Signs of the Four

by Scott Monty May 07, 2019

"all quarters received" [SCAN]

If you were asked to group together four people or things in the Sherlock Holmes stories, what would immediately come to mind?

Certainly "The Four" from The Sign of the Four: Johnathan Small, Mahomet Singh, Abdullah Khan, and Dost Akbar — "It's been the sign of four with us always." These are the individuals who together signed a document that bound them inextricably to the treasure of Agra.

But what about beyond them?

We always think of the four Violets and the stories in which we find them — the brave Violet Hunter ("The Copper Beeches"), the independent and athletic Violet Smith ("The Solitary Cyclist"), the heartbroken and stalwart Violet Westbury ("The Bruce-Partington Plans"), and the icy Violet de Merville ("The Illustrious Client").

Putting these two pieces of information together, along with an iconic t-shirt (known in the industry as Helvetica list t-shirts — a list that stripped down the idea of a rock band to a list of four names, in an attempt to reach the 'essence' of a group. It began with the first names of The Beatles and it grew from there.), we developed our own line of mugs and men's, women's, and unisex t-shirts that we're calling Signs of the Four.

 

These are available in our store.

We developed 22 different themes, available in white mugs, light t-shirts, and black t-shirts. The shirts are available in a variety of sizes and colors, in men's, women's and unisex. Here are some samples:

Villains

Modern Couples

Modern Actors

Watson

Watson's Medical Kit

Scotland Yard 1895

For your reference, here are the variations, so you can find what you're looking for in the store:

Baker Street Irregulars
Holmes Watson Wiggins Cartwright

Baker Street Justice League
Holmes Watson Gregson Lestrade

Baskervilles
Hugo Henry Rodger Charles

Dr. Watson
Leg Shoulder Bull-Pup Moustache

Good Doggy
Toby Carlo Pompey The Hound

Make Yourself at Home
Holmes Watson Turner Hudson

Modern Couples
Mary John Irene Sherlock

Modern Sherlock Actors
Basil Jeremy Robert Benedict

My, What a Novel
STUD SIGN HOUN VALL

Scotland Yard - 1895
Hopkins Lestrade Gregson Bradstreet

Self-Poisoner
Opium Cocaine Morphine Tobacco

Sherlock Holmes Icons
Pipe Glass Inverness Deerstalker

Sherlock Holmes Villains
Moran Roylott Moriarty Milverton

Sherlock Holmes's Pipes
Clay Brier Black Cherry-wood

The Doctors
Agar Verner Farquhar Anstruther

The Four
Small Khan Singh Akbar

The Violets
Smith Hunter Westbury de Merville

The Women
Holmes Adler Watson Morstan

Traditional Sherlock Holmes Actors
Brett Wilmer Wontner Rathbone

Traditional Sherlock Holmes Actors (First)
Basil Arthur Jeremy Douglas

Trappings of Home
Tantalus Gasogene Persian Slipper Dressing Gown

Watson's Medical Kit
Brandy Brandy Brandy Brandy


Can't find what you're looking for? Have an idea for another quartet? Are there other products that you'd like to see these designs on (bags, phone cases, luggage tags, hats, etc.)?

Please let us know. Leave a comment below and email us at comment @ ihearofsherlock DOT com.

Mother's Day and Father's Day are coming up. So is t-shirt weather. And mugs? Mugs are always in season.

Happy shopping!

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