German Pull Toy Dog, Turning Head, Steiff or Thuringian Workshop, C. 1900 - 1915

Details

Description

A rare and finely constructed early 20th-century German pull toy dog, attributed to the Steiff company or a Thuringian workshop … Read more A rare and finely constructed early 20th-century German pull toy dog, attributed to the Steiff company or a Thuringian workshop operating in the Steiff tradition, circa 1900–1915. The figure is rendered in light tan twill fabric over a softly stuffed body, with shaped and stitched legs and a proportionally elongated tail. The head is fully articulated and designed to turn in tandem with the front axle, a technical innovation characteristic of early Steiff models intended to animate the toy as it moves.

The dog retains its original glass eyes with black pupils, a black stitched mouth, and a black felted nose—details commonly associated with German soft toy production of the era. Its ears are individually stitched and softly folded, giving the face a lifelike expression. The dog wears a fitted brown leather collar with buckle, likely original. The underside is mounted to a painted iron frame supporting four turned wooden wheels, with remnants of early hand-wrapped axle string visible at the front.

The expressive naturalism, mechanical head movement, and choice of materials all point to manufacture in Central Germany, either by Steiff or one of the skilled imitators active in Sonneberg or the surrounding Thuringian region. Though unmarked, the technical and stylistic features correspond with known Steiff designs from 1895–1915, prior to the consistent application of the "button in ear" trademark.

Measurements: 12" d x 5" w x 8.875" h. See less