6. The origin behind their creation makes them not only famous but also valuable. The rod bear pictured was estimated at 8,000- 12,000 pounds or between $10-12,000 according to Getty. Steiff was understandably unhappy about the exact copy, but Strunz continued copying them for years. As you can see, the Farnell teddy bear is made with a child's gas mask attached. 10. Interestingly, Franz Steiff also added an elephant print on the buttons surface in early design versions produced in 1904. With a bit of on-line sleuthing I felt I may indeed have a Steiff rod bear, however I was no expert and all I could be sure of was his age, based on the button, to be around 1904 -1905. Insider reported that each bear had a $35,000 price when it entered the market, but it has doubled in todays market. Steiff King Charles III Long To Reign Over Us MUSICAL bear plays 'God Save the King' - 30cms {691515} 259.00 or 50.00 deposit. Commemorative Steiff Teddy Bear, Signed: Commemorative Steiff Teddy Bear, Signed: Vintage Steiff?bear, signed and dated 1983, having original tags and button. Steiff Bears with original orange labels and button fasteners are top-tier collectibles. In just three years, 400 staff and 1,800 out workers from the Steiff company made almost two million bears, making 1907 a Teddy Bear Boom Year. Lastly, you can always turn to eBay's teddy bear collectors and hobbyists page to see what price other sellers are asking. You can follow her blog, which focuses on vintage Steiff finds, Steiff antiquing and travel adventures, international Steiff happenings, and the legacy and history of the Steiff company at http://mysteifflife.blogspot.com. This material is a natural latex product made from the sap of the Palaquium gutta tree. You can also find antique appraisers online or even in your community. 660498 (with COA), Millennium bear, no. He served as a colonel in the British army during WWII and fought with Teddy Girl by his side. More incredible than the price tag, however, is the story behind this Steiff. Check out the 10 most expensive Steiff bears in the world. is a perforated, single-layer fabric tape since . All Steiff Bears made between 1902 -1922 are antique models, while those made between 1923 1972 are vintage. Urban tale suggests it got lost at sea, but expert appraisers theorize otherwise, saying they likely were unfitting for sale due to the rigorous travel. We recently met a collector who found one in the most exciting way possible. In 2010 he was convicted of fraud and all of his bears were sold at auction. Bottom line:This is the oldest known teddy bear in the world, made in 1904. Most collectors believe that the first bear ever made according to original design doesnt exist anymore. A Steiff 'Louis Vuitton' teddy bear made in 2000 and measuring 45 cm (17 in) sold for 213,720.00 ($182,550; 125,831) on 14 October 2000 at Christie's, Monaco. Hot Water Bottle Bear 6. However, for the most part, Steiffs rod bears share these common features: The noses of the original rod bears were extremely labor intensive. The Steiff "Button in Ear" tag. This rare Omega Coaster teddy is perched on top of a wooden trolley, and his jointed legs really pedal when the cart is pushed forward. His squeaker doesn't work any more, but this 1940's bear was otherwise flawless when he was sold. Steiff Louis Vuitton Teddy Bear - $ 2.1 million 2. Due to their age and well-kept appearance, the final bid would be $104,000. They were made with built-in sound boxes that growled when a red string is pulled, but most of them don't work anymore. Centre Seam Bear - 51,700This cinnamon brown mohair bear wears a silver brooch bearing the name Will. Steiff Center Seam bear 7. Inside the ball is where the real magic happens. Harlequin Bear - 71,000. One of the primary defining features of the Steiff Teddy Bear is its upright sitting structure, and this was only made possible by using metal rods. Interestingly, the vintage Steiff bear value can be surprisingly high. The 55 P.B. This model is so rare that he has only been seen in photos. Colonel Bob Henderson's Teddy Girl 1. You can set your cookie preferences using the toggles below. VINTAGE STEIFF GRISSY DONKEY 3605/20 TEDDY BEAR OLD LABEL EAR BUTTON RARE. Steiff Bear Value As it always goes, the product's value primarily depends on its condition when offered for sale. Sold for $35,500 via James D. Julia (June 2014). They are highly prized as a collector's item. The quickest way to determine the Steiff bears age is to check their eyes. ANTIQUE TEDDY BEAR-German 7 1/4" Straw Mohair Fully Jointed steiff style. It was part of Paul Greenwoods stash after his fraud conviction. Two toy companies, Ideal Toy Co. and Steiff, produced the first teddy bears in the early 1900s. While there are replicas of this 1926 bear out there, don't be fooled for the real thing. Over the years, Steiff has made many limited-edition Teddy bears. Bottom line:In 2005, the venerable French fashion house released a teddy it named DouDou (which roughly translates to a cuddly toy or blanket) for the stocking-stuffer friendly price of $9,000. With big companies like Sothebys, Christies, The Smithsonian, and other private auction outfits, youd get a wider audience and an opportunity to earn more through bids. Keep in mind that there are several particular stuffed toys that bear both marks, making them rarities. 1. Each of these groups shops in unique markets based on their interests, and you must know which audience suits your product. However, they changed their mind, and these bears stayed in the headquarters of Steiff in Germany. The buttons can be made of different metals, with the old early ones looking like pewter, earliest had elephants, then blank buttons and then ff buttons that look like the f's go back under the Steiff name, I think in about 1947 or so, there was one year only where they had . Steiff Bears Steiff Bears and Steiff Teddy Bears have become synonymous with quality and tradition. View All Steiff limited edition teddy bears. Handcrafted with white mohair, black boot button eyes, a stitched brown eyes and jointed limbs, the 25-inch bear was given to the original seller when she was a teenager in the early 1900s. His velvety brown mohair is in perfect condition. Also, take extra care when cleaning them, so you dont damage the material and ultimately devalue it. They loved them so much that in 1991, Ralph Lauren produced a small batch of Polo teddy bears in collaboration with Steiff and began putting the designs on sweaters, sweatshirts . Korean Jessie Kim paid an unbelievable $2,100,000 for it and reserved a spot for it in a Teddy bear museum on Jeju Island, South Korea. The teddy bears on this list might be over the top, but there are many teddy bears that are valuable. Bid now on Invaluable: A Steiff bears perpetual calendar, height of calender 57cm from Potteries Auctions on March 6, 0123 10:00 AM GMT. These simple, solemn bears were originally produced in 2 sizes, 40 cm and 65 cm. Want to help kids reduce screen time and develop their imagination and creativity? Largest measurement at 6 inches. Made of the finest brown mohair, this Teddy Bear is 5-way jointed and features an internal growler. One of the oldest bears, originating from 1904, had white fur and a sturdy body because of the metal rods that moved its arms. If you take a good feel of a very vintage bears armpit and feel a hard, flat, round disk both in the arm and in the body where the two come together, this probably would be an example of the companys disk jointed bears from about 1906 onward. At Catawiki, youll be surprised every week with the impressive selection of special objects we have on offer. You can follow her blog, which focuses on vintage Steiff finds, Steiff antiquing and travel adventures, international Steiff happenings, and the legacy and history of the Steiff company at. One more typical feature of the oldest products was the paws with five claws. Today, it has a market value of $1,000. Steiff and Steiff Teddy Bears have become synonymous with quality and tradition. Steiff Harley Davidson Bear - Germany - 250. That year, Ideal Toy produced stuffed bears like the cartoon and named them Teddys Bear. Ideal Toys founders requested Roosevelts permission to use his nickname for the Toy, and he consented. Bottom line: A large Steiff teddy bear featuring blonde mohair, black button eyes and a black stitched nose, this rare teddy bear looks a little bit, how shall we put it, well loved. #7. The condition is very good with very minor mohair loss, some home-sewn repairs to pads. 2. Steiff also made five other colorful bears and sent them all to Harrods in London. However, J.K. Farnells bears didnt last past the 1960s when the company closed down per Mearto. Late British Colonel Bob Henderson was famous for carrying his Steiff Teddy Girl beareverywhere during his service. It was supposed to go on sale long before the Titanic sank, but the combination of black fur and eyes was creepy even to the designer himself. The first Steiff Bears sold in the U.S. were the 28 P.B.s in 1904. And, even the more common Steiff bears have regularly commanded several hundreds to several thousands of dollars on the resale market. After training as a seamstress, she was able to raise enough money to buy a sewing machine by teaching people to play the zither. Things changed after the Titanic sank. If youre wondering, 55 P.B. The half-blue Harlequin bear from the Paul Greenwood collection reached $74,164 at auction. The inside construction featuring metal pins and cardboard disks was crucial for the bears head, arms, and legs to move. Gandtiques. See the table below for a comprehensive list. It was owned by Pam Hebbs, who was considered to be one of the worlds greatest teddy bear collectors and evaluators. Steiff Rod Teddy Bear ($101,880) Made in 1904, it is one of the first bears ever produced by the German company. For example, if your bear was owned by a historical figure, featured in a blockbuster movie, or autographed by a famous person, then you can expect a premium price tag. This is an optional document to own, but it helps because its evidence of authenticity. Blue Elliot Bear - 58,000. The expensive teddy bear had the original Steiff button in his ear and a crisp sailor's collar adorned with a Theodore Roosevelt pin. Why such a high price tag? Steiff is recognized worldwide for their quality stuffed animals. For example, in 2000, a Louis Vuitton Steiff Bear was auctioned for almost $200,000, while another rare model sold for over $150,000. That included claws and a pronounced face. What makes this limited edition bear so expensive? Browse Similar. If he were sitting in the window of a toy shop today, this 12-inch teddy would fit in just fine. . Bottom line: A rare Steiff teddy bear with blonde mohair and sweet, black button eyes, this original bear dates back to around 1908. Many people keep their teddy bears through major life changes, from moving homes to getting married. For a full list of record titles, please use our Record Application Search. These bears never caught on as well as Steiff had hoped, therefore not many were produced around 1910. Another collection of Tys, the quartet of 15-inch Peace Bear, 9-inch Peace Bear, Ringo (the raccoon), and Bones (a dog) can be worth up to . Steiff's Oldest Teddy Bear - $ 105,000 7. Sign up for her Steiff newsletter by contacting her directly at steifflife@gmail.com. Louis Vuitton Bear - 1,978,000This fuzzy fashionista decked out in Louis Vuittons finest takes the number one spot on our list. A rare early 20th Century Steiff teddy bear has been sold at auction for 3,200. HISTORY OF STEIFF German toymaker Margarete Steiff (July 24, 1847 - May 9, 1909), born in Giengen, started creating toy stuffed animals in 1880 in the town of Giengen an der Brenz, Germany. According to collectors, this particular cinnamon-colored Teddy bear with mohair fur and beady eyes that came to the market around 1908 was beautiful. While not all teddy bears are as valuable as the ones on this list, the popular stuffed animal has certainly stood the test of time and continues to be passed down from generation to generation. DW staff (kjb) 07/02/2008. Each one required an artisan to place individual drops of this black, sticky, rubbery substance on the tip of the bears muzzle until enough built up to resemble a nose. $75 OFFER Browse Similar. A new teddy bear costs a few euros. It stands in a branded LV logo trench coat and matching hat with a briefcase similar to the O.G. German Steiff teddy bears are often sold at auctions, as these bears are among the most collected. For instance, you can notice that Steiff bears contain a typical blonde mohair stuffing made of precious Angora goats wool. Measures 14 inches high. A few years later, there was a second run, but that didnt diminish the bears value or at least what this seller thinks of its value, hoping to sell it for a whopping $100,000. Featuring cuddly plush fabric and adorably grinning faces, these machine-washable Teddy bears are safety tested for all ages. Some editions have been lost with time, raising saved toys value. Where did Antique and Vintage Teddy Bears Originate From? Share the joy of squishy hugs from Steiff stuffed bears with the kids in your life. In todays economy, that value has dropped to 31,200 Pounds. Be aware that it is possible to repair a damaged Steiff bear, and you can sew on its eye or patch tears. The earliest Steiff bears were manufactured in 1902, and were string-jointed, excelsior-stuffed, and made from dark cinnamon-colored mohair. Its estimated value is $85,000 on the current market. The following luxurious and extremely rare teddy bears are the five most expensive in the world. The difference is that the value is not set in stone and the price differs based on the current market and models. 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