AN auction of statues has taken the total raised for charity by Gromit Unleashed 3 to £2 million.
Thousands of families spent summer weekends and holidays tracking down the 53 uniquely decorated sculptures of characters from Aardman Animations’ Wallace & Gromit films on the trail, organised by the Grand Appeal for Bristol Children’s Hospital.
The Gromit, Wallace, Feathers McGraw and Norbot robot gnome characters went on display in a pavilion at the Mall, Cribbs Causeway in September before going under the hammer in October at the same venue.
Auctioneer Helena Newman, chairman of Sotheby’s Europe, presided as bidders from around the world, both in the pavilion and online, battled to own one of the sculptures.
Among the highlights was the sale of Darth McGraw, a Feathers statue dressed as Darth Vader, which sold for £70,000.
Mirror-tiled Gromit Bobby Dazzler sold for £60,000, while a framed painting of Feathers, titled Bird with a Diamond Earring, made £60,000.
Among the statues which spent the summer in the area, Norbot Sweet & Tidy, which was stationed at Warmley Waiting Room on the Bristol & Bath Railway Path, went for £29,000 and Gromit sculpture Mowgli, which was on display at the Rose & Crown in Pucklechurch, sold for £26,000.
Added to the sale was an authenticated print of a Banksy artwork, Toxic Mary, donated by a long-term benefactor, and raised £19,000.
Helena said: “It was an honour to host such an extraordinary auction, bringing together the creative genius of some iconic names in art, film, music and literature, in partnership with Aardman.”
Money raised from Gromit Unleashed 3 will support the Grand Appeal’s work at Bristol Children’s Hospital and the neonatal intensive care unit at St Michael’s Hospital, including building of the UK’s first dedicated ‘Patient Hotel’, arts, music and play programmes, equipment, research and accommodation for families.
Appeal director Nicola Masters said: “To see these much-loved characters go under the hammer and raise such an astonishing amount is truly humbling. We are so grateful to every bidder, sponsor, artist and supporter.”
Since 1995, the Grand Appeal has raised £90 million.