SAF
[Research] [Austrian Bears] [Repair Service] [Sales] [Contact]
[Ratz/Fogel] [Schwika] [Berg "Tiere mit Hertz"] [Fechter] [SAF] [Schenker] [Miscellaneous] [Reproductions & Fakes]
Please scroll down the page
to see a gallery of photos of SAF bears, other soft toys and identification
tags.
| The
Beginning: |
| This firm was
started by Siegfried Saf in Bad Mittendorf [Northern Styria] after WW2. He
was one of many people who came to Austria [voluntarily or forcibly] from
the Sudetenland area of Czechoslovakia after the war. In the early 1950's he also began producing his own mohair
fabrics with which to make the toys. |
| Bears and
Other Animals: |
| The range included bears and other animals
some similar in design to those produced by Graz firms and also the Steiff
range at that time. The quality of the products was reasonable but not as good as those made
by Fechter and Schwika. |
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Identification: |
| Saf used a
number of ID marks including an orange printed label [usually well
faded] and black woven label [see various pictures in the gallery].
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| End of an
Era: |
| Production was
still going in the 1990's [may have moved to Altenmarkt an der Enns] and I have no record of it closing. Again any further information
would be of interest. Rumour has it that Siegfried Saf was for sometime also
Burgermeister [Mayor] of the town. |
Click on the
pictures to enlarge:
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Smaller closed-mouth teddy by SAF with orange ear label |
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Another larger teddy by SAF with orange label |
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More modern SAF rabbit with ID |
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SAF 'Zotty' type teddy [note the peach coloured bib] with SAF wool miniature crow |
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Large SAF teddy closed mouth |
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Woven SAF label showing teddy motif to one side |
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More modern SAF label [as seen on swan] |
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SAF label on leg of wool miniature crow |
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SAF orange printed label sometimes the writing has faded completely |
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Another SAF woven black label |
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