"Miniature Clues /Pulp Figures" Topic

I'd like to include some small 'clue' objects with my Drawing Room Detectives set. Something like a candlestick or other minor plot points. Any suggestions would be welcome.

Bob Murch
pulpfigures.com
on Twitter: @pulpfigures
Facebook: Pulp Figures

Bob Hi

What about a typewriter?

A maltese falcon, an envelope with photographs spilling out, a victim under a sheet.

A victrola, radio, telephone, safe, fireplace poker, vase.

You could always go for "decorative bases" as clues. Make a regular size figure base, say 25mm diameter, and add the "clues" … dirt with a footprint in it, road section with tire track, parquet floor with a single cufflink, cigarette butt on the sidewalk.

I've always made clue things like this on chits and distributed them across the board, but have always considered (and never done) turning them into tokens about the same size as a figure base.

Other ideas might be:
* a wastebasket (they always find something in there!)
* a decanter and glass set on a nice serving tray (finger prints, lipstick, poison residue)
* an end table with a dirty ashtray and a pack of smokes.
* a crashed chandelier (though that's more a plot point that a clue)
* an open safe

I'm not sure how you're thinking about this, but if you want them to be part of the "action" of someone's game, your probably need about five of them.

I vote for the victrola, candlestick-style telephone, a film projector, suitcases and a hat box, and open violin case with a tommy gun in it (off topic but not a bad idea), and typewriter. In fact, I think you should devote an entire pack to this kind of thing just as you have done with the two packs for ship accessories.

Open jewelry box, pistol, jade statuette, knife, skull, camera.

I agree with Chuck05. A Maltese Falcon would be great.

Open briefcase/a pipe/a bottle(could be poison)/knife/gold bars/music box(from my favorite Sherlock Holmes movie)/ cane/telescope/hats gloves

Book stand with open book

>>music box(from my favorite Sherlock Holmes movie)<<

"Dressed To Kill"? We'll need *three* music boxes. :-)

Vase with orchids, single rose, whiskey bottle, broken (dropped) bottle, dropped glove…guess most of these are for the "base" idea of etotheipi.

Maybe a false bookshelf. It could rotate on an axle.

Make broken bottles, and people will contact you about buying some for Old West conversions.

Grelber

all of these are good especially the victrola, the typewriter, and YOU HAVE to have THE MALTESE FALCON….if not..well…you just aren't doing it right Bob…

How about an open safe?

Open jewelry box, pistol, jade statuette, knife, skull, camera.

I agree with Chuck05. A Maltese Falcon would be great.

I concur with these two distinguished gentlemen, and would add another small statuette of a strange, disturbing looking creature:

Leland R. Erickson
Metal Express
metal-express.net

A gramophone or record player, radio, a writing set with inkstand & pen, a bunch of flowers or flowerpot with plant, a framed photograph or portrait, a broken mirror, a bust (a la the 6 Napoleons not Mae West)

You could do a separate pack of some bodies, the body slumped over the desk, a crumpled body in the dust, a dead sacrifice, etc

A section of rope with hangman's noose.

We'll need *three* music boxes

Well, then we'll just have to buy three sets! Any problems with that, BoB? :)

body under a sheet

I'm embarrased I didn't think of that. 'Specially since I already have one.

Dear Bob,

"Yes!" to all the above.

Indeed, produce all of these (and more) in a range of packs and I will buy the lot--and that's a public promise.

Indeed, I respectfully challenge other posters to make the same "public promise" to prove their commitment and that you will make money on such a project.

Some items you have largely made already, notably a photographer's camera (such as carried by a Reporter figure), a motion picture camera, umbrella, etc, and should be easily enough worked into stand alone pieces from your masters.

Don't worry about furniture as such since 1:48 dollhouse items are widely available (and inexpensive enough to encourage modelers to buy your bits to complete rooms affordably).

Somethings there are NOT enough of you may wish to consider: Candlestick Phone, Wall Phone, Juke Box (1930's style), Cash Register (hand cranked), as well as individual weapons of all kinds. Crossed swords/knives for wall displays, weapons cabinet, fancy caskets (open and/or closed), wall mounted fire extinguishers, fire hoses and water mains, water fountains (indoor and/or outdoor), and any other bit that strikes your fancy.

PLEASE do produce at least one such pack of your choice of items, including the "easy" ones, and see if your fans will support this wonderful idea of yours.

TVAG

Obviously a hookah!

Thanks for all of the great suggestions gents. I was primarily thinking of a small trio of objects that would go in the Detectives set. A pack of clues is a thought as well but I'm not sure if it would sell in and of itself. The body under the sheet is tempting though.

"The stuff that dreams are made of…"
Beyond question, THE Maltese Falcon

TWO draped bodies, 1 male, 1 female, a foot exposed, a high heel dangling, a hand visible, big ring or wristwatch in plain sight.

Open tommy gun violin and/or FBI case

Open safe, perhaps a blown safe?

Matching set of luggage, with hatbox and train case.

Most of the mundane, everyday items are already available from the train folks or the dollhouse crowd, just takes some diggin' n'pokin'. It's the crime, & film, specific articles that we need, and want.

BGR

Bob, let me give a film justification of a victrola. It is key to the plot in And Then There Were None, the classic secluded estate mystery with Barry Fitzgerald, Walter Huston and Louis Hayward. I will grant that in the movie it was a record player rather than a victrola, but a victrola is a much more interesting item.

I make a few items already. PGJ-11 has a safe, albeit un-blown. The is a small wrench attached to a hand in PHP-11, not that useful I guess. PGJ-3 has a crow bar, bottle and large wrench. There is a closed violin case in PGJ-2.

I love the idea of luggage for some reason. The victrola and typewritter are intriguing as well.

The falcon is a must-agreed, as is the bust of Napoleon.

I'm still rooting for an open jewelry box with pearl necklaces and such spilling out. Think "Pearls Are A Nuisance", and a Graflex Speed Graphic type press camera with a flash gun attached. Think "The Big Sleep".

Here is my wish list in no particular order;

Luggage
Briefcase
Hat box
Hat – fedora or top hat
Victrola
Wireless set
Coffee cup/mug and or coffee pot
Bust
Falcon statuette
Skull -animal or man or ?
Flashlight (or torch if you must call it that)
Book – one or a small stack
Wierd science gizmo
Umbrella
Case of dynamite w top off so you can see the dynomite
Alarm clock the old round wind up kind
Add clock to sticks of dynomite for a time bomb
Hair brush
Type writer
Desk globe
Oil can like used to help Tinman in oz

And on and on

Don't bother with a Cthulhu
I have plenty of those already

I would like to see a MP-18 smg, a Madsen LMG, and a Thompson M1928 smg, with drum.

Col. Mustard did it in the living room with the MP-18

Miss Scarlett did it in the kitchen with the Madsen

Prof Plum did it in the library with the tommy gun.

These would have lots of secondary uses too:)

Bob,

You have my public promise too… I hope ot see you at more shows too!

My honest take is this… it is a niche market for sure, but be the only one to fill it well. I understand your idea and it is a great one… as a person who adds this stuff to their own games when possible… but my biggest problem I have is that I do not own enough of the stuff… it was a matter of time before my players were like "oh, look ther eis the vase…. must be a clue." Players are astute. A variety of mundane items… soem to be clues, some to not be clues (traps) is a great idea, but it opens a huge can of worms with meta-gaming players.

Great idea and I do hope you take it further!

bob – "small wrench attached to a hand" would be useful for a couple of ideas i have.

Bob, I'm not talking to you because you won't make what I want in 15 mm!

Pffffffffttttt!!!!!!!

especially stuff like this listed here

Cretan! : )

A sled marked "Rosebud."

>>A sled marked "Rosebud."<<

That's a pretty cool idea! If Bob doesn't have one in his Yukon line, you can probably get one from one of those "Christmas lighted villages" and paint "Rosebud" on the side.

Bob

BTW, i'd rather see a "Number One Son" or "Number Two Son" in the pack rather than clues.

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