More than 200 original stop-motion puppets and other creations from Aardman productions, including Wallace, Gromit, Shaun the Sheep, and Chicken Run, went under the hammer on Thursday. The auction, managed by Propstore, celebrated the Bristol-based studio's 50th anniversary.
Sought-after items included Wallace and Gromit models from the 2024 film Vengeance Most Fowl, such as Wallace in his traditional outfit and Gromit on all fours. Another notable lot was Feathers McGraw disguised as a nun.
Early Aardman pieces, including clay puppets of Morph and Chas made by co-founder Peter Lord, also proved popular, with the Morph and Chas puppets selling for £3,780. Storyboards from Wallace & Gromit: The Wrong Trousers, signed by Nick Park, fetched almost £4,000, and a clay rabbit from The Curse of the Were-Rabbit sold for nearly £10,000.
Ngaio Harding-Hill, Aardman's director of attractions and live experiences and archive, stated that the proceeds from the auction will be invested in talent development initiatives across Aardman, including bursaries at the Aardman Academy, to nurture the next generation of animation talent.