Love Those Continuous Stripes!

Tom Cats are Everyone's Favorite!

     I frequently get emails from folks asking how I became interested in Steiff.  My very first Steiff animal was a Gussy cat and a gift from a neighbor's live-in German maid when I was 12 years old.  Christine would return to Germany several times a year for holidays and bring me back a new Steiff animal every time she returned to the USA.  To date, I have every one of the 10 animals she brought me, except for one.

     As I got older (and my own money) I started seeking out these beautiful animals at antique shows and garage sales while I lived in New Jersey.  Yes, there actually was a time when they could be purchased for only a few dollars each!  Eventually my mother and sister also became “hooked,” and the three of us would go to garage sales on the weekends on our Steiff quest.  It was a game at breakneck speed to see who could get out of the car first…first come, first serve!  I never offered to drive so I could be the first one out of the starting gate of the car.  At that time, all three of us collected any and all Steiff.

     In the mid 1980’s, I started purchasing just about every new Steiff animal that was made.  I also opened an antique store in New Jersey’s foxhunt country and my prized older Steiff collection was on display in a locked glass cabinet.  It wasn’t until days later that I found someone had broken into the cabinet and had stolen my beloved Gussy.  I spent years trying to replace her; and I finally was able to with a “look-alike,” but she did not have the special sentimental value as I had loved that kitty since I was 12.

     But I do limit my personal taste to the domestic and wild felines.  I enjoy seeking out rare, less-frequently-seen or factory "errors" and "transitional" pieces.   As for all ID’s, they are nice, but the animal has to be lovely as well.  Collectors shouldn’t limit themselves exclusively to this, as there are so many animals that are in mint condition, but without their ID’s.  And let's not forget the older kitties that have some wear that offer that great "character" and charm from years of love that "mint" kitties don't have.  I have many such felines in my own collection.  Another new-found hot market are the plush kitties from the 1960's and 1970's. I have a nice collection of these early plush cats, some which I have already offered for sale.  These also offer a nice niche for collectors.  While many folks overlook these later ones, they are becoming increasingly more and more difficult to find in excellent condition.  Some of these animals are already almost 50 years old and should now be viewed as serious collector's pieces.  After all, as real collectors, aren’t we collecting for ourselves, anyway?  Our Steiff animals need to please us, and really  no one else.

NOTE REGARDING FEEDBACK:  I always leave feedback as soon as the Buyer pays for an item.  I don't believe in a Seller waiting until the Buyer leaves feedback first (to see "if they're happy").   

     I do request you follow the link below to Big Cat Rescue and help in anyway you can to assist in preserving these beautiful big cats.  Big Cat Rescue is a true sanctuary commited to rescuing and offering these animals a better life than what they had been taken from.  Please also visit the link to the Florida Panther Refuge. 

     We all have heard about Christian The Lion.  After being rescued as a cub from zoo life, Christian grew up in a flat in London.  He was successfully released into the wild at the age of one year.  See the heart-warming reunion after his release in Africa and Christian's amazing recognition of his owners one year later....We all need to support the release of big cats back into the wild.  Enjoy the video with Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You."    

Video Reunion With Christian the Lion

Click on the link below to view my STEIFF EXTREME MAKEOVERS:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110417655100&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT