Light brown mohair plush toy lion cub made in Germany by Steiff about 1920

Golden mohair lion cub jointed at the neck and four limbs. The mohair is short and the tail is stitched on. The ears are stitched over the facial seams. The eyes are orange and black glass. The nose is stitched with gold coloured thread with a black thread outline down the sides that continues to form the mouth. The mouth is further defined by dark stitches underneath. There are small dark spots on the mohair cloth around the mouth and eyes giving this lion its juvenile appearance. There are gut whiskers pierced through the snout. Each of the four feet has three claws stitched in black thread. There are no paw pads. There is an internal voicebox that no longer works. There is a small metal button and the remains of a label in the left ear.

Given by Nicholas Lucas

Belonged to the donor's father, John Anthony Dunbar Lucas (05/05/1915-20/07/1999)

The German company Steiff was founded in 1877 by Margarete Steiff. One of her nephews, Richard, was responsible for many of the early designs of the company's jointed animals. Richard was a talented artist and used to visit Stuttgart Zoo to sketch the animals. Steiff is particularly famous for its teddy bears. Richard designed the first jointed bear in 1902 and the design was perfected in 1905.

B.79-2011