04 BLUE STEIFF TEDDY BEAR, 1908 SOLD: £49,500

When, in 1908, Steiff sent six coloured bears to Harrods in the hope of landing future orders, the blue example – ‘ Elliot’ – didn’t get a single one, and therefore remained unique. Accordingly, he smashed his £15,000–£20,000 estimate at Christie’s in 1993. However, the most expensive antique Steiff bear – a 1905 ‘ Teddy Girl’ – sold in 1994 for £110,000.