This is a surprising headline for anyone who remembers the huge fire they had in '05:
"Curses, Gromit! Fire destroys animation firm's history on eve of box office triumph"
> All the sets and figures from the new Wallace and Gromit film are safe because they are being exhibited elsewhere in Bristol.
That looks to be what's being auctioned.
I only wish there were more pieces involving one of my favorite villains; Feathers McGraw.
Auction link: https://propstoreauction.com/auctions/catalog/id/549?page=1
If I had the disposable money, https://propstoreauction.com/lot-details/index/catalog/549/l... would have been mine.
'Morph' mesmerised me as a child in the 70s
Might be a dumb question but are they actually made of clay?
some are
> Feathers McGraw’s body, including his wicked flippers, is made of clay, crafted over a fully jointed internal metal armature. The red glove he famously wears as a remarkably effective disguise — one that somehow seems to fool Wallace every time — is made of silicone. His eyes are glass pins, while his beak is fast-cast resin. The tea-stained mug he grips is resin. He comes displayed on a wooden base.
Mostly, yes! They use a very specific clay from a producer which went out of business a few years ago. They've bought up all the stock they can and use that clay for pretty much all of the character puppets, along with other materials. There was a great documentary on the BBC a couple of years back which went behind the scenes and talked about how they make and use the puppets.
There has since been another company that has been able to produce the same clay so its now less of an issue.