By The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir…beware.
I searched for a Chamber of Secrets door replica for years to no avail. I found a lot of nice coins released in subscription boxes but no movie accurate models or replicas. Finally, I came across this Snake Gate model by Wizard Alley. The Wizard Alley Snake Gate model is by far the best replica I have seen to date. It is beautifully designed, handmade, movie accurate, and a show stopping statement piece. Moreover, it is completely unique!
Specifications and Price
This Snake Gate is a handmade and hand-painted Polyresin model. Wizard Alley wrote they wanted to create a rotten, mouldy room with water pouring out of the door given it was situated in water canals. The measurements are approximately 15.5cm x 13.5cm x 11cm and the weight is approximately 600 grams. This model costs €110 and can take up to a few weeks to arrive as they are made to order. Given the models are handmade, each model has slight variations and is completely unique. There is no doubt that this is an incredibly well designed piece.
The Base
The base is completely flat so the model can be displayed on any flat surface. There are a lot of details and texture on the “floor”. Stones are visible and the texture is uneven and bumpy as it would have been in the story . A nice touch is the resin “water” on the floor showing the water that would have spilled through the door. In addition, Wizard Alley painted Green patches across the model showing the moss that would have grown on the damp bricks.
The Door
The Snake Gate door is designed to be half open. The door is also beautifully designed and incredibly movie accurate. It is hand painted with a copper-coloured paint and there is even some green paint on the base of the snakes to show the patina that would develop over time on the copper door (much like the Statue of Liberty). Please note that the door is not moveable. This means that there is no feature behind the door except for a plain wooden looking polyresin background.
The Walls
The stone walls to the sides of the door are also incredibly detailed. There is a lot of variation in the stones and bricks and these too are hand painted dark brown. The back of the door and wall is relatively flat so the model can be displayed against a flat surface. Although it is not as flat as the base, this isn’t an issue as it doesn’t need to be perfectly flat given the flatness of the base. It is an easy piece to display on and against any flat surface. Please do not display the model on anything but a flat surface. The last thing you want is for this expensive, unique piece to fall or break!
Worth it?
To say that this replica is beautifully made with extra care is an understatement. Undoubtedly, this is a wonderfully unique piece for any Harry Potter collector. I have absolutely no regrets purchasing this item and I am very happy to have it in my collection. If you wish to purchase one yourself, please see the link to the Wizard Alley Shop below. If you are interested in seeing some behind the scene clips as to how this model was made, go visit Wizard Alley’s Instagram page (wizardalley).
Wizard Alley Shop: https://elear.works/product-category/wizard-alley/