Extreme shopping

Remember, it's not about what you want. This clown driven toy sewing machine may old and slightly creepy to you. However, to the right person it is a prize above all reason. According to List Universe the mechanical toy was auctioned in London, England, the bidding went quickly to $12 thousand and then was down to two strong bidders, neither wanting to give up on the chance of having this toy sewing machine. The last two bidders were an English industrial sewing machine dealer and a German millionaire. Finally, when the Englishman bid a whopping $13,600, the German quietly did not bid.

Yes, but then the German went home and built an army of computerized sewing clowns, but that's another not very Christmassy story. So, here are nine other pricey objects that may inspire your shopping for those hard-to-buy-for names your list .