An original 1907-1908 Steiff teddy bear will spearhead two collections of Steiff and other bears in Unique Auctions' October 26-27 sale in the UK.
 The very first Steiff bear was designed by Richard Steiff in 1902 - five years before this chap |
The bear is a fantastic early example from the esteemed company, whose toy bears are some of the most valuable in the world. Having had its pads replaced, the example at auction is expected to bring between ?�1,200 and ?�1,500 ($1,941-2,427).
Described by the auction house as "one of the finest we have seen come to auction", the bear is in excellent condition and has provenance from expert Sue Pearson.
The sale will see a further 30 Steiff and other bears for sale, including limited editions and examples exclusive to certain countries.
The current record for a Steiff bear at auction - or any bear for that matter - is held by the Steiff Louis Vitton teddy bear, which sold for $2.1m in 2000 to South Korean businessman Jessie Kim.
See our Top Five Collectible Toys.
