CLUB MAGAZINE The magazine for Steiff Club members – August 2018 Designer's Choice Gustav Teddy bear and Steffi little elephant out- shine each other (item nos. 006272 and 006265). 2 EDITORIAL Dear Steiff friends, The cover is dedicated to the This magazine also contains star of this issue: Harlequin Teddy plenty of news from the Steiff bear and little elephant. They company, and goes far beyond pure present themselves as no. 12 in product information. Managing the Margarete Steiff Edition. As Director Peter Hotz tells us many of you know, the edition size about himself and Zotty, his loyal traditionally is very low. This time childhood friend; we chat to Ruth there are only 138 pieces, as it is Richter, Key Account Manager of 138 years since the first ‘Elefäntle’ the Corporate Business Division, was made and Margarete Steiff and find out what the ALLIGATOR GmbH was founded. This "jewel" of company has to do with Steiff. the Steiff collection is reserved for And if you'd like to test your Club members, and we present it in knowledge of Steiff on page 40, you greater detail on pages 15 to 17. could be lucky enough to win one of The number of other lovely our fabulous prizes. collectors' items – not all of them in limited quantities – is so large Happy reading! that you will probably find it hard to make a choice! So for the Yours, young – and young-at-heart – new Club members amongst you, a word of advice from collectors of many years' standing might prove quite useful. On pages 34 to 39 you can find out what collecting Steiff animals is like and how it can even INGE ZINNECKER be combined with other hobbies. Steiff Club Manager 3 Bear-y loyal friends: The new Loyalty Teddy bears. 6 Fresh for fall: An autumn shopping guide 8 IMPRINT NEWS TOPICS PUBLISHER: Margarete Steiff GmbH, 6 Bear-y loyal 18 Steiff inside Richard-Steiff-Str. 4, 89537 Giengen an der Brenz, Germany tel.: + 49 (0) 7322 131555, e-mail: [email protected] friends A family affair EDITORS: Inge Zinnecker, Rick Emerson The new Loyalty CONTRIBUTORS: Rebekah Kaufman, Daniel Hentschel Teddy bears 20 The ALLIGATOR PHOTOS: Margarete Steiff GmbH company DESIGN AND PRODUCTION: Nadine Reinhardt / Hess GmbH – Medien, www.hess-medien.de 8 Fresh for fall A tribute to Richard PRINT: DFM-GMBH / BLUEPRINT, München An autumn Steiff's vision FREQUENCY OF PUBLICATION: twice a year shopping guide www.steiff.com 22 A company Subject to changes. Reprinting and copying, even in part, only with the express permission of the publisher. 12 Special items within a By submitting manuscripts you consent to their publication in Customer and country company the Club magazine. We must reserve the right to edit or abridge letters or articles. Printed colours may deviate from the original. exclusives Steiff's corporate All rights reserved. business Printed in Germany 07/2018 e – item no. 916915 14 Steiff Fashion First Steiff designed collection in 2019 15 138 pieces only The Margarete Steiff 4 Edition 2018 Secrets from the archives (6): Discovered for you! 24 18 Steiff inside: A conversation with Peter Hotz Venues: 42 A museum to fall in love with CONTENTS TOPICS COMMUNITY STANDARDS 24 Secrets from the 34 Passions 32 Service archives (6) Inspired by Steiff Questions and answers A look at never before seen treasures 40 Contest 48 The Club page Test your knowledge Rewards for recruiting 27 Culture new members, E-mail from the deep 42 Venues application form A museum to fall in 30 Portrait love with; new Steiff 50 Calendar Special items from the Shops Club events Toy Shoppe, Richmond, Virginia, USA 51 Favourite Peak performance 5 CLUB NEWS Bear-y loyal friends The new Loyalty Teddy bears. "Do you remember the first Steiff animal in your life?" Many of our Club members share long, very personal stories with us in response to this question. Often, people's associations with their first Steiff animal go right back to their childhoods. Many still have them today, and they are bound up with countless memories that may well have helped them to make the decision to join the Steiff Club. Loyalty and friendship are important when collecting Steiff animals – especially in the Club! We want to acknowledge this loyalty and reward loyal USI V L E members with something very special. C L X Y E * f o * r The Loyalty Available for a long time A special trio C s l r bears for That is why we are releasing So what is the situation with u e b mb long-standing a new series of Loyalty bears this the new bear family now? The first me members: year. Loyalty bears have been of the series is available to anyone Item no. 421570 around for some time. However, who has been a Club member for – for 25 years as a Club member – for 10 years, like many Club editions, they used at least ten years, and the trio is is effectively the "treasure" of the item no. 421587 to be only available in limited then gradually completed. All three series. This bear is pale blond, and for 20 years, numbers, which meant that they bears were lovingly designed in the has a gold-coloured glitter band. item no. 421594 very quickly became unavailable. Steiff studio and wear felt emblems. The paws, soles and collar are made for 25 years Time and again, we had to cancel All three stand 24 cm tall. And they of golden yellow felt, and this bear of membership. orders even though the people in complement each other in a very sports a little, gold-coloured felt (€ 99.90/ question had been members for special way, because each new bear hat. CHF 119.00/ many years, and we regretted this brings a little decorative detail £ 89.90 each) every time. However, this shouldn't with it. The Loyalty Teddy bear What a (hi)story happen with the new Loyalty Teddy for 10 years as a Club member is 10 years – 20 years – 25 years: bears: they are not limited, and the cinnamon in colour with paws and we go back a long way with many plan is for them to remain in the soles in light-brown felt. The nose of our Club members, which also Club range for a long time. This and snout are hand-embroidered means that we share countless means that Club members of many in coffee-coloured mercerised personal experiences. Even though years' standing can look forward yarn. The bear is wearing a printed many of them have already been to their Loyalty Teddy bears even glitter band and an embroidered published, we don't know most of if the date is still some time in caramel-coloured felt chest tag. them, and probably never will. But the future. And we all like having The second bear is similar, except they exist, and they shape people's something to look forward to, don't this one is white, with the soles individual lives. We get tremendous we? and paws contrasting in silver. pleasure from thinking about them In addition to the printed glitter – and we also have a tremendous band and chest tag, the bear is also respect for them. All the different wearing a collar. Loyalty bear no. 3 experiences that people all over 6 CLUB NEWS the world have with their Steiff come in, but to us it is far more collecting Steiff animals is to you in animals, and how different cultures important to feel how the subject your life, and how the animals are affect these personal relationships, of bear loyalty is experienced in presented in your home. We will make us part of a global community the various corners and ends of the be pleased to contact you, and we that we are proud to call family. globe. would be delighted to publish some What is a fact is that as of August, of these stories. around 9,000 Club members all 20+ stories over the world were entitled to This is a very special message purchase the cinnamon-coloured for people who have been Club bear. We count 4,000 members for members for at least 20 years. You the white bear. And an impressive are cordially invited: please feel 2,300 members or so fulfil the free to send your Steiff collector's requirements for the "treasure" of story with your order. It doesn't the series. So now we look forward have to be long. For instance, you to receiving your orders. It's not can tell us what your favourite about the value of the orders that animals are, how important 7 NEWS For the Steiff autumn collection, we went treasure hunting in grandma’s attic, took an imaginary trip around the world, and discovered that the best things often come in small packages. Take a look at our three themed collections for fall, and you’ll instantly understand what we’re talking about. We’ve assem- The Vintage Memories Collection bled a very special assortment that’s sure Inspired by a visit to grandma’s house, this to capture the imagination of every collec- collection has a vintage feel that will add charm and tor. With so many superb items to choose warmth to any collection. All items in the Vintage from, we think you’ll have a hard time Memories assortment come packaged in an elegant selecting just one! art-deco inspired tube that’s ideal for storage or gift- giving.