Original Aardman puppets fetch thousands in 50th anniversary auction
Over 200 original puppets and memorabilia from Aardman Animations, including iconic figures from Wallace and Gromit, went to auction on Thursday to mark the studio's 50th anniversary. The sale, run by Propstore, attracted significant bidding from fans and collectors eager to own pieces of British animation history, with all proceeds directed towards training the next generation of animators at the celebrated Bristol-based studio.
The auction yielded substantial prices across the collection, with Wallace from the 2024 film Vengeance Most Fowl fetching £50,400 and a Feathers McGraw puppet in his red rubber glove disguise selling for nearly £57,000. Other notable lots included a Gromit puppet for £31,500, vintage Morph and Chas plasticine figures for £3,780, and even experiences such as a lunch with co-founder Peter Lord that sold for over £11,000. Whilst most lots commanded premium prices, more modest items remained available—dry stone walls from the Shaun the Sheep set sold for just £567, making the collection accessible across various budgets.
- Over 200 Aardman puppets auctioned for 50th anniversary; proceeds fund animator training
- Wallace puppet sold for £50,400; Feathers McGraw variant fetched nearly £57,000
- Prices ranged from £567 to over £57,000 across diverse lots and memorabilia
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Originally published by The Guardian as “‘Cracking auction, Gromit!’ Original Aardman puppets go under the hammer”.