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Weekly Sherlock Links Compendium (October 1 - October 19, 2014)

Always1895.net is back.....

William Gillette's 1916 film Sherlock Holmes has been the stuff of Sherlockian legend for over 100 years - assumed lost since c. 1918, the film was comprised of the only motion picture recording of William Gillette performing his most famous role, that of the Great Detective, honed on the stage for decades. Then one magical day in early 2014 a remarkable discovery was made deep in the vaults of the Cinémathèque Française. On October 1, 2014 the Cinémathèque Française and the San Francisco Silent Film Festival (SFSFF) issued a joint press release announcing the recent discovery of a complete nitrate duplicate negative of the 'lost' 1916  film entitled Sherlock Holmes. Restoration of the film is being handled by the SFSFF and  Cinémathèque Française, and according to the SFSFF, "the European premiere will take place at the Cinémathèque Française’s festival of film restoration, Toute la Mémoire du Monde, in January 2015. The American première will take place at the San Francisco Silent Film festival in May 2015." In less than a year William Gillette and Sherlock Holmes will become as one again. Truth be told, Sherlockian news doesn't get more exciting than this! 

Not long after the joint press release announcing the historic re-discovery of Gillette's mythical performance, Scott Monty of I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere broke the news to an unsuspecting Sherlockian public, igniting a furry of excitement and disbelief. Recapping events thus far, Monty also managed to secure an exclusive interview with lead film restorer and SFSFF Board President Robert Byrne. When IHOSE asked if Byrne and his colleagues learned anything about the film that wasn't previously known, Byrne replied:

"We are learning that it is a very good film! What a disappointment it would have been to have discovered the holy grail only to find that the acting was hammy and the settings were cheap. Quite the contrary! I predict that audiences are going to be mesmerized with the final result."

It's been half a month since the Sherlockian world found out that this historical treasure, long thought lost, will soon see the light of day for the first time in over 100 years. Not surprisingly Twitter, the Sherlockian blogs and even mainstream media outlets have been ablaze with heady talk of the Gillette lost film miracle. A sampling of responses and reactions can be found at every level of the Internet: Roger Johnson of the Sherlock Holmes Journal; Alistair Duncan of Doyleockian who speculated that this discovery "also means that there is one less 'lost' film and renewed hope that other rediscoveries will happen;" and even the New York Times - ArtsBeat.

For a tiny hint of what we can expect from William Gillette as Sherlock Holmes, here are two very famous audio tracks which capture a few minutes from one of Gillette's many Sherlock Holmes theatrical performances: William Gillette as Sherlock Holmes - Part 1 and William Gillette as Sherlock Holmes - Part 2. Enjoy!

[Original promotional poster for Sherlock Holmes (1916) directed by Arthur Berthelet and produced by the American studio Essanay.]

The Baker Street Babes reach the masses via advanced sonic transmission technology (ie. podcasts) in order to promote their unique perspective on Sherlockian culture. They have also hosted multiple events such as the Daintiest Thing Under a Bonnet which raises funds for The Wounded Warrior Project as well as, from time to time, challenging the status quo when the necessity outweighs the potential hullabaloo that rocking the proverbial boat might create. And they do all this and more for the love of the game, Sherlock Holmes and the unique fan culture that surrounds the Sherlockian world -- but what happens when equipment begins to deteriorate, computer hosting costs increase and new members need to be outfitted with at least a basic technological set-up in order to participate in the regular production of the show?

I suppose the Babes, roughly eleven in number, could have chosen the Baader-Meinhof route and ‘liberated’ the funds needed to carry on their activities, but I suspect lessons gleaned from tales like “The Red-Headed League” persuaded this world-wide syndicate of talented and dedicated Sherlockians to seek slightly more legal means of bankrolling their aims. And what munitions precisely do the Babes need to carry on the good fight? According to their post on Indiegogo - a site similar to Kickstarter but more modest in scope - the equipment most needed to sustain and upgrade their current podcasting situation are…microphones and digital recorders (Were you expecting enriched Uranium 235?).

I strongly encourage you to check out the cost breakdowns on their Indiegogo page to see precisely how donated money would be spent - but basically they are asking for a total of $2290 which would be used to equip all 11+ members with decent microphones and digital recorders so the Babes can continue producing their unique and sincere Sherlockian podcasts. Of course in the spirit of crowd funding campaigns, those contributing can expect ‘perks’ consummate with the amount donated. For example, if I hadn’t just found out about this campaign today, I would have donated $30 as a way to 1) support the Babes and a very good cause but also 2) acquire an extremely handsome ‘1895 t-shirt’ (cf. below). If I wasn’t unemployed at the moment, I would strongly consider a much higher donation (eg. $600) which would guarantee six months worth of show sponsorship (read: free advertising on a podcast for six months that probably gets a trillion listens an episode) - a fantastic promotional deal no matter how you slice it. For more information, make sure to follow the Babes on Twitter, Babes on Facebook, Babes on Tumblr and the main BakerStreetBabes.com website.

[How awesome is the above '1895' t-shirt? Apparently the back features Vincent Starrett's '221B' - a poem quite near and dear to my heart, as readers of this blog are well aware.]

Studies In Starrett a blog maintained by one of Philadelphia's great Sherlockian treasures Mr Ray Betzner, BSI ("The Agony Column"), celebrates and remembers John Bennett Shaw, BSI ("The Hans Sloane of My Age"), on the 20th anniversary of JBS's passing. Betzner's article should be read by every Sherlockian out there, young and old, novice and old-school, if for no other reason than to briefly sample the undeniable influence Shaw qua Sherlockian; Shaw qua demigod; Shaw qua cool bookish uncle we all wish we had growing up; etc. had on the formative mind of a young Sherlockian (c. 1980) - and clearly still retains on the mind of a now successful Sherlockian responsible for numerous works of scholarship and respected throughout the most exalted of contemporary Sherlockian circles (c. 2014).

Perhaps my favourite part of Betzner's article is the inclusion of a letter Shaw sent to young Ray in April 1980 suggesting in the strongest possible terms that Betzner attend an upcoming Sherlockian workshop in Pittsburgh. Shaw even references a conversation he had with a young Jon Lellenberg where they both agree Betzner's presence is a "MUST" citing "the very many top Sherlockians who will be there." (As a side note, this is an excellent example of the proud tradition within the Sherlockian world of an an older generation of Sherlockians mentoring and influencing the promising younger generation in hopes of, in short, keeping the memory green.) While it might be an easy thing to celebrate the life and achievements of a giant like Shaw and then conclude that the time of the giants is past, Betzner instead speculates on how Shaw might respond to the Sherlockian world in 2014: "Were [Shaw] still with us, I think John would be amazed by the current Sherlock Holmes movement. The internet has drawn folks together in ways he never dreamed of, and I am also convinced that the latest generation of "Sherlockian" influenced fans would have delighted the old boy." Praise Zeus! 

[John Bennett Shaw in his natural habitat, surrounded by books as far as the eye cab see. Personally, one of my only real Sherlockian regrets is that I personally never had the chance to meet JBS in person - instead I will happily settle for speaking to Sherlockians who had the good fortune of knowing him, corresponding with him and receiving a personal tour of his legendary Sherlockian collection at his home in Santa Fe prior to its move to University of Minnesota, Library Special Collections.]

It is an undisputed fact that JBS's Sherlockian legacy is still clearly felt today, whether one looks at the enormous Sherlockian collection he bequeathed to the University of Minnesota upon his death or the ongoing tradition of Sherlock Holmes seminars, conferences and the like. One of the most digestible contributions left by JBS is the so-called 'Shaw 100' or "The One Hundred Basic Books, Pamphlets and Periodicals relating to Sherlock Holmes" - a list maintained today by Timothy J Johnson, the E. W. McDiarmid Curator of the Sherlock Holmes Collections. Check out I Hear of Sherlock Episode 67: The Sherlock Holmes Collections with special guest Tim Johnson.

Black Gate, a SciFi/Fantasy site billed as "Adventures in Fantasy Literature", has been syndicating a set of columns by Sherlockian/Solar Pons-ian Bob Byrne. Beginning in March, 2014, Mr Byrne has published at least thirty Holmes-centric posts all of which have been properly indexed under the title "The Public Life of Sherlock Holmes: An Index (So Far)" - plus some non-Holmes articles on Nero Wolfe and Dashiell Hammett. The Sherlockian essays tend to be written for a more general reader but are all worth perusing - though my only real concern is that Byrne promises/threatens to one day post a defence of the Matt Frewer movies".

Bob Byrne also manages the excellent Solar Pons Gazette page "the only active newsletter dedicated to Solar Pons, the Sherlock Holmes of Praed Street." When not hanging around Praed Street, Byrne releases a similar Holmesian newsletter entitled Baker Street Essays, the latest issue (#5) employing Vincent Starrett's "Evolution of a Profile" as a jumping off point to explore the classic decades of Holmes illustration, concluding on the enduring legacy of Paget and ending with BBC Sherlock's use of Paget motifs 110 years after Paget's original drawings. 

[Tom Richmond's 'The Game is Afoot Limited Edition Print'.]

The above print by Tom Richmond depicts various actors portraying the Great Detective on screen over the years featured on Bob Byrne's page. Click the image for information about ordering the above print by award winning MAD Magazine artist Tom Richmond.

I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere announced/reviewed two recent Sherlock-related DVD releases: the first is a Blu-ray DVD version of Granada's Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Series and the second is the imminent release (November 4, 2014) of all nine BBC Sherlock episodes. Sadly, it sounds like Jeremy Brett's series received nothing but a basic Blu-ray upgrade - same film-to-digital transfer, just presented in higher definition - adding zero content to the 2007 Granada DVD release.

Then there's the opulent Sherlock Limited Edition Gift Set which packages all three seasons worth of BBC Sherlock episodes "on both Blu-ray and DVD, along with the original bonus features released with each season [and] all new commentaries, never-before-seen out-takes and exclusive collectibles including limited edition art cards and busts of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson." If you need to buy a gift for a Sherlockian into mega-packaged DVD sets with tons of special features, then pre-order this ASAP. Personally I wonder if the included Holmes/Cumberbatch bust would pass the Moran/EMPT test, though I've always thought Monsieur Oscar Meunier, of Grenoble, received too much credit for his wax Holmes rendering opposed to Mrs Hudson's dexterous manipulation of said rendering, which is what really tricked the Colonel into taking his final shot as a gun for hire, before being incapacitated by the recently reunited team of Holmes and Watson, and then led away in bracelets by Lestrade himself.

[One can only wonder how well the newest wax figure at London's Madame Tussauds stacks up against Meunier's Holmes wax bust from EMPT. And see this RadioTimes article "Benedict Cumberbatch wax figure in final stages" to judge for yourself.]

The Final Problem re-posted a set of high quality pages from one of the most famous Sherlock Holmes/Batman crossover issues in comic book history: Detective Comics #572 "The Doomsday Book" (March 1987), the cover of which features Sherlock Holmes, adorned in an Inverness cape, deerstalker and (of course, non-canonical) calabash pipe, sitting at a desk while Batman, standing behind him, points to some significant detail in a comic book which has both super detectives completely engrossed. Not a bad cover for the 50th anniversary issue of Detective Comics. "The Doomsday Book" was billed as "A mystery so strange...it takes the greatest detectives of all time to solve it!" The Comics Cube has a decent recap of what the issue is all about, though pertinent plot points involve Moriarty's great-great-nephew, a flashback to an untold Sherlock Holmes case entitled "The Adventure of the Red Leech" - which is I assume a reference from GOLD when Watson reflects "As I turn over the pages, I see my notes upon the repulsive story of the red leech and the terrible death of Crosby, the banker."

[One of my favourite Sherlock and Batman encounters with Batman offering Sherlock a light for his pipe and Homes replying that "Thank you, but I'm afraid the pipe is purely for show, these days." Personally I like to believe that Sherlock is just putting on a show for 'the kids' and that he smokes his mix of pipes and cigarettes with the same relish as when solving the case of "The Man With the Twisted Lip" (1891). Image from Detective Comics #572: The Doomsday Book (March 1987).]

Footprints of London recently hosted "Literary Footprints" where Sue Bingham led the walk Embankment to Covent Garden – Literary Heroes. "Sue told some excellent Sherlock Holmes stories introducing us to Arthur Conan Doyle’s hybrid London of fictional and real locations. Within a few minutes she introduced the group to a building that was once a Turkish Bath mentioned in one of the stories. It was certainly not a building that you would notice unless you had it pointed out!." I can only assume said Turkish Baths were referenced in "The Disappearance of Lady Francis Carfax" (where Holmes deduces that Watson has been to a Turkish Bath earlier in the day) though more likely she was referring to the start of "The Adventure of the Illustrious Client" where we find Holmes and Watson leisurely discussing a case Holmes had, until now, been reluctant to reveal to the ever curious Watson:

"Both Holmes and I had a weakness for the Turkish Bath. It was over a smoke in the pleasant lassitude of the drying-room that I have found him less reticent and more human than anywhere else. On the upper floor of the Northumberland Avenue establishment there is an isolated corner where two couches lie side by side, and it was on these that we lay upon September 3, 1902, the day when my narrative begins..."  

If you're planning a trip to London and interested in a literary-historical tout that appears to go significantly beyond the average tourist fare, make sure to check out their full schedule of walks and/or follow @SherlockWalks on Twitter. 

The Sherlock Holmes Pub at 10-11 Northumberland Street [pictured above], Westminster, isn't exactly an authentic canonical Sherlockian map point, but the international Holmesian jet-set crowd finds it to be an irresistible pit-stop for Sherlockians of all stripes - and the 'The Study' does appear to contain a wax Sherlock Holmes post-Moran's air rifle and all among other Sherlockian goodies to inspect and pose for pictures.

Wheaton Public Library is celebrating Sherlock Holmes in all his many incarnations throughout October 2014 with special events, related contests, prize drawings, displays, and more! Unfortunately I'm just finding out about this program now, but there are still plenty of events scheduled including: "Footloose in England" (Thursday, October 16 at 7pm); "Radio Players: 'The Speckled Band' and 'The Scandal in Bohemia'" (Sunday, October 19 at 2pm); The Hound of the Baskervilles - 1939 - Basil Rathbone (Wednesday, October 15 at 1pm); Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (Tuesday, October 21 at 1pm); a book discussion of The Hound of the Baskervilles (Monday, October 20 at 11am) Get updated info from Wheaton's Facebook page. All events are located at 225 N. Cross St. Wheaton, IL 60187.

[There are still 12 days left in Wheaton Library's Sherlock Fest.]

Leslie S. Klinger, fresh off the publication of his latest project the New Annotated H.P. Lovecraft, announced a huge batch of upcoming book signing events taking Klinger from coast to coast and everywhere in between. Mr Klinger was just in Chicago this last Saturday at the Sulzer Library where he read from and signed his New Annotated HPL. Make sure to check out Klinger's page for a full list of upcoming speaking and signing dates from now until March 2015.

[Click the cover of Klinger's New Annotated H. P. Lovecraft for his book signing tour dates from now until March 2015.]

The Daintiest (Bee) Under Your Bonnet Charity Ball 2015 will be held Thursday the 8th of January at 8:00 pm in the storied halls of the Player's Club (16 Gramercy Park South, New York, 10003) as part of the Baker Street Irregulars Birthday Weekend. The theme this year is a Sussex Flapper Party and 100% of all proceeds from ticketing and the auction will once again benefit the Wounded Warrior Project. Admission is $45/ticket and covers buffet, goodie bags, live piano, a quiz & costume competition with prizes and the always exciting live auction. In order for the Charity Ball to succeed, we must implore again that you consider cleaning out your overstocked Sherlockian-oriented closets and bookshelves in order to supply treasures for the live and silent auctions. In the last two years your generosity has raised $8,000 for our war heroes - please bring some friends and join us once again for an evening of canonical fun and Mycroft-sized generosity.

[The Daintiest Thing Under A Bonnet Charity Ball - Proudly hosted by The Baker Street Babes. January 10, 2013. Photo by Melinda Caric (click for more photos.]

The Sherlockian Calendar continues to be maintained with loving care and devotion by Ron Fish - and is still the most useful and thorough listing of Sherlockian events available on the planet. I suggest consulting with the calendar prior to scheduling your event so as to avoid any unnecessary overlap. If you're looking for an event in your area, this is the place to begin your quest. 

* As I'm sure you've realized by now, the 'Weekly Sherlock Links Compendium' is back and, as always, I encourage anyone with interesting Sherlockian news, gossip, announcements or suggestions to please contact me at always1895[@]gmail.com *

** I'll be catching up with a lot of Sherlockian news, links, podcasts, articles and essays published over the last 6 months, so please be patient with me and I'll try to get as much material posted as possible in the next few weeks. **

#William Gillette #Baker Street Babes #BSI Weekend 2015 #Les Klinger #I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere #Bob Byrne #Jon Lellenberg #Ray Betzner #Roger Johnson #Cinémathèque Française #San Francisco Silent Film Festival

[always1895-blog]

Weekly Sherlock Links Compendium (March 1 - March 14, 2014)

* Update: This post is dedicated to the recently departed Peter Ruber (1940 - 2014) who passed away on Thursday March 6, 2014. Mr Ruber was best known in Sherlockian circles for his work as a Vincent Starrett scholar, having edited the remarkable tribute volume The Last Bookman: A Journey Into the Life & Times of Vincent Starrett (Author-Journalist-Bibliophile) (1968) with an introduction by Christopher Morley and contributions from over 20 friends and admirers ranging from August Derleth to Carl Sandburg, as well as being the first editor of The Vincent Starrett Memorial Library Series, the collected works of Starrett published over the years by The Battered Silicon Dispatch Box. Next week I'll have a more comprehensive entry dedicated to Peter Ruber, but for now I plan on pouring a stiff drink and spending the evening re-exploring The Last Bookman in memory of a late, great Starrettian scholar. 

[Peter Ruber's The Last Bookman (1968) is a handsomely produced volume essential to every Starrettian/Sherlockian library.]

The Sherlockian world never sleeps, hence the growing length of these Weekly Links posts. In the first half of March 2014, the great Starrettian scholar Peter Ruber passed away, the BSI Dinner 2014 group photo arrived in mailboxes around the world, Sherlockian.net added a dedicated fanfic section, Portsmouth announced a Sherlockian theme park in the works, there's an incredible number of random Sherlock items to purchase on Etsy, the Beacon Society is the official charity of 221B Con, Alistair Duncan considers the domestic side of 221B, Dan Andriacco interviews MX Publishing's Steve Emecz, Ray Betzner compiles a list of essential Starrettian works, Harrison Hunt discusses his recent BSI investiture, breaking news: BBC's Sherlock Holmes totally acts like a jerk sometimes, a newcomer to Sherlockian book buying documents the Sisyphean task that is collecting, Snoopy slash Sherlock, Episode 4 of the new Russian Sherlock is now available with English subtitles, common Sherlock misconceptions in video, ACD and the Olympics, a Sherlockian talks Sherlock, a rare HOUN illustration uncovered, Sherlocked: a mega-convention coming soon, RSVP for the next Epilogues of Sherlock Holmes, Mark Gatiss introduces a screening of The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, the second annual Morley Birthday Lunch is happening in Hoboken and more in the latest Weekly Sherlock Links Compendium by Matt Laffey.

[Baker Street Irregulars Dinner 2014 at the Yale Club - January 17, 2014. Picture by Gruber Photographers. Be sure to read my review of the BSI Weekend 2014 in the upcoming Spring 2014 issue of the Baker Street Journal - and if you don't subscribe, now is the time!]

Sherlockian.net announced a recent collaboration with Elinor Gray consisting of a new feature called Fanfic List and Commentary. As a companion to the new fanfic page on Chris Redmond's perennially relevant Sherlock website, Ms Gray compiled an extensive database of Sherlockian-centric fanfic available for download as a spreadsheet titled Sherlock Fandom Classics which can be sorted by title, author or even by sub-fandom category. The list is made up of Gray's own preferences as well as those of her fandom comrades on Twitter, LiveJournal and Tumblr. (Click here to read some of Elinor Gray's own fanfiction.) For those new to the wide and wonderful world of Sherlock fanfic, a good starting point is AO3's "Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms" which contains 54,317 (and counting) fanworks all of which can be sorted and filtered using criteria such as Categories (M/M, F/M, F/F, etc.), Fandom Type (Sherlock TV, ACD, Elementary, and crossovers such as Sherlock/Doctor Who, Sherlock/Harry Potter, etc.), Characters, Relationships (Holmes/Watson, Mycroft/Lestrade, Moran/Moriarty, etc.) plus additional tags such as Angst, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Alternate Universe, Post-Reichenbach, etc. I even found a story inspired by Vincent Starrett's 221B entitled "Always 1895" by Aurora_Kira that's Rated: Mature; Relationship: M/M; Fandoms: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms; Relationship: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson; additionally tagged: 'Angsty Goodness but Wait There’s More,' 'John and Sherlock Heart Each Other,' '“Who Never Lived and So Can Never Die,”' 'Old Poetry Kicks Ass.' (Even if you strongly dislike fanfic you have to admit they're extremely meticulous  and precise.) Here's a sample from the text of the "Always 1895" fanfic for those new to the genre:

"John adores these moments of quiet, just the two of them. He’ll always love the cases, always love running after Sherlock, fantastic deductions, the danger, the insanity, the hard brilliance that makes up the majority of their life together. Still, it takes the one to make him appreciate the other. It’s the contrast that gives these times of softness their meaning...Sometimes John thinks about what the distant future might hold for them both. He has hopes he hasn’t yet discussed with Sherlock involving country cottages, beehives, the occasional case, maybe even non-homicide-related travel...He snuggles closer to Sherlock, nuzzling gently at the lapel of his dressing gown." ("Always 1895" by Aurora_Kira)

My only real complaint is that the author doesn't mention the color of Holmes' dressing gown which, based on the tone of the piece, I presume to be mouse-colored. To give you some perspective: remember when you thought Philip K Jones' database of Sherlockian pastiches, clocking in at over 10K entries, was mind-boggling insane? Well, that's not even a drop in the fanfic bucket. (On a personal note, I admit that for the briefest of moments I considered writing a Sherlock/Fringe crossover story but alas I fear the world is not yet prepared - not to mention there already exists, I kid you not, 1,536 entries for Fringe + Sherlock crossover fanfic (!) on AO3.)

[The above image includes a quote by Cumberbatch from an episode of BBC's Top Gear (for non-British readers, Top Gear is a wildly popular talk show about cars and driving which features celebrity guests) in response to a question about 'Johnlock' fanfic to which this Sherlockcares blogger responded with a fanfic piece called "Sherlock Is Lost In Space"- by now you can probably guess where this one is heading.]

Construction Week Online reported that "A $40 million theme park celebrating the life of the famous fictional detective Sherlock Holmes is set to be built in Portsmouth, England, where author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - who created the character in 1887 - used to live." I was rather dubious upon first hearing about the proposed Portsmouth-based Sherlockian amusement park, but recent articles in places as diverse as BBC America, Daily Mail and Fox News all point to the truth of this rather bizarre undertaking. So what can we expect from a Holmes theme park? According to the Portsmouth Cultural Partnership's Steve Pitt: "What we are talking about is a world class, Sherlock Holmes experience." Most of the reports allude to the park containing rides and hi-tech holograms of Holmes, Watson and friends solving crimes and living the Baker Street lifestyle.

If I was called upon to design aspects of the park, you could be sure Sherlock Land (or whatever) would be packed with Canonical references and themes at every turn. One ride would mimic Disneyland's Mad Hatter Tea Party but instead of oversized teacups, riders would sit inside giant spinning deerstalkers. 'Watson's Guide to the Turf' - based on SILV and SHOS - would give riders the chance to sit atop Silver Blaze or Shoscombe Prince (or Desborough, Pugilist, etc.) in a mock race. For those looking for a little more excitement, 'The Reichenbach Fall' would strap riders into a box that ascends to a height of 221 feet on a faux waterfall, pausing just long enough to hear a pre-recording of Moriarty's dialogue from FINA, then plunge straight down into artificial mist. The 'Mind Palace' house of mirrors would be fun for the whole family where as the 'Valley of Fear' would feature a roller coaster made to look like a harrowing coal mining car run amuck as animatronic Scowlers attempted to behead riders at every turn.

Games such as 'The Six Napoleon Smash-Up,' 'Black Peter's Harpoon-o-rama', 'Find the Missing Carbuncle,' 'Col. Moran's Big Game Hunt and Air-gun Shooting Gallery', etc. would entertain those uninterested in rides. I'll end my speculation (for now) here and leave you with a quote from Fox News that most likely sums up what we're all really thinking: "From the sound of it, the park is going to be anything but elementary." (Ha! I see what they did there.)

[Fanart from Madwomanlexie featuring Sherlock and John riding a roller coaster; one can hope that Sherlock Land will contain at least one Canonically-inspired roller coaster - perhaps based on the Aurora chase on the Thames in SIGN?]

Buzzfeed's "33 Fabulously Geeky Sherlock Items You Can Buy Right Now" lists a unique set of Holmes/BBC-centric items - some of rather dubious taste, others remarkable for their originality and creativity - that range from pillows to plates and everything in between, all of which can be purchased on Etsy. My favorite items include #31 221B Baker Street baby bib, #26 Sherlockian pantaloons for the ladies (pictured below), #25 Sherlock arm gloves, #20 Cumberbatch cookie cutters, #19 221B-inspired wallpaper leggings, #9 rapturous renderings of Benedict Cumberbatch (in this case BC is depicted as the Angel Islington), #7 Cumberbatch plush dolls and #1 handmade hypoallergenic Sherlock/Watson/Moriarty pillows (though I'm partial to the 'Grumpy Cat' pillow style made by the same person). This list should give you the means to satisfy any Sherlock fan who has a birthday coming up or just needs some cheering up.

[I was torn over whether to include an image of these slightly recherché delicates or an image of a painting of Cumberbatch/Sherlock depicted as the Angel Islington from Neil Gaiman's short lived TV series and highly successful novel Neverwhere - which was adapted for radio in 2013 featuring BC as Islington, along with Christopher Lee as The Earl of Earl’s Court, Bernard Cribbins (Yay!) as Old Bailey and Anthony Steward Head (Yay! x 2) as Croup.]       

The Beacon Society announced that they are the official charity of 221B Con happening April 4 - 6, 2014 in Atlanta, GA. For those unfamiliar with what exactly the Beacon Society does, it's a non-profit Sherlockian organization that provides grants (2014 application here) as well as rewarding creative/exemplary educational experiences that introduce impressionable young minds to the world and stories of Sherlock Holmes. At 221B Con they'll have "a “Teaching Sherlock” panel with Beacon Award winners Shannon Carlisle (2013) and Tim Greer (2014) along with cartoonist Chris Schweizer and Beaconeers Marilynne McKay and Marino Alvarez." 

If you're lucky enough to be in Atlanta for the conference, make sure to check out one of Beacon's panels and/or speak to Ms McKay or Prof. Alvarez, particularly if you're interested in education and keeping the memory green. At last count I heard over 3 kazillion Sherlockian enthusiasts were registered for 221B Con, which I hope translates into significant exposure for the Beacon Society who continue to do fantastic work helping to corrupt enlighten the youth of today who will become the Holmesians of tomorrow. 

["Light-houses, my boy! Beacons of the future! Capsules with hundreds of bright little seeds in each, out of which will spring the wiser, better England of the future." (NAVA)]

Doyleockian considers the interest Sherlockians have for the home life of Holmes in "A Study In Domesticity", suggesting that due to the relatively sparse, though tantalizing, tidbits of information revealed throughout the Canon, readers' imaginations are given free reign to speculate as much as their heart's desire. Though hard data concerning the domestic lives of Holmes and Watson is scarce, descriptions of the contents of 221B can certainly be found among the 60 stories. It should be no surprise that Sherlockian scholars have made multiple attempts to systematically and exhaustively enumerate the contents of 221B Baker Street, two of the most successful being The Baker Street File (1982/2002) and Clarkson's The Canonical Compendium (1999).

The former is Granada's bible/guide to the appearance and habits of Holmes and Watson whose chapter "Inside 221B" offers 96 separate entries pertaining to the minutia of Holmes' domestic life including: #1054 The Standard was one of the regular papers found in the sitting room (SIGN), #1071 Ice crystals formed thickly on the windows on a frosty day (BLUE), #1104 Holmes had a velvet-lined armchair (SIGN), etc. Clarkson's volume is made up of 444 pages consisting of a Topical Index showing Canonical references that fall into one or more of 80 categories and 144 subcategories, a percentage of which are items relevant to Holmes' domestic life, e.g. Contents of 221B, Holmes Room, Watson's Room (documenting over 180 items in these categories alone) which include everything from the trusty gasogene (surprisingly, mentioned in only two stories) to Holmes' Stradivarius (mentioned in seven stories). 

[Sydney Paget's depiction of Holmes and a distraught Grant Munro in YELL. Note the gasogene in the upper, center portion of the illustration sitting on the mantel, presumably next to Holmes' unopened letters held in place by the legendary jackknife. Paget uses the exact location/angle in an illustration for SCAN, except Holmes and Watson appear instead of a client.]

Dan Andriacco interviewed the owner of MX Publishing Steve Emecz who has also published a variety of Andriacco's own books including the McCabe/Cody cycle, his collection of essays Baker Street Beat (2011), The Amateur Executioner: Enoch Hale Meets Sherlock Holmes (2013), etc. To date Mr Emecz has published an impressive 150+ Sherlock-centric books on a variety Sherlockian topics, some of my personal favorites being: A Chronology of Arthur Conan Doyle Revised and Expanded Edition (2012) by Brian Pugh, The Lighter Side of Sherlock Holmes: The Sherlockian Artwork of Norman Schatell (2013) and Wheels of Anarchy by Max Pemberton and edited by Paul Spiring - in fact, there's just too many fantastic titles to list here so when you have a moment or three make sure to thoroughly peruse the MX Sherlock Holmes and ACD books catalogue. On a related note, Philip K Jones reviewed Andriacco's third book in the McCabe/Cody series The 1895 Murder (MX, 2012) on Amazon giving it a well-deserved five stars. Finally, be sure to follow MX Publishing on their Facebook page for updates and news. In an era that makes independent book publishing almost impossible, your support for MX, a publisher that has dedicated its existence to spreading the Sherlockian word to both novice and experienced Sherlockians the world over, is imperative.

[Watson Is Not An Idiot (2013) is just one of a myriad of new titles - though perhaps the best title of a Sherlockian book ever - from Sherlockian specialists MX Publishing based in the UK but whose releases are available the world over in a variety of languages and formats (paperback, hardcover and e-books). Click here for a few more reviews of new MX titles by Mr Andriacco.]

Studies in Starrett posted a list of essential books written and edited by Vincent Starrett, most of which should reside in every respectable Sherlockian's library. First and foremost is Starrett's brilliant The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1933/1960), a tome unrivaled in historical importance that's just as relevant and fresh today as it was upon it's release in 1933. Wessex Press released a 75 year anniversary facsimile edition, edited by 'Studies in Starrett' proprietor Ray Betzner, which is almost as awesome as owning the first edition (and thanks to a truly generous and remarkable Sherlockian I'm fortunate enough to actually own a first edition) and should be at the top of every burgeoning Sherlockian's want list. Almost as essential is Starrett's edited collection of early Sherlockian papers entitled 221B, Studies in Sherlock Holmes by Various Hands (1940). Collecting some of the greatest minds from the golden age of Sherlockiana, Starrett's collection is still one of the greatest readers in Sherlockian scholarship available - thankfully republished as an affordable paperback by Otto Penzler's Sherlock Holmes Library. Read the rest of Betzner's post for further explorations in Starrettian studies.

[Also on Betzner's Starrettian book list is Born in a Bookshop: Chapters from the Chicago Renascence (1965) which among other virtues features one of the single best book covers you will ever come across.] 

The Island Now, a local Long Island news source, ran a lengthy article on Sherlockian Harrison Hunt and his recent elevation into the ranks of the Baker Street Irregulars this past January, receiving the titular investiture of "The Something Hunt" (a quote from HOUN). Hunt first encountered the Canon in 5th grade though it wasn't until the last decade that he became involved with the BSI: "While working as the supervisor of historic sites for the Nassau County Parks Department in 2007, Hunt said he was approached by members of the Baker Street Irregulars who wanted to plan a trip to Christopher Morley Park in Roslyn Estates and see the late author’s writing studio, the Knothole. In exchange for helping the organization plan a trip to the park in 2009, which coincided with the 75th anniversary of its founding, Hunt met with other Sherlockians in the New York area and began attending their dinners." Harrison Hunt is also a co-host of the Morley Birthday Lunch happening in Hoboken, NJ on Sunday, May 4, 2014 (cf. 'Events' below for details), an event not to be missed.

[Harrison Hunt receiving a coveted Irregular Shilling from Mike Whelan aka Wiggins at the BSI Dinner 2014.]

What Culture in "10 Moments When Sherlock Was A Complete Jerk" successfully argues, with images and text, that Sherlock's brilliance is matched only by his utter jerktasticness. My favorites include: 10) missing the emotional context behind cases, 9) terrorizing a hallucinating John, 8) humiliating Sally Donovan (and Anderson) in front of her colleagues, 7) denying he has friends to John, 5) belittling Molly Hooper, 3) failing to tell John they weren't going to die in the Tube, 2) using Janine (à la Escott the plumber in MILV) and 1) failing to understand why John might be upset in the immediate aftermath of presenting himself as definitely not-dead. Fans, in order to deal with BBC Sherlock's overwhelming jerkiness, simply turn to the following line for comfort and vindication: Sherlock: "Oh, I may be on the side of the angels, but don't think for one second that I am one of them." ("The Reichenbach Fall" (2x03).

[Crossing the pond for a moment, here's Jonny Lee Miller aka Mr Elementary: I have no idea what he's doing in this photo but there's an 87% probability that he's being a huge jerk of some sort.]

My Sherlock Books is a listing of Sherlockian book recommendations curated by the proprietor of Guide To Sherlock Holmes & BBC's Sherlock, a site dedicated to how new BBC Sherlock episodes and characters relate to the original Canon. The book recommendations are divided into Sherlockian tomes "For the General Reader" as well as slightly more advanced reading for those looking to delve deeper into Sherlockian scholarship. Also included is an extremely comprehensive 'Want' list that includes titles that every serious Sherlockian book collector would surely enjoy seeing on their shelves. As a point of reference, the author has included prices he paid for various volumes so that collectors and potential collectors know what they're getting into financially once they allow the Sherlockian collector bug into their brain. (But, you know, I can quit whenever I want...)

[The definitive collection of writings by Christopher Morley The Standard Doyle Company, edited by Morley expert and current editor of the Baker Street Journal Steve Rothman - just one of the many 'must have' volumes featured on this list.]

@JohnHWatsonMD posted this Peanuts strip featuring Charlie Brown reading the "they were the footprints of a gigantic hound" scene from The Hound of the Baskervilles to poor Snoopy before bed. If someone knows of a database of Peanuts cartoons that reference Sherlock Holmes please let me know - I absolutely love coming across Peanuts/Sherlock strips, most of which I've never seen. I'm familiar with "It's a Mystery, Charlie Brown" (watch Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3) where Snoopy dons deerstalker, inverness cape and bubble pipe, in order to help Woodstock find his missing bird's nest, but I know there must be so many more Sherlockian references. 

[I'm sure someone, somewhere has written 'Hound slash Snoopy' fanfic.]

Quick Sherlock Links:

"The Mistress of Lord Maulbrey" Episode 4 of the new Russian Sherlock is now available with English subtitles, news which will make many a non-Russian speaking Holmes fan happy. For an overview of what to expect from the newest Holmes adaptation, check out the I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere review by Ms Anastasia Klimchynskaya, one of the newest contributors to IHOSE as well as the 2013 winner of the Morley-Montgomery Award for her Baker Street Journal piece "A Study in Scarlet and the Study of Mankind: Sherlock Holmes and Pope's Essay on Man". (Video posted at 221b-bakerst by Alexander Sedov.)

[Igor Petrenko as Sherlock Holmes in the 2013 Russian adaptation of the great detective. Fans of Holmes qua 'profound chemist' will delight in Petrenko's frequent use of 221B's acid-stained, deal-topped table.]

Sherlockian-Sherlock put together a video documenting the most common misconceptions about Sherlock Holmes, based on their previously mentioned article "The Most Common Misconceptions About Sherlock Holmes". Though I don't agree with every item on here, I would suggest this list to be mandatary reading for any mainstream news outlet planning on running a segment about the recent upsurge in Holmes popularity. ("Quick Watson, the remote!")

Special & Rare on a Stick, blog of Tim Johnson, curator of the Sherlock Holmes Collections at the University of Minnesota, reflects on a Preface that ACD wrote in 1914 for The Evolution of the Olympic Games, 1829 B.C.—1914 A.D. by Frederick Annesley Michael (F. A. M.) Webster. There's quite a bit of ACD Olympics lore out there and this piece by Tim "I have the greatest job in the Universe" Johnson is a great place to start.

Seattle Weekly sought out John Longenbaugh in order to get the perspective of a hardcore Sherlockian regarding BBC Sherlock and CBS's Elementary and related popular culture 'boomings'. It's a nice article but make sure to read the comments which had me in stitches. Then check out Brad Keefauver's latest post on Sherlock Peoria which was inspired by the above review of "The One Percent Solution" for the full experience. Mark my words, in a few years when Sherlock Holmes goes back out of style you're going to desperately miss these fun little sparks ignited by mainstream pop culture bumping-up against our little, die-hard Sherlockian world. 

Steve Doyle, proprietor of Wessex Press/Gasogene Books, dug up and scanned this rare illustration from the dust jacket of The Hound of the Baskervilles (Looking Glass Library, 1961), sharing it via his Facebook page Sherlock Holmes For Dummies. 

[Click here for larger version of this very cool HOUN illustration.]

Sherlockian Scion & Event Links:

Sherlockology announced an event of (purportedly) epic proportions titled Sherlocked (a reference to Irene Adler's iPhone password in "A Scandal In Belgravia") billed as "the first ever official Sherlock convention dedicated to our favourite BBC series, will take place in 2014 over 3 days. The event will be run by Massive Events in association with Hartswood Films and Showmasters Ltd - a combination of the talents of specialist producers in dedicated fan conventions and the hugely experienced team behind the renowned London Film & Comic Con, and the Sherlock production team. In addition, it is intended to take place in Europe and in the USA." From the press release it even appears that the BBC Sherlock producers are supporting it: "Sherlock's producer Sue Vertue exclusively told [Sherlockology]: "We're very excited to be announcing our first official Sherlock convention for later in the year, aptly named 'Sherlocked'. Massive Events have been pestering me for ages to get a date for this in the schedule but we wanted to make sure that we had the time and energy to make it a great, high quality and fun event, and now we have! Watch this space...."

So what do you think? Do we really need 'outsiders' putting together a massive Sherlock-themed event when there are already a wide variety of high quality, intellectually stimulating, homegrown Sherlock gatherings such as BSI Weekend, Scintillation of Scions, 221B Con, Wessex Press' From Gillette to Brett IV: Basil, Benedict & Beyond, and numerous other Sherlockian events that have taken place around the world for decades prior to a corporate group of "specialist producers"? On the other hand, maybe a professional group would put together an event entirely different than anything we're used to, mustering resources above and beyond what is available to the average Sherlockian? I'm keeping an open mind and will be curious to see how 'Sherlocked' develops - and I'm equally curious to see how the Sherlockian Internet reacts.

[At the end of the day, I think my 'authenticity-o-meter-spider-sense' tends to tingle whenever I see the word "official" prefixing something I care deeply about (ie. "The Official Sherlock X"). Only time will tell in this case.]

BFI Films announced a screening of Billy Wilder's incredibly brilliant The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes on April 9, 2014 at 8:20 PM at BFI Southbank, London. Wilder's take on Holmes, Watson and the entire Baker Street scene is marvelous, but don't take my word for it because Mark Gatiss (Mycroft on Sherlock, writer for Doctor Who) will be on hand to introduce the film and discuss how Wilder's adaptation inspired and influenced his work on BBC Sherlock. If London was only a little closer I would risk life and limb to ensure that I had a seat for what sounds like a magical evening.

The Epilogues of Sherlock Holmes will hold their first gathering of 2014 on March 29 at 6:00 pm in Chatham, NJ at their usual spot, the Quaker (Friends) Meeting House. For those unfamiliar with these beloved Sherlockian meetings hosted by the newly invested Peter McIntyre, BSI ("Arthur Cadogan West") and Bob Katz, BSI ("Dr. Ainstree"), the evening begins with a sumptuous feast (wild caught shrimp, lump crab cakes, salads, refreshments and home made ice cream for only $10 per person) and then eases into an unparalleled discussion, led by Katz, of two seemingly disparate stories from the Canon (this time it's "The Problem of Thor Bridge" and "The Red Circle"). Saving the best for last, Katz typically concludes the discussion by proposing a link - sometimes subtle, other times radical - between the two stories which inevitably sparks further debate and discussion up until the moment when the Quakers kick us out and we all must regrettably return to reality. Make sure to contact Peter McIntyre and RSVP by March 22 so an accurate head count can be determined. For those arriving by train, be sure to let Bob or Peter know so arrangements can be made to ferry you from the station to the meeting. If you've never had the Epilogues experience, I highly recommend making the trip as you'll be hard pressed to find a more intellectually and gastronomically satisfying Sherlockian event on the entire east coast.  

[Classic Katz! Bob calls the Canonical shots during the discussion portion of an Epilogues meeting.]

The Grillparzer Club of the Hoboken Free State will hold its Second Annual Christopher Morley Birthday Celebration in the sacred city of Hoboken this year on Sunday, May 4, 2014 at Arthur's Restaurant. "The cost is $50.00 per person, including a house salad; choice of Arthur’s ribeye steak, fish of the day, ribs or surf & turf; soft drinks; and dessert. We will have a private street-level room, and our own bartender. Cash bar." Email the Hunts at Hobokenfreestate[at]mhcable.com for information about payment and reservations and to get on the e-mailing list for the Newsletter of The Grillparzer Club of the Hoboken Free State. On a related note, you can read almost all of Morley's "The Bowling Green" columns from the Saturday Review of Literature online: click to read Morley's SRL columns from January 3, 1925 - February 12, 1955 (along with a variety of other magazines in which Morley published, eg. The Bookman, The Harper's Monthly, The New Republic, etc.).

[Fact: “The Bowling Green” was the title of Christopher Morley’s longstanding column, first published in The New York Evening Post from 1920 until 1923, and then in The Saturday Review of Literature from 1924  until 1938." ]

* The Sherlockian Calendar is a Holmes-enthusiast’s best friend maintained by Ron Fish - visit and visit often.

* If you have a Sherlock Holmes-related event or meeting you would like listed, or any news, gossip or announcements that might interest readers of Always1895.net, please email matt[at]always1895.net.

#BSI Dinner 2014 #Sherlock Fanfic #SherlockLand #Beacon Society #Doyleockian #Dan Andriacco #Studies in Starrett #Sherlocked #Epilogues of Sherlock Holmes #Morley Birthday Lunch

[always1895-blog]

Weekly Sherlock Links Compendium (February 15 - February 28, 2014)

Wondering what happened in the Sherlockian world during the second half of February 2014? Les Klinger discusses his interest in gothic horror literature, Steve Doyle talks about his life long pursuit of Sherlockian-centric publishing, the Baker Street Babes interview the minds behind UK Sherlock Con 'Elementary', a look at why someone wanted to exhume the body of Bertram Fletcher Robison, role playing on Baker Street, Paget illustrations recreated in Legos, what happens when you combine five different Holmes adaptations to create one seamless video, Moriarty overload, a whimsical look at the 'rules' for writing a Sherlock pastiche, Keefauver on the Sherlockian brave new world, a discussion of whether or not BBC Sherlock has diminished strong female characters in the Canon, is Steven Moffat an evil genius or just evil, upcoming Sherlockian gatherings of the Priory Scholars of NYC and the Three Garridebs of Westchester, a new play combining FINA, SCAN and STUD, a Sherlockian conference in the UK spends a day considering "His Last Vow", an inside look at an event of the Amateur Mendicant Society of Detroit, and more in the latest Weekly Sherlock Links Compendium by Matt Laffey.

This post is dedicated to east coast Sherlockian scion personality and recently departed friend Joe Moran - you will be dearly missed sir.

[Click the above photo to read Francine Kitts' I Hear of Sherlock's remembrance of Sherlockian Joe Moran. Photo taken at the 1991 'Back To Switzerland' event sponsored by the Sherlock Holmes Society of London.]

Masters of Horror recently interviewed Sherlockian annotator extraordinaire Leslie S Klinger about: how he first became interested in Sherlock Holmes, Dracula and the scholarly side of gothic horror literature; his work as the official technical advisor for the Warner Bros Guy Ritchie Sherlock Homes films; his favorite horror literature and films, what it is like being a recognized world-renowned expert and award-winning author in the Sherlockian world, and more. My favorite part of the interview is when Klinger discusses his greatest accomplishments as a writer so far: "I was deeply honored to receive the Edgar for my New Annotated Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Short Stories [Edgar Award for 'Best Critical / Biographical Work', 2005]. I always explain, however, that I stood on the shoulders of [William] Baring-Gould’s work. I had three great advantages over Baring-Gould: (1) The Internet and its amazing depth of Victorian works (in GoogleBooks and elsewhere); (2) the Ronald B. De Waal bibliography of all things Sherlock Holmes (over 25,000 entries), published after Baring-Gould’s death; and (3) I got to start with the work of Baring-Gould! I spent 37 years reading about Holmes, and it was an incredible opportunity to be allowed to distill that reading into 3,000 footnotes! I’m immensely proud of every one of my books. A great highlight of my writing career was the amazing opportunity to study the manuscript of Dracula, owned by Paul Allen and seen (by 2007) by only one other scholar, who wrote nothing about it." Check out the entire interview for more insights into one of my favorite Sherlockians, Mr Leslie Klinger.

[Cover of Klinger's New Annotated Sherlock Holmes, an essential tome for any Sherlockian library and serious fans of the mystery genre in general.]

Dan Andriacco interviewed Sherlockian publishing powerhouse Steve Doyle, BSI ("The Western Morning News") about his life and work in the Sherlockian world which started at the tender age of 14 when he first received facsimiles of the Adventures and Memoirs to when he began publishing and editing his the legendary Sherlock Holmes Review (at 27 years old), a project that led him to Wessex Press/Gasogene Books and eventually becoming the publisher of the Baker Street Journal and author of the acclaimed Sherlock Holmes For Dummies. For a sense of just exactly how long Mr Doyle has been in the game, check out this fantastic video interview from 1987 featuring a fresh-faced, 27 year old Steven Doyle discussing the SHR, the current state (c. mid-1980s) of the Sherlockian world, the ever-growing network of Sherlockian scholars and like-minded fans from around the world and how no detective will ever rival the powers of Sherlock Holmes. My favorite part of Andriacco's interview is the following: Andriacco: What is the best part of being a Sherlockian? Doyle: "Being a Sherlockian gives you a key to a community of simply the best people I've been privileged to know. Literate, loyal, amazingly generous, absolutely delighting in the intellectual game of Sherlock Holmes. There's absolutely nothing like it." Here, here! Lastly, make sure to mark your calendars for Steve Doyle's Wessex Press sponsored event From Gillette to Brett IV: Basil, Benedict and Beyond taking place in Bloomington, IN on September 12-14, 2014. The conference will feature rare Sherlockian films, vendors, and an all-star roster of distinguished speakers, presenters, and events, one major highlight being screenings of the 75th anniversary prints of Basil Rathbone's The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939) and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1939) at the state-of-the-art IU Cinema.   

[Screenshot of Steve Doyle at 27 years old reading from an issue of his Sherlock Holmes Review during a 1987 interview.]

Baker Street Babes - Episode 53 finds Babes Kafers and Taylor making the trip to Birmingham, UK to attend a three day Sherlock Con (February 7 - 9, 2014) called 'Elementary' produced by Starfury Conventions (a professional UK convention organizer) whose main attraction was an appearance by the one and only Benedict Cumberbatch. Also on the bill were a number of other BBC Sherlock personalities including actor Lars Mikkelsen who played the late, lamented Charles Augustus Magnussen ("His Last Vow"), Jonathan Aris better known as Anderson (wonder if he had the beard?) and set-designer Arwel Wyn Jones - all three of which appear on Episode 53. Find out what Mikkelsen and Aris think about the tremendous popularity of the show as well as how appearing on one of the most popular UK show's in history has changed their lives. Jones opens up about life behind the BBC Sherlock camera and names some of his favorite sets he's created. As a bonus, the Babes talk to a sampling of Sherlockian cosplay participants capturing the mood and spirit of the conference through the eyes of dedicated fans. 

["The clues and the evidence have all pointed in one direction, that the only solution for the growing army of fans for Sherlock is an unofficial event. Indeed, it's elementary! A three day celebration, featuring guest talks, panel, discussions, and a fantastic opportunity for fans to gather around and share their enthusiasm for one of the best shows on TV today!"]

Western Morning News reported on the latest (and perhaps final) development in the controversial debate on whether or not ACD murdered author and journalist Bertram Fletcher Robinson (who died on January 21, 1907) by purposely administering a fatal overdose of laudanum (via Gladys, BFR's wife), opposed to BFR's official cause of death which was typhoid fever and peritonitis following a visit to Paris. For those unfamiliar with this controversy, ACD's alleged motive for murdering BFR was two-fold: the first was an attempt to cover up an adulterous affair [ACD] had with his wife and the second was to hide the fact that [ACD] stole the plot of the Hound of the Baskervilles. "The accusations were the results of research carried out by former driving instructor Rodger Garrick-Steele who wanted to exhume the corpse...and test it for traces of poison....Having examined the evidence, Sir Andrew [McFarlane, the chancellor of the ecclesiastical court] said: "This court has been driven to the conclusion that it cannot place any reliance on as assertion made by RGS which is not backed up by an independent piece of evidence or source. On the basis of the material that he has placed before this court he appears to be a totally unreliable historian." BFR expert Paul Spiring exhaustively explains the details of the controversy in the well-written "Conan Doyle, Fletcher Robinson and the Hound" (BFRonline, 2009) -  and for further background see "Did Conan Doyle poison his friend to cheat him out of The Hound of the Baskervilles?" (Telegraph, 2005). If you are unfamiliar with the work of Bertram Fletcher Robinson, I highly suggest checking out some of Paul Spiring's books published by MX such as Aside Arthur Conan Doyle which features 20 illustrated short stories (1899-1907) by BFR. Spiring's bibliography of BFR is available as a PDF online as are a number of BFR's short stories which are in the public domain. 

[ACD's dedication to BFR in the published version of The Hound of the Baskervilles (1902). Spiring's essay on BFR and HOUN describes earlier and later versions of this dedication plus a variety of references made by ACD in letters to BFR's participation in the creation of HOUN, all of which make for fascinating reading, irregardless of the fantastic claims made by others regarding ACD and BFR.]

Baker Street: Roleplaying in the World of Sherlock Holmes is a Victorian-era RPG designed for 3 to 5 players where you become an investigator working out of 221B Baker Street solving cases as Dr. Watson during the conspicuous absence of Sherlock Holmes created by Bryce Whitacre for Fearlight Games. "Featuring over 30 careers, 25 unique criminal extras, and rules for making your own nefarious villains, Baker Street features a robust investigation mechanic, easy character generation, and rules for making your own mystery. Some of the unique features of Baker Street are The Sherlock Die, Investigation Scenes, Clue Cards, Social Status, and the Threat Meter." To date this Kickstarter campaign has 451 backers who have pledged a whopping total of $22,860 (original goal was $3,500) - and there are still 12 days to go! If you're interested, there's still plenty of Kickstarter reward levels ranging from pledges of $1, $10, $15,....to major pledges of $100 (appear in the game's artwork), $150 (receive limited edition hardcover version of rule book). Personally, I don't know much about RPGs (think Dungeon & Dragons role playing games) but reading about Baker Street makes me want to find a few Sherlockians who are into RPGs. I'll probably buy this game once it's released regardless, if just to own the special Sherlockian die (multi-sided dice custom made for playing this game). For an in-depth look at Baker Street check out this dramatic video trailer. 

[Rule book for Baker Street - for high level Kickstarter backers there is a special edition hardcover version bound in hunter green vellum with the official seal of the Conan Doyle estate embossed in gold foil on the front. Each book comes in a matching slipcover and will be hand-signed and numbered on the title page by the Baker Street designer, Bryce Whitacre.]

"A Scandal In Bohemia" Illustrated in Legos from MX Publishing is an attempt to capture the interest of younger readers by presenting the text of SCAN with all the traditional Sidney Paget illustrations re-created in Legos! Available soon from Amazon and other outlets, this paperback release is one of the more creative presentations of a Canonical text I have yet to see. Other MX titles geared towards the younger Sherlockians of the world include: Sherlock Holmes and the Missing Snowman (2012) where "a young girl's snowman has gone missing. Where can it have gone? There is only one man who can help. Sherlock Holmes, the most famous detective in the world."; two other MX titles of possible interest to a younger crowd include Is That My Holmes? (2013) and Is That My Watson? (2013) written by Andrew Murray and illustrated by Deakin Brook: "It’s so hard to choose, so spare a thought for poor Sherlock Holmes – faced with so many Watsons old and new, what will he do?  Who’s too techno-garish?  Who’s too teddy-bearish? Who’s maybe too pretty? Who’s in the wrong city? Who’s the right Watson in Holmes’s own view? And is Sherlock’s Watson the Watson for you?"

[A Lego-ized Irene Adler bidding goodnight to a bemused Holmes and Watson at the end of SCAN - click here for the original Paget illustration.]

The Sign of Four 'mashup' video, created by the talented Sherlockian from Iowa Monica Schmidt, is an extremely clever video that combines dialogue scenes from various Sherlock Holmes adaptations including Jeremy Brett/Granada Series (1984-1994), Ian Richardson's The Sign of Four (1983), Charlton Heston's The Crucifer of Blood (1991), Peter Cushing's The Sign of Four (1968), Robert Downey Jr.'s Sherlock Holmes (2009), and Vasily Livanov's "The Bloody Signature" (1979). Played in full, Ms Schmidt has managed to re-create most of the dialogue from Chapter 1 "The Science of Deduction" of The Sign of Four. Let's hope Ms Schmidt has more video cleverness in store for us in the future.

Doyleockian makes the case for 'less Moriarty and greater use of non-Moriarty Canonical villains' when constructing new Holmes adaptations and pastiches. Instead of pitting Holmes against the, one again, resurrected (ad nauseum squared) Napoleon of Crime, Alistair Duncan suggests a laundry list drenched in Canonical depravity, avarice and skullduggery made up of villains such as "Baron Gruner, Culverton Smith, Isadora Klein, John Clay and/or Sir George Burnwell." Missing from Duncan's list - though equally capable in the scoundrel department in my opinion - are Josiah Amberley (RETI, gassed his wife and his chess opponent to death), Jack Ferguson (SUSS, assuming Master Jacky's year at sea served only to refine his sociopathic tendencies), James Windibank/Hosmer Angel (IDEN, even Holmes predicted him destined for greater evils) and Parker the garrotter and Jew's harp virtuoso (EMPT, because I'm pretty sure a garrotter is by definition a bad guy all around). As the above enumerations show, you will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy (to paraphrase from Obi Wan Kenobi's description of the Mos Eisley Cantina) than in the Canon of Sherlock Holmes. 

[“John Clay, the murderer, thief, smasher, and forger. He’s a young man, Mr. Merryweather, but he is at the head of his profession, and I would rather have my bracelets on him than on any criminal in London. He’s a remarkable man, is young John Clay...His brain is as cunning as his fingers, and though we meet signs of him at every turn, we never know where to find the man himself." (REDH)]

Girl Meets Sherlock's Amy Thomas posted the whimsically titled "How To Write a Pastiche That Sparkle$!" which includes a number of very 'helpful' hints regarding how to compose a successful Holmes pastiche. In light of Duncan's entry above, I think the most important point is tip #1 "Include TONS of historical people. It’s called playing The Game. Who wants to read a pastiche where Holmes interacts in-depth with one historical person or situation? Subtlety is boring. Namecheck at least ten real-life characters, or you don’t deserve to call yourself a pastiche artist." I would go even further and suggest that the greater the number of historical and fictional figures included, the greater chance one has of achieving literary fame and fortune. Whenever I get around to writing my pastiche, it will include all three Moriarty brothers plus a fourth James Moriarty (but unrelated to the Professor, Colonel and Station Master) and a James Moriarty-bot built by none-other-than Holmes 'other' brother from that masterpiece of all Sherlockian cinema, Asylum's Sherlock Holmes (2010). My only complaint about Ms Thomas' list is that she forgot item #6 which goes something like 'Make sure to establish that your pastiche is truly authentic by mentioning that said manuscript (in which the reader is holding at this very moment!) was discovered in your great-grandmother's attic in a box marked "Grandma's Les Liaisons Dangereuses: or Doctor's I've Known and Loved" or similar locations.'       

[Thorpe Holmes, the cybernetic-ized brother of Sherlock Holmes, in Asylum's Sherlock Holmes (2010).]

Sherlock Peoria in "Standing Where You Might Get Finger Slipped" invites Sherlockians, perhaps dubious of the current Kickstarter campaign based around the notion of turning an obscure fan fiction piece into a web series, to pause for a moment and acknowledge the impressiveness of the A Finger Slip project: "We live in an age where a young dreamer can get an idea to adapt an idea based on an idea, with both of the last two ideas based on two other ideas, then raise $13,000 to fulfill that dream, funded by folks who want to see that dream come true..." Brad Keefauver then takes his argument one step further by suggesting that those critical of the project need to remove their blinders and realize that an important aspect of the brave new Sherlockian world is the multiplicity of perspectives now available to Holmes enthusiasts. Keefauver also successfully addresses a point I raised in last week's post regarding Sherlock Peoria's ambiguity toward this brave new world: "I'm less and less sure of where I stand in our modern Sherlockian world for one simple reason: It's a much bigger place than it used to be and there are just so many, many places to stand now." Lastly, a point which should be unequivocally un-ambiguous is Keefauver's descriptive virtuosity as evidenced by the following turn of phrase: "And apparently, "A Finger Slip" has touched a lot of folks's mental private parts." Indeed it has.

[An artist's rendering of what the Sherlockian world of tomorrow will look like. If you look closely those are flying deerstalker cars.]

Sherlock Cares ran a reaction piece to the recent Daily Dot article "Sherlock Wrote a Female Character Out of a Classic Story, and Fans Aren't Happy" essentially agreeing with the notion that Moffat's adaptation "has modified the ending, and a critical moment, of an original Sherlock Holmes stories in which woman take decisive action and ultimately beat Sherlock Holmes in solving the problem." In the case of Irene Adler, instead of "beating" Holmes as occurs in the Canon, she must ultimately be saved from a beheading. With Mary Morstan, instead of shooting CAM Devil, she instead turns to Sherlock to 'save her' from CAM's blackmailing ways. The crux of both articles comes down to this: "In the original canon, there are many women whom even Sherlock Holmes admires for their strength of character, bravery, beauty, charm, and, yes, even their relative intelligence. But in BBC Sherlock it seems the women are there to serve “the boys.” And if the women are very, very lucky, “the boys” might rescue them and bestow a kiss...The moral in Sherlock is that women should not be smart, or if they are smart, they should not be ambitious for anything except love and marriage." Is this evidence of Moffat and Gatiss' inherent sexism? Does BBC Sherlock systematically morph independent female characters into helpless victims while simultaneously re-asserting the patriarchal status quo? After teasing out the facts (ie. the specific ways in which Moffat altered the Canon and portrayed various female characters) from the interpretation (ie. are Moffat's alterations clear cut examples of sexism and/or a systematic strategy to put women 'back in their place'?), do the claims of either essay hold up under close scrutiny or are there alternate, gender-neutral interpretations of either adaptation? Whatever your stance on these issues, the points raised are worth thinking about and discussing. 

The Consulting Detective wonders whether or not Steven Moffat is actually an Evil Genius...or just a genius...or just evil. Actually, it only takes blog author Nick Cardillo half a paragraph to decide Moffat is "the world's most formidable evil genius", though later Cardillo defines 'genius' as knowing "how to tell a good story" and 'evil' as "showmanship and flair". Hmm, I was hoping for definitive proof that Moffat's ideas on relationships were cribbed from an ancient book bound and written on human skin or that he drinks the blood of virgin fanboys for inspiration, but no such luck this time. This post does make a good point regarding the somewhat ambiguous role of Mark Gatiss at the BBC and in relation to Moffat. Is it the case that Mycroft is to the British Government what Mark Gatiss is to Sherlock? Perhaps Gatiss is the true, bonafide super evil puppet master pulling and manipulating the millions of delicate threads controlling so-called 'feels', that as of yet undiscovered component to the autonomic nervous system no doubt produced in the medulla oblongata and responsible for pretty much anything on Tumblr similar to the sentiment "I just finished re-watching "The Reichenbach Fall" and I had no idea I could feel so horrifyingly dead inside.... Anyone else?" with a #feels tag - oh wait, Sherlock Season 3 has come and gone and I guess Sherlock coming back wasn't that big of a deal after all; certainly not as big of a deal as Sherlock shooting a dude in cold blood (but come on, he deserved it) and then sent off on a suicide mission only to be immediately recalled because of an animated GIF inexplicably appearing on everyone's screens. Now that's evil.

[Is Mark Gatiss the real evil genius behind BBC Sherlock?]

Sherlockian Event Links:

Priory Scholars of NYC will hold their next event on Saturday April 12, 2014 from 12:30 - 4:00 PM at The Churchill Tavern (45 East 28th Street, New York, NY 10016). Please confirm your enrollment via email to Headmistress Judith Freeman ([email protected]) no later than March 29, 2014. The discussion, led by Matt Laffey, will focus on "The Adventure of the Speckled Band." Quizmaster Nick Martorelli will moderate a SPEC quiz, where the highest scoring attendees will receive a selection of prizes including books, Sherlockian artifacts, comics, etc. All Sherlockian enthusiasts are welcome, from the hardcore Prioryists to the curious newcomers. Make sure to follow us on Twitter and on Facebook for updated info and pre-game discussion. This event is dedicated to the memory of Joe Moran who, for a time, was the reigning headmaster of the Priory Scholars of NYC, circa 1994.

The Three Garridebs of Westchester will hold their next meeting at 1pm on March 22, 2014 at the Hastings-on-Hudson Public Library, NY. The discussion and quiz will be on "The Empty House" and attendees can expect the usual edifying lectures and always entertaining Sherlockian show-and-tell. Check out the 3Garridebs website for more information. On a related check, check out the latest edition of the Foolscap Document, the newsletter of the Three Garridebs.

Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure a theater production put together by the Chatham Players opens on March 7th and runs through March 22nd, 2014 at the Chatham Playhouse (23 North Passaic Ave, Chatham, NJ 07928). Tickets are $20 for adults and $18 for youth/senior. "Join Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson as they face off against arch-enemy, Professor Moriarty, in the Stephen Dietz story inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The case takes Holmes on a final adventure, which includes kidnapping, numerous disguises, underhand plotting twists and turns and a whole series of clues which even has the super sleuth’s sidekick scratching his head..." According to the synopsis, the play combines elements of "The Final Problem," "A Scandal in Bohemia," and A Study in Scarlet with further inspiration drawn from William Gillette's Sherlock Holmes (1899). Available dates and times can be found here. (Thanks to Peter McIntyre and Bea Makara for the tip.)

New Directions in Sherlock is a free one day conference sponsored by Sherlock Holmes Past & Present happening on Friday, April 11, 2014 from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM (BST) London, United Kingdom. "In this one-day symposium, we will screen "His Last Vow", attend presentations, and discuss Sherlock Holmes, the BBC Sherlock, and aspects of neo-Victorian detective writing. The keynote speaker will be Dr Benjamin Poore of University of York." 

[Spend the day discussing all things BBC Sherlock, focusing primarily on "His Last Vow".]

Amateur Mendicant Society of Detroit convened for their annual Winter luncheon - populated by 44 brave Sherlockian souls who braved a harsh Midwestern winter - on February 1, 2014 in Birmingham, Michigan. Tantalus of the AMS, Robert Musial, reports on the various goings on including toasts by Gloria Longueil saluting The Woman, Mike Smith toasting Watson’s Second Wife, Rob Musial raising a glass to Mrs. Hudson, Regina Stinson saluting Mycroft Holmes and Jerry Alvin commemorating the mysterious Ezekiah Hopkins; a silent auction where a bottle of one of the 221B Cellars wines (limited to 200 bottles total) went for $90; announcement of the winner of the highly coveted AMS Beggar's Cup, commemorating the best presentation given at an AMS event in the previous year, which went to both Jerry Alvin and Regina Stinson who both shared in the glory due to a tie; Chris Jeryan's “A Holmesian Menagerie” exploring the Canon's alphabetical bestiary (“adder” and “bee,” winding through “jellyfish,” “kipper,” “leech” and others and on to “petrel,” “venomous lizard” and “whale”); the outcome of the All-Canon Quiz; and finally concluding the luncheon with Anne Musial and David Mohan leading the group in the standard singing of “God Save the Queen” and Lascar Jeryan with the traditional reading of Starrett's poem 221B.

[Sherlock Holmes, 160 years young!]

#Leslie S Klinger #Dan Andriacco #Baker Street Babes #Bertram Fletcher Robinson #Baker Street RPG #Sherlock Peoria #Priory Scholars of NYC

[always1895-blog]

Weekly Sherlock Links Compendium (January 25 - February 14, 2014)

While much of the East Coast and Midwest in the U.S.A. prepares to be buried under mounds of snow, I must confess that this latest post might bury even the bravest of Sherlockians under piles of Links and information. Below you will find an exploration of early Canonical illustrations, a celebration of the life and work of Vincent Starrett from IHOSE, a look at three Japanese translations of Starrett's The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, an interview with Steven Moffat and Sue Vertue on the future of Sherlock, Brad Keefauver explaining why we live in the most interesting of Sherlockian times, a review of the original 1979 Russian Sherlock for those only familiar with the latest Russian incarnation, an interview with Cumberbatch discussing his upcoming role as Alan Turing, Alistair Duncan on elements of the BBC Sherlock fandom, the Babes talking fanfic, a diverse list of 50 essential mystery novels, a list of Sherlock-related films available for streaming online, things to do on Long Island for the Sherlockian enthusiast, a cafe/shrine dedicated to Cumberbatch in Shanghai, Holmes & drugs, Holmes & muppets and much more in this fully winterized Weekly Sherlock Links Compendium by Matt Laffey.

Baker Street Essays #5 (February 2014) the irregularly published PDF newsletter of Sherlockian Writings by Bob Byrne focuses on various aspects of illustrations from the Canon. The feature essay "The Illustrated Holmes," inspired by the classic Walter Klinefelter book Sherlock  Holmes in Portrait and Profile, traces the illustrations of Holmes (from the original STUD illustrations by DH Friston to those of Sydney Paget) that accompanied each story as it was first published. Also to be found in Issue #5 is the short essay "Thoughts on The Evolution of a Profile: Vincent Starrett’s Classic Essay" exploring the final chapter of Starrett's seminal The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1939) entitled "The Evolution of a Profile". In another essay "Sidney Paget’s Enduring Influence," Byrne shows the enduring importance of Paget's illustrations to historical and contemporary conceptions of the Great Detective by comparing original Paget illustrations with later adaptations - for example comparing Paget's classic SILV train car depictions of Holmes and Watson with screenshots from Granada and BBC Sherlock adaptations which both pay homage to Paget's original (cf. image below). Finally, "A Classic Scene" takes a close look at Paget's famous depiction of Holmes and Professor Moriarty in the final moments of their struggle on the precipice of the Reichenbach, noting a small but significant feature of the drawing which I had never noticed: Paget "had every reason to believe that [FINA] would the last Holmes story, I think that Paget understood the weight of the moment and spelled out his name, instead of using the usual “SP”." And indeed, if we look at said illustration we see that it is signed "Sydney Paget, 1893" opposed to the usual "SP". I highly recommend downloading BSE #5 (and it's free!) and then exploring earlier PDF issues which can be found at Baker Street Essays.

[The Paget illustration from SILV (top) re-created by Granada (bottom) is just one example of Holmes adaptors (film, TV, etc) paying tribute to the immense importance of Paget's imaginings of Canonical persons, places, scenes and outfits.]

I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere released episode 61 a few days ago and I couldn't be more pleased! The announcement of a new IHOSE episode is always a cause for joy but in this particular case, the subject matter of this podcast is perhaps the nearest and dearest to my Sherlockian heart of any Sherlockian-related subject. I'm sure many of you have already surmised that episode 61 is all about that enigmatic but celebrated Chicago bookman, author of the finest book on matters Sherlockian aka The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1933) who was instrumental in the founding of the BSI yet only attended a single BSI Dinner (in 1934). "The Private Life of Vincent Starrett" is an hour and half conversation between venerable Starrettians Susan Rice and Ray Betzner about VS's life, work, trials and tribulations, kept expertly on track by the gentle nudge of IHOSE hosts Scott Monty and Burt Wolder's keen sense of when expertise is being used to make a biographical or historical point versus expertise leading the expert (and listener) astray. I consider myself to be fairly well-versed in the life, times and work of Vincent Starrett but it felt like every two minutes or so I was hearing some hitherto unknown Starrettian fact coming out of Rice or Betzner's brains. Personally, I learned a great deal but I was particularly impressed with the masterful way in which Rice and Betzner narrated their story, making the life of a cerebral book hound with quasi shut-in tendencies a thing of excitement and accessible to all levels of listeners. I know I always recommend finding a 90 minute chunk of time to treat yourself to the latest IHOSE podcast, but there's no doubt in my mind that old and new Sherlockians alike will want to focus completely on this show - so do yourself a huge favor, find a quiet corner where no person can vex you and lose yourself in contemplation of "only those things the heart believes are true."

[Starrettian soldiers Susan Rice and Ray Betzner, along with a copy of Rice's The Somnambulist and the Detective (2000, Musgrave Monograph Number 10 ), recording their IHOSE segment during BSI Weekend 2014 at the Player's Club in Gramercy Park, NYC.]   

Studies in Starrett (as if a 90 minute podcast dedicated to the man wasn't enough), the blog of longtime Sherlockian and Starrettian Ray Betzner, details his quest to obtain Japanese translations of VS's seminal The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes. Even though I don't read Japanese, this is the sort of quest that gets a red-blooded American blogger like myself all hot and bothered. But I'll take a quick cold shower and let Betzner explain where his quest started...

"The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes in Japan Part 1": "I was able to determine that there had also been two Japanese editions. Both were translations by Tsukasa Kobayashi and Akane Higashiyama, who have translated a number of Sherlockian classics for Japanese readers. A hardback edition of Private Life was published in 1987, while a paperback version came out in 1992." Not surprisingly, given enough time and patience - and the Internet and some collector friends - both editions were tracked down and dutifully added to Betzner's impressive VS library. Not long after Betzner secured his hardback and paperback editions, he accidentally came across a folded-up, one sheet advertisement for the 1992 paperback edition which revealed that "before the first Japanese edition was published, chapters of Private Life translated by Kobayashi and Higashiyama were serialized in the Japanese edition of Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine....so the hunt goes on!"

"The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes in Japan Part 2" Betzner shows off the fruits of his labor and explains the differences between both Japanese editions plus some further information about the earlier EQMM Japan translation, stressing one important caveat: "I am tempted to say this is the complete history of Private Life in Japanese, but I’ve been burned too many times in the past to be confident of such a claim. Just when I think I know something definitive about Vincent Starrett, some new tidbit comes to light and I realize I’m still several puzzle pieces short of the full picture." 

[Above you'll see the cover of the 1992 paperback edition of The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes in Japanese, which is a translation of the original 1933 edition opposed to the hardback Japanese translation which is based on the 1975 Pinnacle Books paperback edition (similar to the 1960 updated version originally published by University of Chicago Press).]

Collider sat down with Steven Moffat and Sue Vertue for an in depth discussion on what's next for BBC Sherlock, when fans can (maybe) expect Seasons 4 and 5 and the advantages of not being bound to a standard TV season/series model. Even if you're not a fan of BBC Sherlock, Moffat's comments on challenging the television season format status quo is a tremendous breath of fresh air: "If we made Sherlock the ordinary way, and did a run of 6 or 12, it would have been over by now...Who says that the only way to make television is to make loads and loads of episodes for five years, until everybody is absolutely sick of it, particularly the people who are making it. Who says that’s the only way you can do it? There are other ways to make television. I’ve heard so many American showrunners talk about the shorter run – which for them is 12 or 13, but that’s quite a long run for us – and that all you’re losing are the filler episodes, and I think that’s true. I do think that sharpening the appetite and having shorter runs of more shows is a better way." Hallelujah! Next time you find yourself complaining about the perceived dearth of BBC Sherlock episodes, consider the 'less is more' philosophy advocated by Moffat.

[Steven Moffat and Sue Vertue, ostensibly pleasant and good-natured people, are secretly (and delightfully) plotting the emotional destruction of their legions of fans - or so listening to the perennial lamenting of a portion of the Sherlock fandom might lead you to believe. The truth? Let's just assume it's somewhere in the middle.]

Sherlock Peoria muses on the current state of the Sherlockian world, comparing the effect which recent Sherlock-mania has had on the traditional Holmes world to that of a small, quiet village suddenly finding itself in the midst a giant modern housing development replete with big box chain stores and all the traffic and congestion which inevitably follows. An odd metaphor to choose, yet the point is clear: the Sherlockian world of 2014 is radically different than the Sherlockian world of just a decade before (and there's no 'going back'). Regardless of your personal stance on said changes most observers would agree with Brad Keefauver when he adds that "watching the Sherlock boom's effect on the old school Sherlockian world has been interesting." For long time readers of Mr Keefauver's blog, it's sometimes unclear where exactly he stands regarding the brave new Holmesian world we find growing around us every day. Note: I don't claim to be an expert in Keefauverian Studies, but just an attentive Sherlock Peoria reader (P.S. Please bring back Action Sherlock Brain Theater!)

I sense that Keefauver's personal view is a nuanced, pragmatic conception which goes beyond a simple reactionary, binary world view (ie. not 'totally good' and not 'totally bad'), though perhaps he's leaning a bit more to the positive than the negative, which would explain Keefauver's explanation: "But man, is this a cool time to be a Sherlockian," a sentiment shared by many a Sherlockian on either side of the great continuum. After finishing the essay, a single deafening quote frantically ran circles around my brain: I of course refer to that famous Chinese curse: "May you live in interesting times..." In order to get said quote out of my head, I looked up the actual origin of the phrase (surprise, it's not really an ancient Chinese proverb at all) and the only actual ancient Chinese proverb it even remotely resembles goes something like this: "It's better to be a dog in a peaceful time than be a man in a chaotic period." Strangely comforted, I held myself back from mentioning the dog that did nothing in peaceful times and instead found the following image to accompany this entry:

[For a fascinating perspective on Sherlockian 'boom' times, check out back issues of Baker Street Miscellanea from the late 1970s (or order the entire run on disc from Battered Silicon Dispatch Box) when the Sherlockian world was then dealing with an enormous upsurge in Holmesian interest generated by the recent book and film versions of The Seven-Per-Cent Solution as well as a smattering of other new Sherlock pastiches. As you can probably guess some welcomed the newcomers and praised the new conduits that sparked the interest of new recruits - and others were up-in-arms over the dawning apocalypse being visited upon their Sherlockian world.]

The Consulting Detective describes the author's recent first encounter with the original Russian Sherlock Holmes (1979 - 1986) - featuring Vasily Livanov as Sherlock Holmes and Vitaly Solomin as Dr Watson: "overall its en excellent representation of the Arthur Conan Doyle canon. Despite the fact that Vasily Livanov's Holmes is played somewhat against type, he lends an excellent performance as a humane Holmes. The friendship between Holmes and Watson is excellently characterized, defined with good humor and rapport." Every time I read a new review of the original Russian Sherlock Holmes series I immediately want to drop whatever it is I'm working on (ie. usually another round of Weekly Links), turn on the series somewhere near the early-middle (perhaps the scene where you're never really sure whether you're watching Moriarty and Moran or the Wolfman and his monster associates) and thoroughly enjoy what I often times feel is the second best Holmes adaptation of all time (Granada/Brett taking first place). I'm often shocked when Sherlockian friends - often times with decades more experience behind them - casually mention they have never seen Livanov and Solomin as the Dynamic Duo of Victorian crime fighting. Seriously, if you haven't seen this series yet, make the time! 

[Hey, remember when Sherlock Holmes was not just a chemist but a profound chemist? Unlike pretty much every Holmes adaptation ever (excluding Granada), the classic Russian Holmes series never lets you forget that Holmes is a chemist of no small talent, just like it should be.]

USA Today ran a mostly puffy puff interview piece with Benedict Cumberbatch discussing the possible casting of BC in JJ Abraham's bizzaro-world take on Star Wars and whether or not BC has a paramour or is completely single and enjoying being the most popular man on the planet. Wading through the fluff, BC does speak-up about his upcoming roll as Alan Turing, mathematician, WWII code breaking hero and, at the end of his life, shamefully and completely disgraced by the UK Justice system (which still prosecuted accusations of Sodomy): "[Cumberbatch] expresses displeasure only when an interviewer mentions that the late Turing received a royal pardon recently for 1950s criminal charges of gross indecency related to homosexuality. "The only person that should be pardoning anybody is him. Hopefully, the film will bring to the fore what an extraordinary human being he was and how appalling (his treatment by the government was). It's a really shameful, disgraceful part of our history," [Cumberbatch] says of his The Imitation Game character." Without the genius of Allan Turing, computers might not exist or not exist at the level in which they do today as well as a variety of other artificial intelligence and information theory concepts. I can only hope that BC's fame will help bring greater awareness to Turing's story.

[Sherlock Holmes, Smaug, Julian Assange, Khan from Star Trek, Stephen Hawking (seriously, in a made for TV movie called Hawking) and now Allan Turing - is there anyone famous who doesn't happen to look like Benedict Cumberbatch?]

Doyleockian gently suggests that certain extreme wings of the so-called fandom "need to get a grip" further explaining "I don’t pretend to know an awful lot about the activities of fandom – and by this I am referring  to the social media savvy fans whose Sherlockian interest largely revolves around BBC Sherlock – but as a body it can be awfully touchy and has a tendency to the very intolerance it seems to identify and abhor in others." Strong words of course, but well thought-out and sincere words all the same - for those familiar with Alistair Duncan and/or his Sherlock-centric writings it should come as no surprise to see Duncan not only develop his own, independent views on the topic at hand (in this case, the collective behavior of at least part of the Sherlock fandom) but also prepare in advance a defense should the need arise.

Frankly, I'm rather surprised his post, originally published 30 January, 2014 under the clearly provocative title: "Some elements of fandom need to get a grip", only generated 10 or so direct Comments. Secretly I thought that Duncan's short post might possess the perfect mix of l'attitude provocative and measured objectivity triggering a larger dialogue (disguised at first perhaps as an argument) between various fandom culture supporters and detractors leading to....leading to where and to what I don't know. Regardless, there are points to Duncan's original post that many 'observers' (all those Sherlockians unconcerned with battling out the finer semantics of "fandom" regularly in the social media trenches) as well as self-identified fandom denizens would be interested in seeing addressed and discussed - though not confronted savagely or uncivilly leading to predictably unproductive 'flame wars' and the like. I'll continue to look out for the next big argument brewing, not for voyeuristic or sadistic purposes but because these sorts of continually simmering, though never boiling, disputes tend to have a way of staying below the radar until the moment that they don't just boil over but explode in all the passion and madness inherent in the creative minds of the types of people who choose to socialize within the framework of a literary or quasi-literary social group opposed to something more traditional. 

[No doubt Boromir has a firm grip on whatever the current controversy might be.]

Baker Street Babes in podcast episode # 52, spoke to the team behind ‘A Finger Slip: The Webseries’ a project meant to take a specific popular fan fiction and turn it into a video series, funded in part by a current Kickstarter campaign....Already I hear a few Sherlockian heads exploding out there - and giving vent to some fine and violent oaths - but let's step back for a moment and tease out a few points just so that we're all on the same page (or have the ability to be on the same page). The fanfic is called "A Finger Slip" (AFS) and was originally authored by Pawtal (put simply) and is based on the premise that "John and Sherlock accidentally meet through texts as teenagers". Got it so far? From what I've seen the entire Finger Slip adventures are told in the form of text messages between our two protagonists along with other BBC characters like Greg (Lestrade) and Molly (Hooper). It's all online and free and you can start here with "Chapter 1", where you'll find young, college-aged John and Sherlock meeting and getting to know each other via text messages. Remember, this is fanfic and not burlesque or pastiche so as much as the two main characters are John Watson and Sherlock Holmes, don't be surprised if the narrative particulars and personalities stray quite far from what you would expect from a fan created (for example) 'BBC Sherlock-inspired pastiche' story. Anyway, if you had no idea what anything in the first few sentences of this entry meant, now you at least have a vague idea of what's happening. Give Episode #52 a listen then if you're curious come back and check out the Kickstarter page (for more info about the page to screen transformation) and the series website afingerslipofficial.tumblr.com and Twitter @AFSwebseries.

[If fanfic stuff isn't your cup of tea, I'm right there with you, generally speaking, but the AFS project appears to be popular enough that a basic working knowledge of how Sherlock fanfic culture works could be useful to a better understanding of the fanfic corner of the greater Sherlockian world.]

Flavorwire in "50 Essential Mystery Novels That Everyone Should Read" put together an eclectically comprehensive list of fifty novels which all fall under the rubric of 'Mystery Novels' to one degree or another (crime, spy, detective, etc.). For starters, three cheers to Flavorwire author Emily Temple for actually putting thought into a "Top 50 Best X's" list - it contains plenty of titles/authors you would exactly expect to find on a 'best of' list like Dashiell Hammett or Raymond Chandler. But hardboiled detectives are not sui generis aberrations of Nature lacking parents and lineage: hence a healthy sampling of 'classic mystery' including the likes of Poe, Sayers, Wilkie Collins and Watson's Literary Agent. Then the choices get a bit more interesting, diverse and dare I say literary: Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose (OK, this is an obvious and overly popular choice but just once I would love to see Foucault's Pendulum appear instead), Paul Auster's The New York Trilogy and one of my favorite novels from the last decade The Yiddish Policemen’s Union by Michael Chabon. Perhaps the most interesting and impressive selections is by a scrappy, young, living, female author whose Dust and Shadow transcends the sub-sub-sub-genre of Sherlock Holmes pastiche: I refer to one of Always1895.net's favorite contemporary Sherlockians and authors, Lyndsay Faye! (Thanks to Les Klinger for the tip!) Irish America posted a recent interview with Lyndsay Faye about her latest novel Seven For a Secret as well as future projects.

[Don't get me wrong, I think Poe can sometimes be a genius and there's no question his Dupin stories inspired a genre that lives on after 150+ years but seriously, check out this cover: do they really need to scream "The First Detective Auguste Dupin!!" in giant letters to convince readers to buy a set of Dupin stories, two of which are probably the most famous mystery/detective stories ever: “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” and "The Purloined Letter"?]

Vulture compiled a list of Sherlock Holmes film and TV adaptations currently available from various online streaming services such as YouTube, Amazon, Hulu, Netflix, etc. The Woman in Green, Murder By Decree, my personal favorite Billy Wilder's The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, Buster Keaton's silent classic (though not an adaptation per se) Sherlock, Jr., all 39 episodes of the 1954 Ronald Howard TV series, Arthur Wontner as Holmes in what is possibly the most confusingly titled adaptation of all time Murder at the Baskervilles (set in the environs of the Baskerville estate, the plot is roughly based on "Silver Blaze" with Moriarty thrown in to properly ruin Holmes' vacation plans) and many more. Not mentioned in the article is the great repository of free, classic films Archive.org which has most of the public domain Sherlock adaptations available for streaming/downloading. 

[Movie poster for Wontner in The Triumph of Sherlock Holmes (1935), which can be downloaded directly at Archive.org.]

Explore Long Island ran a piece titled "Spy Like Sherlock Holmes on LI" making a myriad of excellent suggestions for the aspiring Sherlockian: Warren Randall's The Long Island Cave Dwellers scion meetings, Long Island's Murder Mystery Players club, the Spy Shop of Long Island in Northport, the comic shop Collector's Kingdom with a selection of Holmesian titles, and more. Extra props for a reference to founder of the BSI and longtime Roslyn, LI resident Christopher Morley as well as his writing studio, the Knothole, which lives at Christopher Morley County Park in Roslyn-North Hills. The article says the Knothole is currently closed to visits by the public, but I can't find any more news on that - possibly it's just closed in the Winter? 

UPDATE: Former Supervisor of Historic Sites for the Nassau County Dept. of Parks, Recreation and Museums, Terry Hunt, BSI ("The Something Hunt") after reading this entry wrote me the following regarding the state of Morley's Knothole: "The Knothole has been closed to the public since the BSI's Morley Pilgrimage in Jan. 2009. We used to open it seasonally; in the spring we'd furnish it as shown in your picture, and in the fall remove most of the furnishings from the unheated building and put them in storage...The big problem is that the County is broke and the museum division essentially no longer exists. I have hopes that we can get The Knothole re-opened for some time next year for Morley's 125th birthday year, if the Christopher Morley Knothole Assn. and other Morley supporters can show enough interest and volunteer support." Thanks for the info and congratulations on your recent investiture Terry Hunt! Let's hope with enough support Morley's Knothole will one day be open to the public again.

[The interior of the Knothole, the writing studio used by Christopher Morley - which was moved to the Christopher Morley Park after Morley's death.]

Buzzfeed ran a story about a Sherlock-themed coffee shop in Shanghai, China called 221B Baker Street. It's worth perusing the pictures but I tend to agree with the author that the cafe is less about Sherlock Holmes and more about being a literal shrine to Benedict Cumberbatch in the guise of Sherlock. I've been making a point of not getting swept up in the recent torrent of Western News articles - ie. "Wow! Check out how 'totally wacky' China is over BBC Sherlock (cf. Curly Fu and Peanut), etc.." - but since this cafe is so over-the-top I'll make this one time exception.

[The daily menu board for China's shrine...I mean cafe dedicated to Benedict Cumberbatch and to a less extent other actors who've donned the deerstalker of the Great Detective.]

A random Ebay auction is where I found this rather odd and harrowing image of the Great Detective smoking a suspiciously non-Canonical looking pipe on what appears to be the mean streets of the Marylebone district of the City of Westminster in London where one can only hope Holmes is lecturing the 'street arabs' of drag-ravaged Baker Street that "Crack is Wack" (or words to that effect). According to the description, this is an anti-drug comic from 1979 put out by a company called Stash Comix titled "Who Took the Drugs" and features Holmes in at least one story about the perils and pitfalls of drug use. For posterity's' sake, I grabbed the cover image off the eBay auction so that one can still marvel at the infinite variety of situations artists have placed the likeness of Sherlock Holmes. It is of course understandable if you assumed this image was an outtake from BBC's "His Last Vow", particularly in light of the recently revealed lifestyle choices of one 'Bill Wiggins' within the BBCverse.

[My money is on Mrs Hudson in answer to "Who Took the Drugs?" Click this rather disturbing but also highly entertaining image for the full-sized version. Extra blog points if anyone has ever read this comic and can email me a recap the Holmes story contained within.]

The Washington Post, to offset the bleak 1970s version of Holmes seen above, did a thorough job of covering Benedict Cumberbatch's recent appearance alongside Murray the Monster and Count von Count as they attempt to teach kids the concept of 'greater than' in relation to numbers. Warning: will melt even the most ice-hardened hearts of anti-Cumberbunny Sherlockians. Watch the entire two and a half minute segment here: Benedict Cumberbatch and the Sign of Four (or is it Three?).

[The boys from Sesame Street call in the man from Baker Street to help solve the seemingly intractable mystery of  whether or not there are more apples or more oranges.]

#Vincent Starrett #I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere #Baker Street Babes #Sherlock Peoria #Baker Street Essays

[always1895-blog]

Weekly Sherlock Links Compendium (January 1 - January 10, 2014)

Welcome to 2014...where it's still always 1895.

I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere provides tips for surviving and enjoying #BSIWeekend, a new documentary titled "How To Be Sherlock Holmes" premiers Sunday, Alistair Duncan explains why ACD resurrected Holmes after the events of FINA, Dan Andriacco reviews a variety of new MX Publishing titles, Peter Blau's Scuttlebutt is complete through 2013, Brad Keefauver summarizes the history of the question "Was Sherlock a drug addict", Sherlockians from Hungary address 24 misconceptions surrounding Sherlock Holmes, 221B Con announces a special guest, Scintillation of Scions VII announces a line-up of distinguished speakers, and much more in the first Weekly Sherlock Links Compendium of 2014 by Matt Laffey.

I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere put together a survival guide for the beautifully chaotic five days of collective Sherlockian madness alternately known as BSI Weekend in NYC (January 16-19, 2014). In "Tips For Navigating the #BSIWeekend" Scott Monty along with several other members of the Baker Street Irregulars compiled a list of suggestions culled from decades of experience (and, presumably, from mistakes learned from) including: the importance of extra carrying devices (all those newly purchased books have to go somewhere); the usefulness of business cards; why extreme inebriation is not recommended prior to giving a toast or lecture; bring a variety of clothing; create a schedule for yourself allowing for travel times; be prepared with maps and apps to get around NYC and use the plethora of online resources available to follow the events live or from home and much more. The official Twitter hashtag is #BSIWeekend - check out @IHearofSherlock's list of Sherlockians on Twitter. It's also not a bad idea to print out the master schedule of events just in case. 

[BSI Dinner 2009 - posted on Facebook by Susan Dahlinger.]

On a personal note, from Wednesday's ASH Dinner to Saturday morning in the Dealer's Room to Sunday's ASH Brunch (hosted by Ms Lyndsay Faye) I'll be posting regularly on Twitter as @always1895​ - and if I can muster up the equipment I'll have a digital recorder and mic with me in an attempt to emulate the great Sherlockian audioist Bill Rabe, responsible for Voices From Baker Street, making Sherlockian-centric field recordings and conducting impromptu interviews, for both online use and posterity. I'm looking forward to seeing those Sherlockians I only get to hang out with once a year as well as making new friends and forging new alliances, so don't be a stranger and make sure to say hello. I'm giddy with excitement and I can't wait for the around the clock Sherlock-o-rama madness to begin!

Canadian Homes Winter 2013/2014 (Volume 36, Number 2) - The Journal of the Bootmakers of Toronto - is now available for download as a PDF and features 36 pages of quality Sherlockian scholarship and news. JoAnn and Mark Alberstat write-up their observations of tourists encountering the John Doubleday bronze Sherlock Holmes statue on Baker Street, Clifford S. Goldfarb and Hartley R. Nathan explore Jewish stereotypes in the Canon (part 2 of a multi-part essay), Elaine McCafferty and Wilfrid de Freitas share some of their insights into legendary Sherlockian Donald A Redmond's work as an author, librarian and Doyle pilgrim, and much more can be found in the latest issue of Canada's premiere journal of Sherlockian scholarship.

[Download the latest issue of Canadian Holmes (Vol. 36, No. 2) from The Bootmakers of Toronto website for free.]

BBC Four announced a Sherlock-centric episode of the documentary program Timeshift titled "How To Be Sherlock Holmes: The Many Faces of the Master Detective" set to air at 10pm (GMT) on Sunday, January 12, 2014. "For over 100 years, more than 80 actors have put a varying face to the world's greatest consulting detective - Sherlock Holmes. And many of them incorporated details - such as the curved pipe and the immortal line "Elementary, my dear Watson" - that never featured in Conan Doyle's original stories. In charting the evolution of Sherlock on screen, from early silent movies to the latest film and television versions, Timeshift shows how our notion of Holmes today is as much a creation of these various screen portrayals as of the stories themselves." The narrator of the program Peter Wyngarde is no stranger to the Sherlockian screen having played Langdale Pike in the 1994 Granada adaptation of The Three Gables and Baron Gruner in the 1965 BBC adaptation of The Illustrious Client. Other contributors include Benedict Cumberbatch, Christopher Lee, Tim Pigott-Smith and Mark Gatiss. The Sherlock Holmes Society of London announced on Twitter that their very own Roger Johnson acted as a consultant, a fact that makes me think "How to Be Sherlock Holmes" will rise above the mediocre-to-average Holmes documentaries of the last few years. 

[Mark Gatiss who plays Mycroft on BBC Sherlock reflects on Peter Cushing in the role the Great Detective.]

Doyleockian in "Why Was Holmes Resurrected?" demolishes the claim that ACD 'resurrected' Holmes in The Strand due to immense pressure from Sherlock Holmes fans at the time. "Holmes came back only because of money. ACD knew that interest in Holmes was already ramped up as a result of the William Gillette play (based on his original) which had already done very well in the US and was due to début in the UK that same year. It was a perfect time to churn out a story and capitalize on the extra hype." At a time when the most popular Holmes adaptation on TV is captained by Steven Moffat, an undisputed and committed fan of the Canon, it's difficult to harbor (or even stomach) the thought that the creator of Sherlock Holmes was anything but an ardent believer - in fact ACD considered Holmes a thorn in his side and a diversion from his more important historical fiction. Writing to his mother, ACD said of Holmes: "He takes my mind from better things." I've always thought that the famous Punch illustration by Bernard Partridge (see below) from 1926 sums up ACD's feelings most accurately: ACD is shown chained at the ankles while a Paget-esque Holmes holds the other end of the chains, opposed to being chained-up to ACD. But as Alistair Duncan points out, Holmes made ACD a very rich man. 

[Bernard Partridge illustration from a 1926 issue of Punch, a weekly British magazine of satire and humor - coincidentally many early Punch covers were drawn by ACD's uncle Richard Doyle, a noted Victorian illustrator.]

Dan Andriacco recently posted a few book reviews, prefacing his latest post with a humorous analysis of the current state of the online world: "Some readers of this blog may have noticed that it has been something of a BBC Sherlock-free zone. While the rest of the Sherlock Holmes blogosphere and Twitterverse have been consumed with Season Three, Baker Street Beat has taken no notice." Ha! Andriacco is just too cool for school I guess! (I joke.) Instead of rigorously speculating on the meaning of "Redbeard" he reviews The Immortals: An Unauthorized Guide to Sherlock and Elementary (MX Publishing, 2013) by Matthew J Elliot, an analysis of all of the 2012-2013 Sherlockian TV adaptations including plot summaries as well as "Holmes's notable moments, Notable moments of the police regulars, Identification of material drawn from the Canon, Sex and romantic relationships, Drug references, Logical inconsistencies..." and much more. And for all the Cumberbunnies out there, Andriacco recommends Benedict Cumberbatch in Transition: An Unauthorized Performance Biography (MX Publishing, 2013) by Lynnette Porter. Finally, if pastiches featuring Holmes versus historic villains from literature or history is your thing, Andriacco invites you to check out the graphic novel Sherlock Holmes and the Horror of Frankenstein (MX Publishing) by Luke Kuhns and artist Marcie Klinger. So get off the couch and grab a book and then get back on the couch and do some reading! 

[Cover art for Luke Kuhns and Marcie Klinger's Sherlock Holmes and the Horror of Frankenstein on MX.]

Scuttlebutt from the Spermaceti Press, Peter Blau's legendary list of Sherlockian news, events, etc., is updated through December 2013. Topics include a conference in Davos by The Reichenbach Irregulars in September 2014, a board game based Neil Gaiman's Sherlock/Lovecraft pastiche "A Study in Emerald," a Sherlock-centric shop on Etsy by Chris Caswell who formerly owned a bookstore in Southern California called Sherlock's Home, Judith Freeman's index to The Serpentine Muse complete through 2013 as an Excel spreadsheet, and tons more from Peter Blau's original Sherlock Links list. 

[Click here for a PDF of the Scuttlebutt from the Spermaceti Press for all of 2013.]

Sherlock Peoria in "Was Sherlock Holmes a casualty in the War on Drugs?" considers the relationship between Popular Culture (and stoner bookstore clerks) and the perennial question: "Was Holmes a drug addict?" Brad Keefauver's post was inspired by a recent Twitter post by Martin Montague of a letter ACD's son Denis Conan Doyle wrote to The Lancet in 1937: "Your contributor's interesting notes on cocaine poisoning give the erroneous impression that Holmes was a "drug addict". As a matter of actual fact, my father neither conceived nor depicted Sherlock Holmes as a drug addict. He was represented as one of those rare individuals who use drugs sparingly and occasionally, and who are the masters rather than the slaves of the drug concerned." Keefauver seems to be of the strong opinion that Holmes was indeed NOT a drug addict, dismissing opportunist Nicholas Meyer's novel The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (1974) and chastising noted Sherlockian Jack Tracy for his Subcutaneously, My Dear Watson (1978) for portraying the Great Detective as a bonafide cocaine addict. Whether you think Holmes was a hopeless dope fiend junky dirtbag or an intellectual dabbler with Herculean will power - there's textual evidence for both opinions in the Canon - Keefauver's essay comes at a time when many impressionable young Sherlockian minds are watching adaptations of Holmes as recovering heroin addict (Miller in Elementary); Holmes as reckless drinker of embalming fluid (Robert Downey Jr in A Game of Shadows); and/or Holmes as a three nicotine patches at a time 'wink wink nudge nudge' possible drug user (Cumberbatch in Sherlock). 

[Denis' letter to the editor of The Lancet from 1937 - this is my first time reading about Denis' stance on the Holmes/addict question and now I need to track down the editor's column that sparked said response. If you're interested, the Denis Conan Doyle letter pictured above appeared in The Lancet "Volume 229, Issue 5918, January 30, 1937, Pages 292 Originally published as Volume 1, Issue 5918" which is available online if you have access to an academic library's online subscription service.]

221B Con - the second annual Sherlock Holmes convention happening in Atlanta, GA on April 4 - 6, 2014 - posted a few announcements and requests this past week: 1) Nicholas Briggs, a producer and actor for Big Finish audiobooks as well as the voice of Daleks and Cybermen in Doctor Who, will be joining the Guest & Performers line-up, 2) 221B Con needs your photos from last year for promotional material, 3) additional comments regarding the 2014 programming list eg. due to the 'mature' nature of some panels like BDSM/Kink there will be a late-night, 18 and up programming section (and since the majority of the conference is all-ages the 19+ programming will not be listed on the general schedule) and 4) information about and a request for help for the 221B Con Tea Party (eg. dietary requests, games, cosplay ideas). Attendees from last year are still raving about 221B Con so mark your calendars, book you plane/train/bus ticket and start sewing your cosplay costume! For a taste of what to expect, check put the edifying and amusing audio recordings from 221B Con 2013 on the Baker Street Babes website. 

[Nicholas Briggs as Sherlock Holmes in The Ordeals ofd Sherlock Holmes Box Set on Big Finish.]

Scintillation of Scions VII, happening June 6 - 7, 2014 in Hanover, Maryland (outside of Baltimore), announced the line-up of speakers for their seventh annual gathering of Sherlockians called to order by organizer Jacquelyn Morris. If I didn't have to recuse myself for being among said list, I would be forced to admit that it's quite a distinguished group of Sherlockians, leaning heavily towards Sherlockian Internet/online personalities that you know and love (or 'hate' if you're CBS's Elementary production staff) as well as stellar Sherlockians from a variety of backgrounds. Speakers include: Jan Burke, Carla Coupe, Brad Keefauver, Toni L.P Kelner, Matt Laffey, Scott Monty, Ashley Polasek, Lynne Stephens, Karen Wilson & Stephen Welbourn and Vincent W. Wright. Register early to ensure a place at what is quickly becoming one of the most respected yearly Sherlockian conferences.

[Stay tuned for information on what this diverse group of Sherlockians will be discussing in the coming weeks.]

Sherlock Holmes And The Mystery of Einstein's Daughter by author Tim Symonds is the perfect remedy for pastiche fans who are a bit tired of the usual Sherlock Holmes versus 'insert famous historical villain here' tropes; instead Symonds challenges Holmes in new and exciting ways: "The Dean of a Swiss university persuades Sherlock Holmes to investigate the background of a would-be lecturer. To Dr. Watson it seems a very humdrum commission - but who is the mysterious 'Lieserl'? How does her existence threaten the ambitions of the technical assistant level III in Room 86 at the Federal Patents Office in Berne by the name of Albert Einstein?"

[Sherlock Holmes and the Mystery of Einstein's Daughter (MX Publishing, 2014) by Tim Symonds.]

Sherlockian Sherlock - everyone's favorite Hungarian Holmes website - not only keeps the memory of the Great Detective green, but is also concerned with keeping said memory true and accurate. In "Common Misbeliefs About Sherlock Holmes" the authors tackle 24 widespread misbeliefs and misconceptions about Sherlock Holmes. Misconceptions dispelled range from serious accusations such as 'Holmes was racist' or 'Holmes used drugs all the time' to the slightly more mundane like 'Holmes was a handsome man' or 'Holmes was untidy'. Slightly more controversial topics tackled include Holmes' religious beliefs and Holmes' sexual orientation; though many are classic Sherlockian topics such as Holmes' ontological status, the origins of "Elementary, my dear Watson" and whether or not Holmes had Asperger's Syndrome. Perhaps the most timely issue addressed is whether adaptations which depict Holmes in a contemporary setting damage or detract from the essence of Sherlock Holmes. Whether you agree or disagree with the various points, you'll certainly appreciate the sincerity and seriousness in which these Hungarian Sherlockians defend their beliefs. 

[24 Misconceptions about Sherlock Holmes dispelled by the editors of Sherlockian-Sherlock, dedicated and passionate Sherlockians from Hungary.]

#BSIWeekend #Canadian Homes #Alistair Duncan #Dan Andriacco #Peter Blau #Brad Keefauver #221B Con #Scintillation of Scions VII

[always1895-blog]

Happy Birthday Sherlock Holmes!

#January 6th

[always1895-blog]

Weekly Sherlock Links Compendium (December 14 - December 31, 2013)

Here's my final set of Sherlockian news items and happenings from 2013....

The summary judgment on Klinger vs. Conan Doyle Estate Ltd. was announced, Les Klinger and an attorney for the ACD Estate both responded to the ruling, intellectual property expert and Sherlockian Betsy Rosenblatt explored what the Free Sherlock ruling means for fans, I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere released a special edition podcast discussing all things #FreeSherlock, The Grand Game trading card project set-up a Kickstarter page, Sherlock Holmes meets Doctor Who, Dan Andriacco commemorates Blue Carbuncle Day, an issue of The Solar Pons Gazette appeared after a five year hiatus, Ross K Foad started an online collection of Sherlockian essays called the Diogenes Club Library, the British Library uploaded over one million public domain images to Flickr, Kristina of the Baker Street Babes makes the case for why you should love Sherlock, Alistair Duncan reported on a controversy sparked during a pre-screening of The Empty Hearse, what happens when 12 Sherlockians get together online to collaborate on a pastiche, MX Publishing put together a list of their 99 favorite Sherlock-related books and Season 3 of BBC Sherlock premiered in the UK and more in the final Weekly Sherlock Links Compendium of 2013 by Matt Laffey.  

Free Sherlock vs Sherlock Copyright Holders - known legally as "Leslie S. Klinger vs Conan Doyle Estate, Ltd." - has come to a conclusion after 10 months of legal wrangling, acrimonious message board rants and a fair amount of amateur legal speculation one might expect from an intellectual property case lodged at the intersection of internet pop culture and a long and storied history of copyright controversy. Perhaps the most news worthy Sherlockian story to appear in the final days of 2013 (if you don't count that 'other' piece of news about the air dates for a certain Holmes adaptation featuring a certain dreamy Sherlock), it's a tangled skein best left to the experts to interpret and explain. From FreeSherlock: "The ruling is a victory for the plaintiff Leslie S. Klinger, who sought to establish that the Estate was wrong in claiming that no new stories could be written about Holmes or Watson without the Estate’s permission. “Sherlock Holmes belongs to the world,” Klinger said. “This ruling clearly establishes that. Whether it’s a re-imagining in modern dress (like the BBC’s Sherlock or CBS-TV’s Elementary), vigorous interpretations like the Warner Bros. fine Sherlock Holmes films, or new stories by countless authors inspired by the characters, people want to celebrate Holmes and Watson. Now they can do so without fear of suppression by Conan Doyle’s heirs.”" You can read a PDF of the entire "Order on the Motion for Summary Judgment" here which may sound kind of boring, but out of all the material that's available online regarding Klinger vs Estate, this will give you the best sense of 1) what the actual dispute is about and what it is not about, 2) what Klinger and ACD Estate agree on, 3) what Klinger and Estate do not agree on, 4) why Klinger thinks 'elements' from post-1923 stories are not protected, 5) why the judge thinks Klinger is wrong on #4 because what Klinger calls "elements" are in fact protected as characters, plots, etc. and 6) what some of the implications are for authors and publishers. 

[Plaintiff Les Klinger in his LA law office surrounded by the spoils of a life dedicated to the Great Detective. When not annotating things or attempting to thwart copyright laws Klinger is an attorney in California and I sometimes wonder if new clients of his, encountering an office packed with Sherlockiana, are instilled with extreme confidence (ie. Sherlock Holmes was like a giant brain so my attorney must be a giant brain!) or extreme concern (ie. when does this guy have time to work on lawyer stuff?).]

Counsel for the Conan Doyle Estate Ltd. Benjamin Allison reacted and interpreted the ruling a bit differently than Klinger in "Ruling Continues to Protect Much of Sherlock Holmes's Character; Conan Doyle Estate Considers Appeal" pointing out that "under the current ruling from the Chicago trial court, all development of the Holmes and Watson characters by Sir Arthur in ten post-1922 stories remain fully protected by copyright. These ten stories - set at a variety of earlier points in the two men's fictional lives - contain significant elements of both characters, including Sherlock Holmes's mellowing personality, the change in Holmes’s and Watson's relationship from flatmates and collaborators to closest friends, and a host of other developments, skills, and elements of background. While plaintiff Leslie Klinger sought a ruling that some of these character traits were free for all to use, the Court rejected Mr. Klinger's effort in this regard and held that all such characteristics of Holmes and Watson are protected." Allison makes an interesting point that helps frame the scope of why any of this actually matters: "Nearly a third of the stories in Mr. Klinger's first co-edited story collection, A Study in Sherlock, use protected post-1922 story elements. That book's publisher, Random House, appropriately entered into a modest licensing arrangement with the Estate despite Mr. Klinger’s position against such a license. Mr. Klinger did not provide his second story collection to the Estate, but one of the writers for that new collection told the Estate he wished to use a protected character, Langdale Pike, from the post-1922 stories. The Chicago Court reiterated that the character is fully protected by copyright law." If I was a rumor mongering blogger-type I might mention something like: rumor has it that the catalyst for the entire copyright hullabaloo was a casual mention of Langdale Pike...and the rest is legal history. 

[Peter Wyngarde as Langdale Pike in the Granada adaptation of "The Three Gables."]

Betsy Rosenblatt posted an essay on the Baker Street Babes website exploring some of the real-world implications of the #FreeSherlock ruling in "What does the Free Sherlock ruling mean for fans?" I encourage anyone unclear about various aspects of this case and/or anyone interested in reading a fascinating enumeration of the more pragmatic ins and outs of the case. My personal favorite bit in Rosenblatt's essay concerns a Canonical point the judge got wrong, which also illustrates a bit about the limitations of the ruling (in both directions): "Keen Sherlockian eyes will observe that the judge got one point factually wrong: Sherlock Holmes’ retirement was first described in "His Last Bow" (one of the public domain stories), not the 1926 "Lion’s Mane". What does that factual error mean for fans? Probably not much, since this factual finding won’t bind future courts. Based on the legal principle articulated in the case, Holmes’s retirement to the South Downs, on a small farm among his bees and books, including The Practical Handbook of Bee Culture, with some Observations upon the Segregation of the Queen, are in the public domain - but the details of his retirement setting, and (of course) the storyline of "The Lion’s Mane", are still protected." If you're still having difficulty explaining the finer points of Klinger vs ACD Estate to your friend who keeps on asking whether or not he can start writing a Fifty Shades of Grey-Sherlock parody, see the NY Times article "Sherlock Holmes Is in the Public Domain, American Judge Rules" (with accompanying Frederic Dorr Steele illustration) for further analysis.

[Sadly, your other friend's slash fanfic featuring Sherlock and the jellyfish from LION cannot be published in the U.S.A. without paying a fee to the Conan Doyle Estate until 2022.]

I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere, on a related #FreeSherlock note, released a special podcast episode of IHOSE covering the Klinger vs ACD Estate ruling featuring interviews with the plaintiff himself Les Klinger as well as IP Law scholar and noted Sherlockian Betsy Rosenblatt (BSI, ASH): "We were once again joined by Les, who outlined the background of the case and discussed some of the legal aspects of copyright that have led us to this juncture. We try to keep the discussion as interesting as possible for the lay people out there, and Les even manages to bring in the 1902 coronation of Edward VII as part of the case law history....[and] Betsy touches on some additional points that will undoubtedly be of interest." Instead of ending the show with a relevant Baker Street Journal 'Editor's Gas-Lamp' Scott and Burt read from the late Joseph Merriam's musings on "the impact of the legal profession within the Sherlock Holmes stories, citing six separate examples of the law and lawyers within the Canon." Originally presented at a Spring 1992 meeting of The Speckled Band of Boston, Merriam's essay is available online as a handwritten document titled "Impact of the Law on the Sherlock Holmes Stories" and is a hoot to read. 

[A scene from The Coronation of Edward VII (1902), a short film by George Méliès and Charles Urban which reenacts the coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. Watch the short film in it's entirety here. ]

The Grand Game, the fan-inspired Sherlockian trading card project first announced here in October, is close to completion but needs your assistance! "With your help we can move this project to the final stages. We have been able to develop and design the first set of the cards honoring the fans of Sherlock Holmes. It is our hope that it will be the first of many sets to come" Collectors interested in the project might consider donating at the $150 level for which they'll receive a Hobby Box (10 packs of cards) of The Grand Game - Sherlock Holmes Trading Cards w/ one box redemption (a $200 value). There's also an accompanying eight minute video narrated by the creator of the card project, second generation Sherlockian Brian Rogers, which explains the history and philosophy behind The Grand Game Trading Cards, a myriad of gorgeous artwork examples and details on how you can help. To learn more about the project itself, read through the Kickstarter page and check out The Grand Game on Facebook and follow their Twitter for updates and special offers. 

[Les Klinger's trading card from The Grand Game, Series One.]

Sherlock Meets the Doctor (released December 11, 2013), the fan mashup video sensation released which brilliantly and seamlessly merged footage from BBC Sherlock and Doctor Who (Matt Smith), was all the rage this December garnering attention from sites as diverse as the Huffington Post to Yahoo TV to Tor as well as pretty much every Sherlock and Doctor Who blog in existence, winning almost unanimous support from both fandoms, as the Internet seemed to shout in unison "Best Fan Video Ever!", an assessment that's pretty close to the mark. If you're interested in how the video was created as well as a look at the original shots used, see Wholock - VFX Breakdown. 

[Sherlock Holmes + Doctor Who = Look out all time and space!!]

Dan Andriacco celebrates that most Sherlockian-specific of holidays, Blue Carbuncle Day, better known as "the second day after Christmas"(BLUE). In "Saving Mr Baker" Andriacco muses "Do you ever wonder what happened between Mr. Henry Baker and his wife after he walked off the pages of "The Blue Carbuncle" with his replacement goose?" I'll see Andriacco's question and raise him another one: Do you ever wonder what happened to the upper-attendant of the Hotel Cosmopolitan, hapless schlemiel Mr James Ryder, the de facto villain of the piece. Ryder is systematically tracked down by Holmes, lured to 221B and then cajoled into a confession, only to then throw himself upon Holmes' mercy. Following one of the most pathetic scenes in the Canon (cf. Paget illustration below) Holmes, ostensibly moved by "the season of forgiveness," pardons Ryder. Immediately following Ryder's departure,   good old predictable Watson expresses his middle class outrage at Holmes (once again) taking the law into his own hands, only to be appeased by Holmes' 'jailbird for life' explanation - an explanation I've always found questionable in light of one, it's rather loose logic and two, Holmes' earlier stressing of "the season of forgiveness". In short, I've always thought this scene is one of the greatest counter examples to the argument that Holmes is nothing but "the most perfect reasoning and observing machine".

["Ryder threw himself down suddenly upon the rug and clutched at my companion’s knees. “For God’s sake, have mercy!” he shrieked. “Think of my father! of my mother! It would break their hearts. I never went wrong before! I never will again. I swear it. I’ll swear it on a Bible. Oh, don’t bring it into court! For Christ’s sake, don’t!”" (BLUE).]

The Solar Pons Gazette (December 2013, Vol 4.1 No 5), published by Bob Byrne, is the newsletter dedicated to American mystery author August Derleth's detective Solar Pons, described as "the best substitute for Sherlock Holmes known" by the godfather of all things Sherlockian Vincent Starrett. The last issue of The Solar Pons Gazette was released over 5 years ago but as editor Bob Byrne explains "after a long break from the work of August Derleth, I've returned to the deerstalkered demesne of the Sherlock Holmes of Praed Street. I kick it off with my 'second' introductory essay on Pons." The 44 page December 2013 issue is packed with commentary on classic Pons adventures, a Solar Pons pastiche, excerpts from the notebooks of Pon's sidekick (ie. his Watson) Dr Parker, an old essay by Chris Redmond (of Sherlockian.net fame) from The Pontine Dossier (1977, Vol. 2 No. 3) and a reprint of an essay that should be of interest to both Derleth and Lovecraft fans entitled "Solar Pons and the Cthulhu Mythos." To learn more about August Derleth, visit the August Derleth Society’s website at: http://www.derleth.org. If you've never stopped in at 7B Praed Street, your first adventure with Solar Pons and Dr Parker can feel eerily familiar, like returning to the neighborhood you grew up  - while you'll have no problem finding your way around, the details and scale are 'off' just enough, producing a sense of temporary vertigo that mostly clears allowing you to enjoy the trip as a novelty, but not quite as home. Regardless, it's still a treat occasionally spending time in Derleth's world which is so lovingly modeled after the more familiar environs of Baker Street. 

[Back from a five year hiatus, The Solar Pons Gazette is the official newsletter of www.SolarPons.com (to be relaunched soon), both of which are maintained and edited by longtime Ponsian Mr Bob Byrne.]

Diogenes Club Library, a new concept/project from Ross K Foad of No Place Like Holmes, seeks to be "the reading room of the site and houses an easy to navigate place for the essays NPLH has published so far (including all of Howards Ostrom's 'Silent Doyle' essays mentioned previously on Always1895). Ross K is actively seeking scholars and enthusiasts alike who might be interested in seeing work of their own on a larger platform in submitting essays for consideration at moment." Ross K's project has all the makings of an excellent online Sherlockian resource that will benefit Holmes fans of all persuasions.

The British Library announcement that they've uploaded "one million public domain scans from 17th-19th century books to Flickr! They're embarking on an ambitious programme to crowdsource novel uses and navigation tools for the huge corpus. Already, the manifest of image descriptions is available through Github." I've ran a few preliminary searches and since most of the scans are from books that pre-date the publication of A Study in Scarlet there's not much in the way of Sherlock Holmes or ACD material beyond The Strand and Sidney Paget illustrations from The Adventures and The Memoirs but I'm sure the corpus will provide plenty of excellent and useful material one might use for a variety of research projects. 

[Image taken from page 133 of Cook's Handbook for London, just one of the million pictures available for free from the British Library corpus.]

5 Reasons Why You Should Love Sherlock video put together by Kristina of the Baker Street Babes celebrates the very imminent return of BBC Sherlock. Lyndsay Faye and an assortment of other Babes assist Kristina in reviewing just why you should love the Great Detective: "From canonical references to otterlock, it has it all.".

Doyleockian reports on events surrounding the pre-screening of The Empty Hearse on December 15, 2013 at the BFI in London - an event that will be remembered for time immemorial (or at least for another Internet cycle or two) for igniting a controversy based not on the audience's reaction to the BBC Sherlock Season 3 premier, but for a series of comments made /questions asked by one of the Q & A hosts, Caitlan Moran. London Reviews covers the entire 'story' but the gist of it seems to be that Moran, who was supposed to be moderating the panel by asking questions related to the episode just watched, asked a set of silly, rude and unrelated questions and then proceeded to read aloud an example of Sherlock fanfiction she found 'funny' - without the permission of the author whose thoughts on Morangate can be read here - but turned out to be ultra explicit making the crowd and panel (Cumberbatch, Moffat, etc.) uncomfortable. As you might expect, Twitter and other Sherlock fandom frequented social media sites reacted immediately and throughout the next few days. A few days later Alistair Duncan followed up his original post with some comments about the 'Morangate' fallout, and that's about all there is worth reporting. Make of this what you will. In the grand scheme of Sherlockian things happening over the next month or two it's just an insignificant Internet blip that is sure to be overshadowed and then forgotten. 

[Q & A panel at the BFI pre-screening of The Empty Hearse.]

Girl Meets Sherlock, a blog by Amy Thomas, posted "2013: Sherlockian Year in Review" featuring personal Sherlockian highlights including the publication of her second pastiche The Detective, The Woman and The Winking Tree on MX and her one year anniversary as a Baker Street Babe as well as general Sherlockian fun such as 221B Con and Save Undershaw with a last minute inclusion of The Adventure of the Crowd-Sourced Adventure (cf. next entry) which occurred in the last days of 2013.

The Adventure of the Crowd-Sourced Adventure, written via Facebook in a two-hour period on December 29, 2013, is a collaborative effort by the following group of Sherlockians: Susan Bailey, C. A. Brown, Lindsay Colwell, Eva Garcia, Elinor Hickey, Jennifer Ribble Jones, Jaime Mahoney, Trix Middlekauff, Chris Redmond, Amy Thomas, Ray Wilcockson and Vincent W. Wright. "The waning days of December 1895 brought with them one of the most remarkable and yet untold cases in Sherlock Holmes's career, which began one cold, foggy evening as I was preparing to depart the consulting-room of my medical practice and was startled by an unexpected knock on the door...." You can read the entire text at Sherlockian.net.

MX Publishing's owner Steve Emecz's collected his 99 favorite Sherlock-related books, which are all available on Amazon, and displayed the front covers via his Pinterest page. On a related note, Steve and his wife have spent their Xmas/holiday in Kenya researching a book on a project called 'Happy Life': "an ambitious project in Kenya that has already saved and had adopted over 160 abandoned children from the slums of Nairobi. The Happy Life Story book will share the success of the program and be a great resource for prospective adoptive parents full of case studies and information on how the project has grown...And of course we’ll make sure that there will be plenty of Sherlock Holmes books for the older children…." Check out their Kickstarter page for details.

[My favorite 2013 MX Publishing release: The Lighter Side of Sherlock Holmes: The Sherlockian Artwork of Norman Schatell edited by Glenn Schatell.]

BBC Sherlock Series 3 (Spoiler-Free) Links: 

BBC, as every Sherlockian fan in the universe is now aware, announced at long last the air dates for the The Empty Hearse, the Season 3 premier of BBC Sherlock. Viewers in the UK get to find out just how Sherlock survived Holmes' plunge off the roof of St Barts on January 1, 2014 at 8pm, but North American fans will have to wait until January 19, 2014 when the episode officially airs on BBC America. By the time you're reading this, The Empty Hearse will have already aired in the UK - hence available online for those with the ability and moral laxness to download TV shows illegally - but I've held off including any information in this post about the episode so as not to ruin any surprises or reveal any spoilers for those waiting to watch on Sunday, January 19th (which happens to be the final day of BSI Weekend 2014 in NYC).

[#SherlockLives!]

Many Happy Returns, for those of you living under a rock, is a seven minute Sherlock 'mini-episode' released by BBC on Christmas day entitled Many Happy Returns featuring events from after the Series 2 finale The Reichenbach Fall leading up to those in The Empty Hearse. After two years of waiting, Team Moffat delivers up a small slice of Sherlock heaven replete with Season 3 teasers, hilarity and Canonical tidbits galore. 

[Where in the world is Sherlock Holmes?]

#FreeSherlock #Les Klinger #Conan Doyle Estate #IHOSE #Betsy Rosenblatt #Wholock #Dan Andriacco #The Solar Pons Gazette #The British Library #No Place Like Holmes #Alistair Duncan #Amy Thomas #MX Publishing #The Empty Hearse

[always1895-blog]

Weekly Sherlock Links Compendium (November 30 - December 6, 2013)

The spiritual and religious Holmes, interview with a Babe, naming your newborn "Sherlock", how the 1970s changed the face of the Great Detective, a visit to The Sherlock Holmes Museum of London, the return of The Saturday Review of Literature, how to make a desirable DVD box set even more desirable, the greatest 'bromance' ever, why a (empty) hearse brought tears of joy to a nation, Sherlockian studies - Canadian style, an illustration of a Xmas story without slush and more in the latest Weekly Sherlock Links Compendium from Matt Laffey.

Sherlockian.net recently announced a new project entitled "Spiritualizing Sherlock" wherein site proprietor Chris Redmond and Lindsay Colwell, a Sherlockian recently drawn back into the fold, investigate the role of religion in the Canon: "If you have ever wondered whether Sherlock Holmes was a member of the Church of England, a Lutheran or a Zoroastrian, and (more important) if you have ever thought about a Sherlock Holmes tale and considered the religious and spiritual implications it contained, your proverbial prayers have been answered. Today we launch “Spiritualizing Sherlock: A Study of the Religious and Theological Themes in the World of Sherlock Holmes”. The purpose of the project is to make possible a systematic understanding of all the religious and theological matters that are explicit or implicit in the Holmes canon, and what we can learn from them. We will begin by casting as broad a net as possible, to include religious practices and institutions, theological ideas, and also moral teachings." Plans are underway to compile and make available online a definitive bibliography of writings on Holmes and religion. "In a later stage, we hope to develop a synthesis of the information and ideas that appear through the bibliography and our discussions of it, and to demonstrate patterns of religious ideas associated with Sherlock Holmes, Arthur Conan Doyle, and the Sherlockian canon. This part of the project will, we hope, result in a published monograph or e-book that will be a real contribution to Sherlockian knowledge." Redmond, a sometimes lay preacher, and Colwell, a theologian by training, bring the necessary enthusiasm and holy cred to a project that's sure to edify and provoke, and will no doubt illuminate an under appreciated aspect of the Canon. 

[The Great Detective and the Prime Mover tackle a little case called "The Adventure of Life"!]

Daily Dot ran a feature on everyone's favorite all female Sherlock podcast The Baker Street Babes: "“I also wanted to give a voice to young female fans. We’re poked fun at constantly by the media and those who don’t necessarily understand fan culture, but while we may have quirks and in-jokes, there’s an amazing level of scholarship and discussion happening. It’s always overlooked and I wanted the podcast to showcase both sides of the coin, if you will,” sayeth fearless leader of the Babes of Baker Street Kristina 'Curly' Manente. Along with the Babes' usual Sherlockian podcast fun, make sure to check out their most recent episode reviews of CBS's Elementary and the new Russian Sherlock Holmes.

[Kristina of the Baker Street Babes displaying her obvious sense of good taste and refinement via her choice of laptop stickers.]

Radio Times reports on the newest baby naming phenomenon to sweep England: "Sherlock" has entered the list of top baby names for boys in England and Wales, after five families registered it in 2012....This isn’t the biggest rush on a baby name since time began but have you ever met someone called Sherlock? Exactly. Between 1996 and 2011 the detective’s name didn’t appear at all in the annual lists of top baby names for boys compiled by the Office For National Statistics....But once a name has been registered more than twice, it makes the cut. For Sherlock, that year was 2012, when it ended up 3,416th on a list of 4,805 male names, in the company of Ulysses, Roland and Timofey, which (among many others) also racked up five registrations apiece." (Thanks to Jack Wilson+ for the tip!)

The Consulting Detective makes the case for "Why Murder By Decree (1979) Is Perfect." Featuring Christopher Plummer's second outing as Holmes - he first appeared as the Great Detective in a 1977 TV adaptation of Silver Blaze (an under-appreciated though excellent adaptation) - and accompanied by James Mason as Watson, Murder By Decree is both a typical and atypical 1970s-era Holmes adaptation which pits the Great Detective against Whitechapel's most notorious denizen, Saucy Jack. Noting that Murder By Decree was not the first Sherlock vs. Jack the Ripper film - that honor goes to A Study In Terror (1965) featuring John Neville as Holmes and Donald Houston as Watson - "it features a far darker plot, draws off of real events and characters and features one of the finest yet controversial portrayals of Sherlock Holmes....Much like The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970) and The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (1979) there is something very different about this version of Sherlock Holmes. Christopher Plummer's Holmes is a kindhearted, very sincere man, at odds with the cold, calculating genius portrayed in Arthur Conan Doyle's originals...Holmes still manages to unravel a tangled skein of events surrounding the Ripper murders, but he feels far more empathy towards all those involved." The 1970s was not only a boom time for Sherlock Holmes, but it was a time when (Sherlockian and non-Sherlockian) writers and directors alike felt free to reinterpret and reanalyze the life and times as well as the psychology of a character whom many, until that time, had assumed inhabited an unbreakable mold. Murder By Decree certainly broke that mold - to positive effect - and for that reason alone certainly deserves a place in the upper echelons of great Holmes cinema. 

[Nick Cardillo of The Consulting Detective proclaims: "Murder by Decree is one of my favourite Sherlock Holmes films. It is by far one of the most brilliant Sherlock Holmes films I have ever seen, and perhaps one of my favourite movies in general. It is in my opinion essential viewing for any Sherlockian."]

Fitzrovia News, a blog based out of London, recounts a recent trip to The Sherlock Holmes Museum of London: "If you’re looking for a fun activity, in the City of Westminster, this festive period, then why not pop along to the home of Sherlock Holmes. My friend and I didn’t even know that this quaint little museum existed but after dodging the dreaded Madame Tussauds’ queue, we looked up where else we could go in the area. In comparison, the queue to the Sherlock Holmes Museum was long but moved very quickly and we were soon inside the warm, Georgian house, for only £8 I may add." Famous for it's recreation of the sitting room at 221B as well as a menagerie of life sized, wax Canonical characters and fascinatingly detailed dioramas (Evil exalted on the Moor...in miniature!), I don't know of a single Sherlockian who has visited the Museum and not come away amused by the displays. Where else on Earth can you meet a suspiciously literate beggar with a twisted lip, watch as the hand of justice cuts down "the worst man in London" and look into the eyes of the Napoleon of Crime? 

[Everyone's favorite New Jersey native and adventuress with the hereditary King of Bohemia from SCAN immortalized in wax at The Sherlock Holmes Museum on Baker Street. Photo by Atomly.]

The Saturday Review of Literature, edited by Donald Pollock and friends, announced that SRL 2014, Issue No. 2 will be "published on January 18, 2014. Copies can be ordered in advance for $5.00 (which includes postage) to: Donald Pollock 521 College Ave. Niagara Falls, NY 14305....We can promise something of interest, if not outrage, for everyone. Copies will be mailed out following the BSI Weekend, though I am happy to bring along to New York copies for anyone who orders in advance."

[The cover for Issue 2 of The Saturday Review of Literature.]

Quick Sherlock Links:

Den of Geek reports on BBC Worldwide's announcement of a special edition BBC Sherlock box set. Limited to 3000 units, each set will contain all three series of Sherlock on disc as well as a copy of an episode script from the first series penned by Steven Moffat, a letter from a "popular returning character" and a soft touch A6 size notebook all housed in the poshest of packages. (Thanks to IHOSE for the tip!)

Wales Online looks at 20 TV 'bromances' to rival BBC Sherlock's Holmes and Watson. If you're unfamiliar with what a "bromance" is "a close non-sexual relationship between two (or more) men, a form of affectional or homosocial intimacy," cf. buddy film, male bonding or any BBC Sherlock scene featuring just Sherlock and John.

Mirror announces BBC Sherlock mini episode Many Happy Returns to air on Christmas Day in the UK. I've been attempting to remain un-spoiled so you'll have to follow the link for more details. On a related note, deerstalkers off to the BBC promotions department for how they announced the UK air date of the Series 3 premier: driving an old fashioned hearse around St Barts adorned with the words "Sherlock" and the air date and then parking in front of the now infamous 'red Sherlock phone box'. 

[Click for larger view, but the floral arrangement spells out "Sherlock 01-01-14."]

Dan Andriacco in "Those Creepy, Serpentine Master Criminals" points out the "herpetological similes" which Holmes applied to Moriarty as well as "the worst man in London" and master blackmailer Charles Augustus Milverton. 

Doyleockian looks at speculation surrounding Holmes' retirement in "Sherlock Holmes post 1903 - the Bee-keeping Years". "The subject of Sherlock Holmes’s retirement is one as open to speculation as the great hiatus. In fact, you could argue, that they are much the same. They are periods when Holmes’s movements are largely unknown." So just what was Holmes up to between the two mystery periods of "December 1903 - July 1907 and 1907 (post Lion’s Mane) to August(ish) 1912?" A truly fascinating hole in the world of Sherlockian studies.

The Bootmakers of Toronto - the legendary Sherlock Holmes Society Canada - have recently joined the Sherlockian Twitterverse with @BootmakersTO as well as announcing a reboot of their official website TorotnoBootmakers.com. And don't forget to download for free the latest issue of the Bootmaker's journal, Canadian Holmes (Vol.36 No.1, Fall 2013) in either epub or PDF format. Standout articles this issue include "Sherlock Holmes in ‘The Hands of the Jews:’ Jewish Stereotypes in the Canon", "The Victorian Concept of Honour in The Bruce-Partington Plans" and "Science and Sherlock Holmes".

[Cover for the Fall 2013 edition of Canadian Holmes (Vol.36 No.1).]

Sidgwicks celebrates December with the discovery of this bold and wonderful scene featuring Holmes and Watson traipsing through London in an attempt to discover just how the "bonniest, brightest little blue egg that ever was seen" ended up in the crop of an Xmas goose. Russian illustrator Adrian Yermolayev created this Christmas scene without slush (to paraphrase Kit) in order to accompany “The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle” from a Soviet-era collection of Holmes favorites titled The Red-Headed League and Other Stories (Saint Petersburg: Detgiz, 1945).

[Holmes and Watson in "The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle."]

#Spiritualizing Sherlock #Baker Street Babes #Murder By Decree #The Sherlock Holmes Museum #The Saturday Review of Literature #Sherlock and John bromance #red Sherlock phone box #Bee-keeping Years #The Bootmakers of Toronto

[always1895-blog]

Weekly Sherlock Links Compendium (November 23 - November 29, 2013)

Howard Ostrom, a Sherlockian based out of Florida known primarily for his massive and unique collection of autographed photos of actors who have played Holmes and Watson in one form or another (eg. film, TV, radio, theater, etc.), has of late been writing quite a few essays on a variety of Sherlock-related topics. A few months ago he teamed-up with Ray Wilcockson to research the virtually unknown history of African-American performers playing the Great Detective - a line of inquiry inspired by the discovery of a one reel silent film titled The Tale of a Chicken (1914) - culminating in the three part essay "Voices From the Darkness: African-America & Sherlock Holmes" (2013).  His latest essay series is based on extensive research into silent Sherlock Holmes films seeking to answer questions like "Who were these Si-locks? What of the titles they appeared in? How did they come about?" The first part of "Silent Sherlock: Sherlock Holmes and the Silent Film Era" spans the years 1900 to 1908, beginning with the one minute Mutoscope film familiar to many Sherlockians titled Sherlock Holmes Baffled (1900) - and thanks to Sherlockian Michael Pointer's rediscovery of the film in 1968, you can view this remarkable piece of Sherlockian and Film history here. (On a related note, Michael Pointer wrote three excellent Sherlock books, my favorite being the ridiculously oversized (12" height) The Pictorial History of Sherlock Holmes (1991).) Ostrom catalogues twelve films in total, all made before 1913 though many are sadly lost to us forever. Follow @HowardOstrom on Twitter to receive future updates.    

[A still from the Mutoscope film Sherlock Holmes Baffled (1900).]

Sherlock Peoria recounts his recent adventure watching episodes of the new Russian Sherlock Holmes (2013) TV series without English subtitles, a feat I also attempted: "...it's been quite a puzzling experience. Sherlock Holmes has always been about words for us, if you think about it, and suddenly being deprived of any words at all is quite strange. You find yourself going, "I think this is The Sign of the Four . . . but it's obviously not." I like the look of the series, though the Sherlock Holmes is another one of our recent "Sherlocks who don't look like Sherlock." The Watson is very good, but Watson has always been a bit easier to capture on film." The Russian Sherlock Holmes TV series premiered this past November (16 episodes to date) and stars Igor Petrenko as Sherlock Holmes and the late Andrei Panin - the actor was found dead with a head injury in his Moscow apartment in March of 2013 - as Doctor John Watson. The show is set in Victorian London and has a gritty, realistic feel that doesn't shy from the seedier, less picturesque side of late-19th/early 20th century urban life. As frustrating as watching the episodes are sans subtitles, I look forward to being able to properly immerse myself in this new and exciting adaptation. If you're up for the challenge, all the Russian Sherlock episodes are available on YouTube or Russia.tv. For another perspective on the series plus extensive reviews, check out the Baker Street Babes.

[The final scene from Episode 02 of the Russian Sherlock - an obvious homage to the original - and totally brilliant - Russian Sherlock adaptation The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson (1979-1986).]

Baker Street Babes released 'Episode 47: The Game (Is On!)' wherein "Curly, Maria, Taylor, & Ardy sat down with some of the team behind Sherlock: The Game Is On to learn how it started and to try and solve the puzzle of how such a collaborative project of this size even works." After listening to the Babes talk to the game's creators, make sure to watch the Making of Sherlock: the Game Is On video for further information as well as a wealth of game previews, graphics and artwork. Other Sherlock-themed games discussed include Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective Board Game and the Xbox, Playstation and PC Sherlock Holmes series from Frogwares, the latest offering being Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments.  

[Opening screen for the fan-created video game Sherlock: the Game Is On - a cute looking, crime solving puzzle role playing game based on BBC Sherlock.]

Doyleockian reflects on the recent rumblings of the so-called 'fandom that waited' noting that the original Sherlock fandom had to wait a decade to find out what happened between events in "The Final Problem" (1893) ending with Sherlock's apparent death at the bottom of the Reichenbach and "The Empty House" (1903) - of course The Hound of the Baskervilles (1901) was published after LAST but it's stressed that the Dartmoor adventure occurred before FINA. Alistair Duncan suggests we "spare a thought for the fans of Sherlock Holmes in 1893. When they picked up their copy of The Strand in December and read Watson's summing up of the conflict between Holmes and Moriarty they went through emotions very similar to those of today's teens to twenty-somethings (and older). But what they didn't have was a closing scene of Holmes watching Watson from afar - very much alive. The Victorian fans of Holmes were not going to get that scene for ten years. It puts the wait for Sherlock into perspective doesn't it?" As much flack as Moffat receives for making BBC Sherlock fans wait nearly two years to find out what happened after events in The Reichenbach Fall, it doesn't compare to the sheer heartlessness of ACD who left Strand readers adrift thinking that Holmes died along with Professor Moriarty. So Duncan drops the gauntlet asking: "Could you modern fans even conceive of such a wait for a mere temporary return? Judging by the internet most of the newer fans of Holmes are struggling with a mere quarter of that wait." 

[My homage to "The Strandom That Waited."]

The Stranger delivered up a very knowledgeable review of the Seattle Repertory Theatre's production of The Hound of the Baskervilles: "After the nightmarish opening sequence, in which a man is pursued and devoured by a hellhound on a misty moor, Kennan initiates the comedy, and the rest of the play keeps it rolling in ways that are direct or indirect. Even the dead-serious themes and concerns of the play—such as trying to capture a killer, protect the innocent, and separate the natural (true) from the supernatural (untrue)—become funny. Once Holmes's seriousness is undone by traces of comedy, the entire culture Conan Doyle's novel represents is undone, and we can't help but chuckle at a society that had complete faith in progress, saw women as soft in the head, believed that the shape of a man's cranium corresponded with his intellectual abilities, and saw wars for resources and markets as an honorable civilizing mission in the long march of history." I wish NYC was a little closer to Seattle so I could check out this adaptation of HOUN.

[Info on The Hound of the Baskervilles from the Seattle Repertory Theatre which runs from November 15 to December 15, 2013.]

I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere marks the passing on November 8, 2013 of Sherlockian Jerry Wachs, BSI ("Sir James Saunders") with a set of memories related by fellow BSI and friend Jerry Margolin. I've copied just one to this post but make sure to read all of Margolin's remembrances: "Jerry was a collector of Sherlockiana. His particular specialty was Sherlockian lapel pins; he had the largest collection in the world. I think it got up to over 1,000 pins and it covered every aspect of the world of Sherlock Holmes. Like most of us, he was very social, very well liked by all who knew him and was very well respected." Jerry Wachs full obituary can be found here, but some essentials include: "Gerald N. "Jerry" Wachs, M.D. died on Nov. 8, 2013, in New York, at age 76. Jerry had many accomplishments in his life, but none more important than his four children...He was also the treasured grandfather to six beautiful grandchildren and [a] loving brother...Dr. Wachs was responsible for the FDA's approval of over 20 new drug applications...an avid collector who was most proud of his 19th-Century first edition English poetry collection...a life master in bridge...He was the constant companion of Gail Postal for the past 19 years. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends." Posts like this also serve as a reminder to make the most of the time we have with Sherlockian friends young and old - particularly when, due to distance and obligations, those times are scattered over months and years.

[Remembering Sherlockians, gone but not forgotten.]

Sherlock.Everywhere - the Tumblr site of IHOSE - re-posted this imaginary cover from a site that imagines "the greatest team-ups that never happened...but should have." From the creator of the Super-Team Family...The Lost Issues: "These two shared a story in Detective Comics #572, and I have always wanted to see them together again. It's great to see Sherlock Holmes getting so mach attention these days. I enjoyed the Robert Downey Jr. films, they were fun if a bit splashy for Holmes.  Elementary has grown on me as well, an interesting spin on the Watson/Holmes story. My favorite current Holmes incarnation is on the BBC's Sherlock. Benedict Cumberbatch is perfect in the role of a modern-day Sherlock Holmes. Still, no actor has ever topped Jeremy Brett in my mind when it comes to playing the world's most famous sleuth." Here here.

[Sherlock and Batman team-up in an issue that never was...but should have been.]

Quick Sherlock Links:

Telly Visions discusses the recent two hour documentary How Sherlock Changed the World (2013), scheduled to premiere on PBS December 17 which "will explore the real-world impact of history’s most famous fictional detective, including the effect that Holmes has had on the development of real forensic and investigative techniques, and will feature noted forensic scientist Dr. Henry Lee."

[I've been looking forward to seeing the How Sherlock Changed the World documentary since first hearing about it.]

Empire Magazine features an exclusive photoshoot in their latest issue with BBC Sherlock creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss shot on the 221B set. Also, click here for Empire Magazine's piece on BBC Sherlock's Season 3 trailer: "The revelation that Benedict Cumberbatch’s Holmes is alive is a surprise to exactly no one who saw the end of The Reichenbach Fall (or to those who noticed that the show’s title has not suddenly switched to 'Watson'). But to those in the universe of the show, it’s going to come as an almighty shock, one that we doubt will be greeted with total joy when they discover the wool that has been pulled over their eyes."

[Moffat and Gatiss chillaxin at 221B for their Empire magazine photoshoot. ]

Sherlockology announced the UK air dates for BBC Sherlock Season 3, Episode 1: "The long awaited day has finally arrived.  Sherlock Series Three will air in the UK from January 1 2014. With a suitable degree of theatricality, the BBC today confirmed the premiere airdate for Sherlock Series Three in the UK through the medium of an empty hearse, flowers announcing the date that the Great Detective will return to life and grace our screens once again." Americans will of course have to wait until January 19, 2014 - the last day of BSI Weekend - to officially see how Holmes survives his dive off of St Barts and how Watson reacts to the return of his missing roommate.  

The Final Problem pointed out that someone must have "finally told John that web counters are so 1998" - the evidence being that The Personal Blog Dr John H Watson no longer possesses a hit counter perpetually displaying always 1895. 

[Never forget.]

The Baz - a site for all things Rathbone-related - in their Sunday Pics #13 feature posted a few screenshots of Basil Rathbone as the Great Detective in the classic The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939), a film which I just re-watched as part of my Thanksgiving break Sherlock movie marathon. 

[Vintage Rathbone as Holmes in the 1939 film The Hound of the Baskervilles, the first in the series of 14 movies starring Rathbone and Nigel Bruce as Dr Watson.]

The Daintiest Thing Under a Bonnet, just announced via the Baker Street Babes website, that Sherlockian and actor Curtis Armstrong will MC the charity ball: "This year, we are delighted to announce that our cosplay/noir/Victorian costume competition prize will be awarded by no less lovely a Sherlockian than Mr. Curtis Armstrong!  You’ve seen this fabulous gentleman as Tom Cruise’s best friend in Risky Business, and he’s appeared in nearly fifty films more films, including Revenge of the Nerds, Better off Dead, Dodgeball, Akeelah and the Bee, Ray, and most recently, Sparkle. He’s the charming co-host of TBS’s reality show King of the Nerds, and you can also catch him on New Girl, The Closer, and Supernatural." And for those unaware, Booger from Revenge of the Nerds is also a Sherlockian of some renown! You can follow Mr Armstrong on Twitter. Tickets for the Ball are still available here.

[Photo by Melinda Caric from last year's Daintiest Thing Under a Bonnet.]

UPDATE: Sherlock Holmes in Brentwood Holiday Play ”The Blue Carbuncle” has just added a second show for December 10, 2013 at 7:30 pm !! "Our first performance on December 8 sold out quickly and completely – so we’ve added another one due to popular demand!" The newly added December 10, 2013 show is taking place at a private residence in Brentwood, Los Angeles, CA  (address visible when you book your ticket). The host for the event is none other than annotator extraordinaire Leslie Klinger who will introduce the play and give a brief talk before the performance touching on some of the traditions of Sherlock Holmes’ times and other elements of BLUE. Ticket sales will partially fund the show itself, though a percentage of the proceeds will be donated to the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Heritage Trust, Ltd. (aka Save Undershaw!) the group dedicated to restoring Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s magnificent estate, Undershaw. Click here to get your tickets - this second show will also sell out soon so act fas!

[If you pulled a Commissionaire Tangey and missed out on the first show, you still have a chance to get tickets for the just added second show on December 10th at 7:30 PM. ]

#Howard Ostrom #Sherlock Peoria #Baker Street Babes #Russian Sherlock Holmes 2013 #Doyleockian #I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere #Sherlockology

[always1895-blog]

Weekly Sherlock Links Compendium (November 2 - November 22, 2013)

I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere takes stock of everything they're thankful for in the wide world of Sherlockiana and the culture it thrives within during this 58th IHOSE podcast, appropriately titled "Thankful for Sherlock Holmes" - for non-USA readers Thanksgiving is only a week away. Hosts Scott Monty and Burt Wolder deviate from their standard IHOSE interview format and instead discuss a variety of Sherlockian-related topics including: recent scion events such as The Sons of the Copper Beeches and Mycroft's League in Philadelphia, a review of recent change-ups within the BSI as well as the upcoming BSI Weekend, the premiere of BBC Sherlock Season 3, a Kickstarter-funded Sherlockian-themed playing card set, a recent TED talk by Parul Sehgal on jealousy and much more. Finally, in place of the Editor's Gaslamp, they read an editorial by Sherlock Peoria's Brad Keefauver titled "Zismanian Scholarship" comparing Father Ronald Knox and Johnny Knoxville. For an outside perspective on the IHOSE podcast, check out this critique/review on the crime fiction blog Do Some Damage praising its eclectic mix of Sherlockian news and commentary while remaining accessible to newcomers. 

[Another wonderfully informative and entertaining IHOSE episode from the two most recognizable voices in all of Sherlockiana.]

Doyleockian author Alistair Duncan in "Sherlock Holmes R.I.P.?" wrote one of his most thought provoking essays yet - the post has garnered  21 comments so far - posing the question: "Is Sherlock Holmes, by which I mean the written Holmes, on the decline?" Duncan worries that the answer is "Yes", a conclusion he reaches based on observations like the asymmetrical discussion/interest in TV/movie adaptations of Sherlock Holmes versus the Canon on formats like Internet discussion boards. Duncan argues that this division cuts straight down the generational divide with the "younger generation" preferring Holmes on the screen and the "older generation" concentrating on the Holmes of the printed page. So where does this leave us? "Can this gap be bridged? I’ve seen younger people (under 25yrs) turn up to events organized by The Sherlock Holmes Society of London but I’ve rarely seen the same faces twice. I strongly suspect that many of them (not all) have turned up expecting something that revolved around the screen Holmes and have, instead, found themselves surrounded by people more enamored with the Holmes of the page. The result is that they don’t (or rarely) come back." If Duncan's observations are accurate, the "younger generation" of Holmes-enthusiasts are drifting away from both the original Sherlock Holmes source material as well as the decades old Sherlockian societies, leaving the future of 'Sherlock Holmes' uncertain. So what is to be done? "If the traditional society model is to survive it needs to attract new blood. However, must it change itself significantly to do so and at what cost?" Perhaps Duncan is being overly pessimistic and all is not lost, but his concerns are worth taking seriously. 

[The inscription on ACD's tombstone reads "Steel True, Blade Straight." If Duncan's worst fears come to pass, what will the grave of Sherlock Holmes read?]

Baker Street Babes formally announced this year's Daintiest Thing Under a Bonnet Charity Ball happening Thursday, January 16, 2014 at 8:00 pm at the Player’s Club in New York during BSI Week 2014 - if you don't have your schedule handy, the Ball immediately follows the BSI Distinguished Speaker Lecture with Dr. James O'Brien. Last year the auction raised nearly $2,500 for The Wounded Warrior Project, an organization that seeks "to raise awareness and enlist the public's aid for the needs of injured service members." Why did The Babes choose the WWP to raise money? "We owe inspiration for this event to those who tirelessly serve our country, and to Dr. John Watson, army doctor, whose recovery from the ravages of the Second Afghan War once required the help of an extraordinary friend." I had the good fortune of attending last year's BSB Charity Ball and I wouldn't miss the second annual ball for anything. (In the interest of full disclosure, last year I assisted in compiling the auction lots and gave a toast to Mrs Stoner - doomed wife of Dr Roylott - and this year I'll be organizing auction lots and helping out in other ways.) Check out Melinda Caric's Charity Ball 2013 photoset and stay tuned for more information.

[100% of the proceeds from ticketing and the auction of Sherlockian art, crafts, rare books and pastiches will benefit the Wounded Warrior Project. There will also be a quiz, costume competition, raffle, and military-themed Sherlockian toasts. Tickets are $35 and going fast!]

Mattias Boström, Swedish Sherlockian and author of Från Holmes till Sherlock (which translates in English to From Holmes to Sherlock) has been setting fire to the Swedish literary world in recent months. Just this past weekend, The Swedish Crime Writers' Academy awarded Boström the prize for Best Non-Fiction Book 2013! And even more impressive, Från Holmes till Sherlock was "shortlisted for the biggest Swedish non-fiction prize. Six books are on the shortlist and the winner - who will get SEK 125 000 [USD 19,023.88] - will be announced on November 28. The prize is for a non-fiction book that adds new knowledge, gives new perspectives on existing knowledge or makes old knowledge accessible. The other shortlisted books are about the poet William Blake, a forgotten Swedish 20th century author, modern journalism, Versailles, and a Swedish 19th century painter." The entire staff of Always1895 will be rooting for you Mattias - let the force of Vincent Starrett be with you!!

[Mattias Boström's beautifully designed book: though I have yet to actually read it because it's in not-English (Swedish in this case) I'm 100% positive that it is excellent - and I'm fairly certain winning and being nominated for these prizes proves it. ] 

The John H. Watson Society, having just released to great acclaim their inaugural 150 page issue of The Watsonian, announced this week that the society's first monograph Coin of the Canonical Realm is published and ready to enter the libraries of Sherlockians everywhere: "in this, the first monograph published by the John H Watson Society, Nicholas Utechin sets out to make 21st century sense of all the 19th century mentions of money in the Sherlock Holmes stories." Mr Utechin is a Director-at-Large of the John H. Watson Society (‘Rex’), a Baker Street Irregular ('The Ancient British Barrow') and an Honorary Member of The Sherlock Holmes Society of London (having edited The Sherlock Holmes Journal from 1976-2006), was featured, along with Steve Rothman, on Episode 08 of I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere discussing their work on To Keep the Memory Green (2007) about the late, great Richard Lancelyn Green. The JHWS monograph Coin of the Canonical Realm should be of interest to anyone who has ever "stopped to wonder exactly what a 'half-sovereign' would buy today? Find out what Mary Morstan stood to gain if the Agra treasure had not been hurled out of the Aurora. How much in dollars - then and now - would Neville St. Clair's daily begging takings have amounted to? Could Sir Henry Baskerville's $6 boots be bought for an equivalent sum in 2014?" Limited to 100 First editions, I guarantee you won't want to sleep on this one. 

[Watson paging through Mr Utechin's new monograph Coin of the Canonical Realm. The cost is $9 plus $3 postage for U.S. members, and $9 plus $5 postage for international members. PayPal or credit cards may be used.]

Dan Andriacco asks "just how many biographies of Arthur Conan Doyle does one need?" I've read many a Sherlockians answer to this question in books, journals and monographs (an answer that ranges anywhere between all of them to none of them), with the overarching theme being that, to date, no single ACD biography can be called 'definitive', a few can be called 'informative but incomplete' and still some can barely be called 'competent'. But Andriacco isn't attempting to stir the ACD biography controversy pot here; he simply wants to point out that he picked up two of the newest ACD biographies at his favorite used bookstore: Conan Doyle: The Man Who Created Sherlock Holmes (2007) by Andrew Lycett, and The Adventures of Arthur Conan Doyle (2008) by Russell Miller. I've heard many good things about both, particularly the Lycett tome. I'll admit that I've read very few biographies of Watson's literary agent, but if you're looking for a great place to start, I highly recommend Jon Lellenberg's (ed.) The Quest for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: Thirteen Biographers in Search of a Life (1987) which is not a biography at all but a collection of reviews/essays by noted ACD/Sherlockian scholars on each of the major biographies of ACD up to that point (c. 1987). Let's hope Mr Andriacco reviews his new acquisitions in the near future. For an exhaustive list of ACD biographies and bibliographies, check out Chris Redmond's excellent list at Sherlockian.net.

[Some of the all-star contributors to Lellenberg's volume include ACD/Holmes scholars Richard Lancelyn Green, Nicholas Utechin, James Bliss Austin, Donald Redmond, Peter Blau, Chris Redmond, Philip Shreffler and more.]

The Crew of the Barque Lone Star, a scion society based out of the greater Dallas / Ft. Worth area, released the November 2013 issue of their irregular publication The Bilge Pump (click to download the PDF) featuring minutes from their last local gathering, an interesting essay on how Watson's naming of the tales gave "his imagination full rein. And how magnificently he rose to the occasion", a quiz, information about the quickly approaching 2014 BSI Weekend, a well-argued essay by Ronald Brackin on the truth behind Watson's reference to the Lone Star (the doomed ship mentioned in FIVE), discussion points related to RESI by Sherlock Peoria's Brad Keefauver, a pastiche titled "The Wrong Cabman" and plenty of random Sherlockian tidbits. As fantastic as publications like the Baker Street Journal and other expertly produced and stalwart Holmes publications are, I also love DIY, local Sherlockian newsletters and zines like this. You can follow them on Facebook and Twitter. 

["We offer good company and rousing Sherlockian conversation to anyone who might be interested, and are also resolved to dig deep into the fifty-six short stories and four novels that comprise the Canon. In addition, we volunteer in the community, lecture to libraries and school groups, attend conferences around the country..."]

NYPD Patrolman's Illustrations, created  in 1974, was a pamphlet designed to help New Yorkers deal with the grim realities of city life at the time (eg. "Before entering your vehicle, make an examination of the backseat or any other place where an intruder might hide...a driver seated behind the steering wheel practically defenseless against quick attack."). The NYPD tapped Patrolman Leo Poulsen whose "illustrations depict a New York of shady, bell-bottomed operators, cartoonish Bowery tropes, full-figured women, and fairy tale characters, all rendered in that bizarre '70s-style caricature that is that is both playful and unsettling." The below illustration is the only one that features a character in the style of Holmes and Watson, but it's a classic example of just how recognizable the form of Holmes is - even if Watson appears to be either checking out Homes' derriere or looking to score some scratch for the gambling table (assuming that Holmes won't give him his checkbook back). 

["Men, don't carry money in your rear and side pockets (sucker pockets). A crowded elevator is an ideal spot for a pickpocket to do his thing."]

The Sherlock Holmes Society of London released the artwork for their 2013 Xmas card which features stunning, graphic novel-style artwork by one Mr Bryan Talbot who "has worked on Batman, The Sandman, Judge Dredd and many other series, and his work has appeared in publications as diverse as Wired, Street Comics and The Radio Times." The card will be produced in full colour with a sepia tint, and will be available in packs of ten. The cost includes postage and packing. Make sure to follow the SHSL on Twitter for news, events and other SHSL-related events.

[It appears Holmes and Watson either dropped their bag of Xmas gifts in the snow or are investigating evidence left at the scene of some hideous yet unknown crime involving the scattering of gifts and holly.]

Sidgwicks posted another fantastic but unknown drawing from the Canon by Russian illustrator N. Zeitlin for “The Adventure of the Empty House”, The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, Moscow: Detgiz, 1956.

[A Russian illustration of what appears to be a rather informally dressed Holmes struggling to avoid his presumed fate at the finale of FINA in what must be the flashback scene as narrated by Holmes to Watson immediately after Holmes' big reveal to Watson at Watson's consulting room just prior to the 'meat' of EMPT.]

Sherlockology announced a bit of very special news that should have London BBC Sherlock fans pulling a Percy Phelps, ie. uttering screams, dancing around the room, shrieking a little more and then falling back limp and exhausted until treated with a medicinal tincture of brandy, à la the final scene in NAVA. "On Sunday December, 15 2013 at 13:00GMT, the British Film Institute will show S3E1: The Empty Hearse in a public screening at the National Film Theatre on London's Southbank, ahead of the yet to be announced first television airing in the UK on the BBC. The premiere will be followed by a Q&A with members of the cast and crew who will be in attendance." Fantastic news right? Well, here's the proverbial parsley in the butter...you guessed it: SOLD OUT! 

[Paget's illustration depicting the precise moment when Holmes artfully uncovers the final course of Mrs Hudson's breakfast spread assumed to contain a Scotchwoman's idea of breakfast when in fact the long sought and fretted over Navel Treaty was revealed.]

The Grand Game Sherlock Holmes Trading Cards project continues to release new and exciting teaser art on their Facebook, The sample card image below depicts one of my all time favorite Sherlockians (guess who?), but other likenesses recently posted include Chris Redmond, sci-fi author Isaac Asimov, 32nd and 33rd presidents of the United States Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman and Peter Blau of Scuttlebutt from the Spermaceti Press, just to name a few familiar faces you'll come across. Lastly, check out Ross K Foad's promotional video for "The Grand Game".

[The above Grand Game card features the likeness of the man, myth and Sherlockian legend whose poem 221B inspired the very title of my Always1895.net blog, Mr Vincent Starrett!]

The Daily Mail, among a few other trillion sites, posted the first trailer for BBC Sherlock Season 3 The Empty Hearse. If you want to stay pure of heart and completely spoiler-free, you probably shouldn't watch the trailer or even go to the Daily Mail page; in fact just don't go anywhere near the Internet or any other person who has been near the Internet until late January 2014. If you happen to have magic powers and acquired a ticket to the British Film Institute screening of the Season 3 premier on December 15, 2013, then forget everything I just said and continue gloating in whatever fashion suits you best. I've yet to watch the trailer or look overly close (I squinted) at the screenshots on the site because I sort of want to remain pure of heart - but since even the Pope is a tiny bit fallible these days, I've compromised and allowed myself to only view a single Season 3 image, that of a very wonderfully mustachioed John Watson - so how about we stop squinting at the same time, together, and just stare at Martin Freeman with a mustache? Then if at any time between now and when The Empty Hearse airs and you begin to have impure thoughts about 'just' looking at a few more screenshots or a 'friend' tries to show you something from Season 3, just close your eyes and think of Watson and his mustache and our hearts will remain pure. 

[John H Watson, looking great and ready for Season Three - but is he ready for the return of a certain private consulting detective.]

Sherlockian Scion & Event Links:

The (curious case of the) Watson Intelligence opened this past week in NYC and will run until December 29, 2013. I'll be attending the performance this Friday, November 22, 2013 and if all the rumors I hear are true, NYC-area Sherlockians will be out in full force that evening. I'm really looking forward to seeing how they handle (our) Watson on stage and how the good doctor interacts with the other three Watsons on the bill. Check back early next week for a full review.

[Click to get your tickets.]

The Three Garridebs of Westchester - for East Coast Sherlockians - is having their Annual Blue Carbuncle Luncheon on Sunday, December 29, 2013 at An American Bistro in Eastchester, NY. If you would like to offer a toast, tell a joke or a funny story, sing a song, or present a short work (maximum 5 minutes) that will add to the convivial spirit of the event, or for further information, please contact Sue or Ben Vizoskie.

Sherlock Holmes in Brentwood Holiday Play "The Blue Carbuncle" - for West Coast Sherlockians - is happening on Sunday December 8, 2013 at a private residence in Brentwood, Los Angeles, CA  (address visible when you book your ticket). The host for the event is none other than annotator extraordinaire Mr Leslie Klinger who will introduce the play and give a brief talk before the performance touching on some of the traditions of Sherlock Holmes' times and other elements of BLUE. Ticket sales will partially fund the show itself, though a percentage of the proceeds will be donated to the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Heritage Trust, Ltd. (aka Save Undershaw!) the group dedicated to restoring Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's magnificent estate, Undershaw. Click here to get your tickets - this show will sell out. 

[If you're anywhere near Brentwood, LA on December 8th, this looks like quite the worthy event!]

Challenger Unbound, a one-day symposium (panels, lectures, coffee breaks, etc.) on ACD's Professor Challenger narratives, is happening on December 9, 2013 at the Institute of English Studies, Senate House, University of London. "A century has passed since the publication of Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Lost World. This one-day symposium offers an ideal opportunity to take stock of the Professor Challenger narratives and to reassess what these three novels and two short stories can offer to new generations of scholars, students, and enthusiasts." Sounds like a fun and  edifying way to spend a Monday. Learn more at Sherlock Holmes: Past and Present on Facebook. 

[Professor Challenger's evidence of the Lost World, in the form of a pterodactyl, is about to fly out the window. I suspect something similar might happen at the Challenger Unbound Symposium.]

BSI Week 2014 is less than two months away - and just thinking about the myriad of upcoming Sherlockian festivities/madness gives me the chills. If there is anyway you can travel to NYC for January 15 - 19, 2014, I strongly recommend doing so, for where and when else can you stumble across such a concentration of august and irregular souls all in one place, all prepared to not only celebrate the January 6th birthday of The Master, but also to celebrate the society and culture which has developed around Sherlock Holmes, Dr Watson, the Sacred Writings and our Sherlockian forefathers and foremothers. To get a feel for what's in-store for January 2014 in NYC, check out Scott Monty's BSI Weekend page for the action packed schedule, accommodation information, what Twitter hashtags to follow (ie. #bsiweekend or #bsi2014) and other related information.

[The 1947 annual BSI dinner at the Murray Hill Hotel. Photo from Jon Lellenberg's BSI Archival History page.]

#I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere #Doyleockian #Baker Street Babes #Mattias Boström #The John H. Watson Society #The Crew of the Barque Lone Star #The Sherlock Holmes Society of London #Sherlockology #The Grand Game Trading Cards #BSI Weeken 2014

[always1895-blog]

Weekly Sherlock Links Compendium (October 26 - November 1, 2013)

The Grand Game is an ambitious and exciting new project from Brian Rodgers whom has plans to release multiple sets of Sherlock-related trading cards: think baseball cards featuring the likeness of Sherlockian all-stars. There's a series of cards featuring various actors who have donned the deerstalker on the big and small screen as well as other Canonical items of interest. I'll be featuring some of the artwork on here over the next couple of weeks, though The Grand Game Facebook page already contains some preliminary art. Perhaps the most intriguing aspect to the project is the 60 card set dedicated to famous Sherlockians, past and present. Many of the names and faces are BSI Sherlockians you may be familiar including: Susan Rice (cf. below), Bob Katz, Peter Blau, Steve Rothman, Les Klinger, Steve Doyle, Jon Lellenberg, Mattias Boström, PJ Doyle, Joe Coppola and many more living Sherlockians whom, as well as being members of the BSI, also happen to be winners of the coveted Two Shilling Award, a distinction awarded to BSI members for "for continued prominent service" (The Sherlock Holmes Handbook, p. 190 by Chris Redmond, whose likeness will also appear in the set ). Sherlockians adorning cards who have passed beyond the Reichenbach make up a virtual who's who of true Sherlockian All-Stars: Rex Stout (author of controversial 1941 paper "Watson Was a Woman" and Nero Wolfe literary agent), William Baring-Gould (creator of the original Annotated Sherlock Holmes) Vincent Starrett ("...where it is always 1895."), Jay Finley Christ (inventor of the 60 story abbreviation code), Julian Wolff, S. Tupper Bigelow, John Bennett Shaw (Sherlockian collector extraordinaire), Chris Steinbrunner (founder of one of my favorite scions The Priory Scholars of NYC), Michael Harrison (author of The Footsteps of Sherlock Holmes) and of course Christopher Morley and Edgar Smith. I'll keep everyone updated as this project progresses.

[Susan Rice, ASH, BSI, - one of 60 Sherlockians represented in The Grand Game trading card project.]

The John H Watson Society showed the world just how serious this nascent group of Watson-centric enthusiasts really are by releasing Volume 1, Number 1 of The Watsonian, the journal of the JHWS, which will have reached the majority of subscribers/members this past week. Clocking in at just under 150 pages, The Watsonian is a publication which every Sherlockian will want on their shelf. "Aspiring to become a publication with some degree of the prestige of the Baker Street Journal or the Sherlock Holmes Journal of London, The Watsonian concerns itself with traditional and revisionist articles. Its purpose is simple: to illuminate the good doctor's life and accomplishment with regard to the many roles he takes, not only as Holmes's colleague, but also as physician, writer, man of the Victorian era and above all friend." (p. 7) Authors of note in this inaugural issue include: Bob Katz, Dan Andriacco, Don Yates, Don Libbey, Donald Pollock, Sandy Kozinn and many more. Also, make sure to read Dan Andriacco's short post on receiving his copy in the mail - and once your copy arrives make sure to read Mr Andriacco's essay entitled "Dr Watson, Detective?" in the current issue. 

[I was thrilled to find the inaugural issue of The Watsonian in my mailbox this week. Here's the cover of this professionally printed, biannually produced journal which seeks to be the home of all things related to everyone's favorite one fixed point.]

Baker Street Beat (speaking of Mr Dan Andriacco) announced some rather exciting news, particularly for Midwestern, USA-based Sherlockians with a penchant for Holmesian/Doylean conferences: "After a one-year absence, a seminar with a new name and a new sponsorship but much in the spirit of the original - exploring Victorian and Doylean topics as well as Sherlockian ones - is coming to Dayton [Ohio]. The Agra Treasurers, a scion society of the Baker Street Irregulars, for the first time will host "Holmes, Doyle, & Friends" on March 14-15, 2014." For a taste of what to expect, here's a review with photos of the 2009 Sherlock Holmes/Arthur Conan Doyle Symposium. For those familiar with Mr Andriacco's first McCabe/Cody novel There's No Police Like Holmes, rumor has it that the SH/ACD Colloquium (which was hosted by St. Benignus college in Erin, Ohio) portrayed in the novel was based on this long-running Ohio symposium. 

[Programme cover for 2009 Sherlock Holmes/Arthur Conan Doyle Symposium.]

Sidgwicks posted a couple of wonderful illustrations by A. Abramov for The Valley of Fear from a 1990 edition. I really love all the images Sidgwicks blog has been posting lately. Keep up the good work!

[Illustrations by A. Abramov for The Valley of Fear, Krasnoyarsk: Krasnoyarsk Publishing House, 1990.]

Times Literary Supplement contains 'Then and Now' review of ACD's Memories and Adventures from 1924 by DL Murray: "A certain great man (it may not be forgotten) was very severe with the Doctor, his collaborator, for always bolting from the straight line of deduction in his record of a case, as soon as he caught sight of a bit of excitement or romance. “You have degraded what should have been a course of lectures”, he would say, “into a series of tales.” Perhaps he would have passed a similar criticism on the other Doctor whose life is told in this volume. If it is wisdom to map out a career and go forward on it with calculated steps, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle has not been wise. But that sort of rationality does not make lives which it is a pleasure to recall and fun for other people to hear about; just as detective stories worked out like Euclidean problems would not have made the books that we take care always to have somewhere in the house." (Thanks to Brenda for the tip!)

[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Photograph: Mary Evans Picture Library.]

Sherlock Peoria in "A Report From the Front Lines" has this to say about Elementary: "And let's face it, as much as Elementary's supporters might strain to pull out Canonical detail from the show, would you rather encounter a new acquaintance who had never heard of Sherlock Holmes, or one that had only watched Elementary? Personally, I'd rather work with a blank slate than have to undo the web of weirdness that Elementary has laid over the top of our familiar story cycle." In related Elementary news/controversy, Breitbart considers (Thanks to IHOSE for the tip!) whether the show is "guilty of lowering the quality of its content because of politically-correct standards." Personally, I'm now completely caught up with the New York detective antics of Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu and I'll admit two things: 1) I really don't think the show has much to do with Canonical (or otherwise) Sherlock Holmes and 2) I really enjoy watching 'Sherlock' and 'Joan' interact and am enjoying the show as a quirky TV 'procedural' (opposed to adaptation or pastiche).

[Canonical gateway drug or canonical diversion?]

Doyleockian remembers the birthday of perhaps the greatest of all actors to play the Great Detective, Mr Jeremy Brett (1933-1995). This Sunday, November 3rd would be Brett's 80th birthday and though he departed this mortal coil almost 19 years ago, his memory and legacy live on with every new and repeat viewing of Granada's Sherlock Holmes. Alistair Duncan reminds his readers that: "for the 1980s and 90s Brett was the Holmes. Whether you liked his portrayal or not does not change this. His performance as Holmes crossed two decades and even the recent films of Robert Downey Jr were doing nothing to threaten his position in the Holmes pantheon." Remember to take a moment this weekend and raise a glass to one of the giants of Sherlockian culture. If you haven't read David Stuart Davies terrific biography of JB, now is the perfect time to track down a copy of Bending the Willow and spend and evening or two immersed in the time Brett spent becoming/being Sherlock Holmes.

[Happy 80th birthday Jeremy Brett!]

Hypable reports on Ian McKellen's thoughts on playing a retired Sherlock Holmes in the upcoming adaptation of Bill Condon's A Slight Trick of the Mind (2014): "I’ve never had ambitions to play Sherlock Holmes, but this is Sherlock in a very particular place… he’s nearly 100 years old, and in retirement, and it’s more about being a beekeeper than it is being a detective." According to the Belfast Telegraph though, when McKellen was asked if movie-goers would see him donning a beekeeper's outfit, the 74-year-old actor said: "You certainly will! There will be plenty of nets too, because I am not going anywhere near any bees, I'll tell you that now. I have a healthy respect for bees. I love their honey, but that's about it." Read the complete interview with McKellen at Empire Online.

[A Slight Trick Of The Mind won’t begin filming until McKellen wraps his current run on Broadway next year. Meanwhile, catch McKellen as Gandalf the Gray in The Hobbit sequel The Desolation of Smaug which will be in theaters this December.]

Sherlockian Scion & Event Links:

The Montague Street Lodgers of Brooklyn are having their 28th annual Autumn gathering on Saturday, November 23, 2013 at 6:30 pm at Caffe Buon Gusto on 151 Montague Street (of course). If you're in the NYC area, contact Peter Crupe for more information.

The (curious case of the) Watson Intelligence Playwrights Horizons’ upcoming production written by Madeleine George (The Zero Hour) and directed by Obie Award Winner Leigh Silverman (Chinglish, Golden Boy, The Call). "This new production features different Watsons from history, including Alexander Graham Bell’s Watson (as in, “Come here, I want you!”), IBM’s supercomputer Watson, and Dr. John Watson, assistant to you-know-who. It’s a time-jumping fantasy about the assistants and machines on whom we’ve come to depend." Click here for a video trailer of the play.

Sons of the Copper Beeches held their annual Autumn dinner last Friday, October 26, 2013 at The Racquet Club in Philadelphia (founded in 1889) where yours truly, after participating in a rather disastrous group rendition of 'The Musgrave Ritual', was elevated to 'Journeyman' status by Headmastiff Dr Bob Katz. A delightful evening was had by all as plans were hatched and drinks were drunk. As usual I missed the last Bolt bus of the night - always the mark of a fine evening - though I had more than enough to read while waiting for a train back to NYC thanks to Steve Rothman, editor of the Baker Street Journal, who had given me a healthy sized box of BSJ back issues to add to my growing collection.

[During the proceedings, I had the great pleasure to sit with a few of my favorite Sherlockians: Starrettian Ray Betzner and BSJ Editor Steve Rothman; not pictured but seated to my immediate right was Wessex Press editor Steve Doyle.]

#The Grand Game #The John H Watson Society #Dan Andriacco #Sherlock Peoria #Alistair Duncan #Jeremy Brett #Ian McKellen #The Montague Street Lodgers of Brooklyn #Sons of the Copper Beeches

[always1895-blog]

Weekly Sherlock Links Compendium (October 19 - October 25, 2013)

Sherlockology assured BBC Sherlock fans - completely rabid after two years of waiting for news of Sherlock's post-Barts Fall - that they "can confirm any UK air dates you see for October or November [as] most definitely false." Sometimes no news isn't really good news nor does it really help when dealing with the obvious and acute PTSD afflicting fans of Sherlock Season 2. "The BBC cannot and will not schedule or announce any UK air dates until they have taken delivery of the completed run of three episodes, and even then the air date will only be set in stone around two to three weeks before broadcast. This is standard practice for any BBC programme..." But hark! It appears that the secret is out for Entertainment Weekly has revealed the premiere dates: "Sherlock will return to PBS Masterpiece on Jan. 19 at 10 p.m. That means the show will air back-to-back for the first time with that other hugely popular and influential Brit import, Downton Abbey (which returns Jan. 5). This announcement caps nearly two years of rabid fan speculation about when the third season of the international sensation will premiere. This also marks first time the mystery-thriller’s U.S. air date has been announced before the BBC reveals its UK premiere date (the BBC has the “first window” rights to air the show, so UK fans can at least take heart in knowing they will almost certainly get season 3 sometime before Jan. 19)." In other BBC news: Steven Moffat, purveyor of all that is outrageously cruel, has finally admitted to plans for Season 4 (via Radio Times): ""We had to inform the BBC that Martin and Benedict had commissioned a new series," said Moffat. "They signed themselves up. They both announced that they were carrying on - so that’s good. "Benedict, at some red carpet event somewhere, said he was carrying on forever. Martin, at another one, said, "Yep, series four is happening"."" One can almost hear the cry of joy and relief wash over the Internet once these two announcements became established fact.

[If hearing that BBC Sherlock Season 3 will finally air in early 2014 and that Season 4 is in the works wasn't enough excitement for the BBC fandom to take in one week, Mr Benedict Cumberbatch will appear on the cover of Time magazine at the end of October! 'And Moffat saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.']

Sherlock Peoria, partially in reaction to all the BBC Sherlock hullabaloo, made a very interesting observation regarding the possible cause and effect related to the vocal dedication of  the BBC fandom: "Yes, Sherlock has fans so passionate that PBS actually acknowledges their existence and considers them in its decisions. You remember Sherlock fans? That oft-discounted-by-elder-Sherlockians group who were once seen as a fluffy flash-in-the-pan? Well, they just got us Sherlock months ahead of when we might have otherwise seen it. They did that. Not grumpy old me, bitching in my blog a few days ago. Not the gathered Baker Street Irregulars of New York, who will be meeting two days prior (and probably in transit home about the time it's going to be showing). Not any other big name Sherlockian past or present you can name.  The Sherlock fans did this. And they should take a well earned victory lap before sitting down to watch "The Empty Hearse" on January 19th. Good on you, ladies and (I know you're out there!) gents." 

St Bartholomew Hospital in London (cf. picture above), scene of Sherlock's 'suicide' at the end of BBC Sherlock Season 2...and monument of sorts to what Brad Keefauver speculates is the tremendous influence which the noisy yet dedicated BBC fandom seems to wield. Though I respect Mr Keefauver's position in his essay, let us not forget the real and absolute significance of St Barts: "“Dr. Watson, Mr. Sherlock Holmes,” said Stamford, introducing us. “How are you?” he said cordially, gripping my hand with a strength for which I should hardly have given him credit. “You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive...”" (STUD) And so the world would never be the same again.

[A still from the pretty much spoiler-free Sherlock Season 3 trailer released in late August of 2013. Click the above screenshot to watch what is to some 30 seconds of glorious bliss; and to others, 30 seconds of Moffat-sponsored frustration and torture.]

The International Exhibition of Sherlock Holmes premiered this month (October 10, 2013) at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) to rave reviews, leaving Sherlockians living beyond traveling distance of the OMSI no choice but to peruse the wealth of online photos of the exhibits with just a smidgen of envy and a giant dollop of anticipation, for soon the entire show will hit the road and begin a world tour that will hopefully bring the excellent looking 221B simulacrum and the rest to a museum near you! The Oregonian described how attendees have the opportunity to view original manuscripts, period artifacts and investigative tools along with a description of the exhibits that include "Doyle’s Study, an experimentation station, Sherlock Holmes in Baker Street, the “Culture of Sherlock” collection and a mystery game with clues hidden within the museum." For a taste of what opening night was like, check out this photo set featuring the organizers as well as various Sherlockian VIPs such as Jon Lellenberg and Richard Doyle, great-nephew of ACD and director of the Conan Doyle Estate along with scores of Sherlock enthusiasts, a handful dressed in their finest Victorian threads. The OMSI site offers a range of opportunities for visitors planning an excursion as well as information for schools considering organizing a field trip to the exhibit - which makes me kind of wish that I was in 6th grade and preparing for a visit to the world of Sherlock Holmes, an opportunity that is sure to have a life changing effect on more than a few precocious 'pre-Sherlockians' who are sure to look back at that magical day as the moment they caught the Sherlockian bug, permanently altering their lives forever. Finally, for a wonderfully thorough and intimate review of the entire show see this GeekDad post which features a plethora of wonderful photos of the various exhibits, close-ups of the artifacts, a shot of a page from the original manuscript of Hound of the Baskervilles (cf. Randall Stock's history of the HOUN manuscript and why it was broken up at the time of its publication) and more. I'm sure I'll have opportunities to post more about this remarkable event as I count down the days until it arrives in NYC.

[221B, live and direct: Sherlock’s shelves and lab area. Photo by Jonathan H. Liu, who authored the GeekDad post.]

Dan Andriacco, aka Dutch to the John H Watson Society, revealed that Issue #1 of The Watsonian, journal of the fledgling yet ever growing JHWS, is set to appear in mailboxes around the world! My only concern is whether the reported 150 page (!) publication will fit in a standard sized mailbox. And if that wasn't enough, Mr Andriacco announced that the nascent group is sponsoring an International Canonical Treasure Hunt: the "mega-quiz will consist of 200 questions requiring in-depth knowledge of the Canon and the printed scholarship of the last 75 years. It will be conducted over a one-month period sometime in 2014. As host society, the JHWS will invite teams from the Baker Street Irregulars, the Sherlock Holmes Society of London, the Société Sherlock Holmes de France, the Sherlock Holmes Society of India, the Toronto Bookmakers, the Sherlock Holmes Society of Japan, the Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes, and other international and U.S. scions who desire to field a crack team of Sherlockian/Watsonian scholars to compete for world honors." As a member of the JHWS (where I'm known as 'Baron'), I'm looking forward to receiving Issue #1 immensely as well as participating in the 2014 Canonical Treasure Hunt, along with watching and reporting on whatever else this intrepid group has up it's tweeds. 

[I'll be waiting patiently for the 150 pages of Watson-centric fun to begin.]

Molly Carr's newest release In Search of Dr Watson (MX, 2013) is now available in a revised, second edition version: "...as much as possible about Doctor Watson. Radically different in style from her first two books, the investigation will nevertheless be of interest to students of military history, railways both Indian and British and of course all fans of Sherlock Holmes. Holmes is a household name. But where would he be without his Biographer? Beavering away in Baker Street, unknown to everyone except Scotland Yard and a few luckless criminals. It is time to put the loyal and much put upon man, Dr. John H. Watson M.D., centre stage." On a related note to the JHWS and Molly Carr (aka 'Brenda'),  two of her latest books were reviewed on Dr Watson's Library, a blog maintained by the JHWS which posts reviews and recommendations on books by its members: In Search of Doctor Watson (2nd Edition, MX, 2013) and A Sherlock Holmes Who's Who (MX, 2012) described as "for the Holmes fanatic who wants to know everything!" You can follow Ms Carr on Twitter and Facebook.

[In Search of Dr Watson 2nd Edition is available from Amazon USA, Barnes and Noble, Amazon UK and Waterstones. For elsewhere Book Depository who offer free delivery worldwide. In ebook format it is in Kindle, Kobo, Nook and iBooks (iPad/iPhone).]

The Baker Street Babes Lyndsay, Melinda, and Sarah in "Episode 46: Moriarty Returns! With Daniel Corey" look at the latest incarnation of the Napoleon of Crime in a comic series that started in 2009.  "Moriarty is a supernatural/dark crime comic that flips the Sherlock Holmes universe on its head–James Moriarty, its sinister and conflicted star, is now the protagonist. Inspired in part by great Professor Moriartys including Laurence Olivier in The Seven Per Cent Solution and Daniel Davis in Star Trek: TNG, Corey set out to solve the mystery, who is Professor Moriarty, since 'He’s mentioned here and there, but there’s only two stories that involve Professor Moriarty and he’s never actually onstage.' Who is the Professor in the absence of Holmes, and will his criminal empire ever come to fruition?" Creator Daniel Corey, in an attempt to fund a third series consisting of four more issues, started a Kickstarter campaign where he hopes to raise 24K. Here's a video of Corey explaining his plans for Moriarty Vol. 3. If you're interested in where the Morarity series has been so far, check out these video summaries Moriarty Vol. 1: The Dark Chamber and Moriarty Vol, 2: The Lazarus Tree, or you can purchase the first to volumes in hardcover from Image Comics. The series reminds me a little of John Gardner's thought provoking 1970s trilogy of novels which delve into the history and psychology of Holmes' nemesis, painting the Napoleon of Crime in an almost sympathetic light. You can follow Daniel Corey's Moriarty Project on Facebook and Twitter.

[Cover for Moriarty Vol. 1: The Dark Chamber.]

The (Curious Case of the) Watson Intelligence is a theater production premiering in NYC on November 15 and running through December 29, 2013. First off, just so there's no confusion, the Watson of the Canon only makes up 1/4th of the 'Watsons' portrayed in The Watson Intelligence: "Watson: trusty sidekick to Sherlock Holmes; loyal engineer who built Bell’s first telephone; unstoppable super-computer that became reigning Jeopardy! champ; amiable techno-dweeb who, in the present day, is just looking for love. These four constant companions become one in this brilliantly witty, time-jumping, loving tribute (and cautionary tale) dedicated to the people - and machines - upon which we all depend." My first reaction to reading this description was "Wow" and my second reaction was "this could be amazing, or at the very least interesting." Now I'm very curious to watch as actors portray John H. Watson, M.D., Late of the Army Medical Department, Thomas A Watson (1854 - 1934), assistant to inventor Alexander Graham Bell, Watson the IBM computer capable of answering questions posed in natural language and a contemporary guy named Watson in a play that sounds like an extended meditation on our post-Industrial Western society - or might just be a zany romp consisting of four characters whose only point of convergence is the name "Watson". Why can't I get the image out of my head of Basil Rathbone's sidekick Nigel Bruce holding up a computer and quoting Zoolander: "Oh! The files are in the computer!" (smash goes the computer). Check out the play's Facebook page and visit TicketCentral.com (use code WATPBE) to order tickets.

[I have absolutely no clue whether The (Curious Case of the) Watson Intelligence will be a hit or miss, but it's a chance to see our favorite one fixed point in a changing age pushed to his limits by finding himself in an Age that has changed multiple times over.]

Sidgwicks posted a fine promotional still (seen below) for The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1984), featuring a great shot of what could only be the "newly-framed picture of General Gordon" as mentioned by Holmes in "The Cardboard Box" - an image I had just been searching for a few days before in the hopes of, like Watson, using the likeness of Charles George Gordon (circa the 'Pasha' years) to not only decorate my wall (framed of course) but to act as a surefire catalyst for a chain of thoughts inevitably leading to "dwelling upon the sadness and horror and useless waste of life" war inevitably breeds, which was of course just part of the contents of Watson's saturnine mood so adroitly discerned by Holmes during the first scene of "The Cardboard Box". Sherlockians well-versed in some of the textual oddities of the Canon will of course recall that this memorable 'mind-reading' scene from CARD occurs again, almost line for line, in the "The Resident Patient." For an explanation of why it is that both CARD and RESI include the exact same scene, see Klinger's 'The Textual Problem of "The Resident Patient"'

[Promotional still for Granada's The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1984).]

Quick Sherlock Links:

Sherlockian.net is hands down the most important Sherlock Holmes website in existence and has been for many years. Created by longtime Sherlockian Chris Redmond - his titular name in the BSI of "Billy" was inspired in part by his age at the time of his investiture...he was just 16 - the site serves as the ultimate resource for Sherlockians, whether they're collecting research for a journal article or neophyte Holmes enthusiasts delving for the first time into the world of Sherlock Holmes culture and scholarship. Which is why I'm thrilled beyond words to see my photo adorning the front page of sherlockian.net! This picture was snapped by the wonderfully talented NYC Sherlockian and photographer Melinda Caric at a book release party for Lyndsay Faye's latest novel Seven For a Secret while I perused the Sherlockian Scholarship bookcase at the Mysterious Bookshop in downtown Manhattan. Unfortunately the edition of the book I'm holding Seventeen Steps to 221B edited by James Edward Holroyd was outside of my price range that evening but that never dampens the pure joy of holding a piece of biblio-Holmesian history. Check out Ms Caric's complete Seven For a Secret Flickr set for the lowdown on the evenings' literary debauchery, as well as further proof that Ms Faye's genius extends well beyond the realm of historical fiction into that of the sartorial.

[Thank you for the honor Chris Redmond and the wonderful photo Melinda Caric - oh yeah, and thanks to Lyndsay's mixologist husband Gabe Lehner for keeping the book party attendees in good spirits.]

Sherlockian-Sherlock is a relatively new Sherlockian website started earlier this year by three intrepid Hungarians (though the site is in English). I stumbled on it while perusing Chris Redmond's recent updates to the 'Online Resources' section of Sherlockian.net. Initially drawn to the intriguing cadence of "Sherlockian Sherlock Dot Com" after further exploration it is quite the promising web destination for Holmes and ACD enthusiasts. The website's editors/creators - make no mistake, Sherlockian Sherlock is an actual website and not a blog or a Web 2.0-inspired creation - have a particular fascination with Sherlock Holmes art, the dispelling of common misbeliefs related to Holmes, actors who have donned the deerstalker and the science behind the Great Detective. I encourage you to add Sherlockian-Sherlock to your bookmarks posthaste.

Neatorama posted about a newly available Sherlock Holmes Pocket Notebook made-up of 64 pages with a very simple though elegant Sherlock design. Perfect for composing an outline for that Sherlock pastiche you've been meaning to write involving Holmes, the Wright Brothers, the Suez Canal and the First Pan-African Conference. Get to it!

[Just remember that if you author notes like "Meet me at the Yew Alley and come alone. PS Bring dog biscuits." but then decide not to send it, be sure to throw it directly onto the fire so it burns opposed to letting it fall down into the grate where meddling detectives might come across it.]

Sherlockian Scion & Event Links:

The Sherlock Breakfast Club is a Los Angeles-based group of Holmes enthusiasts who meet irregularly for breakfast at Ye Olde King's Head Pub in Santa Monica, CA. A discussion of a pre-assigned story is followed by a canonical quiz, where the victors win prizes, often from London. Time permitting they screen a Granada episode, usually corresponding to the story du jour. One of the leaders of the group, Bonnie MacBird whom I had the good fortune to meet this past August in MN at Sherlock Holmes Through Time and Place, stresses that the group is very inclusive and welcoming. There are Sherlockians of all stripes and ages, including many BBC Sherlock fans as well as Downey, Rathbone, Elementary, and those of the strictly canonical persuasion. "Everybody gets to express their Sherlockian love, and it's all rooted in the Canon." No doubt attendees depart assured that breakfast really is the most important meal of the day! Their next event is November 9, 2013 at the ungodly hour of 9 am. 

From Gillette To Brett IV: Basil, Benedict and Beyond is happening September 12 -14, 2014 at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. Put together by purveyors of the finest in Sherlockian publications, Wessex Press's the three day conference "will feature rare Sherlockian films, vendors, and an all-star roster of distinguished speakers, presenters, and events. We are thrilled to present exclusive, 75th Anniversary screenings of Basil Rathbone's The Hound of the Baskevilles (1939) and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1939) in the state-of-the-art IU Cinema." Mark your calendars.

[I can't wait!]

* The Sherlockian Calendar is a Holmes-enthusiast's best friend - visit and visit often. 

* If you have a Sherlock Holmes-related event or meeting you would like listed, or any news, gossip or announcements that might interest readers of Always1895.net, please email always1895[@]gmail.com.

#BBC Sherlock Season 3 #Brad Keefauver #The International Sherlock Holmes Exhibit #Molly Carr #Baker Street Babes #Moriarty comic #The (Curious Case of the) Watson Intelligence #Sherlockian.net #The Sherlock Breakfast Club #From Gillette to Brett IV

[always1895-blog]

Weekly Sherlock Links Compendium (October 12 - October 18, 2013)

UPDATE: I realized that the original title for this post referenced the wrong date range, an error that's now been corrected.

Dearest Readers - Thank you so much for your patience regarding the lack of posts over the last month. Due to a complete and total computer meltdown, I lost the ability to do any writing at home. As I slowly save up for a new MacBook Air, I've managed to piece together an old iMac which should allow me to start posting my Weekly Sherlockian Links Compendium regularly once again. A special thanks to everyone that wrote enquiring about the well-being of the site and me. I'll be playing catch-up for the next few weeks, but please don't hesitate to send in new Sherlockian info you would like to see posted. 

I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere just in time for All Hallows' Eve, IHOSE released Ep 57 "A Sherlockian Halloween" where Mr Monty and Mr Wolder discuss "Holmes and the occult [and are] joined by editor and author Charles Prepolec, who together with J.R. Campbell edited Gaslight Grimoire: Fantastic Tales of Sherlock Holmes, Gaslight Grotesque: Nightmare Tales of Sherlock Holmes, and Gaslight Arcanum: Uncanny Tales of Sherlock Holmes, joins us to talk about the intersection of Sherlock Holmes and the spooky, outre and creepy, setting the tone for the season. Charles (who goes by @sherlockeditor on Twitter), had the great fortune to work with the likes of Barbara Hambly, Martin Powell and Kim Newman, among others, and he talks about the selection process for including authors and their works in the anthologies." Mr Prepolec has a great on-air personality and if you haven't already, make sure to set aside an hour and give IHOSE Episode 57 a listen. Also, in leu of reading the traditional Editor's Gas-Lamp, an introduction to a collection of Conan Doyle stories written by ACD biographer John Dickson Carr is read.

[Just one of three collections of Sherlock Holmes pastiches focusing on the more macabre side of the Great Detective and his world from editor, and Ep 57 I HOSE guest, Charles Prepolec.]

Dan Andriacco, along with his publisher MX Publishing put together a special Halloween treat for fans of his McCabe/Cody series: they're offering up a short Halloween themed story - available for a limited time for free on Amazon Kindle. ""We’ve been tasered, drugged, kidnapped, and almost blown up. So I’m sorry we’re late for the party.” Jeff Cody is having a bad day. But readers will love this short story about a Halloween party gone terribly wrong. If you haven’t read any of the critically acclaimed Sebastian McCabe - Jeff Cody mystery novels, "The Revengers" is the perfect introduction. If you’re already a McCabe-Cody fan, it will give you an enticing taste of their next book." If you don’t have a Kindle you can still get a free copy by joining the Sherlock Holmes Book newsletter on Facebook. Personally, I've saving this story until Halloween draws a little bit closer and maximum ambient spookiness can be achieved. 

[A haunting cover for a tale of a Halloween party gone wrong featuring two of my favorite literary characters Jeff Cody and Sebastian McCabe.]

Girl Meets Sherlock posted a touching and insightful piece on the late Marlene Aig, Sherlockian and one of the first Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes (ASH) as well as an Associated Press reporter, who passed away suddenly in 1996. Having many friends within the ASH world, I've heard many speak of Marlene Aig in a tone reserved only for the most exalted and respected of Sherlockians. So it gives me great pleasure to announce that MX Publishing has released a newly unearthed Holmes pastiche by Ms Aig entitled Sherlock Holmes and the Lufton Lady, available as an e-book (Kindle, Nook, Kobo & the iPad). Edited by friend and notable Sherlockian Chris Redmond, "Lufton Lady is a quick, enjoyable read with a charming Holmesian atmosphere and a special flare that surely belonged to Marlene and Marlene alone. It’s a good story, but it’s also a piece of history and a chance to connect with one of the great female pioneers of the world of Sherlock Holmes." For more information about Marlene Aig, please read this lovely piece on the ASH website (originally published in The Serpentine Muse Vol 13, no. 1, 1996) by two of her closest friends who remind those of us who knew her of the friend we've lost and those who didn't know her of what they've missed entitled "Good Night, Marlene." 

[The Lufton Lady by the late Marlene Aig and edited by Chris Redmond of Sherlockian.net.]

Aeon Magazine in "Shamanic powers of insight and the power to bring order out of chaos: Is the detective a priestly figure for our times?" considers the age old question of how best to judge a society and suggests that investigating the relationship detective fiction shares with society is one such fruitful criteria. Defining the detective story as one in which "a felony is committed in mysterious circumstances and then an individual follows clues and makes deductions to discover what happened," the author Jason Webster, not surprisingly a crime writer, looks at the history of the modern mystery story (modern circa William Godwin’s Caleb Williams (1794) and Edgar Allan Poe’s The Murders in the Rue Morgue (1841)) noting the significance of it's co-development with the Industrial Revolution and the rise of police detective himself. Perhaps most importantly, Webster writes, the reason in which the detective story became such a huge best-seller almost overnight was due to the role in which the hero detective fulfilled: "Faced with the worst crime (what could be more existentially troubling than a murder?), the detective gives us answers to the most pressing and urgent questions: not only whodunit, but how and why and what it means...In other words, a detective is a kind of priest." Read on for an intriguing discussion of our search for meaning in the modern age and how detectives such as Sherlock Holmes and GK Chesterton's Father Brown (a literal priest) took on the role of interpreters of human nature. 

[Father Brown in one of hundreds of different editions available to the reading public in search of meaning in the modern world.]

Oxford University Press Blog posts the occasional Sherlock Holmes-centric piece either by James O'Brien, author of The Scientific Sherlock Holmes: Cracking the Case With Science and Forensics (Oxford, 2013) or Douglas Kerr, author of Conan Doyle: Writing, Profession and Practice (Oxford, 2013). In "Six Methods of Detection in Sherlock Holmes" Mr O'Brien notes that between the appearance in 1841 of Poe's The Murders in the Rue Morgue and ACD's A Study In Scarlet in 1887 "chance and coincidence played a large part in crime fiction." But with the rise and domination of the methods of Sherlock Holmes via logic, deduction, and science, new approaches to collecting and analyzing data acquired at a crime scene or from a likely culprit were developed, solidifying the Master and his follower's reputation as men (and women) of science and innovators of forensic methods. As evidence of Holmes' particular genius for fusing the theoretical with the pragmatic, O'Brien takes a look at the following Holmesian-championed innovations which, though experimental and even suspect in the days of Lestrade or Gregson, eventually became tools de rigueur for police and private consullting detectives alike: Fingerprints, Typewritten Documents, Handwriting, Footprints, Ciphers and Dogs. 

[Holmes and Watson employed the olfactory talents of Pompey the dog in order to track down missing rugby star Godfrey Staunton, chronicled in "The Adventure of the Missing Three-Quarter". For more information on Holmes and the use of dogs in detective work, I strongly suggest seeking out one of my favorite, though slightly obscure, works by Michael Harrison entitled Cynological Mr. Holmes: Conanical Canines Considered: Dog-lore and Dog-love in the Sherlockian Saga (1985, Magico), which can now be had as an e-book from the Battered Silicon Dispatch Box.]

Doyleockian's Alistair Duncan has posted a number of diverse and interesting pieces in the last few weeks commenting on everything from the resurgence of the Elementary Wars (now that Season 2 is in full swing) to the South Norwood Tourist Board's attempt to name a lake in honor of ACD - "Lake Conan" is apparently the front runner, but I agree with Mr Duncan that "Lake Conan" is not a very good pick: whether it's the unappetizing 'Conan the Barbarian' association or the fact that ACD is never referred to as just "Conan", almost any other variation on ACD's name works better. The SNTB has an online poll with various naming options but I have to question their sincerity regarding names other than 'Lake Conan' considering the Reichenbach option is misspelled as "Reichenback" [sic]. Speaking of lakes, in another post Pike is discussed...Langdale Pike that is (not the fish), who just happens to be one of my all time favorite minor Canonical characters. Duncan wonders whether the man who sits "in the bow window of a St. James's Street club" might best be thought of as "a blend of Mycroft Holmes and Shinwell Johnson. The latter, it will be remembered from "The Illustrious Client", was Holmes's source of information, people and gossip in the underworld. Langdale Pike was clearly an upper-class equivalent." Apparently Elementary Season 2 features a character named Langdale Pike, but even though I have yet to see the episode I guarantee it can't beat Peter Wyngarde's Pike in Granada's The Three Gables. Coincidently, Wyngarde played the nefarious Baron Grüner in the 1965 BBC production of The Illustrious Client with Douglas Wilmer as Holmes - wherein Shinwell 'Porky' Johnson is played by prolific character actor Norman Mitchell. Finally, perhaps Duncan's most edifying and useful post - at least for Sherlockian book collectors - is "Book Preservation" which contains tips on book preservation along with a link to a PDF about book conservation from the British Library's Preservation Advisory Centre (click for range of videos on book care).

[Peter Wyngarde as gossip-monger extraordinaire Langdale Pike in Granada's The Three Gables.]

Quick Sherlock Links:

NPR Books reviews a new autobiography about Jazz legend Charlie 'Bird' Parker called Kansas City Lightning: The Rise and Times of Charlie Parker (2013) by Stanley Crouch where it is revealed that ""They read history books. They went to museums," Crouch says. "Redcross told me, once he said, "Yes, Charles and I, we would sit and we would discuss Sherlock Holmes..."" Something tells me that Holmes, with his affinity for experimenting with his Stradivarius in ways that may have been described as noise by Watson but might today be recognized as experiments in atonality or even freeform cacophony, might have recognized a kindred spirit in Parker and his pioneering bebop sound - not to mention their similarity when it came to seeking recourse in the needle, to which Parker was addicted for most of his short life (he died at 34). If you don't want to listen to an audio review, Crouch's biography of Parker was reviewed in the New York Times.

Howard Ostrom, best known for his incredible collection of autographed photos of various big and small screen Holmes and Watson team-ups (hosted virtually on blogger Ross K Foad's NPLH website), recently wrote a three part essay/study entitled "Voices From The Darkness" which takes a look at the African-American Sherlock Holmes progression, history and future in theater, cinema, comics and other mediums. His inspiration for said undertaking can be found in Part 1 (PDF) of "Voices From the Darkness" after coming across a little known Sherlock Holmes film from 1914 called A Tale of a Chicken which featured an all black cast but was virtually non-existent in the annuals of film history. This 1914 silent film would be just one of many to feature a black actor playing the Great Detective (often times with a corresponding all black cast) and Mr Ostrom has done Sherlockians everywhere a great service by unearthing this unique and fascinating bit of Sherlockian and film history.

The Consulting Detective makes the compelling argument that "in the grand scheme of things, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, the 1968 BBC television series, is one of the most important in Sherlock Holmes' history. It was only the second time that a real attempt was made to bring Arthur Conan Doyle's work to the small screen." And yet, as the author Nick Cardillo points out, the work of Douglas Wilmer and later Peter Cushing as Sherlock Holmes is largely forgotten or at least tragically overlooked. Last weekend I re-watched the entire DVD run of Douglas Wilmer's BBC Sherlock episodes. 

I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere marked the 25th anniversary of Without A Clue (1988), perhaps the finest example of a Holmes spoof ever. "Our hero, Sherlock Holmes, is shown to be nothing more than a profligate drunkard of an actor, hired by Dr. Watson (known to himself as "John Watson, the Crime Doctor!") to mask his true identity as a successful detective whilst applying for a position in an exclusive hospital.  Much to his chagrin, the character actor becomes popular and the public (and later Watson) can't seem to do without him. It was a case of art imitating life, as another doctor - one A. Conan Doyle - was resigned to the same fate as the Crime Doctor." I've always thought that the true genius of Without A Clue lies in the fact that the laughs come not from denigrating the familiar Sherlockian 'tropes' but raising them up via experimentation and playfulness to the level of high comedy.

[My favorite poster for Without a Clue.]

Sherlock Peoria looks at "As much as the sixty stories of Sherlock Holmes are spread across all the seasons of the year, there is something particularly autumnal about them....Fall has traditionally also been a season of anticipation for Sherlockians. Preparations are being made for January festivities. New Holmes pastiches are available for Christmas lists. Back from summer breaks, many a Sherlockian society is going full-steam...."

Sherlock Scion & Event Links:

221B Con reminds everyone that you (Yes, you!) have "only one month left to register for only $35. Registration will go up to $45 on November 16. If you filled out a registration form, but have not submitted your payment by November 16, your registration will be deleted. Please email us at reg[at]221bcon.com if you have any questions or issues." The 2014 221B Con is happening in Atlanta, GA on April 4-6th (which is exactly 167 days, 22 hours and 44 minutes from now). For updated info, complete details and information about registration, hotels, programming, etc. stop in at 221bcon.com.

Amateur Mendicant Society of Detroit recently held their annual Fall Meeting (2013) and the AMS Tantalus Robert Musial thoroughly reviewed the evening's toasts, sites and sounds. The highlight of the evening seemed to be Regina Stinson's presentation titled “The Legend of the Deerstalker.” Musial reports that: "Her excellently-researched monograph reviewed the two dozen artists who illustrated the Canon in its early days, among them Arthur Conan Doyle’s father, Charles Altamont Doyle; and more popularly, Sidney Paget and Frederic Dorr Steele, who contributed the most iconic depictions of The Master and his surroundings." 

[A few AMS members (from left to right): we have Dr. Ed Stein, Dr. David Mohan, Tantalus Rob Musial and of course I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere's very own Mr Scott Monty.]

MX Publishing is hosting a free event on Friday, 8 November 2013 (7pm GMT) featuring Matthew J Elliot, author of The Immortals: An Unauthorized guide to Sherlock and Elementary (MX) - a study of BBC Sherlock and CBS Elementary  episodes to date, just in time for the second season premiere of Elementary and for the one-day-to-be-released Sherlock (click here for BBC's latest news on Season3). For more information about the event, check out the The Immortals book release event page on Facebook. 

The New York Society Library is hosting an evening with BJ Rahn - an English Literature professor at Hunter College who also runs the site CrimeCritic.com - entitled "The Enduring Appeal of Sherlock Holmes" which will explore "the remarkable international appeal of Holmes (which shows no signs of abating), analyzes the nature of the fascination, and discusses its various manifestations in print, on stage, in films and television, plus museum and library exhibits, conferences, courses, statues, tours, hotels and pubs, and fan societies dedicated to him." Tickets are $10 in advance and will occur on Tuesday, November 5, 2013 at 5:30pm in the Whitridge Room at the The New York Society Library in Manhattan.

* To find a Sherlockian event in your area, check out The Sherlockian Calendar - maintained by Ron Fish with Sue and Ben Vizoskie of The Three Garridebs of Westchester County, NY. If you are interested in posting an event to the calendar, please email the details to webmaster Ron Fish at RonF404 [at] aol.com.  

** If you’d like to see your event/meeting mentioned here on Always1895, please email me the name of your group/event, the details, contact info & web address, Twitter, Facebook, etc. and any other info that should accompany the link.

#I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere #Dan Andriacco #Marlene Aig #Father Brown #Douglas Kerr #Alistair Duncan #Howard Ostrom #The Consulting Detective #Without A Clue #Sherlock Peoria #221B Con #Amateur Mendicant Society of Detroit #MX Publishing

[always1895-blog]

Friday Sherlock Links Compendium (September 14 - September 20, 2013)

Daily Mail led off with a headline that has probably caused the total mental collapse of hundreds of BBC Sherlock fans, leaving thousands more contemplating what it would take to hire an airgun toting hitman: "U.S. threat to kill off BBC's Sherlock: Hungarian-born socialite threatens legal action claiming she owns Arthur Conan Doyle character" - say what?! As apocalyptically insane this headline sounds, there's probably really nothing to worry about. Longtime Sherlockians are probably familiar with the Andrea Plunket saga and her various claims to copyright of the Sherlock Holmes characters/stories based on having once been married to TV producer Sheldon Reynolds - who created the Ron Howard Sherlock Holmes (1954-1955) series as well as a quasi-remake Sherlock Holmes & Doctor Watson (1979-1980) with Geoffrey Whitehead as Holmes - from which she supposedly acquired the copyright in a 1990's divorce settlement. If this is your first time hearing about Plunket's claims on the Sherlock Holmes properties (in one form or another) and want to learn more, you are in for a transcontinental soap operatic treat that involves attempted murder, squandered fortunes, a Swiss tax haven, a Georgian 'princess' and a bed & breakfast in upstate NY. A 2010 article in the NYT "For the Heirs to Holmes, a Tangled Web" did a good job summarizing the history of ACD's literary properties, mentioning all the major players since 1930. Next check out "The Case of Andrea Plunket and the Sherlock Holmes Copyrights" for a closer look at Ms Plunket and then see Chris Redmond's "Notes on the Ownership of the Sherlock Holmes Stories" for a variety of relevant links. Note of clarification: Andrea Plunket's company The Arthur Conan Doyle Literary Estate is not the same entity as the Conan Doyle Estate Ltd., the company currently involved in Klinger v Conan Doyle Estate (cf. Free Sherlock!). Read the Conan Doyle Estate's view on Plunket here. On a final note, you can find Ms Plunket on Facebook.

[Opening title for Sheldon Reynolds' Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson from 1980. The only place on Earth I've been able to find copies to watch is on, ironically, YouTube -  though the quality is almost unwatchable due to having been recorded from TV to VHS and then ripped to a video file.]

Sherlock Holmes Exhibition a "unique and interactive experience showcases areas of forensic science that enabled Sherlock Holmes to solve crimes, as well as the historic underpinnings of author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s rich and vibrant stories" opens at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) this October 2013. Exhibits include Dr. Conan Doyle’s Study, the Science & History behind Sherlock Holmes's methods, a recreation of Sherlock Holmes' sitting room at 221B Baker Street and an exhibit dedicated to Sherlockiana and Culture in all it's manifestations. For the latest news and updates regarding what is sure to be one of the greatest popular Sherlock Holmes events in decades make sure to follow @SherlockExhibit on Twitter and The International Exhibition of Sherlock Holmes on Facebook. Speaking of news, on September 18th their Facebook and Twitter excitedly announced "The first artifact crate from the UK arrived at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) today!" 

[Click for a PDF of the International Exhibition of Sherlock Holmes Press Release.]

The Norwood Builder put together a post that is a stunning example of why being a Sherlockian is one off greatest intellectual 'lifestyle choices' one can make. In "Sherlock Holmes’ clients - Or: The demography of Canon" readers are treated to an amazing undertaking where we find the Norwood Builder "trying to get a bird’s eye view of Sherlock Holmes’ canonical clients, with a particular regard to their demographic representativeness - or lack of it." When a prospective client marches down Baker Street, zeros in on '221B', gains admittance from Mrs Hudson (or a boy in buttons) and ascends the seventeen steps leading to the sitting room of Mr Sherlock Holmes, it's important to remember that said client does not simply materialize out of thin-air but possesses a rich biography. As (fanatical) readers of the Canon, we have a strong sense that these biographies are varied and drawn from all strata of society: for every Wilhelm Gottsreich Sigismond von Ormstein there is a Shinwell 'Porky' Johnson; with every missing Lady Frances Carfax there is a Mrs Amberley whose fate for better or worse must be discovered; for each wrongly accused Thaddeus Sholto there is a John Horner or even a Flora Millar whose name must be cleared. But does the assumption that Holmes' clients came from all walks of life hold true? To answer this question, Holmes' Canonical clients are broken down by Type, Gender and Status and the results will surprise you! The Norwood Builder's blog is no stranger to the application of statistical analysis to elements in the Canon: click here to see all his posts tagged with "statistics."

["...and then he entered himself–so large, so pompous, and so dignified that he was the very embodiment of self-possession and solidity. And yet his first action, when the door had closed behind him, was to stagger against the table, whence he slipped down upon the floor, and there was that majestic figure prostrate and insensible upon our bearskin hearthrug." (PRIO)]

I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere reports on Mr Jerry Margolin's, BSI ("Hilton Cubitt") latest Sherlockian objets d'art acquisition, the original artwork for a piece titled Sherlock Joker, the Crown Prince of Crime Detection (insert combination of the Joker's infamous "Hahahah..." maniacal laughter with Holmes' measured comments on Early English Charters) which was the original art used for one of two cards depicting Batman's arch nemesis the Joker in the guise of the Great Detective for Batman Master Series, a 1996 card set released by Fleer. Where as Margolin's piece depicts a somewhat calm Joker hamming it up in deerstalker and calabash but revealing a glimpse of his true insanity via the magnifying glass, the second Sherlock Joker image shows Arkham Asylum's number one resident patient at the apex of total madness revealed by the now shattered magnifying glass. There is a long history of Sherlock Holmes appearing alongside Gotham's Caped Crusader, but the most recognizable is from the cover of the 50th anniversary of Detective Comics, Issue #572 (March 1987), where we see Batman and Holmes paging through the 1937 Detective Comics issue where 'The Batman' first appeared. One of the stories contains an amusing panel sequence where we see Batman and Sherlock Holmes (at 135!) discussing his secret to good health: "A proper diet, a certain distillation of royal jelly developed in my beekeeping days, and the rarified atmosphere of Tibet, where I keep my primary residence..." Batman then attempts to light Holmes' pipe only to be told "Thank you, for I'm afraid the pipe is purely for show these days." 

["Holy Sherlock Holmes!" Congratulations Jerry on Sherlock Joker, one of two Joker as Sherlock Holmes renderings, by artist Carl Critchlow, originally commissioned by Fleer as part of the Batman Master Series set.]

Lyndsay Faye, as announced last week, appeared at The Mysterious Bookshop in NYC for the launch of her latest novel, the sequel to the excellent The Gods of Gotham, Seven For a Secret  - and it was a 'Wilde time.' Not surprisingly there was a strong Sherlockian presence on hand to support Ms Faye as she discussed the world of Timothy and Val Wilde as well as the time period in which they lived. Most interestingly was her discussion of the various reactions she's received regarding the moral outlook and attitudes of the characters, in particular the criticism (by some) that Timothy Wilde's views on blacks, gays and religion are overly 'modern'. For further proof that Ms Faye's literary star is rising, read her interview in last Sunday's LA Review of Books  "Sherlockian Girl Goes Wilde" (Ha! Get it?)

[Photo by Erin Malone - the Mysterious Bookshop makes for the perfect environment to reflect on New York in the 1840s.]

Baker Street Babes, in their first NC-17-rated podcast, released Episode 44: "Sherlock Holmes After Dark Pt I" wherein "Babes Curly, Liz, & Lyndsay talk dirty with Les Klinger, Sketchlock, reapersun, and Madlori in this first of two episodes about doing the dirty in Sherlockiana. This is the first of a two parter episode. In the first part we cover Victorian Pornography, how Les started collecting Sherlockian porn, his recommendations, and then why women like slash." My guess is that Part II will be an hour long analysis/discussion of the Granada scene from "The Master Blackmailer" wherein Jeremy Brett is filmed canoodling with Agatha, Milverton's housemaid, in what has to be the single most awkward (sexual) moment in the history of Sherlockian anything in any medium ever. The Babes of course aren't the first Sherlockians to delve into the sexual underpinnings of the Canon. Mr Chris Redmond wrote a book titled In Bed With Sherlock Holmes: Sexual Elements in Arthur Conan Doyle's Stories of the Great Detective which not only analyses sexual elements in the Canon, but also looks at the non-Sherlockian fiction, letters, essays and speeches of ACD as well as aspects from his personal life. Finally, for a good time, check out I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere's "Top 10 Most Suggestive Lines from the Sherlock Holmes Stories." For example, #8: "I remember nothing until I found myself lying on my bed trembling all over. Then I thought of you, Mr. Holmes." (COPP)

[The above image is everyone's favorite 'suggestive' Canonical illustration, though it actually depicts Holmes and Watson relaxing at the Turkish baths, but I'm never quite sure if that makes the picture more or less suggestive: " I had asked him whether anything was stirring, and for answer he had shot his long, thin, nervous arm out of the sheets which enveloped him and had drawn an envelope from the inside pocket of the coat which hung beside him." (ILLU)]

The Hollywood Reporter in "Conan Doyle Estate: Denying Sherlock Holmes Copyright Gives Him 'Multiple Personalities'" reports on the latest development in the Klinger vs Conan Doyle Estate lawsuit. In response to Klinger's lawsuit arguing that the major story elements of the Sherlock Holmes stories are fair game, ie. the free use of Canonical characters such as Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson, irregardless of the fact that a few of the final stories have yet to enter the public domain. "The Doyle estate makes the case for a special breed of "complex literary characters" (unlike alleged "flat" television ones like Amos 'n' Andy) who develop their personalities, not always as expected, presumably making them more real. The defendant says, "Sherlock Holmes is such character, having all of the complex background and maturing emotions, thoughts, relationships and actions that characterize human development over time."" Put simply, the Estate makes the claim that Sherlock Holmes is the sum of all sixty stories and since not all sixty stories are in the public domain, Sherlock Holmes can't be freely used since 'part of him' is still protected. An interesting argument for sure, but will it stand up in a court of law? On a related note, read Alistair Duncan's views on the Free Sherlock case here.

Friends of the Soldier Named Murray a Sherlock Holmes Society based out of The Terrance on Mountain Creek, an assisted living facility in Chattanooga, TN., was recently made an Official Scion of the Baker Street Irregulars. Consisting of about 16-18 "active members attending each meeting...the study group meets monthly and discusses a different Sherlock Holmes short story....Any person who is a resident in an Assisted Living Facility and would like  to form a Sherlock Holmes Society may contact the “Friends of the Soldier Named Murray” by email request to Jody Baker for tips, forms and other organizational assistance." Sherlockians truly are everywhere!

Sidgwicks uncovered another wonderful illustration from a non-English source, this time in an Italian translation of The Sign of Four by Ugo Matania for “Il segno dei quattro”, Il Romanzo Per Tutti (Vol. 4, No. 5), 1948. Earlier this month, Sidgwicks posted a scan from a German edition of The Hound of the Baskervilles: Richard Gutschmidt for Der Hund von Baskerville, Stuttgart: Robert Lutz, 1907. I've seen a few illustrations from German and Italian translations over the years and they've all been rather stunning. Perhaps one day someone will publish a collection of non-English edition illustrations of the Canon. 

["He began to play some low, dreamy, melodious air,"]

#Andrea Plunket #Sherlock Holmes Exhibition #The demography of Canon #Sherlock Joker #Lyndsay Faye #Baker Street Babes #Conan Doyle Estate #Friends of the Soldier Named Murray #Il Romanzo Per Tutti

[always1895-blog]

Friday Sherlock Links Compendium (September 7 - September 13, 2013)

Meiringens posted a letter from my Sherlockian hero Vincent Starrett to mystery duo 'Ellery Queen' quoted in the wonderfully rare The Misadventures of Sherlock Holmes 1944. For those unfamiliar with Queen's collection of Holmes pastiches (written up to 1944) that was for all intents and purposes removed from the shelves due to (legal) complaints from ACD's rapacious children Adrian and Dennis Doyle, I strongly suggest reading Jon Lellenberg's account of the affair in the essential BSI Archival History: Irregular Proceedings of the Mid 'Forties (1995). The book first appeared at the BSI’s March 1944 legendary "Trilogy" dinner "held at the Murray Hill Hotel to celebrate publication of three landmark books: Profile by Gaslight, Edgar W. Smith’s anthology of BSI Writings About the Writings; Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson: A Textbook of Friendship, Christopher Morley’s groundbreaking version of an annotated Canon; and The Misadventures of Sherlock Holmes, Ellery Queen’s collection of parodies and pastiches" (from Lellenberg's "March of Time"). Copies of The Misadventures of Sherlock Holmes go for as high as $750 though you can download a copy for free in a variety of formats from Archive.org. Prior to Vincent Starrett's offering of "The Unique Hamlet", argued by some to be the greatest Holmes pastiche ever written, Queen writes the following: "But in your Editors' opinion one of the most provocative paragraphs Mr. Starrett ever wrote about Holmes has never appeared in print until now. Here it is a postscript from one of Mr. Starrett's letters to your Editors:" 

["I've always wanted to do a synthetic Sherlock. the beginning of one story, the middle of another, and the conclusion of  a third; or perhaps six or eight of the adventures merged into a perfect Holmes tale..." Click Archive.org for the entire text of Queen's (eds) The Misadventures of Sherlock Holmes and to see the Starrett/Queen exchange in context.]

Baker Street Journal arrived in my mailbox this week and the Autumn 2013 (Vol. 63, No. 3) issue is one of the all around best issues I've read this year; they've all been good, but this spytastic, BRUC-centric issue is particularly terrific. Contributors include Sherlockian.net's Chris Redmond with a piece analyzing a deceptively simple line of text spoken by Violet Westbury, fiancee of the deceased Arthur Cadogen West, from BRUC, author Lyndsay Faye discussing Holmes' relationship with popular though morbid Victorian publication Newgate Calendar (subtitled "The Malefactors' Bloody Register") as well as narcotics, Fred Leise discussing Holmes' Indexing abilities, Leslie Klinger arguing for Watson as the true genius behind the Canon, Peter Calamai writes about a 10-bedroom manor house that had been home to a Baskerville family at one time, Nancy Holder with "Sherlock Holmes, My (Comic Book) Hero", Terence Faherty with "A Case of Paternity" and Albert Silverstein with "Reflections on the Holmesic Hero", along with a particularly engaging 'Letters To Baker Street' section. If you're not currently a subscriber, then I suggest borrowing $38.50 from a close friend and clicking here.

[BRUC-centric cover for BSJ issue Autumn 2013 (Vol. 63, No. 3).]

Lyndsay Faye, author of Dust and Shadows and The Gods of Gotham as well as numerous articles for publications like The Baker Street Journal as well as popular blogs such as Tor, will be reading from her latest novel Seven for a Secret, the second Timothy Wilde novel set in 1860s New York City at The Mysterious Bookshop on September 18th from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. The Mysterious Books launch party will also include a special drink made by Faye's extremely talented 'mixologist' husband Gabriel Lehner billed as 'Wilde's Secret' - and if it's anything like Gabe's Gods of Gotham-inspired cocktail, attendees are in for a 'spirited' evening (and semi-painful morning). Seven for a Secret was also chosen by IndieBound as their 'October read'. Also make sure to read Ms Faye's recent essay for Criminal Element entitled "Holmes 2.0: Life in the New Sherlockian Renaissance": "We are not quite normal, we Sherlock Holmes fanatics, supposing normalcy exists. Of late, however, there are a lot of us. There are a very, very great many, in all shapes and sizes and colors and ages, and we daily gain recruits to our geekish hordes. Brainy, you could argue, is the new sexy. Which leads me to ask two questions. Why now? And why Holmes?" Finally in LF-related news, Ms Faye recently announced: "I’m going to be writing multiple guest issues of the incredibly fierce comic Watson and Holmes."

  [The cover of Ms Faye's latest Wilde novel Seven For a Secret.]

Digital Spy announced that this December 2013 Dynamite Comics has drafted writer David Liss and artist Daniel Indro to "tackle the classic Arthur Conan Doyle villain in a five-issue miniseries" Sherlock Holmes: Moriarty Lives, which "will center around the detective's foe, with no appearance from Holmes." ComicsBeat reported Liss describing a bit more of what we can expect from the Napoleon of Crime: "No one is the villain of their own narrative, and no one is evil all the time, so I thought it be fun to tell a story about a very bad man who finds himself in a situation in which he chooses to be good - mostly. At least a little. This story is going to take place right after the Arthur Conan Doyle story, "The Final Problem,” in which both [Holmes and Moriarty] presumably die in Switzerland. What if Moriarty survived the fall? Where did he go?" And a third blog, ICv2, suggests that this post-Reichenbach Morarity will be using "his intellect and cunning to battle a villain far more evil and dangerous than the criminal mastermind himself." The cover art for Issue #1 is super epic (cf. below) and has me all pumped up to read about the 'good' Professor existing in a world free from Holmes' incommoding, hampering, inconveniencing and/or persecuting. 

[Professor James Moriarty just moments after getting Bartitsued down the Reichenbach Falls; other than getting really really wet, what other effects will Moriarty's 'fall' have on "the organizer of half that is evil" in London?]

Sherlock Peoria in "Important classic literature or pop culture?" reflects on a recent Forbes article - written in a genre style which Keefauver declaims as "these kids today just aren't the people we were" - declaring that only 5% of college students know that the Sherlock Holmes tales were authored by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (or that Aldous Huxley wrote Brave New World; Marie Curie discovered radium; Euclid is the father of geometry; Mozart wrote Don Giovanni) but: "knowing the name of the creator of a legend that has been passed along through the hands of storyteller after storyteller is special knowledge, reserved for those who care enough to look back into the past. Sure, you don't have to look hard to find Doyle, but you do have to make the effort to look. Should we be educating every child in America that Conan Doyle wrote the stories? Do we even want to force every child in America to read the stories to broaden their minds Sherlockianly?" I'm guessing that only 5% of hardcore Sherlockians would answer that ACD authored the Sherlock Holmes tales as well. 

[A rendering of the supposed author of the Sherlock Holmes tales, an author which supposedly only 5% of 'kids these days' would be able to name.]

Free Sherlock! posted the latest epic update in the Homeric Klinger vs the Conan Doyle Estate Ltd. legal battle vying for the hearts and minds of Canonical characters everywhere...or less dramatically: "On September 10, 2013, the Conan Doyle Estate Ltd. filed opposition to our Motion for Summary Judgment, along with declarations from the Estate’s witnesses Jon Lellenberg, George Fletcher, Larry Woiwode, Valerie Sayers, and Loren Estleman. We have 14 days in which to respond, and upon filing with the Court, we will post our response on this website. Thereafter, it will be up to the Court to determine the outcome." (Click on the above names for the PDF of their 'Declarations' aka their affidavit, which are actually all rather interesting reading.) 

[I'll admit to being a tad disappointed by the lack of Canonical names to be found in the cast of legal characters involved in this case. Just imagine if there was a "Frankland" to be had or even a non-Canonical but equally amusing "Playfair". ]

Doyleockian reflects on where to begin in the world of collecting Sherlockiana. To the novice Sherlockian the possibilities for collecting seem infinite but unless you plan on spending the rest of your life trying to be the second coming of John Bennett Shaw, the faster you figure out just exactly what your Sherlockiana niche is, the faster you can get out there and collect. Alistair Duncan advises: "Well the first thing you need to do is define your scope. You cannot hope to collect everything so you must focus. You could elect to focus purely on the canonical (i.e. written) Holmes and collect items relating to that. Or you could focus on one or more of the adaptations. Alternatively you could set your focus differently." 

[Bookplate from John Bennett Shaw.]

Sherlock's Danger Night put together a truly remarkable list which attempts to exhaustively enumerate every book and magazine used on BBC Sherlock. Proprietress mid0nz, with the help of a few volunteers, maintains both a Tumblr and a LiveJournal and appears to be updated as new information becomes available. Originally brought to my attention via the Baker Street Babes, I can't help but concur with their continual astonishment at the "amount of detail that members of the Sherlock fandom go into to uncover clues, decipher scenes, and explore the intricacies of the characters." Along with the list itself, there is a "key for which episodes the various tomes and weeklies appear in...[and] even goes further and lists the books found in other episodes that aren't necessarily at 221B" (eg. the C.O.'s office from Hounds of the Baskerville). Personally, my favorite book at BBC 221B is Richard Dawkins' The Selfish Gene, where the concept of a meme was first coined, and then abused ad nauseum with the advent of the Internet.  

["Knowledge of Literature - nil??]

Baker Street Babes announced that they are "starting to post guest articles here on the site and we are very happy to say that the very first shall be from the illustrious collector Howard Ostrom! His full essay...is a doozy and incredibly fun! Sherlock Holmes as a cowboy. Enjoy!"  “The Case of The Vitagraph Holmes” (Or, Cowboy in a Deerstalker) is the essay of the week and highly recommended reading if you have a few moments.

Don Libey, Co-Director of the recently formed John H Watson Society, released The Biography & Autobiography of Sherlock Holmes: Being a two book, one volume edition of 'My Brother, Sherloc' by Mycroft Holmes and 'Montague Notations' by Sherlock Holmes (Campbell & Lewis, 2013), two fascinating though highly speculative accounts of the 'real' life of Sherlock Holmes. For starters, imagine if Holmes never actually lived on Baker Street but instead lived and worked out of Montague Street - and that's just the start. Even if you're not a fan of pastiches, Mr Libey's approach is scholarly and drenched in the Canon and should appeal to those with purist tendencies as well as pastiche lovers alike. 

Dan Andriacco inspired by the recent flurry of discussion surrounding the news that Sir Ian McKellen has been cast in the role of the Great Detective for the film adaptation of Mitch Cullen's A Slight Trick of the Mind (2005), a pastiche that apparently many Sherlockians - including myself - are unfamiliar, recommends another book where we find Holmes in the Winter of his Life: Michael Chabon's excellent The Final Solution: A Story of Detection (2005): "To me this little book (131 pages) is a gem. It's about a nine-year-old boy, German and mute, and an 89-year-year-old beekeeper referred to only as "the old man." The boy is a refugee from Nazi Germany. He doesn't talk, but his bird does." Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Chabon is one of my favorite contemporary authors, having written Wonder Boys (which was made into an excellent film featuring Michael Douglas, Tobey Maguire, Katie Holmes and, playing amorous book editor Terry Crabtree, one Robert Downey Jr!), The Yiddish Policeman's Ball, and his epic love letter to the Golden Age of comic books, the brilliantly entertaining The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay (2000).

[Chabon's amazing The Final Solution is one of the best Holmes pastiches out there.]

The Consulting Detective explains why The Sign of Four is a masterpiece: "Of all of Doyle's novels, this one if perhaps the most original. The fact that it manages to cross a number of genre lines is excellent, making it perhaps the most entertaining of the four original Sherlock Holmes novels...[as well as] the most historically important Sherlock Holmes stories. For the first time in print, Sherlock Holmes is portrayed taking drugs..." It's refreshing to read a blog post that's strictly about the Canon, in this case the virtues of the second Holmes novel from an historic, aesthetic and cultural perspective. 

[One of my favorite SIGN covers.]

CB Productions  Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure adapted by Steven Dietz, based on the original 1899 play by William Gillette and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle November 1-10, 2013: "The King of Bohemia is about to be blackmailed by a notorious photograph, and the woman at the heart of this crime is the famous opera singer, Irene Adler. With his trusted companion, Doctor Watson, at his side, Sherlock Holmes pursues first the case, and then the affections of Miss Adler - and in doing so, marches right into the lair of his longtime adversary, that malevolent genius of crime: Professor Moriarty." If you're in the St Paul/Minneapolis area, this sounds like a promising Sherlockian night at the theater.

Tea at 221B in "Canon Sherlock Holmes Comic Books" looks at a unique series of Canonically-inspired comics Cases of Sherlock Holmes created by Dan Day: "The original run of fifteen was published bi-monthly in 1988 by Renegade Press. The remaining five issues were published by Northstar." Even if comics aren't your thing, these releases are about as good as it's going to get in terms of Canon-to-illustration reading. I own most of the Cases of Sherlock Holmes issues and compared to the majority of Holmes-inspired comics that have been released over the last 50 years, these are actually worth owning, or at least perusing, and some of the cover art is quality enough to out in a frame and hang on your wall. Check out the rest of the images posted by Tea at 221B and if you have a hankering to acquire a few issues of your own, eBay appears to have most of them for reasonable prices ranging from $3 to $10 an issue.

[Just one of many wonderfully illustrated, Canonically-sensible covers from the Cases of Sherlock Holmes comic series from 1988.]

Sherlockian Scion Links:

John H Watson Society recently added a section to their website titled "The Doctor's Bookshelf" consisting of reviews of books written by JHWS members. Volumes reviewed so far include: the sixth issue of Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine, two books by Kieran McMullen ("Raleigh") The Many Watsons and the three-in-one hardcover from MX Holmes & Watson: The War Years, Jon Lellenberg's ("Towser") exquisitely edited (and designed) ACD diary Dangerous Work: Diary of an Arctic Adventure, Sherlock Holmes Society of London's Nicholas Utechin ("Rex") Amazing & Extraordinary Facts: Sherlock Holmes, the Wessex Press published pastiche by Ann Margaret Lewis ("Cameo") Murder in the Vatican: The  Church Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes, Roger Johnson and Jean Upton's The Sherlock Holmes Miscellany, "Dutch" aka Mr Dan Andiacco's The Disappearance of Mr James Phillimore. As a certain old bookseller once remarked to a distracted doctor: "With five volumes you could just fill that gap on that second shelf. It looks untidy, does it not, sir?" (EMPT) 

["I moved my head to look at the cabinet behind me. When I turned again, Sherlock Holmes was standing smiling at me across my study table. I rose to my feet, stared at him for some seconds in utter amazement, and then it appears that I must have fainted for the first and the last time in my life." (EMPT)]

* To find a Sherlockian event in your area, check out The Sherlockian Calendar - maintained by Ron Fish with Sue and Ben Vizoskie of The Three Garridebs of Westchester Country, NY. If you are interested in posting an event to the calendar, please email the details to webmaster Ron Fish at RonF404 [at] aol.com.

** If you’d like to see your event mentioned here on Always1895, please email me the name of your group/event, the details, contact info & web address  Twitter, Facebook, etc. and any other info that should accompany the above.

#Vincent Starrett #Baker Street Journal #Lyndsay Faye #Sherlock Peoria #Free Sherlock! #Doyleockian #Don Libey #Dan Andriacco #Cases of Sherlock Holmes #John H Watson Society

[always1895-blog]

Friday Sherlock Links Compendium (August 31 - September 6, 2013)

This week we react to the news that Sir Ian McKellen has been cast as Holmes in an upcoming film adaptation of  A Slight Trick of the Mind (2005), Episode 56 of 'I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere' gives free reign to Brad Keefauver of Sherlock Peoria, two takes on the importance and merits of A Study In Scarlet are given, Ray Betzner on Vincent Starrett's mystery novel Murder in Peking, Dan Andriacco discusses life lessons learned from Holmes, Alistair Duncan looks at four ages of ACD, Jon Stewart pretends to be Sherlock Holmes for 3 seconds, The Friends of the Sherlock Holmes Collections award Don Yates for his essay "Sherlockian Memories" and The Priory Scholars of NYC gear-up for their "Back to School 2013" meeting.

The Telegraph announced that Sir Ian McKellen (ie. that guy who also played Magneto and Gandalf) will play Sherlock Holmes in a film adaptation of a novel by Mitch Cullin called A Slight Trick of the Mind (2005). Wow, what?! I have to admit that I've never read Cullin's novel that's set in "1947, and the long-retired Sherlock Holmes, now 93, lives in a remote Sussex farmhouse with his housekeeper and her young son. He tends to his bees, writes in his journal, and grapples with the diminishing powers of his mind. But in the twilight of his life, as people continue to look to him for answers, Holmes revisits a case that may provide him with answers of his own to questions he didn’t even know he was asking - about life, about love, and about the limits of the mind’s ability to know." The New York Times gave Cullin's novel (his seventh at the time) a very good review back in 2005: "The strange, silent image of an old man staring into an apiary governs the entirety of A Slight Trick of the Mind. "When you look upon me," Holmes tells his grief-stricken housekeeper, "I believe you find a man incapable of feeling. . . . If I choose to speak at any length, I usually talk of the creatures." Talking exclusively "of the creatures," though, doesn't make human beings disappear; it only makes their demands more desperate. As the conclusion of this beautiful novel makes plain, lives aren't like cases or, for that matter, like narratives. They are never solved or resolved: they just one day come to an end." Unless filming goes terribly wrong, a film version of A Slight Trick of the Mind has the potential to emotionally and intellectually probe the depths of the Great Detective in the Winter of his life. On Friday, Sir Ian himself via his Twitter @IanMcKellen had this to say about the news: "Working again with Bill Condon? Playing Sherlock Holmes? Elementary. Couldn't be happier."

[Ian McKellen as Gandolf from The Lord of the Rings - so far he has the long stem pipe working for him.]

I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere released Episode 56 featuring longtime Sherlockian blogger Brad Keefauver, BSI ("Winwood Reade") of Sherlock Peoria (as well as older manifestations). IHOSE hosts Scott Monty and Burt Wolder "discussed [Keefauver's] first meeting with Sherlock Holmes, noting that it was far from typical. It was theatrical in nature, but you'll have to listen to hear the exact work that captured Brad's attention. We were then off and running into the sci-fi world of Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein and others, with Brad openly admitting his Trekkie origins (not that there's anything wrong with that)." After Mr Keefauver's exit various current Sherlockian news items are discussed, with the show concluding on "a reading of the Editor's Gas-Lamp, this time selecting "One Advocating Sherlock Holmes" from the March 1987 issue (Vol. 37, No. 1) of the Baker Street Journal. While the topic and some of the pronouncements may be controversial, we like to think that we found some common ground in it." Another excellent episode from two of the hardest working guys in the Sherlockian world. If you don't already subscribe to IHOSE, you can do so either through their IHOSE website or via iTunes.

[If you're familiar with Brad Keefauver's work over the years, IHOSE Episode 56 should be a real treat - if you are new to Peoria, Illinois' king of Sherlock Holmes, sit back, relax and get ready to rumble Keefauver-style!]

Bauman Rare Books posted a succinct history of the story behind the first Sherlock Holmes novel A Study In Scarlet, a history familiar to anyone versed in the Canon but essential knowledge for those at the onset of their Canonical explorations. Published originally in the 1887 issue of Beeton's Christmas Annual, as an objets de Littérature it is now "a rare collectible and considered the most expensive magazine in the world, with a Beeton's 1887 selling for $156,000 at Sotheby's in 2007." Whether you're a neophyte or experienced Sherlockian, for a mind-blowingly good time, make sure to stop in at Randall Stock's fantastically essential "Beeton's Christmas Annual 1887: An Annotated Checklist and Census" page for a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the magazine itself, price list, summary of recorded copies and the crown jewel, a list of Confirmed Copies of Beeton's Christmas Annual for 1887 known to exist with location, description, current owner, provenance, etc. If you've never visited Mr Randall Stock's Best of Sherlock website, bookmark the "Annotated Checklist and Census" page and then save it for a leisure moment when you can sit back and fully embrace the awesomeness of the document in toto. (Thanks to NYC Sherlockian John Genova for the tip!)

[And though the chances of ever owning - or even holding - a copy of Beeton's 1887 are lower than low, a plethora of facsimiles of varying quality exist and can be had for a somewhat reasonable price. If you're interested in learning more about STUD facsimiles, Randall Stock has you covered with his "Facsimile Editions of Beeton's Christmas Annual 1887."]

The Consulting Detective, by coincidence also featured a piece on A Study in Scarlet, though calling it "a most unusual introduction" citing the "The Country of the Saints" flashback as an odd structural choice: "Don't get me wrong - A Study in Scarlet is a fine piece of writing and without it, I wouldn't have a favourite fictional character to blog about. But in terms of plot structure, the novella is at first glance very unusual. I cannot speak for others, but I feel that the first part (the actual mystery) is far more interesting than the back-story set in Salt Lake City, Utah." Personally, my views on Part II of STUD aren't definitive but sometimes I like to think of it as crafty Watson's literary endurance test inserted to scare off those incapable of matching strides with "an old campaigner" - for once you survive the desolation of Utah, the whole universe of the Canon lay before you. Also this post contains the first instance I've seen of the new STUD edition from BBC Books featuring an Introduction by BBC Sherlock creator Steven Moffatt - along with the inevitable Benedict Cumberbatch adorned cover.

[I can almost here BC firing off "the game is on" to the chagrin of almost every cranky Sherlockian on Earth. That aside, the BBC Books cover isn't any less relevant/related to the plot of STUD than the original Beeton's cover.]

Ray Betzner, Pennsylvanian Sherlockian and editor of Wessex Press' must-have 75th Anniversary facsimile edition of Vincent Starrett's The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, posted a terrific Starrett-centric post about Murder in Peking (originally published in 1936 as The Laughing Buddah), Starrett's last mystery novel: "In his memoirs, Starrett wrote of the story: "It was a roman a clef with a vengeance. Friends and acquaintances made up the dramatis personae and the fictional murderer was myself."" I sometimes forget that Starrett's Sherlockian writings only make up a fraction of the esteemed Chicago author's oeuvre, which included mystery novels and short stories, newspaper columns, literary criticism, poetry, science fiction and even a book about boats. 

[Mr Betzner also included two deliciously lurid covers, the above published in the Sunday supplement of The Philadelphia Inquirer  (Sunday, May 16, 1948).]

Dan Andriacco "On Friday I had the chance to introduce Sebastian McCabe, Jeff Cody, and Lynda Teal to a few new readers at the Oakwood (Ohio) Rotary Club. My primary mission, though, was to deliver a talk called "Everything I Need to Know I Learned From Sherlock Holmes: Life Lessons From the Great Detective."" Check out Mr Andriacco's post listing "Ten Life Lessons Learned From the Master," my favorite being # 8: "Life really is stranger than fiction...and even fictional characters know it." Speaking of McCabe & Cody, I just finished reading Andriacco's fourth novel in the series The Disappearance of Mr James Phillimore (MX, 2013), his first set outside of Erin, Ohio, which takes place in London and is wonderfully packed with 'Holmesian' references and Sherlockian 'in jokes' and Easter eggs which will thrill and delight enthusiasts on both sides of the pond. This was also the first Andriacco book I read via the iPad, and I must say it was formatted beautifully for the iBooks app available from iTunes - highly recommended as a quality alternative to owning the physical book. 

[Whether on a new school e-reader or in traditional book form, Andriacco's fourth McCabe/Cody novel is another winner. ]

Doyleockian served up a delightful little post showing Arthur Conan Doyle at four different ages: 1) a young, newly-qualified, Arthur Conan Doyle from the mid-1880s, 2) ACD in 1893, the year of Sherlock Holmes's "death". "Here we see the 34 year old Conan Doyle during one of the worst years of his life," 3) Boer War-era Doyle from early 1900 (aged 40 but shortly to turn 41) dressed in the bespoke pseudo-military outfit that he wore for his brief turn as a medic in South Africa, and 4) a still from Conan Doyle's movietone interview from October 1928 when he was 69 years old. As long time readers of Always1895.net know, I've been a fan of Mr Alistair Duncan's blog for quite a while; and it is the simple yet informative, entertaining posts like this one that make his Doyleockian blog worth reading regularly. If you're new to Mr Duncan and his blog, and a fan of the greatest of literary agents, Arthur Conan Doyle, make sure to check out his well-researched series of books exploring various stages of ACD's life, each centered around a Conan Doyle domicile. Check out the Alistair Duncan Sherlock Holmes Collection on MX for more details - and while you're at it, follow Mr Duncan on Twitter @alistaird221b. 

[ACD from early 1900 - click on the image to view the rest of Duncan's Conan Doyle images.]

The Daily Show welcomed back host Jon Stewart on September 3rd from his Summer sabbatical (he was directing a film in the Middle East). The 'gag' was that Stewart 'forgot how to be an American' and went through a cycle of different identities, becoming 'Sherlock Holmes' for a few seconds. Jeremy Brett, Basil Rathbone and even Charlton Heston or Rupert Everett won't be upstaged any time soon by Stewart, but I'm sure he can beat out at least a few actors who've attempted to ape the Great Detective on celluloid over the years. For a semi-complete list of the best-to-the-worst Sherlock actors, check out this Sherlock Holmes Actors I Watched (From Best to Worst) list on IMDB.

[Jon Stewart returns to The Daily Show after a three month hiatus of sorts and goes through an identity crisis, assuming the guise of Sherlock Holmes for a brief moment.]

Sherlockian Scion Links:

The John H Watson Society announced that Founding Chair, Don Yates, has received the 2013 Dr. Bryce L. Crawford, Jr. Award for an outstanding essay in the tradition of the purist form of scholarship from the Friends of the Sherlock Holmes Collections for his essay "Sherlockian Memories" which appeared in the September 2012 issue of the Friends of the Sherlock Holmes Collections Newsletter. From 'Baron' to 'Pal', a hearty congratulations Sir!

Priory Scholars of NYC are quickly filling seats for their 'Back To School 2013' October 6, 2013 session at a new Manhattan venue The Churchill Tavern. Anyone in the NYC area, young or old, neophyte or old-hand, innocent or guilty are invited to join in on the Sherlockian scion scholarly fun. If you're interested in attending, please check out the Facebook page for registration info; and then hit the books and study up on "The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans" for a quiz and discussion.  

* To find a Sherlockian event in your area, check out The Sherlockian Calendar - maintained by Ron Fish with Sue and Ben Vizoskie of The Three Garridebs of Westchester Country, NY. If you are interested in posting an event to the calendar, please email the details to webmaster Ron Fish at [email protected].

** If you’d like to see your event mentioned here on Always1895, please email me the name of your group/event, the details, contact info & web address  Twitter, Facebook, etc. and any other info that should accompany the above.

#Sir Ian McKellen #i hear of sherlock everywhere #Brad Keefauver #Vincent Starrett #Ray Betzner #Dan Andriacco #Alistair Duncan #Jon Stewart #PSNYC #Don Yates #JHWS

[always1895-blog]

Friday Sherlock Links Compendium (August 24 - August 30, 2013)

BBC News reports on research undertaken by the Sherlock Holmes Society of London (SHSL) in the 1980s, but never previously published, which argues that Donnithorpe - the fictional home of Victor Trevor and his father in "The Gloria Scott" - was based on the village of Rollesby on the Trinity Broads. "The research was undertaken by the late Bernard Davies, a member of the society...[who] by relating the Broads to the railway system as it was, to the approximate speed at which a horse and buggy could go, and most importantly the times of sunset… by these and the descriptions of Donnithorpe with its view over the Broads, it narrows down to one place and one place only, and that's Rollesby Hall." According to Mr Roger Johnson (editor of The Sherlock Holmes Journal), Davies called this sort of research "literary topographical detection," an appropriate name indeed. There's also a fascinating 60 minute BBC Norfolk Radio Special "Far From the Fogs - Sherlock Holmes in Norfolk" (first broadcast on August 26, 2013 - only available for 7 days): "Paul Hayes explores the links between the character of Sherlock Holmes and the county of Norfolk." Roger Johnson's commentary on Davies and Rollesby Hall is worth the price of admission. Stories mentioned and explored include: "The Dancing Men", "The Gloria Scott", The Hound of the Baskervilles, Below is a photo from a Flickr photo series called "1984 - In the Country of the Broads" documenting a SHSL trip to various locations in the Trinity Broads which Davies identified as having canonical significance.

["At the lodge, Rollesby Hall - Bernard Davies expounds" and explains the fruits of his literary topographical detection work. Click for the complete set titled "1984 - In the Country of the Broads."]

Mattias Bostrom, recent father, world traveler, ex-stand-up comedian and Swedish Sherlockian extraordinaire, was interviewed this week by Lisette Verhagen (LV) of Brandt New Agency, who just sold the Danish rights to Bostrom's new book to Forlaget Modtryk. Piratförlaget, the company that put out Bostrom's gorgeously designed Från Holmes till Sherlock is one of the most respected publishing houses in Scandinavia. Since we (English speakers anyway) can't read the book, here's the first interview question with Mattias explaining what his Sherlockian tome is all about: LV: Could you explain briefly what From Holmes to Sherlock is about? MB: "It’s a narrative non-fiction story about the people who have made Sherlock Holmes such a success from the 1880’s until today. Arthur Conan Doyle created the detective, but he would soon have stopped writing about Holmes had it not been for editors, publishers and literary agents. And later in life other people recreated the detective for their own purposes and according to the time they were living in: theatre actors, film, radio and TV producers, pastiche authors, and fans. All under the surveillance of the Conan Doyle Estate: primarily Arthur Conan Doyle’s sons Adrian and Denis. This is a book about how all these persons interacted and how they made the success continue till now." And the English speaking world awaits...To find out more about Mr Bostrom (in English) check Facebook for his 'Mattias Boström - Author' page (or his webpage in Swedish) and you can follow him on Twitter via @mattias221b.

  [Mr Bostrom's Från Holmes till Sherlock reviewed in Swedish newspaper Sydsvenskan. Again, since it's in Swedish let's assume they are writing deservedly wonderful things about him and his new book. For any readers of The Pink‘un out there, I'm willing to bet 50 kronor that the line "Sherlock Holmes-konferens i Minnesota" is about Bostrom's recent appearance in Minnesota.]

Dan Andriacco invites us (back) into one of the most sacred spaces for a seasoned Sherlockian; I speak of course of one's personal library. Commemorating his 408th blog post - started back in May 28, 2011 - Mr Andriacco revisits his original Baker Street Beat post discussing his approach to book 'acquiring' ("Just don’t call it a collection."). Additionally this week Mr Andriacco presents a new feature, Quintessential Quotes of John H Watson: "Thinking a lot recently about Dr. Watson in conjunction with the formation of the John H. Watson Society, it occurred to me that one could assembly a hefty compendium of interesting Quintessential Quotes from the Good Doctor." Stay tuned to Always1895.net for an upcoming Andriacco-o-thon where we'll look at a few of his latest publications, all available from MX Publishing: The Disappearance of Mr. James Phillimore, Sherlock Holmes in The Perculiar Persecution of John Vincent Harden and Sherlock Holmes in The Adventure of the Magic Umbrella (available on Kindle). 

[Mr Andriacco and his "several hundred – various editions of the Sacred Writings, pastiches, critical works, biographies, works of fact and fiction peripherally related to Holmes, books by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and juvenile books."]

Doyleockian finds Mr Alistair Duncan discussing two contemporaries of Sherlock Holmes, Victorian detectives Loveday Brooke and Sexton Blake in "A Study In Syllables". For those relatively new to the world of Victorian detectives, Sherlock Holmes was just one of a small army of private consulting detectives of one type or another scattered throughout London. Tracking down the originals in publications like The Strand can be tedious but there are two separate series of books, both titled The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes, which collect some of the better stories featuring the likes of Martin Hewitt, Dr. John Thorndyke, Max Carrados, Simon Carne aka Klimo, etc. Hugh Greene's The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes was also the inspiration for a two season TV series by the same name. The other Rivals book set was edited by Alan K Russell and contains 80 facsimiles of various Victorian and Edwardian detectives. (Personally I prefer the Russell set.)

[Detective Sexton Blake "appeared on the scene pretty much as Holmes went over the falls."]

Scientific American blogger Jennifer Ouellette in "Sherlock Holmes and the Dynamics of an Asteroid" starts off on the amusing note: "As a die hard fan of Sherlock Holmes, I sometimes envy my (now former) SciAm co-blogger Maria Konnikova for figuring out to combine her love for Holmes with her field of psychology (cf. her bestselling book, Mastermind: How To Think Like Sherlock Holmes)." But Ms Ouellette is a welcome addition to that loose fraternity of writers/columnists from popular newspapers/magazines or more specialized publications like Scientific American who, whenever possible slip in some delicious Sherlockian tidbits up to writing a full blown article on some aspect of the Great Detective which is, presumably, of interest to their non-Sherlock Holmes obsessed general readership. The reigning king of this fraternity is of course Vincent Emerson Starrett, author of that seminal work The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes which arguably kick-started what we think of today as modern 'Sherlockian Scholarship'. For a crash course in Starrettian column writing on Holmes, I advise you to pick up Sherlock Alive: Sherlockian Excerpts From VS's Books Alive Column in the Chicago Tribune 1942 - 1967. But I digress: Ms Ouellette's piece fits wonderfully in SA and does a terrific job summarizing some of the literature on Professor Moriarty's magnum opus The Dynamics of an Asteroid, "a book which ascends to such rarefied heights of pure mathematics that it is said that there was no man in the scientific press capable of criticizing it?" (Chapter 1: "The Warning" from The Valley of Fear.)

[Atari's 1979 hit video game Asteroids also ascended to such rarefied heights that no 12 year old in the 1980s could walk past a machine without shoving a quarter in - a brilliant scheme whose nefarious success would have made the Professor proud...that is, if it wasn't the Professor himself who conceived, designed and implemented said plan while working from the shadows, beginning in 1891 after his reported death at Reichebach.]

I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere looks at the rise of the Kindle and other e-readers in conjunction with Sherlockian culture (eg. Kindle Sherlock Holmes Readers), where a purported 1,700 Sherlock-related e-books exist to choose from. Last week saw the historic release of Leslie S. Klinger's The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes on Kindle, and just last week I received a set of iTunes 'codes' for downloading all the newest Sherlockian MX Publishing titles for review purposes - opposed to receiving a box of books; and as a final example, I've spent the last week systematically reading the digital scans of the entire run of Baker Street Miscellanea, a brilliant journal whose original editorial staff consisted of William D Goodrich, John Nieminski and Donald K Pollock, Jr, on a new iPad Mini; an experience I hope to repeat with The e-Baker Street Journal eBSJ v2.

["The Complete Baker Street Miscellanea on CD-ROM provides a complete run of this outstanding Sherlockian and Doylean journal.  It includes all 76 issues from 1975 to 1993 as well as the two BSM author/title indexes." Priced ridiculously low for $40 (!!) at The Battered Silicon Dispatch Box, you should do yourself a favor and treat yourself to the BSM, then load it up on your iPad, preferably, sit back and read through three decades of Sherlockian scholarship, news and controversy which were just as remarkable, contentious and innovative as the present.]

The Norwood Builder (originally posted by ImJohnLocked) shared this marvelous map whose chief feature is everyone's favorite London street: "Baker Street: From Oxford Street to Regent's Park and St John's Wood." The detail on this map, after clicking on enlarge, is fabulous and you can almost see Tiny Holmes and Tiny Watson trying to hail a hansom as they bounce from one London location to another.

[Or, one can imagine Tiny Watson walking back triumphantly from Tiny Latimer's in Oxford Street where he just acquired a new pair of English boots followed by a trip to the Turkish baths to treat a flair-up of his rheumatism (and perceived old age).]

No Place Like Holmes announced the start of their fourth season with an episode entitled "Dawn Of The Red" Part 1 (Se4xEp01). For those who've watched Ross K. Foad's Sherlockian web series up to this point: "Madeline Chambers and her villainous Red Headed League are still obsessed that something is not right about Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson. They have no council records, they is no trace of a passport or birth certificate, he doesn't appear to even have a library card. The league is convinced he can not be who he says he is...unluckily for the detective and doctor duo, Miss Constance believes she found a way to prove it..." (cue dramatic outro music!) Also check out Mr Foad's MX release Holmes In Time For Christmas (Xmas in August!) where "one fateful Christmas day Holmes receives a letter which prompts him to finally open up and enlighten his friend on one of the most harrowing and twisted cases he has ever investigated whilst working under the alias of Norwegian Explorer Sigerson during the Christmas of 1893."

[Based on the 2010 Christmas Special of the hit Sherlock Holmes web drama comedy No Place Like Holmes."]

Holmesosis dug up this fascinating quote from Simon Callow regarding Jeremy Brett: "The superbly handsome Jeremy Brett, the regularity of his features made dramatic by a broken nose, the mellifluousness of his voice made arresting by a slight vocal impediment, presented a ravaged and romantic Holmes, a man who had suffered deeply and whose recourse to the syringe was the compulsion of a self-destroying temperament...." Read on, keeping in mind that Callow wrote the above in 2009 - fourteen years after Jeremy Brett had died - and be amazed at the sheer staying power which Brett possesses even in death.

[Jeremy Brett will always be the Sherlock Homes.]

Tea at 221B, in what has become one of my favorite irregular features of any Sherlockian blog, has found yet another gorgeous illustration by my favorite Canonical illustrator Frederic Dorr Steele. Discovered in that virtual goldmine that disguises itself as the digital collection of the The Sherlock Holmes Collections at the University of Minnesota Library. Depicting a scene from "The Adventure of the Illustrious Client," FDS successfully captures the mood of Sherlock Holmes, Kitty Winter & Violet de Merville as Ms Winters categorically dresses down the deluded Ms de Merville as Holmes looks on approvingly.

[A defiant Kitty Winter to Violet de Merville: "And you needn't look at me like that, my fine lady." (ILLU)]

The Crew of the S.S. May (Northern Ireland's Sherlock Holmes Society) posted their Sherlockian "New Bulletin 132" with links to Stephen Fry - now you're picturing Mycroft naked - discussing why he thinks Holmes was "both experientially and neurologically...wrong" regarding the attic room as mind analogy, a set of stories about the 'fake' BBC Sherlock scenes filmed to throw off the spoiler-hungry wing of the BBC fandom, an Anthony Horowitz's charity scheme involving the naming rights for a character in his upcoming sequel to The House of Silk, and more links which can be viewed by clicking here. 

[Mycroft (Stephen Fry) and a blushing Mary Watson née Morstan played beautifully by Kelly Reilly.]

Sidgwicks posted a remarkable piece of Canonical art by Henry Lauritzen, which originally appeared in Sherlockiana in the mid-1950s in the journal of the Danish Baker Street Irregulars, consisting of four 'line-ups' of Canonical characters. Make sure to visit Sidgwicks blog for larger versions of all four rows, one of which is pasted below. The artist's interpretation of each character shows a significant and impressive familiarity with the minutia of the Canon. I would love to own high quality prints of these drawings.

[The above Canonical line-up features: James Ryder, Joseph Harrison, Duke of Holdernesse, Jonathan Small & Tonga, Holy Peters, Hudson, Dr Leon Sterndale, Mortimer Tregennis, Jack Woodley and Colonel Lysander Stark. This series appeared originally in Sherlockiana (Vol. 1, Nos. 3-4) in 1956.]

MapBox is a web-based HTML5-built platform for creating custom maps and visualizing user data in an interesting, dynamic and aesthetically pleasing manner, as well as allowing users to connect/integrate various apps like Evernote, foursquare, etc. within the project. Whether or not that last sentence means something to you or not, I highly suggest watching their 'Sherlock Tutorial' which breaks down "The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans" and presents the story in summarized chunks which are displayed on the screen while a map of London automatically moves from Canonical location to Canonical location driven by the part of the story you're currently reading. For example, the Aldgate Station section is represented by a little train tunnel icon placed on it's location on the map (cf. screen of the Aldgate Station section below) with the accompanying text: "Arthur Cadogan West was found dead, head crushed in on train tracks at Aldgate Station at 6AM Tuesday morning. West worked at Woolwich Arsenal on the Bruce-Partington submarine, a secret military project. Plans for the submarine had been stolen and seven of the ten missing papers were found in West's possession. Mycroft implores Sherlock to take the case and recover the three missing papers." Remember this is not meant to replace the story, but act as a 'tutorial' or summary of the story - but a summary with some cool bells and whistles. If you're a certified crazy Sherlockian and your first thought after seeing this was "Well, how does it handle Canonical references that have been 'disguised' or obscured by Watson?" - then jump a few places ahead to 13 Caulfield Gardens - the swinging bachelor pad of master spy Hugo Oberstein - which didn't exist in Kensington in 1895. A really cool web app/toy which if used in an interesting and intelligent way could truly augment and enhance a project, such as 'ways to present the Canon to younger readers'. I'll have Parker keep an eye on MapBox  and let you know if any more Canonical maps are created.

["It is a hobby of mine to have an exact knowledge of London." (Sherlock from REDH)]

Jerry Margolin, perhaps the greatest Sherlockian art collector of all time, asked that I alert the readers of Always1895.net to this very special opportunity: painted by artist SanJulian, this framed painting measures 20" by 24" and depicts five actors who have played Holmes over the years: Rathbone, Brett, Cushing, Downey and Cumberbatch. Mr Margolin is asking asking $1500.00 + shipping. For more information or to make a bid, please email Margolin at: [email protected].

[You could wake up every morning and see this stunning, one of a kind painting on your wall.]

Sherlockian Scion Links:

The Norwegian Explorers, when not planning or hosting life-changing, three day conferences, run a Sherlockian discussion group said to be one of the most scholarly and engaging study groups in existence. At their next meeting (9/21/2013), Starrettian extraordinaire Karen Murdock, editor of the indispensable Sherlock Alive (2011), will lead a discussion of "The Adventure of the Three Garridebs" as well as hand out door prizes.

[Sherlock Alive: Sherlockian Excerpts From VS's Books Alive Column in the Chicago Tribune 1942 - 1967.]

* To find a Sherlockian event in your area, check out the SherlockianCalendar - maintained by Ron Fish with Sue and Ben Vizoskie of The Three Garridebs of Westchester Country, NY. If you are interested in posting an event to the calendar, please email the details to webmaster Ron Fish at [email protected].

** If you'd like to see your event mentioned here on Always1895, please email me the name of your group/event, the details, contact info & web address  Twitter, Facebook, etc. and any other info that should accompany the above.

#Bernard Davies #Mattias Bostrom #Dan Andriacco #Alistair Duncan #The Dynamics of an Asteroid #IHOSE #The Norwood Builder #No Place Like Holmes #Holmesosis #Tea at 221B #The Crew of the S.S. May #Danish Baker Street Irregulars #Jerry Margolin #The Norwegian Explorers