The original Wallace and Gromit puppets have sold for eye-watering prices at auction, as the British studio behind the characters celebrates 50 years of animation.
Wallace, the cheese-loving inventor, and Gromit, his long-suffering dog, are cultural icons cherished by millions around the world.
For the first time, Aardman Animations put the famous duo up for auction, with fans cracking open their wallets to own a piece of television history.
More than 200 pieces of Aardman animations went under the hammer, including Morph, one of the studio’s first creations which aired in the 1970s.
Wallace, dressed in his classic knitted vest, fetched $95,000, while Gromit sold for close to $60,000.
But it was villain Feathers McGraw, in his signature rubber glove disguise, who commanded the highest price — a six figures at $107,000.
“You’ll remember the first Wallace and Gromit film that you saw or the show on the sheep, which I think is one of Aardman’s biggest exports,” Propstore auction manager Sian Taylor said.
Less pricey original artworks and props spanning half a century of production were also available.
The auction money will be used to train up the next generation of animators in the stop-motion technique of moving characters by hand with every frame — tedious but famously entertaining work.