Collect Steiff toys in good condition, keep records

Q. I just started collecting stuffed toys made by the Steiff company. Can you give me some advice about what to buy and how much the toys should cost?

A. Margarete Steiff made the first Steiff toy, a stuffed elephant, in 1880 and soon she had a factory in Germany making all sorts of stuffed animals. So, you have thousands of toys to choose from. Look for the button in the animal’s ear, a trademark used since 1904. They have also used labels and other tags. The button and tags give assurance that it is really by Steiff, and the price will be higher than that of a similar unmarked toy. Like all antiques, condition, size, supply, demand and that intangible “appeal” also determine price. Serious collectors and experts say to buy the best example you can afford, and original condition is the most important feature. Some still want toys that have “been loved,” but that is another way to say they are in bad shape. The ugly toys are rarer than the pretty or cute ones, so the prices are higher. Large ones (over 10 inches tall) are rare, cost more when new, and are more expensive as antiques than small ones.

Keep accurate records of what you bought, price, description, history and a picture, so when eventually your collection is sold, all the information for taxes or claims to importance are available. And remember to sound like an expert. “Steiff is an animal for life,” was their rhyming slogan, so you can remember not to mispronounce the name as “Steef.”

Q. I have just been given an antique vinaigrette, but I don’t know how it was used. The gift tag says it was to help revive a person who felt faint or had fainted. I thought from the name that it had something to do with vinegar and food.

A. Before 1900, an 18-inch waist was an important part of a fashionable look. Women wore corsets at the waist, and someone would have to tighten the lacing at the back to shrink the waistline. This uncomfortable clothing often interfered with proper posture and breathing, so women would feel faint and sniff a vinegar or ammonia-soaked sponge in the vinaigrette. The shock of the sharp smell would revive the woman. Vinaigrettes came in many shapes, from boxes with a grill to fanciful containers shaped like fish, cornucopias or books. Q. My antique bisque-headed doll is marked on the back of the neck with the impressed letters S. F. B. J. /301/ PARIS. Does that tell who made it?

A. The letters stand for the French company Societe Francaise de Fabrication de Bebes & Jouets. The firm was in Paris and Montreuil-sous-Bois, France. The mark was used from 1899 to the 1950s.

Q. I sold Avon during the 1960s and ‘70s, and I have a large collection. I’m downsizing and wonder if anyone would be interested before I throw them out.

A. Avon started as the California Perfume Company, founded by David H. McConnell in 1886. The name Avon was used beginning in 1929. Collecting Avon bottles became popular in the 1960s, and at one time there were more than 60 Avon collector clubs in the United States. Interest has waned and most of the clubs are gone, but you can still find people selling vintage Avon bottles that held beauty products. Some are crossover collectibles, especially figural bottles, so you might find someone interested in your collection by contacting online sellers. Most Avon collectibles sell for under $10. A few that are shaped like cars are about $25.

CURRENT PRICES

Current prices are recorded from antiques shows, flea markets, sales and auctions throughout the United States. Prices vary in different locations because of local economic conditions.

Satin Glass vase, blue, cased, ruffled mouth, 8 1⁄2 x 5 1⁄ inches, $20.

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Bowl, Findlay Onyx, shaped rim, flowers, leaves, cream, 2 1⁄ x 8 inches, $150.

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Vase, Celadon, bottle shape, lobed, cranes, 10 x 4 inches, $300.

Carnival Glass, Rose Bowl, blue, roses, basket, 8 3⁄ inches, $310.

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Buffalo Pottery Chamberstick, white flowers, green leaves, turquoise band, Emerald Deldare, 6 3⁄ inches, $625.

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Vase, Loetz, iridescent diaspora, bag shape, flared mouth, ruffled, dimpled, red, 1920s, 6 1⁄2 x 3 1⁄ inches, $1,420.

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Cigar store figure, holding cigars, headdress, green tunic, yellow leggings, 23 x 5 3⁄ inches, $1,320.

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Console table, Dunbar, midcentury modern, 3 file drawers, 2 doors, shelves, 29 x 136 1⁄ inches, $1,970.

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Terry Kovel can be contacted through kovels.com.