Dog Days of Summer

It's the dog days of summer and quite appropriately, Steiffgal received this question from a reader from the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area. Wendy writes:

"Hi!

I have a 26” tall Steiff Basset Hound … at least I think he’s a Basset Hound. He’s definitely filled with straw because he’s missing his left eye and I can see inside the eye socket – it’s straw in there. He also has some wearing on his right front paw – again, you can see the straw in there as well. I believe his remaining eye is made out of wood, although I could be wrong about this. The eye has to be close to 2” in diameter.

His coat is mohair (I think that’s what you call it – many of my Steiff Teddy Bears are made of this material as well, which I believe is mohair). He has a button in his ear – no tag though. He has a green leather collar, which, frankly, isn’t in the greatest condition. But it’s still there.

He was given to my mom when she was a young teenager – in the mid to late 50s. She remembers the boy paying $150 for him back then. I have not been able to locate any information on this unique piece. Any information you can give me would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, and I look forward to hearing from you."

Doggonit, what a wonderful item, and thanks so much for your note. First, to start things off, your mother's suitor had quite the case of "puppy love!" His $150 investment in 1960 (the first year he was available) translates to approximately a $1,100 price tag today!

Now let's dish on the dog. What we have here is a really special Steiff Studio (i.e. relatively life sized) Basset hound. This colossal canine is 75 cm tall, stuffed with excelsior, and not jointed. His tan mohair is (or was, it's hard to stop the aging process) carefully airbrushed; he has spots on his front arms, shading on his hind legs and back, and lines all around his face and forehead that give him a quizzical expression. He has hand stitched claws on his paws and soft fabric folds around his mouth that give a softness to his lower jaw. He has an impressive vertically stitched nose that is about 3 inches wide by 2 inches tall. Quite the sniffer!

Two features that really stand out on this blue ribbon beauty - besides his proportions - are his ears and his eyes. His ears are very large and droopy, measuring about 14 inches at their longest point and 10 inches at their widest point. They are made from tan mohair that has carefully been airbrushed a variety of brown tones. The Steiff button and flag are located on the interior side of his left ear.

Next, his incredible eyes. Steiff has a reputation for detailed handwork and attention to detail, and these peepers really take the cake. They are wooden, about the size of a golfball, and intricately hand painted to look like a real eye. It appears that Wendy's Basset is in dire need of an eye doctor. Unfortunately Steiff does not keep "spare parts" for too long on any particular item and Steiffgal is certain that the factory would not have a replacement eye for a close to 40 year old item. Steiffgal's best recommendation is to hire an art student or artist to recreate the eyeball for you.

This amazing piece was manufactured in 1960 (Art. - No 3375,90) and then again in 1967 (Art. - No 4089/08) only. Interestingly, the famous "Hush Puppies" footwear brand, whose logo is a Basset hound, was founded in 1958 and was quite popular in the late 1950's and 1960's. Based on this timing, Steiffgal would not be surprised if the studio sized Basset was designed as a window display piece for Hush Puppies shoes! Steiff also produced 12, 14, and 22 cm mohair Basset hounds from 1961 through 1963, and Hush Puppy specifically branded 12 and 14 cm Basset hound premiums from 1970 through 1972.

Steiffgal must confess that she also has this collectible, which makes writing about it even more delightful. Just for fun and scale, take a look at the shot on the left of the Basset with a real-life 20 pound adult pug dog (yes, that's Steiffpug). You get the picture - this is a "Great Dane" of Bassets.

Wendy, Steiffgal really enjoyed this time to paws and reflect on this beautiful Basset, and hopes that this information is helpful to you!

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

Hop To It! Take A Look At This Handsome Hare!

Steiffgal felt like she had just received a special delivery from the Easter bunny when she received this inquiry from a reader. Check out this note from Jeff, who writes from Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania:

"Hello Steiffgal,

I hope you have better luck than I did in trying to find any information on this rabbit. I've been trying to research this for a friend, but have come up with nothing.

This is a sitting rabbit, around 9" high, 6 1/4" to top of head. He has wires through the ears, which are movable, and has a red tag and button in his left ear.... (the tag) has the following on it: "Steiff Original geschutzt 3418 Made in Germany". The button is silver colored with STEIFF on it, the last F flows back under STEIFF. There is a pink, or purple ribbon around the neck, tied in a bow with a brass bell, but unfortunately, it is falling apart. The rabbit is made from a smooth material (looks like material has raised lines) in tan and cream colors, with a stitched pink nose.

Other than ears, the rest of body is pretty stiff. His eyes are brown with black pupils, around 1/2" wide. Some, if not all, stitching looks like it was hand done. Other than the rotting ribbon and what looks like some kind of dark brown liquid that has been splashed on it, the rabbit is in great shape.

My friend found it among other antiques, while going through her late mother's house and doesn't know anything about it. We would appreciate any information you could tell us. I understand that you don't give values for pieces, but do you think it would be worth trying to have it restored (like trying to find someone who could possibly remove the stained areas)?

Thank you for your time!"

Jeff, thanks for sharing this great find with the Steifflife readers. What you have here is what Steiff calls Hase, or Rabbit. Your sitting bunny is velvet and has a jointed head. His darling face is detailed with brown glass pupil eyes, a pink horizontally stitched nose, and a simple line mouth. He left the factory with clear mono-filament type whiskers; it is hard to tell from the photos if he still retains them. Each of his pink velvet lined ears contains a metal wire which makes them posable. He is detailed with a silk ribbon and bell.

This model was manufactured and featured in the Steiff catalog from 1927 though 1933. He was made in three sizes: 11, 15, and 18 cm and five jewel-toned colors: blue, lilac, maize, orange, and white. Jeff's velvet find is the 18 cm and maize version. The identical rabbit model was also produced in mohair during the same time frame in a few additional colors, including brown and pink. This mohair version is shown on the left.

This is a terrific and interesting piece, from several perspectives. From the collector's point of view, except for a little fading, which is normal, the question of whiskers, and the stains (to be addressed later in the column), Rabbit seems to be in nice shape for an 80 year old plaything! It is great that he has his original silk ribbon and bell. And, his intact Steiff button and red eartag make him especially appealing to collectors.

From the historical angle, rabbits are a really popular breed, perhaps because traditionally Easter is a prominent and important holiday in Germany. Rabbits are so important to Steiff that they have their own chapter in the Steiff Sortiment books, the gold standard reference books for collectors around the globe. Rabbits have been a presence in the Steiff catalog since its debut in 1892; as a matter of fact at least 8 different rabbit models appeared in this first catalog alone.

Ok, now on to the spots and staining. Cleaning vintage products is always a challenge and presents a few risks. Fabrics produced almost a century years ago are delicate and fragile and do not have the structural integrity of materials produced today, due to technology, manufacturing techniques, and natural aging processes. Dyes and materials have evolved, so techniques for cleaning things made recently may not be applicable to vintage items. In addition, velvet has its own challenges, due to the fact that it tends to stain relatively easily and has a nap that is difficult to refresh.

That all being said, Steiffgal recommends the following TO TEST if a velvet item is clean-able:

1. First, remove any surface dust or dirt from the item. Shake it gently but vigorously, use a lint brush, and/or vacuum it at the lowest possible setting at a distance. You don't want to grind in any additional dirt to an item you are trying to clean. "Pre-cleaning" is really important, especially with velvet.
2. Second, take one teaspoon of gentle dishwashing liquid detergent and put it into 2 cups of water; stir vigorously until the suds fill the top.
3. Next, take a soft cotton cloth to gently apply only the suds to a sample patch of the stained area that is in a hidden or not so obvious place on the item, to make sure that this works and does not make the situation worse.
4. Blot ONLY the soapy bubbles onto the stains until they start to fade. Don't really get the sample spot too wet, as the fabric is really old and the excelsior stuffing should not get wet as a result of this process. Be really conservative here.
5. Allow the area to dry, and check for results.
6. Is it cleaner? If so, softly brush the cleaned area to refresh the nap-- then gently clean the rest of the animal with this process. (Be really careful around the button and eartag; you may want to protect these areas with a plastic bag or other waterproofing tools.)
   
7. If this does not work, and the stains are no less prominent, it may be worth going to a professional toy restorer to get a consult on your options. Google "Toy Restoration" to find a specialist in your area.
   
8. Do not go to a regular dry cleaner for help here; they are set up to deal with contemporary fabrics not vintage items.

Jeff, Steiffgal hopes this explanation brings you a hare closer to understanding how terrific your finding truly is!

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

Location, Location, Location

In real estate, location is everything. And maybe with Steiff items, too? Take a look at this note from a reader who poses a very interesting question about the varying placements of Steiff's namesake "button in ear" trademark.

"Hi SteiffGal,

I have a general question about the attachment of the Steiff button. I've noticed on some online auctions that the Steiff button, specifically the text 'Steiff' appears on the back of the ear; whereas all of my Steiff animals old/new have the 'Steiff' text on the front of the ear (that is, the 'Steiff' text is facing the front of the animal/toy).

Are the buttons where the text 'Steiff' is on the back of the ear rarer and a factory mistake (or certain period of time when Steiff did this?) or is this likely someone tempering with the button and put it on backwards?

Thanks in advance for any help in clarifying this, Holly"

What an intriguing question! The button is clearly the Steiff mark of excellence, and has been for over a century. According to the Cieslik's marvelous book, Button in Ear: The History of The Teddy Bear and His Friends, Margarete Steiff, in a newsletter to customers in early 1904, writes: "Trademark - (Elephant with "S" shaped trunk). As of November 1, 1904, I shall identify each article without exception, with a small nickel-plated button in the left ear. Our logo is stamped on these buttons and is legally protected." Steiff actually owns the patent on the words "Button - in Ear", not the actual button itself.

This question inspired Steiffgal to do a little research on her own Steiff collection. Clearly, Steiff has made thousands of items and Steiffgal's limited collection only represents the "tip of the tip" of the Steiff "iceberg of products" ever made. But the goal here was to uncover some trends in button placement location over time. To that end, Steiffgal surveyed several hundred items in nine basic categories from 1910 - present to see:

• Which in her collection had the button facing inward (i.e., if you looked at the item face on, the button would be facing you and located on the "inside" of the ear, as shown on the Teddy above), and...

• Which in her collection had the button facing outward (i.e., if you looked at the item face on, the button would be located face out on the "outside" of the ear, as shown on the Jocko above), and...

• Which in her collection had buttons in places other than the left ear in any orientation.

Here's what she found. First, the easy stuff:

• Cats: all of Steiffgal's cats have inward buttons in their left ears.
  
• Bears: all of Steiffgal's Teddys have inward buttons in their left ears.
• Rabbits: all of Steiffgal's rabbits have inward buttons in their left ears.
• "Jungle/Circus" (lions, camels, tigers, etc.) animals: all of Steiffgal's wild animals have inward buttons in their left ears.
• Farm animals (pigs, goats, cows, etc.): all of Steiffgal's farm friends have inward buttons in their left ears.

Now the more complicated stuff:


Birds: Placement varies considerably. Smaller vintage pom-pom and mohair birds, as seen here on the left, generally have their yellow flag wrapped around their left leg; this flag is then held in place with a Steiff button. Some larger birds like penguins and owls have inward buttons attached to their wings while others like the kiwi have a yellow tag with a button sewn into a hind seam. Interestingly, a small mohair chick and a plush rooster have outward buttons on their wings. Very hard to see any pattern here!


Monkeys: Jockos produced before 1952 all seem to have outward facing buttons. Jockos with the raised script style buttons, which appeared from 1952 - 1969, can either have their buttons inward or outward, it was about a 50 - 50 split. All Jockos with the lentil button, (as shown on the monkey on the left) which appeared from 1969 - 1978, have inward facing buttons. Moving forward, all Jockos from 1978 onward have inward facing buttons. These findings are for Jocko puppets as well as toys ranging from pocket sized to 50 cm.


Dogs: The vast majority have inward facing buttons (as demonstrated on the Revue Susi on the left), even in cases where it would have been much easier to have them outward facing, as in the case of the Fox terrier with tiny, inward folded ears. However, there are a few exceptions of outward buttons, like the Dangling Dog with the gardening vest from 1981 - 1985; the 1983 Collector's edition Boxer (shown on the left), and both the beautiful and lifelike Hassan and Lumpi mohair Labradors from a handful of years back.


Studio and licensed items: Lifesized studio animals generally have their buttons in a place that does not detract from their looking "real", even if the item has ears. For example, on the studio gorilla pictured on the left, the button and yellow flag is located discretely on his fur collar, and on a studio biermonk (beer monk), the button is placed at the bottom of his long flowing robe. The same button "discretion" appears to be true for newer specialty "logo" characters, like the Danone Banana (pictured above) and the Pinga and Pingu Penguin set from 2000, perhaps for trademark and licensing reasons.

So what are the take home lessons here from this limited survey?

First, location does matter. Every product has the button in the left ear - or left-ish - hemisphere of their body. Be very suspect if you come across an item claiming to be a Steiff with a "right sided" button.

Second, button orientation matters less than location. Most items have inward facing buttons, but legitimate outward facing buttons do make an appearance every now and again. It's not a factory "mistake".

Finally, appearance ultimately counts alot. In studio, special orders, or licensed products, the button may be placed in a prominent location, albeit away from the face. This may be to keep the design as lifelike or true to brand as possible. If you come across one of these treasures and don't find an ear button, look a little harder on the left hand side of the item; the button may be "hiding" on a seam tag, design detail, item of clothing, or accessory.

Holly, Steiffgal is not certain she answered your question, but she had an awful lot of fun trying to map this all out for you!

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

The Mane Event

Steiffgal's not lyin' when she says she roared with excitement over this inquiry from a northern neighbor. Take a look at this note from Sarah, who writes about a century-old family heirloom.

“Hi!

I'm writing from Canada's far east: Newfoundland. I have a Steiff lion that belonged to my dad in 1908. It's not in great condition: it's old.... he’s about 9 3/4 inches high, and between 12-13 inches stem to stern (excluding his tail). He has a little Steiff button in his left ear, which is so small I can barely see the writing even with a magnifying glass. His front paws have become disjointed from the wheels. Still, it's a dear piece.

I have to sell many of my things and was wondering if you could give me some guidance. Our family originated in the Niagara peninsula, and in that area is where the lion was likely purchased.

Thanks, Sarah"

This is a lovely Steiff Loewe, or Lion on wheels from the early part of last century. Lion is unjointed; his body is constructed from light brown short mohair while his mane and the tip of his tail are made from longer wavy tipped mohair. He rides on metal wheels. This design has (or had, when new…) many details that make him “king of the jungle”: a pink vertically stitched nose, brown glass pupil eyes, black embroidered claws, and precise airbrushing around his eyes and nose. This particular model was produced from about 1909 through 1921 in eight sizes, ranging from 22 through 120 cm. The smaller sizes were pull toys while the larger sizes (50 cm plus) were ride-on animals that came with sturdier carriages and a steering option.

Lions, both on and off wheels, are legacy products for Steiff. The first Steiff lions, both with and without wheels, made their debut in the 1894 Steiff catalog. These had bodies made from felt but are remarkably similar otherwise in appearance to Sarah’s mohair lion. Felt lions were produced through 1907. In terms of product evolution timelines, Steiff began using mohair in addition to felt as a standard material in 1903 so it makes perfect sense that this item transitioned from felt to mohair in the early 1900’s.

The reader mentions a “little Steiff button in his left ear which is so small I can barely see the writing even with a magnifying glass.” Based on the dating of the item, this would be the 1909 though 1936 version of the Steiff button, which has the word “Steiff” in capital letters with the last “F” extended into a long arc. Here on the left is a close up of what this button most likely looks like from another Steiff item of the same generation. The button is really tiny… about 3 or 4 millimeters and is pewter-colored.

As for the value of this lovely lion... as always, Steiffgal is not a formal appraiser and strongly believes that something is "worth" what someone else will pay for it. Poor economic times tend to favor buyers over sellers; so don’t sell unless you really have to! On the other hand, legacy wheeled items like this lion that have their pre-war button are always in demand by collectors. That all being said, Steiffgal has recently seen an almost identical item in similar condition sell on an online auction for close to $600.

Sarah, it gives Steiffgal great pride to provide you with the mane background concerning your family’s lion!

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