production. Steiffgal suspects it has to do with production and labor costs, and/or market share or other business factors. These kinds of production decisions almost always have an economic element to them. But only they know for sure - and their lips are sealed!

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Orlando's archival Tessie has been one for the books!

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

It's Hip To Be Square With This Steiff Prewar Charly The King Charles Pajama Bag

You snooze, you lose! But everyone who is interested in this next fantastic find is a clear winner. Check out this short inquiry from Steiff superfan Michael, who writes about an unusual novelty. He simply writes...

"Hi, could you give some detail and history on this pajama case, I think?"

It's hip to be square with this marvelous 1930s era Steiff Charly the King Charles pajama bag. The bag itself is 30 x 30 cm, square shaped, and made from long, soft tan mohair. It closes with a metal zipper with a pull ring and is fully lined in textured light green fabric. All of these details appear to be original to the bag. The bag itself is decorated with the head of Steiff's signature Charley the King Charles Spaniel. Charly's head is made from mohair and measures about 15 cm long. It is head jointed to the bag and was designed to rotate. His face is detailed with oversized brown and black glass pupil eyes (one appears to be missing), a black hand embroidered nose and mouth, and oversized, floppy ears, just like the real dog. And cue the happy dance - this great novelty retains its long trailing "f" button as its Steiff ID. 

 

This functional favorite was made as part of a series of children's pajama bags in the late prewar period. They were formally called "night dress bags" and were the first style of pajama bags that Steiff launched to the world. For the most part, they are really rare and seldom seen on the secondary market as they were designed to be used and loved as toys as well as functional items. As such, most wore out or were lost to time. Their basic "template" was a simple, square shaped and lined bag with the head of a well-known Steiff pet of the era. They were produced from 1930-1937 overall and came with Teddy baby, Bully, Charly, a Scotty, a Sealyham, Molly, or a Siamese cat as the animal detailing. This is the first one Steiffgal has seen with a Charly as its featured animal.

 

This rare pajama bag appears to be in really nice condition overall. It is missing an eye, which sometimes happens. Replacing the lost eye would add to its appeal and presentation, and is not that difficult to do with the right needle and thread. However, it is sometimes challenging to find an exact ocular match in terms of size and era. And for some reason, eyes that don't match often look a little strange. As such, if Michael is not able to find an exact match, he may consider replacing BOTH eyes on this item to give the face a pleasing and authentic balance. Of course, it is important to note and disclose any and all known restoration on a vintage item if you are considering selling it at some point in the future.  

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's Charly the King Spaniel pajama bag has been the crown jewel in your day today. 

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

This Fully Jointed Prewar Cat Has Quite The Tail To Tell!

Paws and check out this next Steiff surprise! Steiffgal was recently asked about a wah-hoo good Steiff prewar rarity that probably every collector in the world would love to add to their meow mix. Check out this fabulous feline and see what makes her so interesting from the design and product development perspectives. 

Here we have Steiff's early and delightful mohair cat. She is fully disk jointed - i.e., all limbs, head AND TAIL!! - and made from black mohair. She measures about 21 cm wide (nose to tush, not including her tail) and about 17 cm tall. She has tan claws, round and early green and black glass slit pupil style eyes, and a simple pink hand embroidered nose and mouth. She also retains her tiny long trailing "f" style button. You can see her ID close up in the image below. 

According to Pfeiffer's Sortiment, this rarely seen design was made in 17, 22, and 28 cm (measured vertically, top of head to toes) in grey or black mohair from 1913-1916 overall. You can see this catalog listing here on the left, the image is from Pfeiffer's prewar reference book. Although this one under discussion today does not have a squeaker, Pfeiffer notes that the item was produced with a squeaker, and those may have appeared in the larger sizes where the body cavity was large enough to hold this apparatus in place. 

There are two key things that make this cat purr-fect in every way. 

First, the color is lovely and rare, and its timing is intriguing. The black versions were actually made only in 1913, which is one year after the company produced a series of black mohair bears in tribute to the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. So it is possible that the mohair used on some of these black cats was identical to, or from the same rolls of mohair used to create the company's now legacy Titanic Mourning Bears.

The second is its jointing. Steiff produced a number of uber-jointed items starting around 1910 or so. These included rabbits with long jointed ears, begging squirrels with jointed bushy tails, and standing dogs and cats with jointed tails, among others. Less than a decade prior, Richard Steiff was just beginning to work on ways to create basic jointing on the company's doll and animal production, and Steiff's offerings were very basic animals in simple, stationary forms. 

So it is really amazing how quickly the concept of jointing impacted the company's product design and development trajectory - basically zero to sixty in just a handful of years. However, in the big picture, these extensively jointed items did not last long in the line. This is probably because they were very labor intensive and expensive to produce - and the extra jointing might not have paid out in either ROI or additional sales. 

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this rare and early black cat has tickled your whiskers!

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

This Charly Purse Is A Crown Jewel In Steiff's Prewar Novelty Production

Hold everything and check out this absolutely amazing rarity! Steiffgal has a thing for Steiff novelties, especially those made in the prewar era. And it is certainly the best of all worlds when it comes to this breathtaking example. This Charly the King Charles Spaniel handbag will undoubtably have your vote for “Best of Show” in terms of her beauty, design, and willingness to lend a paw in service!

What we have here is Steiff’s Charly Handtasche or Charly Purse. This novelty is based on Steiff's beloved and legacy Charly The King Charles Spaniel pattern which debuted in the late 1920s. This precious pooch purse is 25 cm long, in a standing (albeit slouchy) position, and head jointed. She is made from long and short mohair plush. Her ears and tail are brown-tipped mohair, while her body and face are off-white mohair which has mellowed to a vanilla color. Her face is detailed with oversized brown and black glass pupil eyes and a simple black hand embroidered nose and mouth. She also has black embroidered claws on her hands and feet. And here’s what makes her a purse: her torso is hollow like a pouch, and is lined in bright orange velvet. You can see that detail in the photo on the left.  Her back opening closes with a study brass zipper. The pouch volume is quite small; it probably is the volume of about a small sized apple. This fantastic and very rare prewar novelty was produced in 22 and 25 cm from 1927 through 1940.

Steiff debuted a series of zippered, mohair purses in 1927 based on some of their most beloved characters of the era. These measured 17 to 29 cm in size, measured horizontally. Each featured a velvet or silk lined, hollow back pocket which closed with a zipper. The zipper had a mohair ring pull to it, which probably also was designed as a small handle. These rings tend to get lost to time or wear given their function. The first button-in-ear handbag designs to appear included this Charly, as well as Jocko the Chimp, Petsy the Baby Bear, Bully the Bulldog, and Molly the puppy. Other patterns rolled out over time, with the final design being a Pip in 1941. 

Now let's do a bit of time travel. Check out this image on the left from Steiff's 1929 catalog. You can click on the image to make it bigger. The page is dedicated to their line of mohair handbags. Three young ladies are happily modeling the purses, including one with the Charly bag under discussion here today. Steiffgal thinks she looks the happiest of the gals, and for good reason! You can also see the circular mohair zipper pulls on the purses. The words on the advertisement translate roughly to, "Elegant in the arm of the lady, funny with the little ones.” The catalog page also notes that the purses were decorated with a collar or silken ribbon. 

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's animal handbags has got you carried away - in the best possible way!

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

Picturing The Possible Design Origins Of Steiff's Beloved Jocko Chimpanzee

Steiffgal was working a project for one of her auction house clients and came across this charming image. Well, actually it came to her... probably because Steiff is usually in her head at any given time!

Image from Potter & Potter Auctions

What we have here is a 28 x 37-¼" printed broadside from around 1913. It was published in Hamburg, Germany by Adolph Friedländer, a man who ran a lithography company that produced over 9,000 posters between 1872 and 1935. Most of these were for performers and traveling acts, including magicians and circus and vaudeville performers. The words on the poster read Every Evening / Jeden Abend / Tous Les Soirs, and it is illustrated with a performing chimpanzee in four vignettes: modeling a tuxedo and top hat with a cane and cigarette; tossing a barrel over his head; riding a bicycle down a flight of stairs; and walking on stilts. The three languages on the poster suggest that this primate performance was international, or at least appeared in the UK, Germany, and France. This item is lot #256 at Potter & Potter Auctions' February 1, 2025 Wunderkammer sale, and is estimated at $2,000-3,000.   

Image from Zwiggelaarauctions.nl

So what is the possible connection to Steiff here? It is interesting to note that starting around 1910 or so, trained, performing chimpanzees were the darlings of the entertainment world. They appeared in circuses, in sideshow and venue acts, and in publicity photos and postcards - usually dressed in scaled human clothing. Steiff has always been aware of current events, media trends, and popular culture as inspirations for new product design. This started around 1904 or so, when the company produced a licensed version of Peter Rabbit - who at the time was making headlines in the children's literature world. Other history/cultural/celebrity productions of basically the same era included a series of dolls based on the Happy Hooligans comic strip; Caesar, the King's dog; and Tige (Buster Brown's dog), among many others. 

Primates have appeared in several forms in the Steiff line since the company's catalog debut in 1894. However, in 1909, Steiff introduced its most realistic, lifelike, and appealing brown mohair chimpanzee. Coincidence or not?

Image from Steiff's 1913 catalog

This fully jointed primate pattern - which would "officially" be named Jocko in 1929 - had authentic body and limb proportions and lifelike felt hands, feet, and facial features. Medium sized Jockos onward sported a white mohair chin and featured felt eye pockets. This ocular detailing meant that their brown and black glass pupil eyes were surrounded by raised felt eyelids. Brown mohair Jocko was produced in 15 sizes, ranging from 10 to 90 cm, from 1909 through 1943 overall.  

Image from Zwiggelaarauctions.nl

Bringing this discussion full circle, Steiffgal found an almost identical version of this poster, except that it had the words "The great consul Patsy" written in large letters across the bottom. She could not discover additional details on Patsy, but infers that the chimp pictured may have been named Patsy. Patsy was a popular boy's name in the early 1900s, and derives from a Latin word meaning “noble,” “nobleman,” or “patrician.” It is intriguing to think that someone from Steiff may have seen this poster, or performance, or one like it, and decided that it was time to elevate the company's chimp design to match the popular aesthetic of the time. And collectors more than a century onward are thanking them for this really wise choice!

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Jocko's possible design origins has been a feast for your eyes!

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

This Prewar Steiff Riding Bulldog Is The Wheel-Deal Indeed!

Look at what just rolled under the Christmas tree of this lucky collector! What a bow-wow beauty for sure! But just who is this captive canine, and what is the story behind him? A new friend shares,

"Hi, my name is Jeanette and have been dabbling with collecting bears, etc. for near on 45 years. My latest find is a Steiff pull along Bully Bulldog. He stands 15" tall not including the wooden wheeled frame. From nose to tail, he is 17" long, his ears have long gone. He has a leather collar with remnants of horse hair still attached to it, it also has Steiff buttons all around it, in total 12 buttons are present. He also has his original bell attached to the collar. He has a pull string still attached, but unfortunately no noise is made when it is pulled. He has large amber and black glass eyes, a black stitched nose, and velvet muzzle. The wooden wheels measure 2.5" in diameter. The pull along frame has a moving front axle, so it can change direction. Any help you can give me, i.e. date, etc. would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!"

This dog on the go would take the pole position in any vintage Steiff enthusiast's collection. What Jeanette has here is Steiff's Bully Bulldog riding animal. This fine fellow was made in 28, 35, 43, and 50 cm in black and white, orange and white, or tan and white from 1927-1936 overall. This model is measured vertically from the top of their heads to their toes, not including their wheels. As such, Jeanette's treasure is the either a large version of the 35 cm or a small version of the 43 cm version; it is Steiffgal's best guess he started out life closer to 43 cm and sort of shrunk over time (like the best of us.)

The condition of Jeanette's Bully is commensurate and typical to that of a beloved ride-on animal. These realities include things like alot of wear on the back/top areas where a child would sit, a silent squeaker from overuse, and the loss of ears which were probably used as handles for much of its working life! Fortunately, it is not terribly difficult to replace the black velvet ears on this pattern, and Steiffgal would consider doing that restoration if this Bully was in her collection.

One thing that really pops on this example is his great BLING! According to Pfeiffer's 1892-1943 Sortiment, this item is described in part as, "mohair plush, horse hair or leather collar, standing, riding animal, wheels, connecting frame, swivel head, squeaker (barks.)" Jeanette's Bully has a fantastic collar featuring a combination of horse hair detailing as well as a cascade of long trailing f buttons - truly the best of all worlds.

The Bully Bulldog that we all know and love was introduced in 1927. This design was an instant sensation with both children (as a plaything) and adults (as a collectible and an accessory). He was modeled on the French Bulldog—the “it” companion of those in the know at the time. Bully's pattern featured oversized glass pupil eyes, a black embroidered nose, and a snout and jaw constructed to give him his requisite breed jowls. Full bodied Bully was made in velvet and mohair, as well as sitting and standing, in sizes ranging from 10 to 50 cm through 1939 overall. Here on the left, you can see Bully as he appeared in the company's June, 1927 catalog. This image is from Carsten Esser's Steiff Catalogue 1920-1929.

Given his popularity, beautiful Bully was also produced in numerous novelty forms. These included as a pincushion, pull toy, dangling Charleston doll, jointed dog doll, puppet, purse, and pajama bag, among others. Today, prewar Bullies are one of the most universally desirable and sought-after pre-war Steiff designs among collectors - especially those like this one on wheels! Prewar Bully has been replicated numerous times over the past few decades and even these newer models are coveted by collectors.

Steiffgal hopes you've enjoyed this discussion on this Riding Bully, even if just in a roundabout sort of way.

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