Steiff Animal Figure Appraisal

Vintage Steiff Velvet Frog Quartet

This lot features four vintage plush bean-bag style frogs, likely manufactured by the renowned German toy maker Steiff, dating approximately to the 1950s or 1960s. These items are characterized by their articulated, elongated limbs and soft, two-tone construction. The dorsal (upper) sides are crafted from a vibrant forest green velvet or moleskin material, while the ventral (under) sides consist of a contrasting beige or off-white twill fabric. Each frog measures approximately 8-10 inches in length. The construction displays high-quality hand-stitched details, particularly visible in the webbed feet and the shaping of the heads. Regarding condition, the items show significant signs of age and play wear. There is noticeable matting and thinning of the green velvet pile, particularly around the joints. The beige undersides exhibit substantial discoloration, staining, and visible fraying at the seams where the limbs attach to the bodies. One specimen appears to have stuffing loss or internal degradation near the neck area. No identifying metal ear buttons (Knopf im Ohr) or yellow tags are immediately visible in this view, which is common for played-with toys of this era where tags were often removed. The aesthetic is representative of mid-century European soft toy design, favoring semi-realistic anatomical features combined with whimsical flexibility.