Adorable And Handsome Steiff 5xJointed Zotty Teddy Bear 1959 Only 2 IDs SPECTACULAR Condition

Little did I realize that I would have another opportunity to help a 35-cm Zotty find a new home so soon after the last one was adopted. And as much as I do not take back a word of what I said in praise of the last guy, this Zotty is almost too spectacular for words! In any case, that Zotty was extremely nice, and I don’t mean to take anything away from him. But if you are looking for a bear who looks like he stepped off the store shelf yesterday, this Zotty is for you!

I will mention, right up front, the condition issue I usually save for last because it is inconsequential and does absolutely nothing to detract from Zotty’s magnificence on display (where I assume he will be living, in the home of an adult collector). I refer, of course, to his squeaker, which may have squeaked its last decades ago. The squeaker is healthy and springy, but the sound you hear now when you squeeze his belly is the crunch of excelsior.

Interestingly, in that respect, my previous Zotty did this guy one better. That Zotty had a tilt growler, and although it was intermittent and weak, you could, with patience, get him to “talk.” Since “playing with” the Steiff items I sell is not what I foresee their adult adopters will do—not only bears but all the Steiff animals I help relocate—their secondary attributes have never been that important to me or to my customers.

Since I believe my pictures give you a really good sense of what Zotty will look like in person to you, I don’t have to dwell on his features (thick mohair coverage, fantastic airbrushing—both in his mouth AND on his fur—felt parts that I believe are close to their original “ripe cantaloupe” color—I will tell you some things, which, although you can see them in my pictures too, they may not be that obvious.

I will start with Zotty’s healthy and tight joints. He was very willing to pose for me no matter what position I put him in. Not having a doll stand is often a frustration for me when I try to get bears and other animals in just the right pose. Of course, that might not be relevant to you if you intend to display him sitting (my seventh image is just one idea of how cute you can make him look).

Although I think you should be able to tell, I will say, affirmatively, that Zotty’s eyes are glass. They are backed by gray felt disks; the thinking was, I believe, to make him more expressive (as if he needed it!).

Zotty’s ribbon is original, and although it is a bit loosely tacked to his neck, it is most certainly still attached. I am almost positive the ribbon is silk, and the bright red color is uniform. You can also see that the fraying on the ends of his bow is minimal, and if I had to rate it, I would say it is about a 9.8 on a scale of 1 to 10.

You can see Zotty’s flag clearly; it is a little wavy but crisp and darkly printed. His article number, 6335,00, identifies him as having been made in 1959, and that one year only. I don’t know how Zotty changed for the next, more recent, number, but in case you are interested, that number had an “02” after the comma, instead of the “00.”

The “35” in Zotty’s number denotes his height in centimeters, measured to the top of his head. He is almost precisely in accord with the catalogue, measuring 13 3/4 inches tall. You should allow about another inch to accommodate his ears when you are figuring out your display possibilities. That’s another reason you may want to display Zotty seated; he won’t require quite as much overhead room.

The first digit, “6,” (in every Zotty’s number through the late 1960s) means something too. That was Steiff’s indication that the animal who had this digit as part of his article number was a young animal. You can see that size and babylike cuteness are independent characteristics. 🙂

The last thing I want to tell you, you may already know from reading some of my other descriptions of Zottys. His name is derived from the German word “zottig,” which means “shaggy.” Appropriate, no? 🙂

Speaking of other Zottys, check out his relatives in my shop; It would be great if a brother or cousin got to share a new home with this guy.

As I said, I am assuming my pictures will tell you everything else you need to know about his spectacular condition, but if you still have a question, by all means, write.

WHATEVER YOU DECIDE TO DO ABOUT ZOTTY OR ANY OF MY OTHER STEIFF ITEMS, PLEASE BE SURE TO SEE THE ARTICLE I HAVE WRITTEN ABOUT STEIFF ID FRAUD—INCLUDING COUNTERFEIT CHEST TAGS—(AND OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR COLLECTORS). YOU WILL FIND THE LINK ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT OF MY SHOP HOME PAGE UNDER “FAVORITE LINKS.” IF YOU HAVE NOT LOOKED AT IT RECENTLY, I UPDATED AND EXPANDED IT IN MARCH, 2023.