Blank Button Steiff Bear, ca. 1905
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GUEST:
I brought a bear that had belonged to my uncle, and he was born in 1900. So the bear was given to him sometime after that. It's a Steiff toy, but I had a dog that chewed off the tag and chewed his nose a little bit. He had a collar that was leather and a chain, but that's been lost.
APPRAISER:
Okay, so he is a Steiff bear. He has a blank button, which dates him to 1904, 1905. He would be kind of a miniature riding bear. This would be for a very small child and more of a shelf piece. He has part of his original nose, which is that rusty-colored felt. Brown is a little more unusual color for these particular pieces. He has cast-iron wheels. He is really a delightful piece with a wonderful smile. The collar that he would have worn may have had little studs in it that were Steiff buttons, and a lot of times, those are taken off by collectors because they can sell those buttons for $100 to $200 apiece and more. Even with the fact that he has had his ear chewed, he has a wonderful smile, he's got that blank button, and the mohair is in great condition. His value in a retail situation, he would be around $1,200 to $1,500.
GUEST:
Okay, thank you.
Appraisal Details
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