Steiff – EAN 664939 – Roald Dahl Willy Wonka – 28 cm – Mohair – Limited Edition 302/1916 – 2016

Description

A highly characterful Steiff interpretation of Willy Wonka from Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, issued in 2016 as a limited edition of 1,916 examples exclusively for the UK, Ireland and USA.

This is Steiff EAN 664939, produced during the centenary year of Roald Dahl’s birth. The edition size of 1,916 has an obvious significance, reflecting 1916, the year in which Dahl was born.

Rather than interpreting Willy Wonka through one of the film adaptations, Steiff based the design upon Quentin Blake’s celebrated illustrations, giving the bear a particularly strong connection with the literary history of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

The bear is made from fine beige mohair, with dark eyes and a hand-embroidered brown nose and mouth. He is dressed in an appropriately eccentric interpretation of Wonka’s costume: a deep dusky-purple velvet-style tailcoat, yellow waistcoat, white shirt, pink-patterned bow tie and tall grey felt top hat with contrasting pale band.

A particularly attractive detail is the embroidery of “ROALD DAHL” across the right felt foot pad, permanently identifying the literary association of the edition. The opposing paw pad remains plain, allowing the inscription to stand out clearly.

The model is five-way jointed at the neck, shoulders and hips and retains Steiff’s white limited-edition ear label with gold-plated Button in Ear.

This example is individually numbered 302 of 1,916 and retains its original Steiff labels. It is accompanied by its original presentation box, numbered certificate of authenticity and associated documentation.

The combination of Roald Dahl, Quentin Blake and Steiff gives this edition considerably broader interest than a conventional collector bear. Willy Wonka is one of the defining characters of twentieth-century children’s literature, while Blake’s illustrations have themselves become inseparable from the visual identity of Dahl’s books.

A particularly attractive, complete example from one of Steiff’s strongest literary character collaborations.

Condition

Excellent collectible condition.

The beige mohair remains full and attractive and the embroidered facial features are well preserved. The original costume is complete, including the purple coat, yellow waistcoat, shirt, bow tie and grey top hat.

The embroidered ROALD DAHL foot pad remains clean and distinct.

Original Steiff limited-edition ear label, gold-plated Button in Ear and manufacturer’s labels are retained.

Accompanied by the original Steiff presentation box, numbered certificate and paperwork. The box shows only light signs of storage and handling consistent with age.

Please study all photographs carefully, as they form an integral part of our condition report.

Maker: Margarete Steiff GmbH, Germany
Date: 2016
Height: Approximately 28 cm / 11 inches
Material: Beige mohair with felt and textile costume
Construction: Five-way jointed mohair collector’s bear with embroidered facial features, felt paw pads, gold-plated Button in Ear and original character costume.

Why Buy from Hornseys?

Every item offered by Hornseys is handled, inspected and catalogued in-house before being offered for sale. We take particular care to identify manufacturers, edition details, materials, accessories and condition accurately, using the object itself and its surviving original documentation wherever possible.

Hornseys has been established in Ripon, North Yorkshire, since 1976, and our stock encompasses fine art, illustration, rare books, collectables, toys and unusual decorative objects.

We provide free UK delivery, carefully packed tracked shipping and a 14-day unconditional return guarantee, provided the item is returned in the same condition in which it was supplied.

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