Blue bear sold

Buyers who went down to Christie's in South Kensington last night were in for a big surprise. In a sale of more than 200 teddy bears a Canadian couple paid pounds 49,500 - a Christie's record - for 'Elliot', made by Steiff in 1908. The German company made only one blue bear as a sample for Harrods. The colour was not liked and never manufactured commercially. About 800 people attended the sale. The world record of pounds 55,000 - also for Steiff - was set in 1991 Photograph: Nicholas Turpin

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