What or Who is Steiff?
Margarete Steiff was born in 1847 in Germany and died in 1909. She was stricken with polio when only 18 months old, and spent her life in a wheel chair. Undeterred by her limitations, she attended school and became an accomplished seamstress, working in her own shop. She developed and sold her first stuffed animal in 1880, a felt elephant, originally intended for use as a pin cushion but soon discovered children loved to play with it. The first Steiff stuffed teddy bear was produced in 1902 using a new material, mohair plush. The bear was designed by Richard Steiff, Margarete's nephew.
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| Margarete Steiff |
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| Steiff Mohair Elephant |
How Do I Know it is a Steiff?
The Steiff "Button in Ear" trademark (Knopf im Ohr) was registered in December 1904 and patented in 1905. All Steiff animals produced from late 1904 to present day have a metal button in their ear (or fin, or foot) and from 1908/1909 a fabric label accompanies the button.
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| Steiff Mask Teddy Bear |
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| Steiff Teddy Head Purse |
Margarete Steiff GmbH has produced a stuffed toy representation of almost every animal and many insects over the 110 intervening years since their first teddy bear charmed a child. Below is a little taste of the many different animals available.
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| Many Steiff Animals |
The metal button has changed only subtly over the years. Learning the different styles, and the types and colours of the accompanying fabric label, and later the card pendant or chest tag (added in 1926) can help date when your furry friend was produced.
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| Variety of Steiff Buttons, Ear Labels, & Chest Tags |
Modern Steiff buttons on regularly issued animals are brass and have "Steiff" incised in the surface and are accompanied by a yellow ear tag in red print with the EAN (European Article Number) shown on the reverse. (example of front & back shown in the collage above in the lower left corner).
The earliest ear tags were white, changing to red in 1926, and finally becoming yellow in the late 1930s. A variety of text or type styles and sizes for the linen yellow tags were used up until the late 1980s when the tag became a printed tape material, like a satin ribbon. In 1980 a white cloth ear tag was introduced to indicate replicas and special edition series or limited editions, also changing to the satin printed tape material, still in white, in the late 1980s.
The chest pendants or chest tags made of card had a larger angular bear head picture up until the late 1940s when it changed to a flatter rounder head until the early 1970s (centre bottom of collage). Then, a yellow & red chest tag was introduced with a small bear head outline as part of the logo (top left corner of collage).
Since 1906, the "Steiff" name appears on the metal buttons. Between 1906 and the early 1930s the second "f" in Steiff had a tail that extended back to the "e" like an underline. In the early 1930s the tail became shorter, extending back to just the first "f". These buttons are referred to as "FF" buttons in the collector's world. At the same time, a button with the word "Steiff" in block capitals without the descending "f" was also used.
This poor old well-loved mohair Steiff Saint Bernard on iron wheels dates from the 1930s and sports the block capital button (seen in the collage above, second down on the left side).
A nickel button with "Steiff" written in raised script was introduced in the early 1950s, changing only a little in the mid-1960s into a slightly different type face. In 1969 a new button was introduced, called a lentil button, a hollow nickel rivet with incised script and finally the brass button came into use in the late 1970s. For some modern limited edition issues, this button can be gold plated or even carry a Swarovski crystal button.
A limited edition Steiff Poinsettia Teddy Bear, issued in 2007 with a Swarovski crystal as his button, a white tape ear tag with red print indicating he is a limited edition and a beautiful Swarovski crystal poinsettia ornament as his chest tag (removable to use on your Christmas tree). All limited editions now come with a signed and numbered certificate with the corresponding number on the ear tag.
Steiff Nicki Velour Plush Baby Rattle named Little Rollo Star with his seam tag.
A cotton twill Steiff Little Button Pea Pod with natural wooden "busy" beads with hanger cord and seam tag.
The world of Steiff is incredible with a myriad of information available both in reference books and on line, to help with item identification, the detailed story of Margarete Steiff and her family, the Steiff Club, and the many new production issues that come out every year. I hope this small peek into Steiff gives you the introduction you need to begin your journey.
Many of the animals shown here are available at Mandicrafts! Click here to view Steiff.
Happy Hunting!
Bear Hugs
Mandy
Mandicrafts
©mandicrafts
Handy Links:
(just click on any of the names)
Mandicrafts Bears and Collectibles Store
Mandicrafts Website
Mandicrafts on Facebook
Mandicrafts on Twitter
Coollectors Website
Treasure Hunters Blog
Thrifting With The Boys (TWTB)
The earliest ear tags were white, changing to red in 1926, and finally becoming yellow in the late 1930s. A variety of text or type styles and sizes for the linen yellow tags were used up until the late 1980s when the tag became a printed tape material, like a satin ribbon. In 1980 a white cloth ear tag was introduced to indicate replicas and special edition series or limited editions, also changing to the satin printed tape material, still in white, in the late 1980s.
The chest pendants or chest tags made of card had a larger angular bear head picture up until the late 1940s when it changed to a flatter rounder head until the early 1970s (centre bottom of collage). Then, a yellow & red chest tag was introduced with a small bear head outline as part of the logo (top left corner of collage).
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| Steiff Saint Bernard on Iron Wheels c1930s |
This poor old well-loved mohair Steiff Saint Bernard on iron wheels dates from the 1930s and sports the block capital button (seen in the collage above, second down on the left side).
A nickel button with "Steiff" written in raised script was introduced in the early 1950s, changing only a little in the mid-1960s into a slightly different type face. In 1969 a new button was introduced, called a lentil button, a hollow nickel rivet with incised script and finally the brass button came into use in the late 1970s. For some modern limited edition issues, this button can be gold plated or even carry a Swarovski crystal button.
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| Steiff Limited Edition Poinsettia Teddy Bear |
A limited edition Steiff Poinsettia Teddy Bear, issued in 2007 with a Swarovski crystal as his button, a white tape ear tag with red print indicating he is a limited edition and a beautiful Swarovski crystal poinsettia ornament as his chest tag (removable to use on your Christmas tree). All limited editions now come with a signed and numbered certificate with the corresponding number on the ear tag.
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| Steiff Swarovski Poinsettia Teddy with Certificate and Crystal Ornament pendant. |
What Do I Look For in a Steiff or What is "Collectible"
Very early issues from Steiff are highly collectible and can be very valuable. Condition is important, but rarity can be more important. All of the mohair, velvet and synthetic dralon and plush animals are collectible to someone, whether replacing a long lost childhood toy, or for adding to a prized display cabinet as a collectible that is not to be played-with. Finding a Steiff is always exciting!
Steiff is known for manufacturing high-quality toys, so even modern issues specifically made as a toy for an infant or child are special, but may not be considered "collectible" in the strictest sense of the word. Often, youngsters begin a life-long love of Steiff after being given a cherished toy and that toy becomes the beginning of their collection. Many of the true baby toy plush items come without a button for safety reasons, and simply have a Steiff ear "seam tag" as their identification.
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| Steiff Rollo Star Baby Rattle |
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| Steiff Little Button Pea Pod Baby Toy |
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| Collection of Vintage Steiff Germany Collectible Plush Animals |
Many of the animals shown here are available at Mandicrafts! Click here to view Steiff.
Happy Hunting!
Bear Hugs
Mandy
Mandicrafts
©mandicrafts
Handy Links:
(just click on any of the names)
Mandicrafts Bears and Collectibles Store
Mandicrafts Website
Mandicrafts on Facebook
Mandicrafts on Twitter
Coollectors Website
Treasure Hunters Blog
Thrifting With The Boys (TWTB)
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