How can you tell a fake Steiff bear?
When it comes to teddy bears, look for these tell tale signs of quality: swiveling head, plush and felt paws, eyes made of glass, joined legs and arms. Details on Steiff teddy bears–like the nose, mouth, and other small elements–are hand stitched with thread with care.
Are Steiff bears worth it?
By nature, a Steiff bear is a toy. That means if your bear is particularly old, it’s likely to have been well loved and played with. But if your bear is in good condition (bonus if it’s like new or never been played with), it will likely fetch a higher price at auction.
Are new Steiff bears a good investment?
He says: “Buying new bears as an investment for the future doesn’t pay off. The value is in scarcity. “Few of the original Steiff bears have survived and that’s why they go for so much. But when you make something as a collector’s item for an adult to keep in a box, they tend to survive.
Do Steiff bears make noise?
That is what you have, a Steiff bear. The sound your bear once made comes from a “growler.” Touch your bear’s lower stomach and lower back and you will feel a metal mechanism. If the growler were working, it would “growl” when you tipped the Bear on its back and then brought it straight up.
Is Steiff still made in Germany?
The bears became extremely popular in the USA and from 1906 on were known as Teddy Bears after President Theodore Roosevelt. The Steiff tradition continues to this day. Manufacturing is still done by hand in Steiff’s 100-year-old factory in Giengen, Germany.
Is my bear a Steiff?
Steiff’s earliest bears have black wooden, or “shoebutton” eyes that are set deeply into the Bear’s face. From the mid 19-teens, black and brown glass pupil eyes became the “eye” standard. The company’s rod bears have embroidered mouths and black “gutta percha” noses, which are made from a natural black sap.
How can you tell a Steiff teddy bear?
How much did a Steiff teddy bear sell for?
Some big bucks have been spent for Steiff teddy bears like the 1903 Steiff teddy bear that sold for $17,250 and the blue glass-eyed bear that sold for $16,590. A circa 1920s teddy bear called the Steiff harlequin bear sold for nearly $75,000. Unbelievable!
How is the value of a Steiff bear determined?
Steiff Values are based on the item being NRFB (never removed from box) or in New Condition. The Steiff Value is calculated by current Retail Prices and Closed Auction Sales.
Which is the most expensive Louis Vuitton teddy bear?
For instance, one of Steiff’s vintage bears, the Steiff’s Louis Vuitton bear is the world’s most expensive teddy bear ever sold at any auction, according to BornRich.com. It was sold in 2000 for $2.1 million and you can now see it at the Teddy Bear Museum in Jeju, Korea.
What’s the best price for a teddy bear?
Sometimes, if there is a history attached to a teddy bear, or if the teddy bear is said to previously belong to a famous person in history or culture for example, it can give it a much better price. As a general guide, subscribe to either auction houses who organise teddy bear auctions and get a check on the price guides for teddy bears.
What was the price of a Steiff teddy bear?
Steiff large-eyed, brown-tipped golden teddy bear, jointed, mohair. 1920s. Sold for £16,250 via Christie’s (October 2010). Steiff, a small toy company at the time, struggled to fulfill the large order, but by all accounts the 3,000 “55 PB” bears were produced and shipped.
Which is the most expensive teddy bear in the world?
The most expensive is one of the earliest Steiff teddy bears. And the most expensive Steiff teddy bear is a 1905 Steiff Teddy Girl. A collector paid a whopping 110 000 British pounds of the bear back in 1994. It’s a record that has yet to be beaten.
Steiff Values are based on the item being NRFB (never removed from box) or in New Condition. The Steiff Value is calculated by current Retail Prices and Closed Auction Sales.
Who are the makers of vintage teddy bears?
Steiff and Ideal Toy Company aren’t the only sources of antique bears to keep an eye out for; there were a number of other notable teddy bear manufacturers. Some other toy makers include J.K Farnell, a British toy company that created bears in a similar style to Steiff bear.
