It's The SteiffLife Centennial!

It's the Steifflife centennial! Really! By that, Steiffgal means that this is the 100th Steifflife column to be posted right here on this community site of worldwide Steiff enthusiasts. To celebrate, here is an article that Steiffgal wrote for the wonderful magazine Teddy Bear and Friends that was published earlier this spring. But make sure to read the column to the end... there's a surprise awaiting you!

Introducing Teddy Blum: The First in Steiff’s New “Family Heritage” Series

There is something completely magical about old family Steiff bears. A Teddy that has accompanied multiple family generations though thick and thin is like a repository of family history. Recognizing that collectors treasure bears with legacy, Steiff is introducing its new “Family Heritage” series in 2010. This series is based on real Steiff bears and their stories, contributed directly by today’s collectors. And yes, your family’s Steiff Teddy could be the next in the series!

The inaugural Teddy bear in this exciting new series is a beautiful girl-bear who shares an almost seventy year history with members of the Adler family of California and Massachusetts. Here is her story.

Steiff has been a love and passion of the Adler clan for four generations. Although the family has over 500 vintage Steiff collectibles among them, this big bruin – affectionately called “Teddy Blum” after Erika Blum Adler, the family grand-matriarch – is the crown jewel of the family’s collection.

Teddy Blum has called many places and many countries home. In 1932, Erika won Teddy Blum as a door prize at the annual ball of the German Book Association in Berlin, Germany. She entered the drawing on a whim, and won the grand prize – a huge blond Steiff Teddy bear! It would be the beginning of a beautiful, lifelong friendship. Fast forward a few years, Erika and Teddy Blum fled the growing troubles in Germany to the relative stability of India, where she had family in the textiles industry. Then, in 1946, Erika – along with her husband Hans, their young sons Ralph and Ron, and Teddy Blum – came to America, settling in northern California. Here Teddy Blum lived happily with the growing Adler family and many Steiff friends, including a Jocko monkey and Mecki and Micki hedgehogs, for over forty years. The picture above shows Erika Adler and Teddy Blum together in 1970.

Teddy Blum had many admirers, but Erika’s oldest granddaughter really loved this very special bear and all Steiff animals since childhood. So, in 1988, when the time was finally right, Erika entrusted her lifelong companion to her oldest granddaughter as a college graduation gift. She declared in her distinctive German accent that her granddaughter was “now old enough to handle the family’s Steiff legacy” upon the exchange. Teddy Blum now lives in Massachusetts with her granddaughter and many other Steiff collectibles, including a few from Erika’s collection as well! This picture to the left shows Teddy Blum in 1937, along with Erika's son Ralph, now in his mid-70's. Note the Steiff patchwork playball in the lower right hand corner of the picture!

Sadly, Erika passed away a few years later. Family members who attended her funeral were each given a tiny Steiff bear resembling Teddy Blum. Her eldest granddaughter – Teddy Blum’s keeper - did this as a way to keep Erika’s memory, love of Teddy bears, and passion for Steiff as vibrant as she was during her lifetime.

The Adler family is honored to present Teddy Blum as the debut bear in the Family Heritage Series, and hopes that she brings a lifetime of joy and pleasure to Steiff collectors everywhere. They are certain Erika would be delighted by all of this, and even let out one of her jolly, legendary “ach-yahs!” in approval.

Steiff has done a masterful job in recreating Teddy Blum for collectors. Teddy is 43 cm, five ways jointed, and made from thick, rich blond mohair. Two of the most distinctive features of Teddy Blum – both in the original and the 2010 version – are her prominent muzzle and her engaging pupil eyes. Both of these details are typical to early 1930’s Steiff Teddy bears. Teddy Blum also sports a raw silk ribbon, in homage to the years she spent in India where many of these beautiful fabrics are produced. Teddy Blum is being produced as a 1,500 piece limited edition as part of the 2010 North American limited edition collection.

So Steiff collectors, how would you like your Steiff Teddy to be 2011’s Family Heirloom bear? This series is designed for collectors by collectors, so please join in if you can! To qualify, your bear must have been in your family for at least two generations, have an interesting life story, and photographs to prove it! If you think your family treasure has what it takes, send a photograph and a brief description of your bear, its history, and why you think it would make a great candidate for the series to: Heirloom@Steiffusa.com. Please limit your submission to 250 words or less. The deadline for the 2011 contest is August 1, 2010. Good luck!

Steiffgal wants to know if you will enter your beloved family heirloom to this contest... please do!

So you have finally made it to the end of this story to learn the secret. Well, here it is. Erika Adler is Steiffgal's grandmother of blessed memory, and Steiffgal has the honor of being this generation's family caretaker of Teddy Blum.

Steiffgal wants to extend a sincere thank you to all the readers that make each posting such a pleasure to write. Here's to many hundreds more!

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

Seeing Stripes Over This Studio-pendous Steiff Find!

There must be something big in the air. Why, you ask? Steiffgal has been getting loads of fantastic questions about Steiff studio animals lately! Just in the past few days, she has received largely proportioned inquires about life-sized Steiff bears, seals, elephants, and lions. But the one that really caught her eye, and things aren't usually this black or white - was a Steiff studio zebra! Check out this note from a reader from Sedalia, MO.

Mary writes...

"I am in the process of going through the estate of a passing family member. They have in their collection - of all things - a life-sized Steiff zebra.

The zebra stands approximately 46" tall and is 64" from head to tail. He has the Steiff button in his ear and is in very good condition. He is stuffed with wood shavings. He has two very small little spots on him - no bigger than half the size of your pinkie finger - that are torn. He must be mohair as he is very stiff and "wooly" feeling. But he really is in great shape, heavy and not worn.

We know nothing as far as history of this item and can't find anything online with any information on any Steiff items concerning his size, age, edition size, and value. Any possible help would be greatly appreciated as we have a lot of local interest in the piece but just don't know what to do.

Thanks, Mary "

Wow, this beast has roamed far from his native plains of Africa to the heartland of the United States! He is indeed fabulous and if Steiffgal lived closer to Missouri she'd be interested in him too!

Clearly, what you have here is Steiff's studio zebra. He is standing, made from off-white mohair which has been painstakingly hand stenciled with black stripes. He has a shortly cropped white mane down his back; his ears and tail are detailed with slightly longer black plush. He was made in 100 cm in 1960 and in 150 cm in 1960 and again in 1967.

These types of vintage Steiff studio pieces are not "limited editions" in the traditional sense of the word. But because of their size, cost, and logistics, very few were made per item. This zebra was carefully hand stuffed with excelsior. This is a delicate and time consuming process given the that the tool used for the stuffing is a long metal or wooden "poker" stick that can easily pierce the mohair fabric. Given his size, it may have taken a strong man up to two weeks or so to stuff and sculpt him by hand. It is very very labor intensive - and as a result costly - to make these studio sized items.

It is also interesting here to note that inside this zebra is a sturdy metal framed skeleton, strong enough when new to hold a regular sized adult. (But don't try this now, as he is vintage and you don't want to test the half century old welding or mohair!)

Steiff studio pieces from this zebra's era were very often used as store window displays. Steiffgal has also heard that some pediatricians used studio animals during the 1950-70's in their offices, too, to promote a friendly and playful atmosphere. Steiffgal's shoe store growing up had a Steiff studio giraffe as a focal point.

As for value, Steiffgal is not a formally trained appraiser and sincerely believes something is "worth" what someone else will pay for it, especially when it comes to vintage collectibles. That being said, he looks to be in good shape and assuming he doesn't have any additional rips, smells, sagging, or other issues, Steiffgal would probably value him in the $1,500 to $2,000 range in today's slowly improving marketplace. In 2004, the same zebra sold at action for a little over $1,500, but the market has been up and down so much since then it's hard to be more precise. However, he is unusual and rare and shouldn't lose value over the long run.

Steiffgal hopes that she stayed between the lines in sharing this exceptional Steiff studio treasure with you!

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

This Great Steiff Find is Certain To Bug You

Everyone has one. That elusive, hard-to-find Steiff item that tops a collector's wish list for years. For some Steiff enthusiasts, it may be a classic vintage piece - like a 1920's Treff dog or a tiny Teddy baby. For others, it may be one of Steiff's "One-derfuls"; items like Siamy the Siamese cat or Zotty Zolac that were only in the Steiff catalog for a year or two. Others may quest for more recent oddities like the Steiff octopus or alpaca Teddytaur.

For Steiffgal, it is, or was... a fuzzy caterpillar pull toy. Before you "roll" your eyes and accuse Steiffgal of bugging you, take a look at this "foot loose and fancy free" Steiff plaything that she recently welcomed into her collection after a 10 year search!

What we have here is what Steiff calls Nachziehraupe or Pull Toy Caterpillar. That's a mouthful, so let's just call her "Pilla" for short. Pilla is 43 cm and made primarily from black, green, and gold colored knitted fur. Her face is very simple and basically consists of two side patches of tan nylon material, each with a hand painted black and white eye on it. She doesn't have a mouth or a nose. She has two black "antenna" on the top of her head that are made from long black acrylic fibers. She doesn't have a Steiff button in ear, but she does have a yellow earflag stitched in one of her head seams. This colorful caterpillar rocks and rolls (literally) on four pairs of large off-center red wooden rollers; each wheel is about the size of a golf ball. She had a pull string attached to her front roller when she left the factory in Giengen. Pilla was produced from 1980 through 1983.

Steiff has made some interesting insects over time, including a fly, a spider, and a butterfly, but Steiffgal simply could not find anything remotely like Pilla in the Steiff catalog... and that's why she just had to have her for her collection.

One of the things that makes Pilla so interesting - besides her psychedelic looks - is her wheel structure. When you pull Pilla along - she doesn't just glide - she moves up and down, much like a real caterpillar does in nature. This type of movement in Steiff terms is called "eccentric wheels" and has been incorporated purposefully into Steiff product design for almost 100 years. Steiff actually owns a patent on this mechanism! The way it works on rolling toys is that the wheels are aligned slightly off center or on a bent axle, causing them to move up and down slightly when rotated. "Eccentric wheels" were "invented" accidentally, but Steiff quickly realized the opportunity created by their roller drilling mistakes. The company launched their "eccentric wheel" toys in 1912 with this advertisement:

"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."

Pictured here is one of the most famous "eccentrically wheeled" classic waddling Steiff items, the Entkette or Duck Chain. It was manufactured from 1917 through 1932 and consisted of a mother duck and five ducklings. The illustration is from the wonderful 1892-1943 Steiff Sortiment book by Gunther Pfeiffer.

Steiffgal realizes that collecting has its ups and downs, but hopes that this column post brings you luck in finding your most coveted items, too!

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

A Steiff Hare-binger of Spring

Steiffgal sees this note from reader as a sign that spring, and the arrival of the Easter Bunny, are at least on horizon. Could this inquiry be the "hare-binger" of warmer weather and all the lovely things it brings about around these parts? Check it out and decide for yourself! Through a series of correspondences, Billee writes:

"Hello Steiffgal,

I have a very old Steiff rabbit that was my father's and remember hearing stories that they were inseparable. He was born in 1924 so I'm sure that the rabbit is probably pre-1930. Needless to say, it is worn, but still contains the Steiff button in his left ear. There are no labels.

The rabbit is approximately 10" tall from the tip of the ears to his seat. He is light tan in color and has very small feet and arms that are permanently bent downward. The fabric is a fur but somewhat sparse - probably due to being worn. It just feels old. He has tan stitching for his nose and mouth, but they are the same color as the fur and are therefore hard to see.

The rabbit is very firm to the feel. He doesn't stand alone so I have to prop him up.

The rabbit is missing one eye but the one that remains appears to be very dark brown. I do think the one remaining eye is original. There is a very faint small circle of pink fabric - maybe felt - behind the remaining eye - probably the reason for the pinkish-red area that looks like it bled. His ears are lined in velvet.

Can you tell me anything about this rabbit and its approximate value, even though it is lovingly worn?

Thanks,

Billee"

Here comes Peter Cotton Tail, hopping down the bunny trail, hippety hoppety Easter's on its way... Yes! I think most readers will agree that Billee's bunny very well could be one of spring's most anticipated visitors! What we have here is what Steiff calls Hase or rabbit. This particular rabbit was made from 1907 through 1926 in 22, 28, and 35 cm. His body position is called "begging", probably meaning that he'd like to sample anything you are enjoying for lunch!


Hase was originally made from white (which has turned tan over time) mohair plush fur. He has, or had, pink felt lined ears which have turned tan as well. His eyes are backed in red felt. Steiffgal thinks the felt has "bled" causing the red stain on his face. When he was new, he had a simple pink nose and mouth made from hand stitched pink floss. He left the factory in Giengen, Germany donned with a crisp pink silk ribbon. This picture, taken from Gunther Pfeiffer's 1892 - 1943 Steiff Sortiment book, shows what Billee's father's rabbit looked like when new.

This hase pattern was really popular at the turn of last century. It debuted in the 1894 catalog (not bad, given the catalog debuted in 1892!) The pattern was made in all sorts of materials, including felt, mohair, wool plush, and short pile plush in sizes ranging from 10 to 35 cm. Perhaps the most "famous" hase in this almost exact pattern was Steiff's version of Peter Rabbit, which was in production from about 1904 though 1919. Steiff introduced a more "modern" begging rabbit pattern in the mid 1920's; this rabbit had larger, more prominently detailed legs and knees, a shapelier body, and a more detailed face with a fully embroidered nose.

Billee's Hase is really lovely and a truly classic piece. And the family history behind him really makes him an heirloom!

So for his value... well, that is always a tricky question. The fact that this rabbit is missing an eye, for many collectors, is significant. It has been Steiffgal's experience that traditionally, collectors have had a thing with Steiff faces. So if there is a problem with the face, the item is less desirable in general. If this hase were Steiffgal's, she would send it to her to a professional restorer for cleaning and an eye repair right away. In general, certain types of PROFESSIONALLY executed cleanings and repairs stabilize or even improve the collectibility of items for future value. However, good restorations can be expensive so consider all of your choices. Steiffgal has had amazing results from Martha Anderson here in the USA, check out her work at www.teddybearrepair.com.

Without the eye repair and cleaning, this rabbit is PROBABLY in the $150-300 range. With the eye repair and a good cleaning, he may value more at $400+.

Steiffgal hopes this information is helpful to you and that we all are just a hop, skip, and a jump away from the spring weather we all look forward to.

Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures, whether it be a family heirloom or otherwise? Let's talk! Click here to learn more.