Judy's Old Wood Toys

Steiff

Although famous for its fine mohair and fabric animal toys, the Steiff  toy company made some very fine wooden toys in the 1925s and 1930s. These toys are very rare and very desirable among collectors.

The company's catalogs show that their first wooden toy may have been a toy train consisting of an engine, tender, passenger car, and hopper produced in 1925. In 1926 they produced a series of wooden bird pull toys and a butterfly. The goose pull toy shown at left was part of this series of pull toys. Its Steiff button, behind its left eye, is the style used  in the 1920s and 1930s.  The Steiff stock number was #1822. Also in 1926, the company made a series of wooden birds mounted to a bellows bird call maker (squeaker) and a wooden dog-shaped wagon. The dog's front paws move up and down as the wagon is pulled. In 1927, they were advertising a similar wagon in the shape of a rabbit. Also known are several wooden race cars and a tram car.

This Steiff Duck or Chick squeaker toy from about 1927 is in beautiful condition. Its bellows and squeaker still work perfectly. Steiff's production quality is superb. These old Steiff wooden toys are very hard to find.

The following list of Steiff wooden toys has been compiled from reference books and known examples from the period before 1950. Many more were likely produced. Some of these may not have been produced. I would appreciate any additional information about these beautiful toys. Please send me photos of these toys and I will put them on this page.