Pia’s Blog: At the turn of the century, the name and term “Zeppelin” was associated with something modern and magical. After several accidents and a fire on the airships in the first development phase, the public donated over 6 million marks (equivalent to around 43 million euros today) via a lottery system to enable the penniless Count von Zeppelin to continue developing and building the airship. Steiff is also unable to escape the “Zeppelin euphoria” and finally launches the “Uncle Zeppelin” felt doll on the market in 1908.

Pia’s Blog: Struwwelpeter is the main character of the children's story book of the same name written by Frankfurt doctor and psychiatrist Heinrich Hoffmann in 1844. The stories, sometimes very cruel by today's standards, were very successful at the end of the 19th & beginning of the 20th century. The 100th edition was published as early as 1871. In 1908, the first Struwwelpeter was produced as a felt doll by the Steiff company. In the following years, the secondary characters “the wild hunter” and Nikolas were also created.

Pia’s Blog: In the third installment of the classic children's book “Max und Moritz - Bubengeschichten in sieben Streichen”, the tailor Böck became the target of the rascals' pranks. “... Tailor Böck knew how to make all these clothes....” In the prank, the bridge to Tailor Böck's house has to believe..... and “plops, there goes the tailor!” Schneider Böck was produced as a series of Max & Moritz figures from 1911.

Pia’s Blog: ''The fifth prank'' follows immediately... in the fifth prank, dear Uncle Fritz becomes the victim of the rascals Max & Moritz, the classic children's book by Wilhelm Busch. The uncle gets cockchafers stuck under his blanket by the two tormentors. The felt doll of “Uncle Fritz”, produced from 1911 onwards, is a highlight in its very good, unused condition.

Pia’s Blog: The widow Bolte appears in the classic children's book “Max und Moritz - Bubengeschichten in sieben Streichen” in the first and second prank, as a victim of the rascal duo Max & Moritz by Wilhelm Busch. Their beloved chickens were the victims of the prank. In 1909, Max and Moritz was added to the Steiff range as a felt doll. This was immediately followed in subsequent years by the children's book's secondary characters, such as the widow Bolte, Uncle Fritz, the teacher Lämpel and the tailor Böck.

Pia’s Blog: Between 1900 and 1910, grotesque figures conquered the American and English fairs as little lucky charms. For example, the designer Florence Pretz created the little “Billiken” or “KrackJack”, also known as the “God of good luck”, for Steiff. A small, cute, chubby felt doll. Between 1909 and 1917, 7294 copies were sold. Our little “KrackJack” is an absolute rarity in unplayed condition and a highlight for every felt doll collector.

Pia’s Blog: In the golden 20s, cinemas in America and Europe became big. The Hollywood dream factory sends its films around the world. Among them is the animated story of a funny little mouse. Mickey Mouse was the invention of cartoonist Ub Irwerks, who drew two short films a month for Walt Disney about all kinds of adventures of the little mouse and thus produced the first animated sound films. The marketing of the “sound film miracle” was entrusted by Disney to the American company Geo. Borgfeldt & Co. in New York, which had coincidentally already been the sole American importer of Steiff for decades. Between 1931 and 1936, around 53,000 Mickey Mice are produced in Giengen. The successful collaboration with Disney is continued in the 1950s with the production of the fawn “Bambi”.