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!

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Cataloging What Makes Steiff's 1970's-era Playthings So Distinctive

A picture is worth a thousand words! And this is especially true when it comes to Steiff, and their marvelous catalogs over the years. These great time-capsules really capture the essence of the brand from decade to decade - in terms of key styles, proportions, fabrics, and designs. When giving a talk on the history of Steiff and the company's product design evolution, Steiffgal often refers to the 1970's (in the most loving way) as the "ugly decade." By this, she means that for the most part, item designed in this time frame have a goofy, nontraditional look about them. Let's look at the items on this cover of a 1971 Steiff catalog and see if you agree, too!

Before we start, it is important to note that this particular catalog cover from 1971 features both legacy and "new to the 1970's" items. Today, Steiff, or really any other company, only features the newest, latest, and greatest items on the cover of any printed materials. In terms of "vintage" items, collectors will surely recognize Zotty, the gymnastics ball, the Lulac style rabbit, the lying tiger, the Jumbo elephant, and the woolen miniature ladybug as beloved items first introduced in the 1950's - or even earlier! These items are made from high quality mohair and have a very youthful, energetic, and "here for the long run" feeling to them - sort of the opposite of the vibe of 1970's items.   

So are you "red"-dy to dive right into the 1970's now? Then let's check out the 70's pieces in above, from left to right. No monkeying around here - the cheerful chimp is Steiff's "Weich-Schimpanse" or soft chimpanzee. He is standing and unjointed. He is made from brown dralon - a very common synthetic material used by Steiff in the 1970's and '80's - and has red overalls. His face, hands, and ears are made from peach colored synthetic velour, another material typical to Steiff for the period. Chimp has a sweet and playful face, highlighted by oversized white and black cartoon-style eyes. He is stuffed with foam chips and is fully washable. He was produced in 30 and 40 cm from 1971-1982 overall.  In addition to his chest tag, button, and yellow ear tag, this chimp - and other foam stuffed, washable dralon items - would have left the factory with an additional silver hang tag, which read, "form formgeschaumt" with the Steiff logo. You can see this on the chimp if you look closely; a sample of this tag is pictured here on the left. (Is it Steiffgal's imagination or does the bear faced logo look uncharacteristically unhappy here?) 

Let's now check out Steiff's "Buzzel Hen," just to the right of the chimp. Hen is 19 cm, unjointed, and sitting on a flat bottom. Like her chimp neighbor, she is made of dralon, stuffed with foam, and is fully washable. Her feathers, beak, face, and comb are made from yellow, red, and white felt. She has a squeaker in her base. She was made in this size only from 1971-1974.

Bird is also the word with the adjacent pair of featured feathered friends. Here we have Steiff's well attired Cosy Duck Boy and Cosy Duck Maid. Both are 25 cm, standing, unjointed, and made from white dralon. Their beaks and webbed feet are orange synthetic velour. Both have airbrushed highlighting on their faces. The boy dons a dapper blue tam-o-shanter and a matching blue sailor collar. The girl is adorable in her green felt hat. They are stuffed with foam and are fully washable. Boy and Girl Duck were both produced in 25 cm only from 1970-1973. 

It's easy to see things in black and white with this next 1970's feature. Here we have Steiff's 17 cm Pinni penguin. He is standing, unjointed, and made from black and white dralon materials. He has a chubby, orange beak and feet, as well as oversized black and white cartoon style eyes. He was made in this size only from 1971-1974.

Can you feel the "buzz" from the last two 1970's cover stars on the far right of the catalog cover? If you guessed that these, like the hen, are also buzzel items, then give yourself a high five! The bunny is Steiff's Buzzel Rabbit. He is made from tan and white dralon and has a face that sort of reminds Steiffgal of Steiff's Pummy Rabbit. The rooster is Steiff's Buzzel Rooster; he is pictured here on the left. He is made from orange and black dralon. He has a yellow felt beak, and a red felt waddle and comb. His tail feathers are made from green felt. He is a very simplified version of the company's legacy mohair and felt rooster model. Both are 20 cm, sit upon a flat bottom, have a squeaker, are stuffed with soft foam, and are fully washable. The rooster was made from 1971-1976; the rabbit from 1971-1978.

When it comes to Steiff, it goes without saying that "the more, the merrier!" In addition to the Buzzel collectibles noted above, the company also produced a Buzzel Cat and a Buzzel Santa, which did not make it into this cover shot. Both are pictured here on the left. The cat is made from grey and white dralon and has a pink hand embroidered nose, clear monofilament whiskers, and adorable green and black slit pupil eyes. Santa is made from red and white dralon material and felt, with a full long white dralon beard. His face is precious and simple; he has small blue felt eyes, a round peach colored felt nose, and a tiny red circle for his lips. Santa is wearing his traditional Santa suit which is integral to his body. He carries a brown Santa sack, which has a little bell in it. Both are 20 cm with typical "Buzzel" construction and features. Cat was made from 1971-1975; Santa from 1972-1974.

Steiffgal hopes this discussion of vintage Steiff treasures from the early 1970's has been a great blast from the past for you.

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