STEIFF Vintage Rare Sitting Bengal Tiger 14CM With ID WELL CARED FOR AND BEAUTIFUL Start Price USD 189.00 Current Price USD 189.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Wednesday, July 23, 2008 End Time Tuesday, July 29, 2008 Location Cape Haze, FL See more about 'STEIFF Vintage Rare Sitting Bengal Tiger 14CM With ID' Description This gorgeous rare sitting Bengal tiger is in absolutely pristine condition.  He is the smallest of the three sizes at 14 cm.  His  actual measurement is 5 3/4 inches tall and 9 inches from tail tip to nose tip.  He is very, very clean and his mohair is excellent.  I would rate him a 9 out of 10.  He is absolutely beautiful and can go from the shipping box to your display cabinet without any "sprucing up."   It is obvious that he has never been played with, was used for display purposes only and was well taken care of.  I am showing photos of him on the edge of the table at all angles so you can see how straight and firm his tail is.  There is a very slight amount of settling where his tail meets his hind end, but not the usual settling in two places.   Like Steiff's other sitting animals, for instance Leo and Lea, these sitting designs unfortunately make for bad tails.  I think the way his previous owner displayed him (on a raised surface) for all these past years  kept his tail so well intact.   He still has his whiskers; six on each side, a cute rose-colored nose and the peach colored felt inside of his mouth is still fresh and clean.  He still even has the two stitches that hold the bottom of his lip up.  His yellow-green glass eyes are excellent.  There may possibly be some ever-so-slight thinning of his "beard"  and some on the bottom of his front feet (again, very slight).  Other than this, I don't see any  mohair loss, not even on the tips of his ears!    His black and golden airbrushed spots are still vibrant.  All seams are tight and all leg joints are firm and stiff with no settling or looseness.   His cream-colored undersides and haunches have held their original color, and all of his colors  are even and consistent.  His body is firm and tight.         He no longer retains his ear ID, but retains his chest tag fastened with a heavy thread.  The tag is wrinkled with a slight fold as it appears that the thread holding the tag is quite tight to his chest.  His EAN number is 3314,000 and he was made for only a few short years from 1959 to 1961.    I have recently purchased one of these sitting Bengals (with all ID's) for my own collection, but came across this one and I would like to offer him to those of you who have been having difficulty finding an exceptional one.  This Bengal came from a smoke-free environment and he was obviously displayed with care in keeping his tail straight.  He is a rare and excellent must-have addition for the serious Steiff collector. NOTE:  Any of my Steiff listed for sale are in the condition as when I originally acquired them.  I do not do repairs, add whiskers or change anything about the animals unless posted in the listing.  Perhaps a bow may be added or a gentle cleaning of the bottoms of the feet.  If anything appears unusual about the animal, this is the way I acquired same unless otherwise specified.  Thank you. All of my descriptive listings, custom artwork backgrounds and photographs are copywrited by Concepts Press, LLC and are not to be duplicated without the written consent of this seller.   NOTE:  My shipping and handling charges are non-negotiable.  I overpack all of my items and take great care so they do not arrive damaged with legs and tails bent.  I do not force into a smaller box to save postage.  I always combine postage for multiple wins. Place a Bid!