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'Sherlock' collector dolls look for tiny clues

Re-enact your favorite scenes from the hit British show with these fully articulated and highly detailed figures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson.

Bonnie Burton
Journalist Bonnie Burton writes about movies, TV shows, comics, science and robots. She is the author of the books Live or Die: Survival Hacks, Wizarding World: Movie Magic Amazing Artifacts, The Star Wars Craft Book, Girls Against Girls, Draw Star Wars, Planets in Peril and more! E-mail Bonnie.
Bonnie Burton
3 min read

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These Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson collector figures are fully articulated to solve mysteries and drink tea. Big Chief Studios

Villainous dolls, beware! These collector figures from Big Chief Studios of Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman as Dr. John Watson from the British drama "Sherlock" are extremely detailed and ready for any mystery that comes their way.

"Benedict and Martin have an instant chemistry; like all great partnerships, theirs will live on forever," Mark Andrews, co-director of Big Chief Studios, told Crave. "We just had that feeling and knew how big the show had the potential to be. Of course, after the cliffhanger of Series 2, our belief paid off."

The figures are 1:6 scale and are officially licensed by the maker of "Sherlock" -- Hartswood Films. Holmes is 12 inches in height, while his shorter friend is around 11.5 inches tall. The bodies are made from ABS and other plastics. The hands, heads, and certain accessories are PVC. They have 32 points of articulation to enable poses. Both figures come with a display bases and a cardboard backdrop from their 221B Baker Street flat.

Holmes comes with a scarf, a "woolen-effect" trench coat, a tailored suit jacket, a pair of tailored suit trousers, a tailored shirt, a pair of shoes, a pair of sock tubes (partial), four interchangeable gloved hands, and four interchangeable bare hands.

Watson comes with a black shooting jacket, sweater, denim jeans, patterned shirt, boots, a pair of sock tubes (partial), and eight interchangeable bare hands.

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The Holmes doll comes with a violin and skull. Big Chief Studios

"That coat is a no-brainer, right?" Andrews told Crave. "And the 'Shirt of Sex,' as Benedict himself dubbed it when we met him, was equally an obvious choice. At first glance Watson's wardrobe is much more subtle and almost plain, but when you look into it, his clothes are fantastic. His Haversack coat is the perfect choice."

Andrews continued, "The clothing utilizes numerous fabrics to simulate the actual costume clothing at 1:6 scale. We work closely with our vendor partners to source the best fabric to achieve the look and fall of the fabric at the reduced scale. For example, wool does not work well at smaller scale as it makes the figure look more toylike. Therefore we find a suitable fabric to give the appearance and flow of wool at scale."

Of course, you can't have a Holmes or Watson figure without the accessories that further express their unique personalities. The former's accessories include a note pad, a pen, a magnifier, a smartphone, a wristwatch, a human skull, and his iconic violin with bow. After all, Holmes wouldn't be Holmes without his beloved violin. And for this figure, the violin is extremely detailed.

"We were very lucky to actually have the actual violin used during Series 3," Andrews told Crave. "So technically the violin we used was from the later series, but they are not that different. We paid very close attention to make the violin as accurate as possible. The violin has actual strings, as does the bow. These really are stunning accessories -- although Benedict was less than happy, asking why his figure 'could not come with a gun or something?'"

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Watson comes with his own mug and laptop -- just like most CNET writers. Big Chief Studios

Watson's accessories include his laptop, his service pistol with a removable magazine clip, a mug with a military crest, a smartphone, a flashlight, a wristwatch, and his cane.

"Watson had to have his laptop -- how else will he let other figures in the 1:6 world learn of his adventures?" Andrews told Crave. "His pistol, of course, had to be included. Other items might seem less obvious, like his military mug, but an Englishman's gotta have his cuppa! Sherlock had to have his skull to chat to and his magnifier, plus his pen and notebook."

Now that Holmes and Watson are sorted, this can only mean more characters are on the way to keep them company. But will it be DI Greg Lestrade, Mycroft, Molly, or Moriarty?

"All I can say for now is that we have a figure in a minor position in the works and ask yourself does not every collection need a villain?" Andrews told Crave.

The Holmes and Watson figures are now available for preorder and are approximately 169.99 pounds (US $285) each, or 339.98 pounds (US $569) for the pair, plus shipping and handling.

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Sherlock's violin is more than just a musical accessory. It's an extension of whatever emotion he's feeling at the time. Big Chief Studios