Let The Games Begin With This Sample Steiff Lake Placid Olympic Games Mascot!

Steiff's century-spanning anthropomorphic animal dolls are the best of all worlds. But is it possible there is one that is truly worthy of an Olympic gold medal? Steiffgal thinks so - and is over the moon thrilled to welcome one into her hug. This winter-themed wonder was purchased decades ago in Europe by his previous family. Check out this remarkable Steiff raccoon doll and see what makes him so COOL - literally - from the product design and historical perspectives.

Here we have a sample Steiff Roni the Raccoon doll, made as a possible licensed souvenir item for the 1980 Winter Olympic Games. These were held in Lake Placid, NY from February 13th-24th, 1980. Roni, who was named as a nod to the venue's Adirondack mountain range, was the cartoon mascot for this event and was designed by commercial artist Donald Moss. Roni himself is 25 cm tall, standing, and unjointed. His head is made from short grey plush with an inset velvet facial mask. His pupil eyes are highlighted with black airbrushing to give him his traditional "raccoon bandit" look. He has a black embroidered nose and a pink painted mouth. His ears are lined in velvet and have a little pink airbrushing to them. He has a very long, fluffy, and bushy tail. Roni's winter garb, which is made from velvet and integral to his body, includes green gloves, a blue snowsuit, and red boots with brown soles. He wears a white bib which has the event's official Olympic logo hand rendered in black on either side.

Roni is branded with his Steiff ear tag and button. Steiffgal doubts he was produced with a chest tag for two reasons; first, he was made as a sample so there really was not need for this tag. Also, his custom bib is so interesting and so integral to his chest, a chest tag would be redundant or even interfere with his presentation. His yellow ear tag is generic and without digits, so this pattern was probably never assigned an article number. This style of ear tag appeared on items made in the c. 1969/1970 through 1980 era. And his thick, brass style ear button with the script word Steiff on it debuted in 1979. So given the games were in 1980, and it could take a year or so for a licensed product to go from idea to production - all of these dates point to his production taking place in 1979.

It is not clear why Steiff's Roni doll never went into production. He is on brand, matches the official event logo to a "T", isn't terribly complicated or expensive to manufacture, and is super, super cute! Steiffgal suspects it may have something to do with legal or financial complications often associated with international commercial licensing agreements. However, other companies were able to get production licenses to make Roni dolls, including a version on ice skates. Of course, these simpler patterns were nowhere as fabulous as Steiff's full blown interpretation of Roni! It is interesting to note that Steiff was able to produce Olympic branded and licensed items for other Olympic games, including the 1972 Munich games, the 1998 Nagano games, and the 2010 Vancouver games, among others.

It is nearly impossible to find out any additional details on Roni and this stalled Steiff Olympic project. The only footnote Steiffgal could find was a reference in Dee Hockenberry's, book, Steiff Bears and Other Playthings Past and Present. Concerning the Roni doll, she notes: Prototype Raccoon: 11 inches. In 1978 and 1979, Steiff, through their US representative, made presentations to the American Olympic Committee in order to obtain a license to make 1980 Olympic souvenirs. Three prototype were made incorporating the Lake Placid mascot and Olympic logo. Although the samples were attractive, an official license was never granted. These are the only examples ever made.

Steifgal hopes this discussion on this Roni the Raccoon Olympic prototype doll has been one for the record books for you. 

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.

Strike Up The Brass Band Over This Mysterious Steiff Fawn

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Begging For More Information On This Nearly Century Old Steiff Rabbit

Everyone loves a Steiff bouncing bundle of joy. And the bigger, the better - especially in this case! Check out this note from a new friend from London who asks about a begging bunny purchased at a fundraising event over four decades ago. His owner shares,

"Thank you for the facility to ask about Steiff toys. I'm 73 now and 40 years ago bought an old, straw stuffed toy rabbit at charity sale. He is 50 cm tall, not including his ears. As I'm a bit of a hoarder I only just came across it after some decades. It's large, in good condition, German mohair, has sewn eyes not glass ones and I gave it a new bow and bell. I was working in a youth club which had been established by ex-POW veterans who'd been incarcerated in Brunswick, Germany in WW2. So I wondered if perhaps one of them had brought it back to the UK. Is there anything more you could possibly tell me about it including its value?"

What a cheerful earful! What we have is Steiff's Hase or Rabbit. He is simply and generically named after his species and does not have a more personal or endearing name. This particular design was made from 1927 through 1941 in 11, 15, 18, 23, 29, 36, 44, 50, and 70 cm. Steiff's rabbits are usually measured vertically from head to toe and do not include the length of the ears. So this example under discussion here is the 50 cm size. Steiff produced this head jointed, excelsior stuffed rabbit in light brown tipped, white, gold, purple pink, and light blue mohair. All examples left the factory in Giengen decorated with a silk ribbon and a bell. 

This pattern was a home run for Steiff at the time, and continues to be a collector's favorite nearly a century onward. Given how adorable and popular this design was, Steiff also made it in velvet from 1927 through 1932 in 11, 15, and 18 cm in white, purple, orange, light brown, light blue, pink, and yellow. Steiffgal often refers to Steiff's 1920s-era playfully hued rabbits as "the jellybean bunch," given their joyful (and super sweet) colors. You can see examples of the velvet version of this pattern above on the left; the image is from Pfeiffer's 1892-1943 Sortiment. Below to the left is another late 1920's advertising photo for Steiff's rabbit line featuring the jellybean bunch; that image is from Esser's 1920-1929 Steiff Kataloge. 

Now for the question that always sends Steiffgal down a rabbit hole. How much is he worth? As always, something is worth what someone will pay for it, and Steiffgal has NOT seen or handled this rabbit in person. Condition is key when establishing a valuation, and he might have some issues (like smoke or insect damage) that just don't show up on photos. What we do know about him is that he has a little playwear to him, he is missing his oversized brown and black glass pupil eyes, and he does not appear to have any IDs. He looks like he might have been brown tipped originally, but that has faded a bit over time. It is also possible that his facial stitching has been augmented at some point. Given all that, it is Steiffgal's best estimate (sans a crystal ball) that this guy could trade hands in the c. $250-500 range on an online auction platform like eBay. 

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this large, prewar rabbit has put a spring in your step today.

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

Timecapsule Treasures On Offer At Ladenburger Spielzeugauktion's 2024 Steiff Special Auction

What's old is new again at this year's Ladenburger Spielzeugauktion's Steiff Special Auction on June 29th, 2024. This sale tempts collectors with almost 230 amazing and well curated lots of century-spanning button-in-ear treasures. One especially noteworthy category in this sale is items from the company's earliest production period - just before and just after the turn of the 20th century. Here are three "golden oldies" definitely worth checking out!

 

Let's start this trip back in time with lot #10. This is an extremely early dressed Steiff monkey, with an opening bid of 850 €. It is cataloged as:

"Steiff monkey, crouching, around 1900, pre-button era, felt, shoe button eyes, for shirr (missing), height: 17 cm, original felt clothes, smaller faults in the felt, nice original condition."

This sitting sweetie would love to hang out with you! It is Steiffgal's best guess that this is an example of the company's turn of last century felt monkey designed as a catch and release toy. If you notice his well formed hands, they look like they were designed to be holding something. Steiffgal thinks this would have been a piece of elastic string. So, someone could bounce him around as a toy on this cord. According to Pfeiffer's 1892-1943 Sortiment, this novelty was produced in 17 cm from 1897-1911 and was described as, "felt, brown, begging, elastic cord, tailcoat and slippers of felt." You can see the photo from this reference book here on the left for study and comparison. 

This next very vintage selection will have you moving and grooving. This is lot #6, a Steiff dancing bear, which carries an opening bid of 1800 €. It is cataloged as:

"Steiff dancing bear, around 1900, pre-button era, short plush, in very good condition, attending, dancing on a metal disc, casting wheels with spokes rubber coated, rubber is very worn, therefore the turn function isn't possible, squeaker, length: 68 cm (catalog proof 70 cm), shoe button eyes, one eye is a bit scratched, nose chain and stick, original pull rod, black and white picture in the Pfeiffer catalog page 37, and picture in the Steiff catalog from 1900, book Jürgen & Marianne Cieslik "Knopf im Ohr" page 27, an unusual piece from the beginnings of the Steiff-production, is a museum piece."

This amazing and little known mechanical bear, which was produced in 70 cm from 1898-1907, has a key role in the history of the development of the jointed Teddy bear as we know him today. In the late 1890's, Steiff produced a number of circus bear novelties. These were considered "action toys" as they designed to give movement to the toys. These included this dancing bear on a circular wheeled cart; bears on platforms with bristles supporting them; a bear on a cart with metal wheels; and tumblers in different configurations and sizes. The bears on the platforms with bristles would move when someone tapped the table on which they were standing - so they would sort of "shimmy" about. You can see a few of these early examples here on the left, the photo is from Cieslik's Button in Ear: The History of the Teddy Bear and His Friends.

Richard Steiff wanted to create more playful, dynamic, and child-friendly versions of these static/moving bears, and he took this challenge seriously. He studied the way real bears move at the zoo. Mohair became available on a commercial level around 1902. He married those two facts, inserted his creativity, and came up with the patterns for a series of fully jointed bears, starting with string jointing, then rod jointing, then disk jointing. Steiff's disk jointing system has not changed much since its introduction over a century ago. 

At the tail end of this discussion is lot #9, a very large and early monkey. He has an opening bid of 1800 € and is cataloged as:

"Steiff monkey, 1904, length: 80 cm, mohair plush, velvet ears, face and hands, PPB, shoe button eyes, elephant head, nice full mohair, velvet is a bit worn, small open place at the head mounting in the back, the wire mounting is visible, very expressive, an early unusual piece from the beginnings of the Steiff production."

This big boy is a fine example of Steiff's early - but not earliest - monkey patterns. This basic design debuted in 1904 and appeared in the line through the 1920s in a variety of slightly modified versions over time. He was produced with and without a tail, in a number of fabrics including brown and white mohair, and with felt or velvet hands and facial features. Given his elephant button, the one under discussion here was produced in the c. 1904-1905 time frame. 

One super interesting thing about this marvelous monkey is the company he keeps. This monkey appears in a 1903/04 catalog photo used to debut the company's new editions at the annual Leipzig Spring Fair. But what's so special about that? It's the same picture that debuted PB55... the world's first jointed Teddy bear. Talk about being at the right place at the right time, eh? A snapshot of this catalog page is shown here on the left. You can spot this monkey in the very far back right of the picture - just click on the image to make it bigger. The photo is from Cieslik's Button in Ear: The History of the Teddy Bear and His Friends.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on these time capsule treasures has brought history to life for you. 

 

For more information on this June 29, 2024 sale, please check out the company's website at https://www.spielzeugauktion.de/.

 

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

Would You Take A Tumble For This Early And Fantastic Feline Steiff Novelty?

This next Steiff inquiry comes in on little cat's feet. A new friend has reached out about a special family heirloom with provenance. Just what is this very early turn of last century treasure? And what makes it so fantastic from the collector's perspectives? Tom shares in part,

"I've attached photos of my Rolly Polly cat. I've had this since I was a child (50+ years ago)... It originally came from a relative who inherited it from their partner who came from a wealthy family from New England."

This guy is simply the cat's meow. But, given his form, he is "technically" a tumbler and not a roly-poly. Steiff's early 20th century roly-polys are all fabric and shaped sort of like an inverted balloon. Most are head and arm jointed, without legs. Examples include mohair cats (made in 16 and 23 cm from 1909 through 1919 overall); mohair Teddy bears (made in 16, 19, 23, and 29 cm from 1909 through 1916 overall); mohair rabbits (made in 23 cm from 1909 through 1918); and a series of mohair and felt dolls from the same basic time frame.

On the other hand, tumblers are full bodied and mounted to a very heavy, weighted wooden half circle base. As such, they wobble about like a weeble but always return to an upright position. Their bases are simply stained and are a natural wood color. Most tumblers measure 12 to 17 cm tall and are standing, sitting, or begging. Steiff did make a few oversized circus bear style tumblers in 35 and 43 cm through 1918 overall.

Tumblers debuted as early as 1894 and appeared in the general line with frequency through the late 19-teens. In the late 1930s, Steiff produced a series of three begging style tumblers on green or red painted wooden bases from 1936 through 1943 overall. Models included a velvet and mohair squirrel, a mohair Waldi Dachshund, and a mohair kitten holding a pom pom ball.

So back to Tom's cat. The photos suggest that he is made entirely from felt. Steiffgal suspects he is the company's Tumbling Cat, which appeared in the line in 17 cm (not including his base) from 1894 through 1919. The cat is solidly stuffed with excelsior and features black shoe button eyes and simple facial embroidery. It is hard to tell if he ever had a button, based on the photo of his face. It is entirely possible that he was manufactured pre-1904. Other early Steiff cat tumblers include a spotted velvet version made in 12 cm from 1904 through 1917 and a velvet striped version made in 17 cm from 1901 through 1919.

What makes this tumbler even more remarkable is its condition. He is made from felt, which tends to get grubby over time and attract insects. He was also designed as a toy, but it is clear he received little hands on play. Also of note is his tail. These are actually super thin, not terribly sturdy, and are attached to the animal's rear with just a few stitches. Often, these go missing or break off given their construction and natural aging. However, in this case, Tom's tumbler appears clean and damage free against all odds! Super score all around!

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's early tumblers has got you rocking and rolling!

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

Racing To The Finish Line With This Unusual Wintertime Steiff Mascot

Baby it's cold outside! At least in many places where Steiff Superfans are residing right now! Here's a little chilly weather fellow that is certain to warm your soul - and possibly even start your heart racing! This little bunny on the mend recently joined Steiffgal's collection, and the timing could not be more perfect! Come see what makes him so fun, quirky, and intriguing from the product design and development perspectives.

This bandaged bunny is 18 cm tall and head jointed. Knupfi's head, ears, hands, and feet are made from mohair. His body is made from velvety material. His shirt is green and his pants are red; this clothing is integral to his body. His face comes to life with felt lined ears, big black and white cartoon style eyes, a red hand embroidered nose, a little pink airbrushing, clear whiskers, and brown shaded highlights. His arm is in a sling made from white cotton calico fabric with pink dots. His foot is bandaged in white tape, and he holds a red, white, and blue plastic ski pole in his hand. Perhaps he is using it as a cane, given his injuries? He retains his raised script button, yellow ear tag, and named chest tag as his Steiff IDs. This unusual character appeared in the line in this size only from 1968-1971.

Things are actually twice as nice when it comes to this (once) racing rabbit. It turns out that he was actually produced with a companion named Hupfi. Like Knupfi, Hupfi is 18 cm tall and head jointed. He has an almost identical body construction with a mohair head, ears, hands, and feet and a velvet body. His integral outfit includes a blue shirt and red pants. However, unlike Knupfi, he is in fine form physically and has a ski pole in each hand and carries a perfectly to scale pair of skis. Hupfi was produced from 1968-1970. Perhaps Hupfi is the "before" and Knupfi is the "after" bunny when it comes to skiing safety? You can see Knupfi and Hupfi posed together on the left; the photo is from Pfeiffer's 1947-1999 Sortiment.

So what is the back story to these fine fellows? Steiffgal couldn't find anything specific about that, but has an idea. Given their dating, it is possible that they might have been inspired by a big worldwide sporting event. The 1968 Winter Olympics were held from February 6th - February 18th in Grenoble, France. These were the first Olympics to be broadcast on television in color.  

Skiing related competitions are usually a big part of these cold weather games, and this one did not disappoint. French athlete Jean-Claude Killy swept three Alpine skiing events (downhill, giant slalom, and slalom). This accomplishment elevated him to icon status; he would go on to serve as co-president of the Organizing Committee of the 1992 Albertville Olympic Winter Games and become an IOC member in 1995. It is also interesting to note that the mascot for these games was also a playful, quirky little guy. He was named “Shuss”, and was in the form of a little man on skis. The top of his oversized, colorful head head, which rested on a unique zig-zag flash-shaped foot, featured the Olympic rings. You can see Shuss pictured here on the left. Perhaps Knupfi and Hupfi were Steiff's gentle nod to this also colorful and somewhat goofy mascot of the era.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's ski rabbits has put you in the pole position.

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

Does This Steiff Prewar Tom Cat Tickle Your Whiskers?

This great Steiff inquiry walked in on little cat's feet! And talk about launching a collection with a rockstar! A new friend from Germany writes about her debut vintage Steiff purchase. She is curious about its birth year, give or take a bit. Rebecca shares,

"I bought my first vintage Steiff animal and it's the famous Tom cat. As I know that she was produced over many many years I'm now super curious which exact time it was that mine was produced. It's the smallest one. And it has the old button with the long "f" at the end. So I think that means that it can be between 1923 and 1953, right? Do you think you can say it more specific? I just can't find more information. Kind regards from Germany!"

Wow, Rebecca's purchase is truly the cat's meow. It is Steiff's mid- to later prewar Tom cat. This fantastic feline was made for the standard line in 8, 10, 14, 14, 22, and 28 cm from 1923-1943 overall. The 8 cm and the 10 cm versions had a pitch black velvet body and a fuzzy black mohair tail. From 14 cm onward, all sizes were made entirely from black mohair. These cats were technically measured vertically, from the top of their heads to their toes. Their long vertical tails almost "doubled" their height measurements. They were detailed with green and black round or slit glass pupil eyes, a simple hand embroidered mouth and nose (Steiffgal has seen both pink and red examples), and clear monofilament whiskers. They left the factory wearing a decorative silk ribbon and sometimes a little bell to match. The bow on Rebecca's example is not factory original. 

Now back to the question - his birthday. The best telling clue here is that he has the short trailing 'f' style button. This button appeared on items in the line from about 1936 through the very early 1950s. So we know that the earliest the cat was produced was 1936. As noted above, this particular cat with a black velvet head and body and mohair tail was made in 8 or 10 cm from 1933-1943 overall. This skinnies down his production timeframe to most likely in the c. 1936-1943 timeframe. So he's clearly from the late prewar period. 

One thing that's nearly purr-fect about this feline pattern is how long it has appeared in the Steiff line. The earliest version made its grand public debut in a photograph featured in the 1903-1904 Steiff catalog... in the same picture that introduced PB55... the world's first jointed Teddy bear! This puts Tom in very good company for sure. This photo is here on the left - you can click on it to make it bigger. And Tom CONTINUES to make guest appearances in the line on and off to this day in the form of replicas and special editions. His timeless, universal popularity and appeal have truly earned him legacy status within the Steiff collecting community.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's prewar black Tom cats has tickled your whiskers in a most happy way. 

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

Farming For Answers About This Unusual Midcentury Steiff Donkey

Let's enter the fray - oops, I mean the bray - of 2024 with a peek at a super sweet and super rare Steiff novelty. This darling and unusual velvet baby is a recent addition to Steiffgal's collection. He's based on a beloved Steiff pattern, but is accessorized in a most eye-catching way. Take a look at this old-new friend and see what makes him so noteworthy from the design and product development perspectives. 

This barnyard buddy would love to be your beast of burden. This is a well attired version of Steiff's legacy Esel or Donkey. He is 12 cm, standing, unjointed, and made from velvet that has darkened overall and evenly over time. He has a short black mohair mane. His tail is made from cord. He has black airbrush highlights down his back, on the tips of his ears, and marking his hooves. Esel's face is youthful and endearing; it is detailed with shiny black button eyes and delicate airbrushing to define his nose and mouth area. Esel retains his original accessories, including a red floss and plastic brindle with tiny green felt dots and a red and white checkered sack with a green tie. The bag is stuffed and dimensional, and stitched onto his back. His IDs include a raised script button, very early postwar ear tag, and a chest tag. He does not have a US Zone tag, and there is no evidence that he ever did. 

Steiff's regular line, postwar Donkey appeared in the line in 12, 14, 22, and 28 cm. The smallest size was made in velvet from 1950 through 1969 while the larger sizes were made in mohair from 1950 though 1961. This particular example under discussion here today does not appear in the standard Steiff Sortiment reference books, as far as Steiffgal can tell. However, he does appear on page 246 of the Cieslik's Button in Ear The History of The Teddy Bear and His Friends. In this image - pictured here on the left - he is simply noted as "Donkey, 5 inches, 1951."

The immediate post war era brought much change and opportunity to Steiff as well as other important European toy manufacturers. Button-in-ear products designed and manufactured during the c. 1948-1955 time frame bridged the company's prewar quality and appeal, while at the same time introduced new design elements with playful, midcentury vibes. It was also a time of trying new things and experimentation. This Donkey design is a great example of this. 

It is safe to say that most collectors are familiar with the standard line, 12 cm version of this Donkey pattern. He was made with a cord tail and wore a red leather brindle. However, Steiffgal has handled other 12 cm examples with dimensional, excelsior stuffed felt tails with black mohair tips. And she even has one in her collection donned in his factory original red leather brindle with tiny green tassels and a red and black checkered felt blanket secured to him by a ribbon. You can see this other variation pictured here on the left.

Excelsior stuffed tails and extra accessories require more time and labor. As a result, Steiffgal suspects that the company's standard line, post 1951 velvet 12 cm Donkey design is a simplified version of the original concept behind this pattern. He may have started out on the drawing board with a fancier tail, detailed brindle, and blankets or sacks, and the earliest examples of may include them. But these "nonessential" elements were quickly jettisoned, with no huge impact on the pattern's integrity or appeal. It is interesting to note that many of the smallest, early postwar animal editions, including the company's zebras and camels, were made from velvet and had cord tails, so this direction is somewhat consistent with trends of the era.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this well dressed Donkey has been a clothes call for you.

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

Going Out On A Limb Over This Unusual Steiff Prewar Novelty

Look what I found! That's exactly what a new friend from Florida said when she came across an interesting button-in-ear treasure at an estate sale local to her. But what exactly is this creature? Is it a merry mashup, or a loved to (almost) death standard line novelty? Valerie shares in part,

"This odd little fellow has a bear head; a caramel colored velvet body; a maybe muslin head, ears, hands, and feet; but also a 2" long tail! His skinny arms and legs are sewn/unjointed. His hands and feet have red embroidery threads roughly delineating his fingers and toes. All of his "fur" has been lost over time, except for very scant tufts of grey mohair inside his right ear. There's a dark metal button in his left ear, with Steiff in all capital letters with the tail of the second F extending to the "e." His nose and mouth are embroidered with faded pink thread. His eyes are sew-on green glass with black centers, and stick away from his face. I think the head is stuffed with excelsior, but the body, hands and feel softer.

Ancient bears had long tails, but I'm wondering if somebody sewed a Steiff bear head onto another beloved animal's body? The only thing that throws me off is that the material of the head, hands, feet and tail are the same. What do you think?"

Fingers crossed that Valerie can bear the news that her fabulous find is not a bear, but actually a cat! This cute cat is named Fluffiette, and she was one of a series of long limbed lovelies featured in the Steiff catalog from 1927-1932. These "play and car dolls" included Bulliette the bulldog, Molliette the puppy, Rabbiette the rabbit, Cherrioette the open mouthed puppy, and this cat - named Fluffiette (after the company's popular and beloved 1920s era cat named Fluffy.) Each animal doll had the mohair or velvet head of the character, mohair or velvet paws and feet, and dangling velvet limbs. Most were available in several colors and in 20, 30, and 43 cm, with the larger sizes having a squeaker. Each left the factory suspended from an elastic cord and was detailed with an ivory ring for hanging and a decorative pom-pom. Fluffiette was produced in pink or orange velvet, which is completely consistent with Valerie's example. Here on the left you can see what Fluffiette looked like when new, the image is from Pfeiffer's 1892-1943 Sortiment.

It has been suggested that the design of this series was based on a similar line from the Chad Valley Toy Company of England called "Tango Toys." Steiff modified the design to fit their characters and manufacturing processes, and named the line "Charleston Animals," based on the Charleston dance crazy of the 1920’s, with its fast moving arm and leg movements. You can see Steiff's full line of Charleston Animals here on the left; this image appeared in the company's 1929 product catalog. Fluffiette is third in from the right, sandwiched between a standing Molliette and a standing Rabbiette. 

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on this Fluffiette Charleston Animal has put a little spring in your step today.

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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!

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This Precious Prewar Pug On Wheels Stands And Delivers!

As she continues to celebrate the arrival of her newly adopted sister-pugs, Steiffgal thought it was the perfect moment to share a special button-in ear version of the beloved breed. Dogs have always been an important design category for Steiff, so it should be no surprise that the first flat-faced cutie was introduced in the Steiff catalog in 1916. Take a look at this very early pug on the go and see what makes him so delightful from the design and product development perspectives.

This happy traveler is 22 cm tall (not including his wheels) and made from grey mohair. He is standing, unjointed, and solidly stuffed with excelsior. He has black hand embroidered claws on each of his feet. His distinctive face comes to life with proportional brown and black glass pupil eyes (which may be replaced), a black hand embroidered nose and mouth, and black lines on his forehead - to give him his breed-specific wrinkled forehead. His pert ears are lined in velvet, and he has a very curly tail. He retains his small trailing "f" button and traces of his white paper ear tag as his Steiff IDs.

Now let's dig deeper into his detailing. Pug wears a leather collar, which may or may not be original to him, but is appropriate in materials, design, age, and fit. His pull cord has been lost to time. Pug is mounted to two metal rods and rides upon four wooden eccentric wheels. It is interesting to note that this pattern, unlike many other dog patterns, only came on wheels, and was not produced sitting or in any other configuration. Pug on wheels was produced in 17 cm and 22 cm from 1916-1927.

Like many of the Steiff pets debuting in the 19-teens, this perky pug has a proportional and literal design. The key pug breed elements - a flat muzzle, wrinkled forehead, and a curly tail - are very well represented in his pattern. For the most part, Steiff's dogs, cats, rabbits, and other popular pets introduced in the c. 1910-1920 time frame were not as basic as the company's earliest patterns, but did not have the youthful, often goofy or playful appearances of those items designed in the 1920s through early 1930s. Items from around 1925 onward often featured oversized eyes, brightly colored materials, and rounded faces, bodies, and limbs. As such, Steiff's second pug - introduced in 1925 as its first pug pattern was being phased out - was a truly silly looking sitting pup with exaggerated facial features and a larger than life red felt tongue. He appeared in the line from 1925 - 1927 in 14 cm. He is pictured on the left; the photo is from Pfeiffer's 1892-1943 Sortiment.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on the company's early Pug on wheels has captured your interested in a round-about sort of way.

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