Monday 6 December 1993
Christies South Kensington
To mark the 10th Anniversary of Colour Box and the first all teddy bear auction to be held at Christie’s, 40 unique and special lots were offered for sale on Monday 6 Dember 1993.
These 40 lots were donated by Frances and Peter Fagan and sold on behalf of the Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT), over £18,000 raised.
Viewing for the sale took place on Saturday 4 December and Monday 6 December with the sale taking place at 5.00pm on 6 December. Peter and Frances were available at both viewings to meet collectors and sign items. Two weeks before the sale a special exhibition of archive items, the Colour Box lots and the original Colour Box bears were on show in the front window of Christie’s and the internal static display unit opposite the Valuations Department.
| Lot Number | Title | Comments | Sold Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 211 | Edward Harrod Collection | A complete set of the Edward Harrod Collection | £198 |
| 212 | Collection of 63 Teddy Bear Miniatures | A collection of 63 single teddy bear miniatures by Peter Fagan. This lot represents all the original bears purchased at Christie’s South Kensington from 1989 to 1993 by the Fagan’s for the Colour Box Hug. | £605 |
| 213 | Humpty Dumpty | 6 sculptures of the famous nursery rhyme character, three in cold cast resin and three hand painted ceramic resin. These figures were cast from the first sculpture Peter Fagan made prior to the Colour Box collections. A box of old moulds was uncovered when the Fagan’s were rooting the loft of what was Peters original workshop in Lauder. Many of the moulds were filthy and damaged however with careful rebuilding they were able to recast Humpty Dumpty which was one of Peter’s very first works. | £176 |
| 214 | Original Artwork by Linda Lovatt | Original artwork by Linda Lovatt used in the creation of images for Colour Box Licensees. | £99 |
| 215 | Original Artwork by Linda Lovatt | Original artwork by Linda Lovatt used in the creation of images for Colour Box Licensees. | £132 |
| 216 | Original Artwork by Linda Lovatt | Original artwork by Linda Lovatt used in the creation of images for Colour Box Licensees. | £88 |
| 217 | Album of Teddy Bear Postcards | An album containing a complete set of postcards featuring the original Colour Box Bears; a photograph of Captain Arthur Crown showing his telescope, framed and glazed; the telescope; and a Colour Box Miniature of Captain Arthur Crown painted by a master painter. | £165 |
| 218 | Sopwith Memorabilia | This collection of Sopwith memorabilia contains items from his 1992 celebration flight with RAF Treble One Squadron at Leuchars when Sopwith was taken on a fly-by to commemorate his 75 years as a military mascot. Sopwith had not flown with the air force since 1917 when he was a mascot for the RFC. | £330 |
| 219 | Tableaux Collection | A complete set of Tableaux comprising: On the Tiles (framed), Night on the Tiles (framed), The Attic, Back Yard, Night Out and Tradesman’s Entrance. | £143 |
| 220 | Morris Minor | A Dean’s Ragbook Company prototype golden plush covered teddy bear, with deep amber and black glass eyes, black plastic nose, black stitched mouth, swivel head, jointed limbs and velvet pads, wearing school uniform – 14in. tall, accompanied by a letter of verification from Dean’s and an illustrated certificate of authenticity; and a boxed Colour Box miniature Morris Minor, signed by Peter Fagan. | £264 |
| 221 | Prudence – Final Limited Edition No 800 of 800 | A Dean’s bright golden plush covered teddy bear, with orange and black glass eyes, pronounced clipped snout, black stitched nose, mouth and claws, swivel head, jointed shaped limbs, pink cloth pads and label stitched to back seam, wearing dress and boater – 19in. tall, accompanied by a Colour Box miniature Prudence, signed by Peter Fagan, a letter of verification from Dean’s and an illustrated certificate of authenticity. | £286 |
| 222 | Chocolate Chip – Final Limited Edition No 800 of 800 | A Dean’s chocolate brown plush covered teddy bear, with clear and black glass eyes, black plastic nose, swivel head, jointed shaped limbs, felt pads and label stitched to back seam, wearing knitted waistcoat and white bloomers – 13in. tall, accompanied by a Colour Box miniature Chocolate Chip, signed by Peter Fagan, a letter of verification from Dean’s and an illustrated certificate of authenticity. | £165 |
| 223 | Jonathan – Final Limited Edition No 1000 of 1000 | A Dean’s beige plush covered teddy bear, with orange and black glass eyes, black stitched nose and mouth, swivel head, jointed arms, suede pads and label stitched to back – 10in. tall, accompanied by a Colour Box miniature Jonathan, signed by Peter Fagan, a letter of verification from Dean’s and an illustrated certificate of authenticity. | £154 |
| 224 | Collectors’ Club Collection | The entire collection of Collectors’ Club pieces comprising 7 club joining pieces, two solid sterling silver miniature figures and 11 Limited Edition pieces. Limited Edition pieces were only available to Club members. | £220 |
| 225 | The Miniature Collection | A complete set of Peter Fagan Miniature Collection including MC16 Elephant, MC13 Labrador and MC26 Koala Bear. Includes many rare items from the Colour Box archives. | £132 |
| 226 | Deirdree MackAy Clark R.A – Theodore | Theodore pencil and gouache heightened with body colour, framed and glazed; a Colour Box miniature of Theodore painted by Colour Box master painter; the original working master of Writing Home; the original working master of the Limited Edition Theodores Pastimes’; and a letter of authenticity from Miss E W D Steel, previous owner of the original Theodore. | £132 |
| 227 | Spotty Hound Dogs | 7 canine character figurines which were never launched onto the Colour Box range. This was a complete prototype collection that had to compete with the Personality Pups range. Never launched they are the only set in existence. | £88 |
| 228 | Playtime Teds | 12 teddy bear miniatures which were never launched onto the Colour Box range and is the only set in existence. These little playtime bears were inspired by a collection of pretty little teds that Peter’s daughter Lucy had in her collection. Peter modelled these bears very early in the development of Colour Box and they were never launched and are very unique originals. | £198 |
| 229 | Safety Ted | The original artwork of Safety Ted by collector Jane Lane, signed and dated, framed and glazed; and a Colour Box miniature Safety Ted painted by the master painter. The original artwork was used by Peter to create the design for Safey Ted. | £46 |
| 230 | Hopscotch Collection | 110 Hopscotch miniatures including H7 Goldfish, H16 Snake and H7 Monkey; and two gilded hallmarked silver miniatures made especially for this sale. Teddy Bear and Cat and Ball were offered as part of the lot in gold plate on a solid silver core. Contains many rare items from the Colour Box archives. | £110 |
| 230A | Lucky for Some | This special little lot of the Home Sweet Home cat and horseshoe, was missed from the Christie’s auction catalogue. Even though there is no catalogue entry for this item it was still sold. | £121 |
| 231 | Bertram | A prototype Dean’s rich golden plush coloured teddy bear, with deep amber and black glass eyes, black stitched nose and mouth, swivel head, joined limbs, felt pads and label stitched to side seam – 26in. tall; a Colour Box master miniature of Bertram; and a variation paintway Bertram; accompanied by letter of verification from Dean’s and an illustrated certificate of authenticity. | £242 |
| 232 | Teddy Randell | The complete set of Teddy Randell miniatures, including a rare gold badge Teddy Randell and a purple and green badge Teddy Randell. | £220 |
| 233 | Baby Animals | 9 cold cast bronze resin animals including Baby Bear and four ceramic animal sculptures. The first pieces Peter ever made commercially were in cold cast bronze resin, before Colour Box sculptures appeared. These original bronze pieces have been taken from the Colour Box archives. | £66 |
| 234 | Festive Collection | The entire Colour Box Festive Collection, some of which are from the Colour Box archives. | £352 |
| 235 | Merton Bear | An English golden plush covered teddy bear, with orange and black plastic eyes, black plastic nose, black stitched mouth, swivel head and jointed limbs – 19in. tall; and a ceramic miniature Merton Bear. | £187 |
| 236 | Bizzie Lizzie | A tiny hand knitted teddy bear; and a ceramic miniature Bizzie Lizzie. | £198 |
| 237 | A Steiff Teddy Clown | A Limited Edition 1 of 1 golden plush covered teddy bear, with brown and black glass eyes, small pronounced cut muzzle, brown horizontally stitched nose, brown stitched mouth and claws, swivel head, jointed shaped limbs, felt pads, button in ear with yellow label and card swing tag, wearing felt clown hat and clown ruffle and signed by Otmar Dreher, Managing Director of Steiff – 6.5in. tall, accompanied with certificate of authenticity; and a Peter Fagan miniature of the original clown bear used as a promotion gift at the Nuremburg Toy Fair in 1993. | £1,485 |
| 238 | Lord Paul – a Dean’s Ragbook Co. Ltd golden plush covered teddy bear | No 5 of the Limited Edition of 5 Auctioneer bears, with deep amber and black glass eyes, large ears, slight pronounced snout, bold black stitched nose, mouth and claws, pale pink felt pads, swivel head, jointed shaped limbs and slight hump, wearing Top Hat, wing collar, bow tie, Christie’s badge and holding a hand turned auctioneer’s gavel signed by Christie’s South Kensington Managing Director Paul Barthaud, – 25in. tall, accompanied by a letter of authenticity and a special signed certificate. | £792 |
| 239 | Edward Harrod – a Limited Edition 1 of 1 Canterbury Bear | Covered with golden English distressed mohair, deep brown glass eyes, pronounced clipped snout, black stitched nose, mouth and claws, swivel head, elongated jointed shaped limbs, chamois leather pads and label stitched to right paw pad and signed by Maude and John Blackburn on the left pad, wearing an original Harrods Doorman’s hat, signed by Mohammed Al Fayed and Rodney, Harrods Doorman for over 60 years – 32in.tall accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity; and a boxed Colour Box miniature of Commissionaire Bear signed by Rodney. | £825 |
| 240 | The Auction Room | 10 lots comprising of 10 individually handcrafted and hand painted miniature sculptures by Peter Fagan, featuring Christie’s South Kensington Rostrum and approximately thirty Colour Box miniature bears, whose originals were all purchased at Christie’s South Kensington by Peter Fagan between 1989 and 1993. | £1,045 |
| 241 | The Auction Room | Each edition is unique, featuring a different selection of bears and paintways, together with humorous touches. | £990 |
| 242 | The Auction Room | Some of the details have been designed to reflect little personal facts like Lord Paul’s ivory gavel in Limited Edition No 1. The Managing Director of Christie’s, Paul Barthauld, has an ivory gavel himself. The Vice-Chairman’s silver gavel is featured in No 2. Lord Paul can also be found with a tipple, hidden tactfully behind the rostrum, is also different in each one. | £990 |
| 243 | The Auction Room | The selection of bears alters slightly from piece to piece and therefore no two pieces are the same. | £1,155 |
| 244 | The Auction Room | The Auction Room had to be cast in several sections and hand-assembled before being mounted on a special mahogany plinth with a commemorative brass plaque denoting the number of the edition. Each piece is accompanied by a hand painted/tinted certificate of authenticity signed by Peter Fagan. | £990 |
| 245 | The Auction Room | £1,045 | |
| 246 | The Auction Room | £990 | |
| 247 | The Auction Room | £990 | |
| 248 | The Auction Room | £990 | |
| 249 | The Auction Room | £990 |
Monday 5 December 1994
Christies South Kensington
After the success of the 1993 auction Colour Box was asked to contribute a special unique lot to this Teddy Bear auction with the money raised going to supporting “Children in Need”.
Noel
Dean’s Ragbook Bears created a huge plush bear dressed as Noel Coward and Colour Box has produced a special 1/1 Limited Edition miniature of Noel presented in a special box with a handwritten certificate of authenticity. This bear is incredibly special due to its size, this Colour Box miniature sits at a splendid 18.5cm high.