Featured HOW TO TELL IF ANTIQUE STEIFF TEDDY BEARS & ANIMALS ARE STEIFF?

These are part of a box of stuffed animals found in a storage auction a friend won yesterday. It has some Steiff that have the tag in their ears, but these older ones don't; even thought they have the classic Steiff look & the jointed limbs.
One thing is there were 1 or 2 other bear company bears in the box (The tall animal by itself in the last photos turned out to be a Dean's Rag Book Collection something - what is that thing?); so how do you tell without the ear tag?
Also, the dog has a tear in it's stomach - it's full of wood shavings? Is it a Steiff?
Thanks for any help.

 

Hmmm, I had the dog, always thought it was Steiff, had the same guts and the seam ripped before it was tossed into the trash.

 

@journeymagazine, Looks like, first off, you can rule out 'Deans Rag Book' bear! Next, look carefully along any and ALL seams for a tag that might show some old information......it also may have been cut off, but there are usually remnants showing. Then look CAREFULLY in the ear for any kind of a hole where there MIGHT have been a Steiff button.....they do and can get lost or a child may have pulled one out! Lastly, I'm going to send you to the expert on all things Steiff!! She will want good images of each, including bottoms of feet, nice, clean close-ups.....I think she's your best bet for great information, and she WILL get back to you!! Steifflife@gmail.com is her email, but here is her website (or blogspot) to peruse......
http://mysteifflife.blogspot.com/ which if you scroll down a ways, even looks like she has your dog in your 1st, 2nd and 4th images, WITH a Steiff button in the left ear!!!! GOOD LUCK!!!! (I'm not positive, but the bear WITH the dog MIGHT also be a Steiff.....) BTW, some of these can bring VERY NICE $$!!

Additional EDIT: Can't see if your dog is standing or sitting, WAIT....YES I can.....he's standing, GREAT! Here's an article from her site....a year ago.....and mind you....WITH red collar & bell, & button in ear!!!
And we're really going to the dogs with this third and final auction favorite. Here we have lot #431, a prewar Steiff Sealyham pup made from artificial silk plush. She is cataloged as, "A fine Steiff Sealyham late 1930s-1940s, with light golden artificial silk plush, orange and black glass eyes, black stitched nose and mouth, white mohair muzzle, pink airbrushing to claws, around nose and eyes, swivel head, standing, red leather collar, STEIFF button with yellow cloth tag No.1614,0 and card tag on collar —8in. (20.5cm.) long." This Steiff Sealyham is estimated at 200 - 300 GBP, which equals about $255 - 383.

 

Thank you Aquitatine!!

 

Aweee that reminds me of my childhood in Germany! I remember the plushy thing I had was a yellow tag that also read Steiff. I’ve found an article that has some valuable information on the dates... I hope this helps.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.we...ke-Teddybaeren-bringen-ein-Vermoegen-ein.html

 

Most welcome, Journey.....I too have to contact her!!! One of these days!!!

 

And WELCOME to ANTIQUERS, @FlowingHair!!!

 

And a whisker more info, some gleaned from our new member, @FlowingHair!!!
"If there is also a white flag with the words "Made in US Zone Germany", the teddy bear marked in this way dates from the period between 1947 and 1953. It was also Pfeiffer's company GAF that set the teddy bear record in 2002: the Steiff bear "Happy", which was manufactured in 1926, changed hands for 156,240 euros, or $173,936.21." Not too shabby for an old stuffed animal!!!!

 

Even if the tag is lost, Steiff animals generally still have the metal Steiff button in one ear. Not sure there are any antique ones in you pics, but they are old.

 

The bear on the left in the 3rd photo could be steiff, based on the curvature & length of the arm/hand and the long nose. Look for button in ear (left I think). Earlier ones were silver.......use your fingers as they get lost in the fur.