Traditionalists may be aghast, but Oxford University "has put its name to a range of sofas, dining tables and interior accessories to capitalize on its links with the Harry Potter films," the Telegraph reported, noting that the "400-year-old Bodleian Library gives its name to a £3,800 bookcase while John Radcliffe, physician to William III, is commemorated with a £1,700 red leather writing desk. A £2,650 refectory table in the range, called the Oxford Collection, is described as a 'Harry Potter-style dining table.' Many of the scenes set in the Great Hall of Hogwarts in the blockbuster wizarding franchise were filmed in Christ Church's dining hall."
Serge Gander, managing director of Halo Licensing, which bought the rights to manufacture the furniture, said, "It is inspired by 800 years of history and archives.... The bookcase was inspired by a doorway. The sofa was a reproduction of one I found in a senior common room. We have an amazing coffee table inspired by the ceilings of the colleges and a rug inspired by the floor of Christ Church. We want to introduce the brand as a home and lifestyle brand. The possibilities are endless."
But Peter Oppenheimer, an emeritus professor at Christ Church, was more than a little perturbed by the idea: "Words fail me. It is vulgar, inappropriate and unauthorized by the university at large. This does absolutely nothing for the university other than cheapen its image."
