Wallace’s reaction as the auction got into full swing might have been a trademark “good grief!” – and the enthusiasm of some of the bidding could have caused even the phlegmatic Gromit to show surprise. Fans of Wallace and Gromit and other beloved creations of Aardman Animations seized the chance to grab souvenirs when more than 200 pieces – including Wallace, Gromit, Shaun the Sheep and Chicken Run puppets from Aardman productions – went under the hammer on Thursday. Sought-after items included Wallace and Gromit stop-motion models from the Bristol studio’s hugely popular 2024 film Vengeance Most Fowl.
Lot 216, for example, was Wallace in his traditional outfit of a knitted green tank top, red tie and brown trousers. The catalogue said he was in “smashing condition”, and gave details of his construction: “Wallace’s head is moulded from clay; while his body is made of silicone to facilitate smooth repositioning by the animators. His teeth, shirt collar, tie, pen, and pencil are fast-cast resin and his eyes are plastic.” It sold for an eye-popping £50,400.
A puppet of Gromit on all fours from the same film was “crafted over a fully jointed internal metal armature, allowing him to be held in his most natural pose”. The catalogue made it clear these were not toys but pieces of art needing special packaging, shipping and careful handling. Another eye-catching lot was number 219 – Wallace and Gromit’s nemesis, Feathers McGraw, disguised as a nun.
The catalogue reminded bidders of one of the best Wallace and Gromit lines: “Feathers McGraw? That’s just an innocent nun, out for a pleasure cruise.” It went for more than £30,000 while a second Feathers puppet – with the villain wearing his red rubber glove disguise to make out he was a chicken rather than a sinister penguin – did even better, selling for almost £57,000. Crime, it appears, does pay.
It was not only Wallace, Gromit and Feathers that proved popular. Aardman aficionados snapped up pieces related to the studio’s early days, including clay puppets of Morph and his pal Chas. Every lot started at £100 but as bidding got under way at teatime in London, it was clear they were not going to stay low for long.
The Morph and Chas puppets, made from plasticine by Aardman co-founder Peter Lord and accompanied by handwritten care instructions, one of the first lots to be auctioned, sold for £3,780. Mischievous Morph first appeared in 1977 as part of Take Hart, before starring in his own series of adventures. Another lot – lunch for six with Lord in Bristol – was bought by someone for more than £11,000.
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