Rare Steiff Loopy Wolf Hand Puppet With Scary Fangs 2+ IDs

Loopy is fabulous and rare. He is not seen very often, thus he is a favorite among collectors. Steiff did not make many mohair wolves, and the full-bodied ones there are sell for REALLY BIG BUCKS when they appear. So, this is a more reasonable way for you to own a wolf. Of course, if you are a puppet fan, you don’t need any rationalization at all!

Loopy’s flag is reduced to a smidgeon of its former self, so I can’t use it as a means of identifying what his article number was, nor, therefore, of dating him precisely. However, I can tell you that Loopy is from one of the earlier series Steiff produced of his puppet from other hallmarks of manufacture he bears. His button is the earlier type of raised script, with skinny letters; his eyes are glass, and his figure tube is cardboard. Those things, taken together, indicate a production time between 1956 and 1964. Until 1958, Loopy’s article number would have been 317, and for the rest of the time until the end of the second series, his article number would have been 0317,00.

Loopy arrived with the hope I would help him find a new home, and from the way he looked, his previous (probably young) owner had given him quite a workout. His chest tag was barely hanging together, and his tongue was gone!

Chest tags on puppets are often the victims of enthusiastic play, since they are in the path of the puppeteer’s fingers when he or she makes the puppet come alive. Actually, the fact that Loopy retained his chest tag at all shows that he had a better fate than many puppets who have lost theirs. Loopy’s chest tag now is probably safe forever, especially if he goes to the home of an adult collector who displays, rather than “plays,” with him. However, there is no getting around the fact that the tag was, and still is, badly damaged, which is obvious on close inspection. I have held it together with cardboard backing, so it feels crisper to the touch. And more important, I think the tag will look quite acceptable from a display distance. Therefore, I believe my undertaking of a partial restoration was a good thing.

Interestingly, the one part of a chest tag (on ANY animal) which often suffers damage is the hole. And while the hole on Loopy’s tag is not absolutely pristine, his double string attachment has torn up into the red periphery of the tag to only a minimal degree.

OK, about his tongue. Unlike a chest tag, it is hard to imagine Loopy having been SO enthusiastically handled that his tongue was severed. Over the years I have been helping Steiff animals find new homes, I can recall a few other occasions where an animal was supposed to have a tongue that it didn’t, and the animals in question were not puppets. I can’t remember any specifics as I write this; suffice it to say that Loopy is was not unique in that respect. In any case, I replaced his tongue with wool felt that is a little more orange than his original tongue was, but the only other vaguely similar color of felt I have is deep red. Other than that slight hue substitution, Loopy’s new tongue looks great!

The rest of what I have to tell you about Loopy’s condition is based on his comparison to his near mint brother, who lives in my vitrine. This guy’s airbrushed accents are somewhat subdued from what they were like 60-something years ago when he left Giengen, but they are not altogether gone. Not only is that the case for his mohair, but his felt palate is still a nice ripe cantaloupe color, and it retains some rose-colored airbrushed accents too.

And speaking of color change—in the opposite direction from subdued airbrushing—Loopy’s chest was once closer to white than it is now; but I have seen much worse, and I am sure you have too. What his mohair does retain is a nice luster, as you should be able to see in my pictures. Of course, I ham assuming that what you see on your monitor is similar to what I see on mine.

As for Loopy’s mohair coverage, I would say that it is very good with some really minor areas of wear. No loss was so severe that it warranted showing you a closeup picture.

OK, enough nitpicking! As I said, I am assuming Loopy will be going to an adult collector, who will proudly display this rare fellow in his or her vitrine. But if part of what you want to do with Loopy is put him through some of his old Thespian paces to entertain a child (YOU should be the puppeteer, and the child can watch and enjoy), I have given you some ideas for the moods and behaviors you can make him express. If you have any questions about any of those—or about anything else pertaining to Loopy, don’t hesitate to write.

WHATEVER YOU DECIDE TO DO ABOUT LOOPY 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.