Famous TV bear in Oxfordshire to be auctioned
This bear starred in the 80's TV programme Brideshead Revisited and is set to be auctioned later this year.
A famous TV bear could be leaving Oxfordshire, after the owner of a Witney shop has revealed he's putting him up for auction.
The famous teddy bear? No not Paddington. Not Winnie the Pooh. This bear starred in the 80's TV programme Brideshead Revisited and is set to be auctioned later this year.
Aloysius was featured in the show which which was hugely popular and still has a big fan base.
He currently resides at Teddy Bears of Witney, but owner Ian Pout has suffered some health scares and wanted to make sure the bear goes to a good home.
Ian has decided to auction the bear a SAS auctions in Newbury in Berkshire on the 3rd December.
He says he's unlike other famous bears:
"There is no Paddington Bear. Winnie the Pooh, is now in the New York Children's Library, very few people can see him. So Aloysius is a very special famous bear and we're very lucky to have him."
The image of Aloysius with his co-stars Anthony Andrews and Jeremy Irons is still often thought of as one of the most recognisable images from television shows.
The bear has been here in Oxfordshire for nearly 30 years having been purchased by Ian from America around 30 years ago in 1995.
But no one is able to take on Teddy Bears of Witney so Ian is finding new homes for the all the bears.
Ian says he's loved the people he has met whilst running the shop, and isn't sure how much he might get for the bear at auction but it could be in the tens of thousands.
So Aloysius may be leaving Oxfordshire when he's brought.
Although Ian says saying good bye to the bear will be heart wrenching he's tells us why we have such a love for teddy bears and running the shop:
"I just kind of feel that a teddy bear helps to make a house a home. There's something unique about a teddy bear and the comfort they bring, that's difficult to really explain and I think the mystery of the teddy bear is the magic of the teddy bear."