Golden Compass Movie Alethiometer

[userd1402]

I recently came into posession of an original , unfinished, Alethiometer prop from the 2007 Chris Weitz film The Golden Compass, based on the 1995 novel by Philip PUllman. As it's unfinished this isn't a screen-used piece but it is production-made with provenance. The original Alethiometer props, a fully working-dial version and several closed 'stunt' versions were made in cast and machined brass from high-resolution 3D printed master patterns. It was pretty early to be using this technology to produce casting patterns but no expense was spared on the production design of this movie and the results were superb.

What I have then is one of the original patterns. It was sold as being one piece with all the detail of the finished brass parts except the three 'watch winders' on the outside. I studied the piece very carefully when I got it, several times, and have just realised there is a slight parting-gap next to the hinge detail which has allowed me to get a soft edge in there and prise it apart into a full shell with a smooth finished interior! I'm really pleased as the original description didn't mention it was in two parts and the photos showed only a solid piece.

In an ideal world I would like to have moulds made from this piece and cast up some new Alethiometer cases but the surface detail is so fine I'm afraid it would all disappear during the casting process. In the meantime I'm just glad to have an original Alethiometer...

 

[Jintosh]

It's missing the palace design on the inside of the lid that I've seen elsewhere.

 

[userd1402]

It's missing the palace design on the inside of the lid that I've seen elsewhere.

Yes of course but the screen-used opening props had a separate insert inside the lid with that design on as you can see in this pic of the hero when sold by PropStore in 2020;

 

[laellee]

Beautiful!
But Ugh would you be willing to cast a couple? People like me an Jintosh can make near-perfects, but nothing competes with that

 

[Jintosh]

It's going to be a small market. 2007 is now 17 years old. Some younger people haven't even seen the movie. I kept promising to make a replica with moving hands, and never got further than the planning stage. This one definitely looks 3D printed, which I believe that's what you said. If a 3D scan could be made of it, you might sell the scan to interested parties. Brass castings, if they preserved the detail would also be an option.

Yes, I see the castle was an insert.

 

[laellee]

It's going to be a small market. 2007 is now 17 years old. Some younger people haven't even seen the movie. I kept promising to make a replica with moving hands, and never got further than the planning stage. This one definitely looks 3D printed, which I believe that's what you said. If a 3D scan could be made of it, you might sell the scan to interested parties. Brass castings, if they preserved the detail would also be an option.

Yes, I see the castle was an insert.

Yep agreed. It's not a crazy task to model it, but for my part it wouldn't be worth the time and effort if only 2-3 people would even be interested.

 

[Jintosh]

Would you mind taking a couple minutes to take some measurement? Total width at widest point of both pieces, height of each piece. I still may come back and model it myself, and dimensions would help.