Hi John,

Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry.

Despite the lack of a button, this has all the other hallmarks of being made by Steiff, one of the most famous names in the teddy bear world.

Steiff teddy bears are significant because they helped create one of the world’s most enduring toy traditions. In 1902, Richard Steiff designed the first jointed plush bear, giving it movable limbs and a lifelike appearance that distinguished it from earlier stuffed animals. Inspired by the famous Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt hunting story, the toy became known as the teddy bear and sparked an international craze. Steiff’s bears were prized for their mohair coverings and meticulous construction.

The lack of an ear button will deter casual collectors but serious bear connoisseurs will easily recognize this as a Steiff.

This bear appears to be fairly well maintained and you've extended its life by putting it under a cover. If the extent of previous "work" consisted of minor seam repairs and an overall cleaning, that won't in any way negatively impact the value in the way that, say, restuffing, replacing lost mohair or adding new paw pads. The hard "crunchy" stuffing is called 'excelsior' and it's normal to have hardened over time.

Currently, vintage bears of this size and condition are selling at auction for between $300 and $500 and, if you're interested in selling this, I would suggest working with an auction house that has dedicated toy auctions, such as RSL, Bertoia, Pook & Pook or Morphy. Each of these has a close working relationships with toy collectors, who may overlook general auctions with just a few toys at larger auction houses.

If you're looking to sell this privately, you might start asking $600 so you aren't undersold.

Based on the photos and information provided, and subject to examination, this is:

A near antique Steiff blond mohair jointed teddy bear
circa 1920s
Once with an ear button, now lacking.
Height: 33cm (13 inches)
CONDITION: professionally cleaned; with minor fur losses
PROVENANCE: Inherited
$ 300-500*
*represents a fair-market value for auction purposes; retail or asking price may vary.

Please let us know if you have additional items to appraise, or questions/concerns, and thank you again for using Mearto.
~ Delia