Days into September, British claymation studio Aardman announced it’s teaming with PropStore to put old puppets up for sale.
No, the company’s not shutting down—it’s donig this to celebrate its upcoming 50th birthday. As such, nearly 250 items from almost all of its productions are for grabs. From classics like Wallace & Gromit: The Wrong Trousers and A Close Shave to the more recent Robin Robin and Chicken Run 2, and the upcoming Shawn the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom, there’s a breadth of boards, signed postes, and props to put down money on. (For those wondering, neither the Over the Garden Wall claymation special or 2027’s claymation Pokémon Tales series are represented amongst the collection.)
For the older Aardman fans, there’s even Morph, the 1977 series that marked the studio’s first-ever production. Those who remember it or its various followups can put down money on items from those, including original clay stop-motion puppets of the titular character and his best friend Chas.
Aardman’s attractions director Ngaio Harding-Hill assured auction’s been “carefully curated by the studio’s creative talent and includes contributions…produced in celebration of this unique moment to connect with our fans.” Proceeds will go toward internal talent development initiatives, including skill development programs and avenues for future filmmakers that’ll “help to broaden access to careers in animation and nurture the next generation of creative talent.”
The Aardman auction will go live with global online, telephone, and absentee options on September 24. Until then, there’s nothing to do but look what the studio is selling.
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