This Prewar Steiff Hobby Horse Takes The Pole Position

And we are off to the races with our next Steiff mystery. Steiffgal is certain Steiff enthusiasts of all things equestrian will love this mane event! A new friend in the U.K. shares in part:

"I buy and sell interesting items as a hobby, around 6 years ago we stumbled across our hobby horse at a vintage show in the U.K. priced up at only a few pounds. Looking closer we were surprised to see the steiff rivet in his ear so we brought him home and he got lost in our detritus in the garage. 

I came across him again this week and I’ve had a look online and the only info I can is from your blog from 2015 where you look at a similar horse for someone else, although ours does have similarities to this it is different in it only having a single wheel and the rains being completely different (as I know these could have been added later.)

I just wanted to ask if he is rare or if you know anything about him, he’s been well played with so I know he isn’t mint but we do love him anyway. Thank you in advance for your help."

 

This fine antique Steiff hobby horse holds the pole position here. He was produced in 80 and 100 cm from 1924-1941 overall. Pfeiffer's 1892-1942 Sortiment describes this prewar rarity as, "hardwood, transparently lacquered, stick with two wheels, leather reins, head painted in colors." Given this example has the long trailing '"f" ear button as its ID, that likely means it was produced in the c. 1924-1935 time frame. It is also interesting to note that this example under discussion today appears to have only one wheel, not two, as described in the literature.  

 

This design could be considered a legacy one for Steiff - given the number of years it appeared in the line overall. Postwar, a very similar example was made in 100 cm only from 1949-1973. Minor design differences between the pre- and postwar models include the color of the blaze (white on the postwar ones, natural on the prewar one); facial painting (simpler and less colorful on the prewar version and more dramatic and vivid on the postwar version) and possibly the number of wheels (two on the postwar version, one on the prewar version.) A picture of the postwar version from Pfeiffer's 1947-2003 Sortiment is pictured here on the left for reference. 

 

The collector also asks about his horse's reins. It is Steiffgal's best guess that the ones currently on the hobby horse are not factory original to it. She suspects that the original ones were most likely red leather, to match the painted accessories on the horse. Steiff tends to coordinate an item's detailing, and it seems likely (although ANYTHING is possible!) that these reins are replaced. When you think about it, the reins would be one of the areas of most wear on this sort of toy. It is not out of the question they simply wore out over time. And, this item cannot be used without reins, so it is probable that a clever Mom or Dad simply replaced them with something sturdy. 

Now for the question that will set the barnyard a-buzz... how much is he "worth?" As always, something is worth what someone will pay for it, and Steiffgal has not seen the item firsthand to check for condition issues and other factors that are hard to capture in pictures. That all being said, given the item is as presented and described, it is Steiffgal's best guess that something like this may trade hands today in the $125-250 range. 

Steiffgal knocks on wood that this discussion on this prewar hobby horse has been a lot of fun for you!

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

These Wheeled Wonders Up For Auction Soon Will Send Your Pulse Into 5th Gear!

We continue our series on auction highlights from Ladenburger Spielzeugauktion's January 21st, 2023 Collection of Susan Kilgore Wiley sale with a focus on AMAZING pull toys. It goes without saying that all the temptations in this sale are simply WAH-HOO good, but some are the "wheel-deal," too! Check out these three breathtaking rarities on the go that send Steiffgal's pulse into fifth gear!

Size defies with this first auction highlight. Here we have lot #6187, a happy handful of a bear who is clearly off to the races. He is cataloged in part as: 

"Rare Record teddy, in the small manufactured size, height: 10 cm, 1924-1927, on a self-propelling vehicle with motion, with original drawstring, with button, block letters, long trailing f, glass eyes, a little bit flash rust, mohair is a bit thin." He has an opening bid of 280 €.

Many of us are familiar with Steiff's charming "Record" animals - those sitting sweeties on a four wheeled cart. They appear to move back and forth as their vehicles are pulled along. This is due in part to their slightly looser jointing and clever engineering. Record animals and dolls are mostly seen in the c. 20 cm+ size. This one is really, really charming given its teeny, tiny proportions - he's the smallest sized Record bear made by Steiff, ever. His pattern was produced in 10 and 15 cm in blond or gold mohair from 1924-1927. He literally fits in the palm of your hand, and would be insanely adorable as the prized toy in the arms of a very lucky medium to larger scaled bear or doll from any era. And he is RARE! The only other tiny Record Teddy Steiffgal knows of sold at Christies in 2010 for 6,250 GBP.

Our next wheeled highlight proves the saying, "two heads are better than one." Here we have lot #6050, a stunning Steiff Roly Droly. This bear-pair is cataloged in part as: 

"Tricycle, wood, with 2 turning pre-war bears, 1x golden yellow, 1x white, with button and red cloth tag label, block letters, long trailing f, very nice condition, length: 20 cm, depth: 19 cm, height: 16 cm, extremely rare, sticks were later glued." The Roly Droly has an opening bid of 550 €.

This fantastic novelty is head spinning for a number of reasons, including its rarity, presentation, and condition. Roly Poly pull toys were made in the mid-1920s through the mid-1930s, and were produced with a number of different "passengers." These included two chicks, two bears, a chick and rabbit, a dog and a cat, and two rabbits, among others. These novelties were specifically produced and designed as hands-on play toys. And toys - especially with moving parts or designed for rough play - wear out, fall apart, or just get lost to time. For example, think about Steiff skittles. Those were designed as a sporting game, so losses and wear on skittle pins and balls are almost expected! This Roly Droly shows just a touch of playwear, and has, or needs, some simple restoration with one of its poles. Nonetheless, this example is so appealing, and so seldom seen, that it just may go into overdrive when the bidding begins.

And finally, let's take a look at just what may be the Maserati of this wheeled category - and maybe the entire sale. Here we have lot #6071... a breathtakingly rare Record Petsy. It is cataloged in part as:

"Rare Record-Petsy, produced around 1928-1929, length: 25 cm, brown pointed mohair, blue glass eyes, bright embroidering at snout, with seam at the middle of head, with button, block letters, long trailing f, minimally rests of the white cloth tag label, smaller mohair loss at the thighs and at the hand, very nice strong colors of the mohair, red wood wheels, extremely expressive." It has an opening bid of 1,300 €.

Collectors can't seem to get enough of Steiff's Petsy the Baby bear. In July, 2022, Ladenburg sold a 72 cm version of this blue-eyed beauty for 42,000 €! This classic bear design only appeared in the line for a few years in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Like several of the company's mid- to late 1920s popular designs, Petsy was made into several theme and variation novelties, including a music box, a puppet, a purse, and this pull toy. Record Petsy was made in 20 or 25 cm from 1928-1929 only. According to Cieslik's Button In Ear reference book, only 1,462 examples were made. Steiffgal has only seen two of these - ever! One was at the Steiff museum in Giengen (pictured here on the left along with some other fantastic "high rollers") and one at the Spielzeug Welten Museum in Basel. So this Record Petsy is in remarkable, and exclusive, company indeed.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion on these wheeled auction highlights has been thrilling, in a round-about sort of way.

For more information about Ladenburger Spielzeugauktion GmbH's upcoming Special Steiff Auction event on January 21st, please click here!

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

This Steiff Goat Is The Wheel-Deal Indeed!

Do Steiff goats float your boat? Well, they certainly do for Steiffgal! It is easy to fall for these charming farm friends who just seem to have a great sense of fun, energy, and humor. Check out this great goat on wheels and see what truly makes him the life of the barnyard!
 

There's no 'kid'ding around when it comes to this beautiful billy! Here we have Steiff's Nachzieh Ziege or pull toy goat. Goat is 12 cm high (head to toe) and 16 cm long, unjointed, and made from off white mohair. His back, tail, legs, and face are lightly airbrushed with brown detailing, making him truly an authentic farm friend. The lining of his ears and the underside of his pert tail are made from peach colored felt. He has black and green slit pupil eyes and a black hand embroidered nose and mouth. His tiny horns are made from wooden beads, and his snout is highlighted with a tiny bit of red accent. He rides upon a black metal framed carriage which is mounted on four red wooden eccentric wheels. He was produced in this size only (officially documented at 14 cm) from 1953 through 1957.
 

Collector's may recognize this baaaa-d boy as Steiff's "Zicky" the goat pattern. And, he does indeed have a small, colorful, named bear faced chest tag with the name "Zicky" imprinted in blue. Overall, standing Zicky was made from 1952 through 1972 in 10, 14, 22, 28, and 35 cm. A family of standing Zicky goats is pictured here on the left. Zicky was also produced in a somewhat rarer "lying" pattern in 10 and 14 cm from 1954 through 1956. The smaller lying version of Zicky is pictured below on the left.

It probably won't get your goat to learn that goats are a legacy design for Steiff. The first ones appeared as early as the late 1800's in felt. In addition to just regular standing models, early and prewar goats were produced as hanging toys, as woolen miniatures, as wooden pull toys, on wheels, as nodding animals, with tail moves head mechanisms, and with special voice boxes that were designed to sound like a real goat. 

And yes, he is the wheel deal! Steiff has traditionally produced pull toy versions of many of its most popular items.  In the 1950's and 1960's, these were usually made from the smallest or next to smallest versions of the standard line items and on red, blue, or green wooden eccentric or regular style wheels. These petite treats included cats, farm animals like donkeys and ponies, rabbits, and ducks, and dogs. Steiff's tiny 10 cm Cockie Cocker Spaniel on eccentric wheels is pictured here on the left. Larger wooden wheeled treasures from this period included Fox Terriers and elephants.
 
Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Steiff's rolling Zicky helps to move along your day in a most positive way!

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