Gorgeous Coloring Steiff 5XJointed Jocko Chimpanzee (NOT Monkey!) 2 IDs

It has been many years since I have helped a Jocko of this size (25 cm) find a new home, and I am delighted to offer this wonderful guy up for adoption! Since Jocko has only a few threads remaining from his flag, I can’t be precise about dating him, but I can give you a range.

Jocko’s glass eyes and early style raised script button with skinny letters make it almost a certainty that he is from one of the first two series. I cannot tell you with absolute certainty what his article number was; it was either 5325 or 5325,03. The first number was used for a series whose total range was 1949 to 1958, although the blue printing of Jocko’s name on his chest tag would date him no earlier than 1953—still giving him the possibility of having been made during the last six years of that series. The next series, 5325,03, was made between 1959 and 1964. That same article number was also used for the next later series, but that is not relevant here.

I mentioned Jocko’s chest tag, which is in very nice condition, except for the fact that it is slanted! That is the fault of someone at the factory, and of course, in no way does it affect my assessment of Jocko’s condition, which is excellent, and I mean absolutely, not “for his age,” whatever that is supposed to mean. It is much more meaningful to note that his condition is excellent DESPITE his (nearly 60-year) age.

Because Jocko has that fabulous auburn coloring, I believe his date of birth is earlier rather than later. But even at his very youngest, Jocko is approaching his 60th birthday. I tried to get his coloring uniform from image to image, but changes in lighting for his various poses caused a bit of difference from image to image. The same goes for Jocko’s fantastic felt “skin.” The color could not have been any different when Jocko left Giengen.

Not only is the base “ripe cantaloupe” color of Jocko’s skin fantastic, but the airbrushing on top of it is amazing too! And ALL the color you see on his felt is airbrushing, including BOTH sides of his hands and feet; that is NOT DIRT! The closely spaced multi-color curved lines tracing the insides of Jocko’s ears are absolutely gorgeous.

While still on the topic of Jocko’s incredible condition, I do want to mention a very slight flaw. As I am showing you with the inset in my sixth image, Jocko’s beard has some minimal thinning. The worst of it is on the upper left side, just below his lip. I trust that you, too, believe this is really inconsequential, since he has SO MANY outstanding features!

OK, back to the good stuff! I was having some fun with the poses I used in my 10th composite image. As you know, apes are athletic; their swinging from tree branch to tree branch is call brachiation. I adapted Jocko’s athleticism to an indoor display, and even at nearly 60 years old, Jocko can still do headstands and splits. I got him to keep those poses long enough for me to photograph him (with much trial and error), but Jocko cannot be indefinitely displayed that way.

Mention of Jocko’s possible positions reminds me that I have not fully explained his 25 cm catalogued size (the “25” in each possible article number). That size is misleading because Jocko cannot be displayed standing, despite the fact that he is fully jointed. I do show him “standing” in my ninth composite image, but he is leaning against a “wall” hidden behind my black background.

If the rounded and slanted bottoms of Jocko’s feet could be placed parallel to the ground, his measurement from his heels to the top of his head would be a bit under 10 inches, almost precisely his “official” 25 cm size. His seated height can be varied, depending on his posture. With his back perpendicular to his sitting surface, Jocko measures about 6 3/4 inches to the top of his head. Of course, if he slouches, 😉 He will require less vertical clearance.

I guess, if you really want him to “stand,” you could lean him against a wall in your vitrine, but because he would be balancing on the tips of his toes, that position will be less stable than his intended one.

I think I have covered everything you could think to ask, but if I have left something out, please write. Jocko is rare and wonderful, and he deserves a place in your collection. If you can part with him once you have seen him, he would make the Steiff or ape collector in your life absolutely delighted.

WHATEVER YOU DECIDE TO DO ABOUT JOCKO 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 DECEMBER, 2022.