Early Years
Edmund Ulrich Steiner, born in Sonneberg, Germany in 1858, also held citizenship in the USA. He worked in the toy and doll industry but later served as treasurer of the Dunkirk Glass Company at 45 East 20th Street in New York.
In his early years he worked for E. I. Horsman, then as a traveling salesman. He later worked with L. H. Mace & Co., Strobel & Wilken, and Louis Wolf & Co. Later he joined with another salesman to form “Curren & Steiner” importing toys in the early 1890s. When Curren & Steiner ended, Edmund began working as a foreign buyer and managed the toy department of Samstag & Hilder Bros. Interestingly Strobel & Wilken, Louis Wolf & Co., and Stamstag & Hilder Bros. are all listed together in the book 1912 DRY GOODS GUIDE under “Toys, Games, Doll, ETC” (page 49).
Pottery, Glass, & Brass Salesman
In 1900 he was elected for membership to the Pottery, Glass, & Brass Salesman’s Association with membership card #575 (Potter, Glass, & Brass Salesman, August 1916)
Edmund Ulrich Steiner’s Trademarks
Steiner registered in June of 1902 a trademark for two words “MAJESTIC” and “Liliput,” both viewable at the USPTO website. Majestic is trademark number 38,704 and Liliput is trademark number 38,705. “Liliput” illustrated on a banner with a eagle above. The trademark regisration number in the USA in 38,705 and on file at the USPTO website. Steiner claims that the MAJESTIC trademark had been continuously used by him since 1894.
A commonly recognized E. Steiner doll mark shows a diamond with his initials inside E. U. St.
Patent for Walking Doll
In 1902 he registered a patent for a Walking Doll, filed in 1901, and now known as patent number 695,121. One can view the drawn illustration of the design at the USPTO site and filed online as US-0695121-A_1. Evidently this was the doll that could be made to walk by simply giving it a lateral sway when holding its hand.
The Canadian Patent Office lists the below patent as 77,364 good for 6 years.
E. Steiner’s Obituary
Steiner died at the early age of 54 leaving six grown-up children. He was buried at the Lutheran Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.
See more German doll marks here.