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Tigers

by Judith Lile and Jim Sneed

The Schoenhut Tigers

There are five tiger designs known - one regular size glass eyes, two regular size painted eyes, and two reduced size painted eyes. No decal eyes tigers has been seen. The tiger was first produced in 1906.

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Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Jim Kramer

Glass eyes, ball neck, leather ears

The earliest tiger, introduced in 1906, followed the design of the other early pieces - glass eyes, leather ears, cord tail, ball neck, and an open mouth. 
Keller Style I - Very Scarce


Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Andy Yaffee

White Eyebrows
Most tigers are found with painted white eyebrows.


Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Jim Sneed

Black Eyebrows
Occasionally, GE tigers are found with black eyebrows.

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Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Susan Turner

Painted eyes, ball neck, leather ears

This tiger was a transition style between the glass eyes and the painted eyes. Its head design, except for the painted eyes, is the same as the GE tiger. This is most likely the rarest of all of the tigers. Keller Style II - Very Rare

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Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Susan Turner

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Photo by Judith Lile

Painted eyes, molded ears

Keller Style III - Uncommon

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Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Susan Turner

Painted eyes, open mouth

This tiger's head was probably molded, then the mouth was cut out. Its tail is cord. The neck is fixed to the head. This style was introduced in about 1918.

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Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Susan Turner

Reduced size, open mouth

The reduced size tiger style closely followed the regular size painted eyes, open mouth.

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Photo courtesy of Bertoia Auctions.

Reduced size, closed mouth

Closing the mouth may have been a cost reduction measure. The head was completely redesigned and the stripe pattern changed. The body color was changed to a deeper orange.

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