Remember These When Shopping Steiff UK Stuffed Toys

By creating history, the German brand and pioneer toy manufacturing facility has taken the world by storm including, of course, its home continent of Europe. It's therefore no surprise that Steiff UK products and toys can be found in abundance and with great demand. 

While these toys are great in general, shopping for them does not guarantee the same. We must still uphold smart buying practices and cautioned with anything else. That said here are some sound reminders to pay attention to.

• Know at least the basics of the product or the model and design that you seek. As years went by, the designs and materials for Steiff products varied. You can tell the age of an item based on the material it is made of. But even if the toy you want isn't a vintage collectible and instead a regular release, the same still applies. Why? Knowledge is power folks! And this can help us validate and better assess our purchases.
• Make a beeline for the button in ear. The trademark called the “knopf im ohr” which directly translates to "button in ear" has become a signature characteristic to Steiff UK toys and all of the brand's products in general. After having pioneered the design for the teddy bear in 1902 and its global success thereafter, many have created copies and dupes. As a result, the brand added the button in ear to help its customers better identify their products from the rest. For collectibles, it's presence adds value while for vintage toys, it can help identify their authenticity and age.
• Never compromise condition. It is never reasonable to buy an item given its poor state. If you have good reason to believe that the product is not in its best quality, especially when buying second hand or vintage, then by all means walk away. Steiff as a brand prides itself in quality as its founder was keen on her stand that "only the best is good enough for children". 
• Remember taxes. While there are many Steiff UK shops and distributors all over the country, some pieces may not be available especially if we talk collectibles. In which case we order from abroad. In such instances, do not forget to factor in the additional costs of doing so such as the shipping fee, custom duties and taxes as well as the foreign currency exchange rates that apply.

Things to Note When Staring a Steiff Teddy Bears Collection

Steiff teddy bears hold the record for being the oldest in existence. They're iconic and a pioneer. After all, the more than a century old German brand was the first to ever release the design in 1904 and ever since these cuddly wonders have been nothing short of a groundbreaking success releasing not just its traditional set of designs but even churning out limited edition pieces that always make the market squeal with excitement.

It is also because of these that more and more people have found themselves collecting these teddy bears, amassing them into a pile of not just sentimental but also historically and financially valuable collections.

If you're interested in starting one or are planning to grow your stash, we've collected the following tips to guide you along. Read up and make sure to take some notes!

1. Know a bit of history. Well, at the very least. - With over a century's worth of these toys, it may seem overwhelming for a certified newbie so researching is pretty crucial. Not to worry though since there's a lot of resources on the internet plus you'd be surprised how these teddy bears have quite a colorful and interesting one!

2. Identify what you like. - Steiff teddy bears all share a common denominator which is quality. The brand has been known for this for years. How else do you think the oldest collectibles managed to survive all these decades? So with so many options, knowing what you want is necessary so you don't end up feeling confused in a sea of choices.

3. Learn how to authenticate. - Replicas and fakes abound. Not surprising since Steiff products are very covetable and promising so do know how to identify the real ones from the fakes. The button in ear and fabric tags are a start.

4. Invest in the right storage. - A collection needs to be well maintained and taken care of and one of the aspects to that is proper and adequate storage. Invest in them and don't skimp on quality.

5. Prep that pocket. - Steiff teddy bears range from affordable to crazy expensive so depending on your budget and how much you are willing to spend, there's bound to be a toy for you. Additionally, collecting them means also investing in storage and maintenance so having a budget for this hobby is a must.

Interesting Facts About Steiff Bears

Steiff bears have created a cult following ever since their introduction in 1904. Their charm is too real to the point that they’ve become so enigmatic. As a matter of fact, they have been on the forefront of the race for a century even after the influx of other toy brands and manufacturers.

For something as iconic as Steiff bears, there ought to be a number of interesting facts and information circulating around and so we thought why not compile them all for everyone’s enjoyment? That said take a look at the following list.

·      They’ve been around for 113 years. Would you believe they’re older than most of our grandparents? It wasn’t until 1904 when a bear design was first introduced thanks to Richard Steiff, the founder’s favorite nephew who joined the family company after finishing his art degree. He has a certain fondness for bears and used his sketches of them to design the very first model. Before teddy bears, the brand has however produced other stuffed animal toys in the likes of dogs and cats and elephants for instance.

·      But the brand itself has been in existence since 1880. The Steiff company was built by accident after Margarete Steiff fashioned elephant-looking pin cushions and sold them around town. She later noticed that the kids loved to play with them and so she turned her dress shop into a bonafide toy manufacturing facility with the help of her brother marking the very first existence of a commercial plush toy manufacturing company the world has come to see.

·      Richard’s first design and jointly the world’s very first teddy bear was called the “P55B”. Mohair was used for fur and it comes with metal rods for joints. It is ridiculously difficult to find one in good condition these days and if one ever comes out, it’s bound to rake in some serious amount of cash.

·      When it comes to the most expensive toys, Steiff bears belong to the top pile as well. As a matter of fact, the most expensive one to date was a $2.1 million teddy bear. A collaboration with international and renowned fashion house, Louis Vuitton, it’s a plush mohair toy dressed from head to toe in the iconic LV monogram travel gear. It even comes with a matching mini luggage set! It was sold in a 2000 Monaco auction to South Korea’s Jessie Kim and is now displayed at the Teddy Bear Museum in Jeju Island, Korea.