Collecting stuffed toys is great fun! STEIFF is a superb German maker who has produced pretty much every animal found in the world and even some that aren't (dinosaurs, cartoon characters etc)!! Most vintage STEIFF are made from MOHAIR and to care for and display your collection there are a few simple rules to keep them looking just as wonderful as the day they were produced.
1) NEVER expose mohair to sunlight!!! Mohair is a natural wool product and sunlight will not only fade those amazing colours, it will eventually degrade the fibre and the backing material the animals are created from! Prolonged exposure will first result in balding and then the backing material will rot, dry out and split! There's no coming back from that!
Here is an example of balding due to sunlight exposure on a poor vintage STEIFF DALLY DALMATIAN DOG!! Note the totally bare ear!
2) NEVER get excelsior / wood wool stuffing wet!! Excelsior is a natural stuffing that looks like straw and most vintage STEIFF were stuffed with this material. If it gets wet, it will not only shift and compact, it will rot! Kapok, another natural stuffing material made from the wooly cottony pods from the tree of the same name, should also be kept dry. If your animal needs a cleaning, I have step-by-step instructions on how to safely clean stuffed animals on my website MANDICRAFTS BEARS and COLLECTIBLES and posted on a help page within my eBay STORE.
3) KEEP AWAY THOSE LITTLE WOOL EATING CRITTERS! Mohair is an attractive snack for moth larvae and other wool eating horrible critters! Check your collection periodically, looking for small holes or bare spots. When you purchase a new piece, don't immediately place them in with your existing animals. You wouldn't want to bring in any nasties to destroy your precious treasures! To make sure there are no nasty critters, place your animal in a plastic bag with a handfull of Whole Cloves (the spice) and seal for a few days. Lavender can also be used. Not only will your animal smell wonderful, the nasties do not like these odours! Another tip, keep several small dishes of whole cloves or lavender in with your collection as a long term deterent!
4) KEEP DUST OFF!! Dust will dull the colours, can attract nasty critters and can end up matting the mohair or other fur. Natural oils from your skin will also stick more readily if dust is already present. Ideally, a glass cabinet is a perfect display venue, and handling your precious ones as little as possible is a wise move. Dust can still get into a cabinet, but much more slowly than if simply displayed on a shelf. If you are like me, and have too many to fit in a cabinet, rotate your babies so that your display stays fresh and they all get equal protection! Carefully vacuuming your collection on a regular basis will keep the dust at bay. Use a stocking over the nozzle so no buttons, ribbons or eyes are accidentally sucked in, and BE VERY CAREFUL!
Here is a pristine STEIFF Mohair SAN DIEGO Limited Edition GIANT PANDA! His mohair is in gorgeous condition! View his listing here!
Following these simple steps you can enjoy your collection for many years!!
Bear Hugs
Mandy
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