Frequently Asked Questions

How can I tell how old a vintage Steiff is? (draft)

Open questions for review

Your own dating checklist would make this much better: which button types, tag materials, eyes and stuffing do you use to date the vintage Steiffs you sell? I could only source the earliest features (1904–1905) and the general rule that no single detail settles the age.

The button, the ear tag and the teddy's own construction all give clues. No single detail settles it, so collectors read them together, along with what is known of the teddy's history.

The button

The very first buttons, used in 1904 and 1905, carried an elephant or were blank. After that, the buttons carried the Steiff name, and their design changed several times over the decades, so the button gives a first clue to the era.

The ear tag

Steiff's tags have changed many times, so an older teddy should not be judged by today's colour system.

The teddy itself

The earliest Steiff bears have features that later bears lost: a pronounced humped back, long slender arms, large feet with felt pads, black boot-button eyes, and stuffing of wood wool and kapok. The V&A museum's Steiff bear from 1904–1905 shows them all.

Its history

A known history, or provenance, such as an earlier owner or a museum collection, often tells the most. Our vintage product pages say what we know of each teddy's history and which tags it still has.

In our shop

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Sources

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