Remembering Bruce Montgomery, BSI

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "a remarkably rich tenor voice" [VALL]</h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Xi9SxUlmlNX9ZMjvLfiEoVYAnAnqCxNgdFiryw50N-JcBA8yvQ64q6Vlb6-Yt3P6BjRBP5Vm01uJDZ1QweJ7hH14SrmghjurHlxlFki_yPIF_7BC0OkPgCxVHv14mMDOimGoaoDb3rFL/s1600/Bruce-Eglinton-Montgomery.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Xi9SxUlmlNX9ZMjvLfiEoVYAnAnqCxNgdFiryw50N-JcBA8yvQ64q6Vlb6-Yt3P6BjRBP5Vm01uJDZ1QweJ7hH14SrmghjurHlxlFki_yPIF_7BC0OkPgCxVHv14mMDOimGoaoDb3rFL/s1600/Bruce-Eglinton-Montgomery.jpg" width="501" /></a></div> <br /> <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> It came as a great surprise and shock to to receive notice of the passing of Bruce Montgomery, BSI ("The Red Circle") on Saturday, June 21. He was, for many years, the voice and spirit of the Baker Street Irregulars annual dinner in New York, where he would invariably sing the BSI's unofficial anthem, "Aunt Clara."<br /> <br /> Monty, as he was known by all (a name we both shared) picked up where his father, James Montgomery, BSI ("The Red Circle") left off. The elder Montgomery was also a gifted tenor and provided musical entertainment during the BSI's early years. He passed away very suddenly and very prematurely in 1955, as his Christmas Annual was being printed. As a side note, I actually own a copy of that annual, with a note from Jim's wife:<br /> <blockquote> "My husband died very suddenly on November 9th. It was his expressed wish, however, that I should get out this little booklet in the envelopes which he had already addressed."<br /> <div style="text-align: right;"> Constance P. Montgomery<br /> Christmas, 1955</div> </blockquote> Like his father before him, Monty was a victim of heart failure - which is ironic, because he had a big heart that was dedicated to bringing joy to all around him. A more upbeat and friendly man I have yet to meet. He brought his special variety of joy in a variety of settings, from the University of Pennsylvania Glee Club (which he brought to a BSI dinner one year), to the Gilbert & Sullivan Players of Philadelphia, to the artwork he took up upon his retirement.<br /> <br /> An example of his artwork, which for a time could be ordered as notecards, reminds us of one of the illustrations from "The Lion's Mane":<br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> </div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMwdmWHlZQSRwef3qI8t1ZVZWyfIMOzacG-ML7oJBKlNMMp_n4KOaxICAifThQCZz4nlf6FDQoFHAovI7jq4YrBwCN_RTqV1som39kFM4uXEF0h9uhDUO-1L1yQcXieEyXqB1MyGflmDiJ/s1600/Watercolors-Bass-Harbor-Sentinel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMwdmWHlZQSRwef3qI8t1ZVZWyfIMOzacG-ML7oJBKlNMMp_n4KOaxICAifThQCZz4nlf6FDQoFHAovI7jq4YrBwCN_RTqV1som39kFM4uXEF0h9uhDUO-1L1yQcXieEyXqB1MyGflmDiJ/s1600/Watercolors-Bass-Harbor-Sentinel.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> Thankfully, Monty's contributions will not be forgotten. His artwork lives on and the <a href="http://www.brucemontgomery.org/" target="_blank">Bruce Montgomery Foundation for the Arts</a> has been established in his memory.<br /> <br /> And of course his voice will live on in the BSI's archives - which will now include digital media. And you can hear Bruce give <a href="http://www.spreaker.com/user/ihearofsherlock/bruce-montgomery-at-the-2008-bsi-dinner" target="_blank">his last BSI performance</a>, recorded at the BSI dinner in New York City on January 11, 2008.<br /> <br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <iframe frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="https://www.spreaker.com/embed/player/standard?episode_id=5957070&autoplay=false" style="height: 131px; width: 100%;"></iframe><br /></div> <br /> We were honored to stand in his presence on a number of occasions and share the microphone with him. While our singing voice is fairly good, it paled in comparison to the consummate professional who stood beside me. Good night, Monty. You'll be terribly missed.<br /> <br /> You can read <a href="https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/mainetoday-pressherald/name/bruce-montgomery-obituary?id=24965434" target="_blank">his obituary here</a>.<br /> <br /> Do you have your own memories of Bruce Montgomery? Please share them as a comment below.<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /> </span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">--</span><br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /> </span></div>

Remembering Bruce Montgomery, BSI

"a remarkably rich tenor voice" [VALL] It came as a great surprise and shock to to receive notice of the passing of Bruce ...

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by Scott Monty

"In a Flash We Caught a Glimpse" [RETI]

I recently shared a short video with you that described social media. As you may know, the essence behind social media is sharing information - text, audio, video, photos, etc.<br /><br />I just found an interesting application that allows me to share a stream of mentions of anything on <a href="http://twitter.com/S_Holmes">Twitter</a> with a background of Flickr photos. I've set it to stream mentions of "Sherlock" while backed with images tagged with <a href="http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=Sherlockian&w=all&m=tags&sourceid=firefox">Sherlockian</a>. See what people are saying and what images show up:<br /><br /><center><object align="middle" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-4445535100" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" height="400" id="twitterfountain" width="400"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="movie" value="http://www.twitterfountain.nl/twitterfountain.swf?fv_event=Sherlock&fv_flickr=Sherlockian&fv_kleur=FFFF0"><param name="menu" value="false"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="scale" value="noscale"><param name="salign" value="lt"><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFF0"><embed src="http://www.twitterfountain.nl/twitterfountain.swf?fv_event=Sherlock&fv_flickr=Sherlockian&fv_kleur=FFFF0" menu="false" quality="high" scale="noscale" salign="lt" bgcolor="#DC1689" name="twitterfountain" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" align="middle" width="400" height="400"></embed></object></center><br /><br />This is also a good time to remind you: if you take photos at any Sherlockian events, please consider uploading them to Flickr and tagging them with "Sherlockian," to share them with other like-minded individuals. You might find that you'll connect with some interesting people that way.

"In a Flash We Caught a Glimpse" [RETI]

I recently shared a short video with you that described social media. As you may know, the essence behind social media is sharing informatio...

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by Scott Monty

"Nearly Passed Over a Little Ford" [LAST]

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMEIyoDNFUPEDoPIYTo2YuD9l84AdKA23IvzyvgQeJygz5I9beMn2a4fHrA2y6k30rbyS-Kes7MbvTJpPv6pqVGX6iP-lhFP-RDAzTlAXGMRBji-YkSWPQsFmpEEL9Mop30HPB-rl8RVbg/s1600-h/ford-model-t.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205182839764648978" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMEIyoDNFUPEDoPIYTo2YuD9l84AdKA23IvzyvgQeJygz5I9beMn2a4fHrA2y6k30rbyS-Kes7MbvTJpPv6pqVGX6iP-lhFP-RDAzTlAXGMRBji-YkSWPQsFmpEEL9Mop30HPB-rl8RVbg/s200/ford-model-t.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>One of the reasons you've been hearing less from me in these parts is that my professional life has been keeping me very busy. For the last year or so, I've been working for a small start-up that specializes in social media - all of the fancy schmancy stuff you see here, like social networks, podcasts, blogs, etc. Think of it as new technology that makes communicating easier.<br /><br />After some very long and difficult days this year, I was feeling burned out. As fate would have it, I was approached by one of the most storied brands in America - and quite possibly the world. <a href="http://www.ford.com/">Ford Motor Company</a> asked me to become the head of social media in their Global Communications department.<br /><br />As you may know, there are some Sherlockian connections to Ford. There's the reference in the headline above, from "His Last Bow," where Von Bork's secretary is leaving the seaside cottage:<br /><blockquote>"The secretary lay back in the cushions of the luxurious limousine, with his thoughts so full of the impending European tragedy that he hardly observed that as his car swung round the village street it nearly passed over a little <span style="font-weight: bold;">Ford</span> coming in the opposite direction."<br /></blockquote>And if you've been to a society meeting or two, you may have heard "<a href="http://sniff.numachi.com/pages/tiAUNTCLAR;ttAUNTCLAR.html">We Never Mention Aunt Clara</a>." If so, you'll recall that Aunt Clara's sister drove in a second-hand Ford. Let's just say that the Ford I'll be driving will be anything but second-hand.<br /><br />Moving to Michigan is going to be an adventure, but I won't be leaving my Sherlockian pursuits behind. I know I'll be in good hands with the likes of the <a href="http://www.amateurmendicant.blogspot.com/">Amateur Mendicant Society</a> and the blog and podcast will continue.<br /><br />And if you'd like a quick run-through of what social media is all about, take a look at this:<br /><center><object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/MpIOClX1jPE&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/MpIOClX1jPE&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object></center><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Photo courtesy of </span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/andrewdunn/391930663/" style="font-style: italic;">Andrew Dunn</a>

"Nearly Passed Over a Little Ford" [LAST]

One of the reasons you've been hearing less from me in these parts is that my professional life has been keeping me very busy. For the l...

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by Scott Monty

The Annotated Dracula is Available for Pre-order

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "vampires in Transylvania" [SUSS]</h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgamCQsYPJItwkMx5TvjHdU2TYYFuMEJMvM3DJu9yLzQ02EVrro5dB0GtGpeXceRIcVZVNIA-BC0RnHczhHX8Mzc_kwZMIk4N1F3uq00dzHbxeP0tnaIKsI-FL9a-qzbye32f9wbWqiURxK/s1600/IHOSE47.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgamCQsYPJItwkMx5TvjHdU2TYYFuMEJMvM3DJu9yLzQ02EVrro5dB0GtGpeXceRIcVZVNIA-BC0RnHczhHX8Mzc_kwZMIk4N1F3uq00dzHbxeP0tnaIKsI-FL9a-qzbye32f9wbWqiURxK/s1600/IHOSE47.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> One of the most intriguing of the later Sherlock Holmes stories - those from the collections known as <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1853260703/105-4993020-3918022?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=1853260703"><i>His Last Bow</i></a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1853260703/105-4993020-3918022?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=1853260703"><i>The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes</i></a> - has to be "The Sussex Vampire." The title alone arouses interest and imagination of a morbid gothic scene.<br /> <br /> Certainly vampires have been right up there in popularity with Sherlock Holmes, with plenty of movies, novels and popular culture that center on Dracula and the like. And when you consider that Bram Stoker was an acquaintance of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and that his novel was released in the spring of 1897 - in the midst of Doyle's hiatus from writing the Holmes stories - it fits right in with the time and place of our hero.<br /> <br /> If you have even the most passing interest in Dracula, then you'll be happy know know this news: Leslie Klinger, BSI ("The Abbey Grange") - probably most well-known for his three-volume series <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0393059162/105-4993020-3918022?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=0393059162" style="font-weight: bold;"><i>The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes</i></a> (which if you don't own, you should; just click the link) - just announced that his latest opus, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0393064506/105-4993020-3918022?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=0393064506" style="font-weight: bold;"><i>The Annotated Dracula</i></a>, is now available for preorder on Amazon.<br /> <br /> If you're familiar with Les's fine and thorough work in NASH, you'll know what to expect from his new book. Personally, I don't know enough about Dracula or vampires - just the usual stake-in-the-heart and garlic stuff - so this will be an interesting volume to peruse.<br /> <br /> Related posts:<br /> <br /> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2012/10/episode-47-re-vampires.html#.VPknwPnF8Xc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode 47: Re: Vampires</a></li> </ul> <br /> <br /> --<br /> <br />

The Annotated Dracula is Available for Pre-order

"vampires in Transylvania" [SUSS] One of the most intriguing of the later Sherlock Holmes stories - those from the collection...

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by Scott Monty

"Took Out His Manuscript" [MUSG]

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_p3O53-a_TDZAloZhzd5oro64WP2lMhSXhwk6jXCrGFfbJ2iNMOpK89MzA1OtOLMQuihlXj91n_Dck8olE7vXL0MH1t4eaXwOxuU13ilt7xeqmtFR51HOo3CbtUwJG7pbdFXEvcZbCNk9/s1600-h/lady-02.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208994834352718914" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_p3O53-a_TDZAloZhzd5oro64WP2lMhSXhwk6jXCrGFfbJ2iNMOpK89MzA1OtOLMQuihlXj91n_Dck8olE7vXL0MH1t4eaXwOxuU13ilt7xeqmtFR51HOo3CbtUwJG7pbdFXEvcZbCNk9/s200/lady-02.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>Every once in a while, there's an item that puts Sherlockian collectors into a fervor. Whether or not the item is within everyone's reach, it creates an aura of excitement and anticipation, wondering what the market will bear. And it almost certainly ends in a battle at the auction house (maybe not as physically violent as the image on the left, but definitely an emotional one).<br /><br />The most recent item to undergo such scrutiny was an original 1887 <span style="font-style: italic;">Beeton's Christmas Annual</span> - famous for <span style="font-style: italic;">A Study in Scarlet</span>, the first appearance of Sherlock Holmes in print. A copy was found in a pile of books at an Oxfam shop in the U.K. and subsequently was put up for auction, eventually bringing in £18,600 (approx. US$36,500). You can read about <a href="http://members.aol.com/shbest/ref/bonhams-2008-beetons.htm">the entire backstory as well as the auction results here</a>.<br /><br />Now it seems that there's an original manuscript of one of the Holmes stories up for sale. The 28-page manuscript for "The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax" is expected to bring nearly £250,000 when it goes under the hammer, according to <a href="http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article4076103.ece?Submitted=true" style="font-weight: bold;">an article in the <span style="font-style: italic;">Times</span></a>.<br /><br />I'm not so certain. The comparable sale they reference is the manuscript for <span style="font-style: italic;">The Sign of Four</span>, which sold for $470,000 (£243,000) at Sotheby's in New York in 1996. I would think that the novels - remember there are only four, and the MSS of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Hound of the Baskervilles</span> was divided up for publicity purposes when the book went on sale - would command a higher premium than any of the 56 short stories. Then again, when collectors have a shot at a true rarity, sanity often times is checked at the door.<br /><br />For more information about original Doyle manuscripts - Sherlock Holmes-related and otherwise - the definitive resource is <a href="http://members.aol.com/shbest/ref/rfms.htm" style="font-weight: bold;">Randall Stock's web site</a>. There's a wealth of information available there.

"Took Out His Manuscript" [MUSG]

Every once in a while, there's an item that puts Sherlockian collectors into a fervor. Whether or not the item is within everyone's ...

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by Scott Monty

"Like a Little Empty Attic" [STUD]

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyeYcnN3jb35q0hvIbWJ1QEjLDhHyMMNkzSolR4Qz0UU7V7sgnqC0Ck3kmzqszoidKPX1hbc4CDOdbq2N80BFuog9DnOmPVrb_XwsxViqhEE78rzAD4A3lB7qGop0sbhgZp7Xb_8ZILRsf/s1600-h/card-01.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205480811710743602" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyeYcnN3jb35q0hvIbWJ1QEjLDhHyMMNkzSolR4Qz0UU7V7sgnqC0Ck3kmzqszoidKPX1hbc4CDOdbq2N80BFuog9DnOmPVrb_XwsxViqhEE78rzAD4A3lB7qGop0sbhgZp7Xb_8ZILRsf/s200/card-01.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>In A Study in Scarlet, Sherlock Holmes opined that he had no room for useless knowledge (in that particular case, it was the fact that the Earth revolves around the Sun). He remarked to Watson:<br /><blockquote>"You appear to be astonished," he said, smiling at my expression of surprise. "Now that I do know it I shall do my best to forget it."<br /><br />"To forget it!"<br /><br />"You see," he explained, "I consider that a man's brain originally is like a little empty attic, and you have to stock it with such furniture as you choose. A fool takes in all the lumber of every sort that he comes across, so that the knowledge which might be useful to him gets crowded out, or at best is jumbled up with a lot of other things, so that he has a difficulty in laying his hands upon it...It is of the highest importance, therefore, not to have useless facts elbowing out the useful ones."</blockquote>We're all familiar with information overload (especially these days), but I wonder if this was the hubris of a younger Holmes speaking. Recent research shows that the older brain can actually process information much better than previously thought, and is better at filtering out distractions than a younger brain.<br /><br />From a recent <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/20/health/research/20brai.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&ref=science&pagewanted=print">New York Times article</a>:<br /><blockquote>Such tendencies can yield big advantages in the real world, where it is not always clear what information is important, or will become important. A seemingly irrelevant point or suggestion in a memo can take on new meaning if the original plan changes...<br />"A broad <a href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/test/mental-status-tests/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Mental status tests.">attention span</a> may enable older adults to ultimately know more about a situation and the indirect message of what’s going on than their younger peers," Dr. Hasher said. "We believe that this characteristic may play a significant role in why we think of older people as wiser."</blockquote><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">What do you think? Does this match with your experience? Does Holmes's claim seem like juvenile boasting to his easily-astonished new friend? Would the older Holmes agree?</span>

"Like a Little Empty Attic" [STUD]

In A Study in Scarlet, Sherlock Holmes opined that he had no room for useless knowledge (in that particular case, it was the fact that the E...

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by Scott Monty

"We Shall Know a Good Deal" [SUSS]

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8BPsDJ9M83OQGEUL7OUm69ciGv3KqgcWSK_xGh_-MrQPoa_GiLNlVu0vA7gfLIDQICobcCyEmWLc6xpTtpl9uzWowgGxxC5jXxWtu2qwuWeX2TQDKYgtDXbOdSVdhg_OQlrJp_Y1rc7Rw/s1600-h/Picture+2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205305053059056674" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8BPsDJ9M83OQGEUL7OUm69ciGv3KqgcWSK_xGh_-MrQPoa_GiLNlVu0vA7gfLIDQICobcCyEmWLc6xpTtpl9uzWowgGxxC5jXxWtu2qwuWeX2TQDKYgtDXbOdSVdhg_OQlrJp_Y1rc7Rw/s200/Picture+2.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>One of the benefits of the volunteer work that I do with the <a href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Baker Street Journal</a> (yes, the BSJ is primarily a volunteer-led enterprise; only our printing and distribution are handled by a professional firm) is that I get to interact with customers. What it means is that I correspond with hundreds of people via email throughout the year and that I get to greet nearly everyone who enters the vendors' room during the <a href="http://www.bsiweekend.com/">BSI Weekend</a>.<br /><br />Occasionally I have to break bad news to people - that a shipment is delayed or that we've sold out of an item. And while I don't like disappointing anyone, I do like the little surprises that come with the territory. And have I got one such surprise for you.<br /><br />The Baker Street Irregulars have become a publishing powerhouse in recent years. The Journal is and will continue to be the mainstay, but when you think about the other complementary publications that have some along, it's pretty impressive:<br /><ul><li>Five volumes in our <a href="http://bakerstreetjournal.com/itemsforsale/bsihistoryseries.html">History Series</a><br /></li><li>Five volumes in the <a href="http://bakerstreetjournal.com/itemsforsale/bsimanuscriptseries.html">Manuscript Series</a><br /></li><li>Two volumes in the <a href="http://bakerstreetjournal.com/itemsforsale/bsiinternationalseries.html">International Series</a><br /></li><li>An <a href="http://bakerstreetjournal.com/itemsforsale/murderland.html">expedition publication</a> (with another to follow)</li><li>A <a href="http://bakerstreetjournal.com/itemsforsale/thequarteringpress.html">joint imprint</a> with the Sherlock Holmes Society of London<br /></li><li>10 years worth of <a href="http://bakerstreetjournal.com/itemsforsale/christmasannuals.html">Christmas Annuals</a></li></ul>And we've sold out of two of our hardcovers and 4 of our Christmas Annuals along the way. Not bad for a 300 member literary society!<br /><br />The good news is that I've opened new section of <a href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/">bakerstreetjournal.com</a> called <a href="http://bakerstreetjournal.com/itemsforsale/dealtable.html" style="font-weight: bold;">Deal Table</a> where I offer specials on items from time to time. Items may include extra copies of items that were thought to have been sold out, or perhaps bundled titles that we need to move. Take a look for yourself from time to time to see what we've got. You might be able to "fill that gap on that second shelf."

"We Shall Know a Good Deal" [SUSS]

One of the benefits of the volunteer work that I do with the Baker Street Journal (yes, the BSJ is primarily a volunteer-led enterprise; on...

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by Scott Monty

"Put Into Plain Words" [HOUN]

When Burt Wolder and I started the podcast <span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/">I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere</a></span> - the first Sherlockian podcast - nearly a year ago, we were immediately faced with one daunting problem: how to explain to people what a podcast is. We tried to do so - but we made a mistake by using the medium itself to explain what it is.<br /><br />Well, eighteen episodes and nearly a year later, I think I have the solution. The very creative team over at <a href="http://www.commoncraft.com/">CommonCraft</a> are in the business of providing explanatory videos. They've done a particularly remarkable job with their "plain English" series, which you may have seen if you clicked on the "RSS in Plain English" link over in the sidebar.<br /><br />Their newest video is <span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://commoncraft.com/podcasting">Podcasting in Plain English</a></span>, which you can watch right here on the blog or by clicking on the link. Either way, this should help you to understand what we're doing over at <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/">I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere</a> and to hopefully subscribe to our free audio show.<br /><br /><center><object allowfullscreen="true" data="http://blip.tv/scripts/flash/showplayer.swf?enablejs=true&feedurl=http%3A%2F%2Fthecommoncraftshow%2Eblip%2Etv%2Frss&file=http%3A%2F%2Fblip%2Etv%2Frss%2Fflash%2F850856%3Freferrer%3Dblip%2Etv%26source%3D1&showplayerpath=http%3A%2F%2Fblip%2Etv%2Fscripts%2Fflash%2Fshowplayer%2Eswf" height="255" id="showplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://blip.tv/scripts/flash/showplayer.swf?enablejs=true&feedurl=http%3A%2F%2Fthecommoncraftshow%2Eblip%2Etv%2Frss&file=http%3A%2F%2Fblip%2Etv%2Frss%2Fflash%2F850856%3Freferrer%3Dblip%2Etv%26source%3D1&showplayerpath=http%3A%2F%2Fblip%2Etv%2Fscripts%2Fflash%2Fshowplayer%2Eswf"><param name="quality" value="best"><embed src="http://blip.tv/scripts/flash/showplayer.swf?enablejs=true&feedurl=http%3A%2F%2Fthecommoncraftshow%2Eblip%2Etv%2Frss&file=http%3A%2F%2Fblip%2Etv%2Frss%2Fflash%2F850856%3Freferrer%3Dblip%2Etv%26source%3D1&showplayerpath=http%3A%2F%2Fblip%2Etv%2Fscripts%2Fflash%2Fshowplayer%2Eswf" quality="best" name="showplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="255" width="400"></embed></object></center>

"Put Into Plain Words" [HOUN]

When Burt Wolder and I started the podcast I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere - the first Sherlockian podcast - nearly a year ago, we were immed...

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by Scott Monty

Remembering Will Elder

<h4 style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> "to humour your guilty elder" [PRIO]</h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU9UjZAr7MU47Kbvjvfq-a5MIoBOgZPhJWRxIz0uCdFdd0ZTx_udCjN9KAPbNuZBOYP4rsBV-qDHP6we5bOoRwOkegRvN2Xpti9KTpp_cAN7Q7Z6RMQE6vpHEUNv_h6ax_RhfXRlL4l1IX/s1600/Will+Elder+Sherlock+Holmes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Will Elder Sherlock Holmes" border="0" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU9UjZAr7MU47Kbvjvfq-a5MIoBOgZPhJWRxIz0uCdFdd0ZTx_udCjN9KAPbNuZBOYP4rsBV-qDHP6we5bOoRwOkegRvN2Xpti9KTpp_cAN7Q7Z6RMQE6vpHEUNv_h6ax_RhfXRlL4l1IX/s1600/Will+Elder+Sherlock+Holmes.jpg" title="Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson by Will Elder" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> Our updates have been sporadic at best lately (thanks to a demanding job) and the posts we've been able to write have been morbidly focused. Well, today we regret that we have to continue in that vein, but at least it's not announcing the death of another Irregular.<br /> <br /> Fans of the audio portion of <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/">I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere</a> will know that there are a number of artists who have done their fair share of Sherlockian illustrations. This was made the most clear in <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2007/12/episode-16-collectors-corner-jerry.html">our interview with Jerry Margolin</a> ("Hilton Cubitt"), who has made a serious hobby out of collecting original Sherlockian art. The artwork above is from Jerry's collection.<br /> <br /> As you listen to the interview, you'll hear that one of Jerry's heroes was <a href="http://www.willelder.net/" target="_blank">Will Elder</a>, one of the original MAD Magazine artists and the creator of Little Annie Fanny for Playboy. We us the past tense - "was" - because Will Elder passed away late last week. You can read a full profile of him on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Elder" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>. In the meantime, enjoy the Sherlockian images here by Elder.<br /> <br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghnWyk1SKVEqynKRu3YKDgqruyqVdvqx75eJ9vnTu4Bg72Km__U1asNzPYka2QDIkFD4RZ0-oaxkgUXGgWIhhLCZat2mfIFCWhM9ExwOubqoG6_Li8m9-pZh6R_PcRIH2ixCaUWiApR4EK/s1600/Watson+Annie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghnWyk1SKVEqynKRu3YKDgqruyqVdvqx75eJ9vnTu4Bg72Km__U1asNzPYka2QDIkFD4RZ0-oaxkgUXGgWIhhLCZat2mfIFCWhM9ExwOubqoG6_Li8m9-pZh6R_PcRIH2ixCaUWiApR4EK/s1600/Watson+Annie.jpg" width="372" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"By Jove, Holmes - what a remarkable disguise!"</td></tr> </tbody></table> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> --</div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <br /></div> </div>

Remembering Will Elder

"to humour your guilty elder" [PRIO] Our updates have been sporadic at best lately (thanks to a demanding job) and the post...

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by Scott Monty

"In the New Almanac" [VALL]

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAbsoLgNpm_1qV7jrJ2azD9eqzjwpMKNOUVaXjUdSlzwpL2mvCk53CTAxQlenWyv54e4qjEVXRe4iwcgSy0tXJ2pXcUMIjs8bv7Q0yLsEbQ-oBqLnoFqLo0qkc8hnsKElvw2A624NQNzWA/s1600-h/veil-01.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5198231504581546930" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAbsoLgNpm_1qV7jrJ2azD9eqzjwpMKNOUVaXjUdSlzwpL2mvCk53CTAxQlenWyv54e4qjEVXRe4iwcgSy0tXJ2pXcUMIjs8bv7Q0yLsEbQ-oBqLnoFqLo0qkc8hnsKElvw2A624NQNzWA/s200/veil-01.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>Peter Blau very kindly pointed out that Garrison Keillor mentioned The Baker Street Irregulars and Sherlockian societies in <a href="http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/programs/2008/05/05/#wednesday">a recent episode of The Writer's Almanac</a> on American Public Media. For those of you who don't have access to public radio or whose local markets don't pick it up, not to worry. Such shows typically have the audio available on the Interwebs.<br /><br />In this case, we've got <a href="http://www.publicradio.org/tools/media/player/almanac/2008/05/07_wa" style="font-weight: bold;">an audio link</a> to the 5-minute program from May 7, 2008 that you can access by <a href="http://www.publicradio.org/tools/media/player/almanac/2008/05/07_wa" style="font-weight: bold;">clicking here</a>. You'll need <a href="http://www.americanpublicmedia.us/help_audio.php">RealAudio</a> to listen. It's a free download and the software is free as well.<br /><br />The show notes are a little more extensive than Keillor's commentary (after all, he's only got 5 minutes). Here's what he had to say about the BSI and other societies:<br /><blockquote>Novelist Christopher Morley founded, in 1934, the Baker Street Irregulars to celebrate the work of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and today there are many groups of Sherlockians, including the Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes, who developed in protest to the men-only Baker Street Irregulars. Both of those groups now admit members of both sexes. The London Sherlock Holmes Society, which began in its current incarnation in 1951, has an annual dinner and regular meetings, and produces a Sherlock Holmes Journal twice a year. There are also occasional mock trials, trivia challenges, pub nights, London walks, and cricket matches against the P.G. Wodehouse Society.</blockquote>I think Christopher Morley would be proud - not necessarily that his creation still lives on - but that he's noted as a novelist.

"In the New Almanac" [VALL]

Peter Blau very kindly pointed out that Garrison Keillor mentioned The Baker Street Irregulars and Sherlockian societies in a recent episode...

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by Scott Monty

"A Cry of 'Cooee!'" [BOSC]

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7BznSr3hPs4wQj5N7lPd17fGdhcShuAXC2Ui4MFW7gkFov4Sr1beExDdejgu35nDdJBvTGNbJqDWU48UuolQUWtWa3lyhrYSkM8z3N2zwpUdQEZohZOVsuzhbmCG5b0U3wfbVRbU9zY2g/s1600-h/bosc-03.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5197860148824232850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7BznSr3hPs4wQj5N7lPd17fGdhcShuAXC2Ui4MFW7gkFov4Sr1beExDdejgu35nDdJBvTGNbJqDWU48UuolQUWtWa3lyhrYSkM8z3N2zwpUdQEZohZOVsuzhbmCG5b0U3wfbVRbU9zY2g/s200/bosc-03.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>It is once again with a heavy heart that I pick up my keyboard to write of another member of the Baker Street Irregulars passing beyond the Reichenbach. This time the Southern Hemisphere has lost one of its own with the death of Alan Olding ("Cooee!").<br /><br />Alan was the President of the Sherlock Holmes Society of Australia, and his membership extended to other Aussie societies, such as the Sherlock Holmes Society of Melbourne and the Sherlock Holmes Society of Western Australia. An active member of the Hounds of the Internet for quite some time, where his nom was "Holy Peters, of Adelaide, whose speciality is the beguiling of lonely ladies."<br /><br />According to his biography on his <a href="http://www.sh-whoswho.com/index.php?page=search&criteria=member&id=314">Sherlockian Who's Who</a> page,<br /><blockquote>Alan Olding migrated to Australia in 1951, after service in the British Army during WW2. He brought with him his new bride, Olive. They lived in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney, before setlling in the Adelaide Hills in 1970. Alan is a retired Insurance Executive. He was invested in the BSI in 1988 under the name "COOEE", and President for the Sherlock Holmes Society of Australia.<br /></blockquote>His loss is a great one for anyone who knew him.

"A Cry of 'Cooee!'" [BOSC]

It is once again with a heavy heart that I pick up my keyboard to write of another member of the Baker Street Irregulars passing beyond the ...

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by Scott Monty

"When the Stake is Best Worth Winning" [CHAS]

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGRkseKkn4MnuILv3sJ1sZp4NOwG9KU1Typns8YsNT3E_i-_swuu1GBmOFxPM3sIpAoU0RnL8Ut2gQ7_h-8E-OnEGeJCFxxcipXsbj39YkoNaj9j0JoSuFhIDPfeRCMT55Y1DYQ5N_AEy2/s1600-h/Edgar.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195841611391817026" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGRkseKkn4MnuILv3sJ1sZp4NOwG9KU1Typns8YsNT3E_i-_swuu1GBmOFxPM3sIpAoU0RnL8Ut2gQ7_h-8E-OnEGeJCFxxcipXsbj39YkoNaj9j0JoSuFhIDPfeRCMT55Y1DYQ5N_AEy2/s200/Edgar.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a><a href="http://www.mysterywriters.org/">The Mystery Writers of America</a> held their annual dinner in New York City last night to honor the <a href="http://theedgars.com/nominees.html">2008 Edgar Winners</a>. The field of Sherlockiana, while <a href="http://www.bakerstreetblog.com/2007/01/your-merits-should-be-publicly.html">well represented in 2007</a>, only had a single entrant on this year's list of nominees.<br /><br />And evidently, that's all that was needed, for the winner of the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Best Critical/Biographical</span> category was none other than <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594201358?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=1594201358"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Arthur Conan Doyle: A Life in Letters</span></a> by Charles Foley, Jon Lellenberg and Daniel Stashower. Congratulations, gentlemen!<br /><br />Check out this link to see what <a href="http://www.bakerstreetblog.com/2007/11/let-me-recommend-this-book-sign.html">I originally wrote about the book last November</a>, which includes a link to the interview that Burt Wolder & I conducted with Dan & Jon - one of our most popular episodes on our audio program <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/">I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere</a>.<br /><br />If you haven't picked up a copy of the book yet, I strongly recommend that you <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594201358?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=211189&creativeASIN=1594201358&link_code=as3&creative=373489" style="font-weight: bold;">get over to Amazon</a> and grab yourself a copy. It's a worthy asset to any Sherlockian or Doylean library.

"When the Stake is Best Worth Winning" [CHAS]

The Mystery Writers of America held their annual dinner in New York City last night to honor the 2008 Edgar Winners . The field of Sherlock...

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by Scott Monty

"The Principal Difficulty in Your Case" [NAVA]

I was just informed that another Irregular has passed beyond the Reichenbach. Earlier this week, David Galerstein, BSI ("Bert Stevens") passed away. A former principal and member of the New York City Board of Education, he was always interested in educating those around him.<br /><br />I remember meeting Dave for the first time at one of my early meetings of the Men on the Tor at Gillette Castle. He was more than happy to spend time with a young and relatively uninitiated Sherlockian. He suggested that I follow up some of my Canonical reading with other related stories, such as <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/184637829X/105-4993020-3918022?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=184637829X" style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Houseboat on the Styx</a> by John Kendrick Bangs. As he slowed down in recent years, he still kept his keen and innate curiosity about him and was able to faithfully attend the BSI weekends.<br /><br />From Ben & Sue Vizoskie, of the Three Garridebs - one of the many scions that Dave belonged to - comes this writeup:<br /><blockquote>We were saddened to hear this morning that David Galerstein, a long-time Sherlockian and member of the Three Garridebs, died on April 29th. Dave was very active in the New York area and belonged to many scions, including the Long Island Cave Dwellers, Mrs. Hudson's Cliffdwellers, the Montague Street Lodgers of Brooklyn, the Priory Scholars of Manhattan, the Retired Colourmen and the Epilogues of Sherlock Holmes. <br /><br />He was invested in the Baker Street Irregulars in 1972 as "Bert Stevens." <br /><br />Dave was a frequent contributor to The Baker Street Journal and to Prescott's Press. In 1990, he and Marlene Aig co-edited A Singular Set of People; and in 2002, he compiled and Caroline Bryan edited A Singular Sense of Humor: A Compilation of Stuff and Nonsense by and for Sherlockians.<br /><br />He is survived by his wife Roz and their children. According to the death notice in today's New York Times, memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association. </blockquote><br />You can read his <a href="http://www.legacy.com/NYTimes/DeathNotices.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonID=108724832">death notice in the <span style="font-style: italic;">New York Times</span></a>.

"The Principal Difficulty in Your Case" [NAVA]

I was just informed that another Irregular has passed beyond the Reichenbach. Earlier this week, David Galerstein, BSI ("Bert Stevens...

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by Scott Monty

"Nummos Contemplor in Arca" [STUD]

On the front page of YouTube this morning, I came across a video that caught my eye - particularly because of its title: "Sherlockbot and the Case of the Purloined Piggybank." <br /><br />I was reminded of the quote at the conclusion of A Study in Scarlet:<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">"Populus me sibilat, at mihi plaudo Ipse domi simul ac nummos contemplor in arca."</span><br /><br />Rough translation: "The public hiss at me, but I cheer myself when in my own house I contemplate the coins in my strong-box."<br /><br />The video is embedded here for your enjoyment.<br /><br /><center><object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7Xp-DL6t4G4&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7Xp-DL6t4G4&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object></center>

"Nummos Contemplor in Arca" [STUD]

On the front page of YouTube this morning, I came across a video that caught my eye - particularly because of its title: "Sherlockbot a...

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by Scott Monty

Peter Cushing Was an Accomplished Painter

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "you say he was painting" [RETI]</h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY2bxbs_e-BBsTvQ0CFpnCdCBZ4H0jzjzU9pfZ83BbnANMx2kL6NlJijeMFReXYBfhEf75vdCdyM0FqysGUJD4bV4A4W0ims-tYq-1nkN9kYkSzY_H7aaSPN-fNy1NSwL4_-jyyVxauGVN/s1600/Peter+Cushing+calendar+painting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Peter Cushing painting for Pilgrim's Hospice Calendar (February)" border="0" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY2bxbs_e-BBsTvQ0CFpnCdCBZ4H0jzjzU9pfZ83BbnANMx2kL6NlJijeMFReXYBfhEf75vdCdyM0FqysGUJD4bV4A4W0ims-tYq-1nkN9kYkSzY_H7aaSPN-fNy1NSwL4_-jyyVxauGVN/s1600/Peter+Cushing+calendar+painting.jpg" title="Peter Cushing painting" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> Peter Cushing, who portrayed Sherlock Holmes on the big and small screens, was best known for his acting abilities. Indeed, a certain generation probably grew up knowing him best as Grand Moff Tarkin in the original Star Wars movie. But to those who knew the man more intimately or who followed his off-stage persona, he was also a talented watercolor artist.<br /> <br /> Earlier this week, <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/kent/7303237.stm">25 lots of his paintings were auctioned off in Kent</a>. You may know that <a href="http://www.pilgrimshospice.org/">Pilgrims Hospice</a> in Kent, where Cushing died, had been selling calendars featuring his watercolors. Thirteen of those paintings were included in the auction, which raised £25,000.<br /> <br /> We don't know if the calendars are still available. You might try getting in touch with Pilgrims at:<br /> <blockquote class="tr_bq"> Fundraising Office<br />Hythe Road, Willesborough, Ashford TN24 0NE<br />For general fundraising enquiries please telephone +44 01233 504102 or 504111<br /><span class="body"> Fax number +44 01233 504136</span><span class="body"> or email </span><a href="https://mail.google.com/mail?view=cm&tf=0&ui=1&to=Susan_booth@pilgrimshospice.org" target="_blank">Susan Booth at Pilgrims Hospice in Ashford</a></blockquote> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> <br /> In the meantime, here are some scans of the artwork, courtesy of <a href="http://hammerandbeyond.blogspot.com/2007/12/peter-cushing-calendar.html">Hammer & Beyond</a>.<br /> <br /></div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9tUdPHppk5L8IMlQyBZItGWsQGf3B-9pJ2RniAdSbIOWpjQSLEx2-yaBInKMDfKD92x-pXosETBQMZScSQgye3-XhHxEYZL-gJIcaBDYQZI-DitNsjFA7bBKZS4S050eZ-SbJzPRbz3wX/s1600-h/january.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179479574417145794" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9tUdPHppk5L8IMlQyBZItGWsQGf3B-9pJ2RniAdSbIOWpjQSLEx2-yaBInKMDfKD92x-pXosETBQMZScSQgye3-XhHxEYZL-gJIcaBDYQZI-DitNsjFA7bBKZS4S050eZ-SbJzPRbz3wX/s200/january.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLouWd9EbZpgz4F5YFtDG6qrZ8-CPT0MuihB40dNDFpGKbggmOMu1oy0rMGWQGD0Zuy9bO0vHolXO2QOihQnE2aa-ZknycFIPjofTkpy5qefLIbkCsfDi65jWgRAAlfyK06C3cfWs6rdQZ/s1600-h/february.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179482082678046850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLouWd9EbZpgz4F5YFtDG6qrZ8-CPT0MuihB40dNDFpGKbggmOMu1oy0rMGWQGD0Zuy9bO0vHolXO2QOihQnE2aa-ZknycFIPjofTkpy5qefLIbkCsfDi65jWgRAAlfyK06C3cfWs6rdQZ/s200/february.jpg" /></a> <br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghYzNTdxt5-LMe9hs2FwPAhR0qv4gFs2xY4pQ56IKzudbRKLSCizIpBctVwtN8dzw2XnzWGRKaHCzFfVPnIE3rO4-8CP8qOcT5Tosg8eTfSj_9ss9FjIxwHwLoriY6V_jsVyBKC8HHV45v/s1600-h/march.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179479583007080418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghYzNTdxt5-LMe9hs2FwPAhR0qv4gFs2xY4pQ56IKzudbRKLSCizIpBctVwtN8dzw2XnzWGRKaHCzFfVPnIE3rO4-8CP8qOcT5Tosg8eTfSj_9ss9FjIxwHwLoriY6V_jsVyBKC8HHV45v/s200/march.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGk1-rN-FSfdR7NlJcTkkr7lhA4ciJ1YRNEAFgyeaVFHnLtge_tTHmmwy8YiM4ams5Kk5mftQe2WpQNQuWm5qkR5kTqEV8l9UIljYjh11FcHp8io01wh_-qLTAaz6mGulXhQd30uIni3-j/s1600-h/april.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179482086973014162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGk1-rN-FSfdR7NlJcTkkr7lhA4ciJ1YRNEAFgyeaVFHnLtge_tTHmmwy8YiM4ams5Kk5mftQe2WpQNQuWm5qkR5kTqEV8l9UIljYjh11FcHp8io01wh_-qLTAaz6mGulXhQd30uIni3-j/s200/april.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" /></a> <br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpFypgx0K3LwfT8C1QF5Zw5IEF8X5poGpxySfjG9io77S_GFznRtQTKhkKuKxWyBx27mm3ppBdMb8XB6HxY-I8LiDnLuRuxOXeSZpkdyY4CCKimiWtg0-ZqZM7kLMplA6T0rKRzQFfu4we/s1600-h/may.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179479591597015042" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpFypgx0K3LwfT8C1QF5Zw5IEF8X5poGpxySfjG9io77S_GFznRtQTKhkKuKxWyBx27mm3ppBdMb8XB6HxY-I8LiDnLuRuxOXeSZpkdyY4CCKimiWtg0-ZqZM7kLMplA6T0rKRzQFfu4we/s200/may.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidGHfWFR0o0SDF2FwGfP502dXyjGI44nyVUx38omP50cMHlP_TbVgqamqpxurAPZ7BvYBbTbphn_iY3KfUYg57zOy6D8cnIUERzckq-51bvYJM8NkhedFaJMVuvQh8BXLTjX8dWZqWAnx_/s1600-h/june.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179480201482371090" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidGHfWFR0o0SDF2FwGfP502dXyjGI44nyVUx38omP50cMHlP_TbVgqamqpxurAPZ7BvYBbTbphn_iY3KfUYg57zOy6D8cnIUERzckq-51bvYJM8NkhedFaJMVuvQh8BXLTjX8dWZqWAnx_/s200/june.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" /></a><br /> <br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcIgx9B6knj2bGZ4DEfVgiB7mcFLlNRj7k3aWlkChodOhrD35nzsepNGHuOc9sBQswnN1pPQas6KewzHmYdmOlUPTiJGJ34Fe9BqC-a7hjGlyESTwaIQPBGz5owU8dEUhpKqHxMjHI_X0i/s1600-h/july.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179480205777338402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcIgx9B6knj2bGZ4DEfVgiB7mcFLlNRj7k3aWlkChodOhrD35nzsepNGHuOc9sBQswnN1pPQas6KewzHmYdmOlUPTiJGJ34Fe9BqC-a7hjGlyESTwaIQPBGz5owU8dEUhpKqHxMjHI_X0i/s200/july.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" /></a> <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179480205777338418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiSg573Dhvw1SioTTQ8WAPd11ykkGSbnzWpV05a5o_xvZH456lTgLlhKhxAt6ZVPa8h5z2LGXx8rOZ8D-0E8go3wryMEgM-p0d8lhI9Wa3JnxbemmeF1mBjQVAP4Uv0JbjgN9-3D8eWpGz/s200/august.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" /> <br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-MWosFOTOlCH85thBndzarCKAzMW_fTx83FI02rx6NYOmyHbE2_rc4BtGRlDi4I0PhPyqgabXFfL1IjMMk0oEnPc-tUw226Yl6jzNqY1GfnX8W1bE3kTEOzCdlzrO5YFvetwXBYgCQ4Y/s1600-h/september.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179480210072305730" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-MWosFOTOlCH85thBndzarCKAzMW_fTx83FI02rx6NYOmyHbE2_rc4BtGRlDi4I0PhPyqgabXFfL1IjMMk0oEnPc-tUw226Yl6jzNqY1GfnX8W1bE3kTEOzCdlzrO5YFvetwXBYgCQ4Y/s200/september.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" /></a> <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179480841432498258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhv8ULPhttJ_sPqTHWY6LaOO4N60IAgztSmGi61S7hh-QJtoWJGMQnc5gqRnMNliS-ovnNdryHsEaFK0VPjSAR8edsplAwZqNwyZwg-bqF44JSzBJwSK7GFCgWQr_L_8yhv0Qv6YohTtIz/s200/october.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" /> <br /> <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179480850022432866" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQDpJHSNbG1IXi4ilbQOjsC5TTGXV4HIjYEdRh-kj-mUGg46mBcSdpzY7FP93GwrPQsoL-u8T5S6kQs0o11HRqp5q-IE69Rkvcsk4KCkhFyAhxx84gZtmXGQL1IQsEmjP9LedEbSE4QxEf/s200/november.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" /> <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179480854317400178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN-17CVoF4cMqnC4ndFZvzJjlpEIx5fxlpntR5TauGx5TivboVjlmHaaGHwCMwkkkx2N9xkX_m50XDbitJhHFnhAz73udh4b-2jbRZGn7gfDCZ-ChoB11xMnCxUAY7-TDNhypuaZYZN9BN/s200/december.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" /><br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: left;"> --</div> <br /></div>

Peter Cushing Was an Accomplished Painter

"you say he was painting" [RETI] Peter Cushing, who portrayed Sherlock Holmes on the big and small screens, was best known fo...

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by Scott Monty

"I Should Hope to Inspire" [VALL]

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioBPb0HabKqIiYYEAyAIVV0OZTRxeDOT-UUUdasa1rGvAHxV5wxiOAnBho2S5vQNIyRKZib0BqIw8tyjb05r8H7cd98hwWJZLcS7rIl3ybO965rDgdbqS1w0rg8-lHSABwTOQ5_85GETip/s1600-h/solsho_01.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5178573538181152674" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioBPb0HabKqIiYYEAyAIVV0OZTRxeDOT-UUUdasa1rGvAHxV5wxiOAnBho2S5vQNIyRKZib0BqIw8tyjb05r8H7cd98hwWJZLcS7rIl3ybO965rDgdbqS1w0rg8-lHSABwTOQ5_85GETip/s200/solsho_01.jpeg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>Fellow Irregular Peter Calamai ("The <span style="font-style: italic;">Leeds Mercury</span>") is a science journalist in Canada and always looks for a way to incorporate Sherlock Holmes into his work. You may recall that Peter's review of E.J. Wagner's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0470128232?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0470128232">The Science of Sherlock Holmes</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thebakerstree-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0470128232" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> was <a href="http://www.bakerstreetblog.com/2006/07/press-watson-is-most-valuable.html">mentioned in these pages</a> a while ago.<br /><br />In the current issue <a href="http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/" style="font-style: italic;">COSMOS Magazine</a>, Peter takes on the origins of forensic science in <a href="http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/node/1890">The Real Sherlock Holmes</a>. He describes how Holmes took many widely-used techniques which were common for other purposes - autopsies, footprint identification, chemical analysis, etc. - and he strung them together to create the beginnings of forensics as we know it today. One of the interview subjects mentioned that while certain techniques may have existed, it was Holmes who popularized them.<br /><br />While we all know about Prof. Joseph Bell as one of the influences behind Sherlock Holmes, Peter makes an interesting supposition as to some other academic role models that Doyle may have drawn upon as well. <a href="http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/node/1890">Take a look</a> at his article and see what you think.<br /><br />And if you're really interested in Sherlock Holmes and forensic science, you might take a look at some of these books:<br /><br /><center><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=thebakerstree-20&o=1&p=13&l=st1&mode=books&search=sherlock%20holmes%20forensic&fc1=000000&lt1=&lc1=3366FF&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" border="0" style="border: medium none ;" frameborder="0" height="60" scrolling="no" width="468"></iframe></center>

"I Should Hope to Inspire" [VALL]

Fellow Irregular Peter Calamai ("The Leeds Mercury ") is a science journalist in Canada and always looks for a way to incorporate ...

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by Scott Monty

Episode 18: The Sons of the Copper Beeches

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuMmK39_CIfzGInXsEBU1xcEJyqxk4kgPo5jppQYJh2OrVaDctLPFGLhU4DzLE2JXIsg-HcLsX23Fdfs5KMhy-3OyilYtKPK1mE1jvOPJCfmfgo2fhio1Ah5MllSTFFXvYYpyWZeNwuOqa/s1600-h/Copper_beech_logo.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5177806130604572562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuMmK39_CIfzGInXsEBU1xcEJyqxk4kgPo5jppQYJh2OrVaDctLPFGLhU4DzLE2JXIsg-HcLsX23Fdfs5KMhy-3OyilYtKPK1mE1jvOPJCfmfgo2fhio1Ah5MllSTFFXvYYpyWZeNwuOqa/s200/Copper_beech_logo.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;" /></a>A visit to a venerable scion society, the Sons of the Copper Beeches, in October 2007. Headmastiff Gideon Hill describes the group's history, assisted by Scott Bond, who then offers remarks about his 25 years as the Baker Street Journal's cartoonist. We close with an Editor's Gas Lamp from July, 1959 featuring Edgar Smith's thoughts "On the Forms of Address."<br /> <br /> <br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Show Notes:</span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">1:30</span> The Great Interruption<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">6:20</span> En route to the SOCB<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">7:40</span> Meeting Gideon Hill<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">9:00</span> Gideon's history of the SOCB<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">11:10</span> Encountering Peter Blau<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">12:35</span> Scott Bond recalls the SOCB in the 1970's<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">14:45</span> Making friends at scion society meetings<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">17:35</span> Introducing Scott Bond's remarks<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">18:50</span> The Lament of the Sherlockian Cartoonist<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">23:15</span> Carl Barks and Walt Disney<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">30:30</span> A cartoon a month<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">31:00</span> How it all comes together<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">35:30</span> Camouflage in Japan<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">41:15</span> Scott's production process<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">46:00</span> Editor's Gas Lamp from the <span style="font-style: italic;">Baker Street Journal</span> Volume 9, No. 3, July 1959: "On the Forms of Address"<br /> <br /> <b>Listen now</b>:<br /> <center> <iframe allowfullscreen="" height="90" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/1115014/height/90/theme/custom/autoplay/no/autonext/no/thumbnail/yes/preload/no/no_addthis/no/direction/backward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/d07507/" style="border: none;" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="100%"></iframe></center> <br /> <br /> <br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Links:</span><br /> <a href="http://sonsofthecopperbeeches.homestead.com/">The Sons of the Copper Beeches</a><br /> <a href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/">The Baker Street Journal</a><br /> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Morley">Christopher Morley</a> on Wikipedia<br /> <br /> <br /> <a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/ihearofsherlock/ihearofsherlock018.mp3" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7TL5jgdrUh_nM_zlDgxql-jKOFGUVFqhoV6A2JtYklXOu4qmVDyRVbwGV6XrwXZgnG9awSwJ7td-txL1_4KGrpSf4igJLILOim4yJmX5pGTPIdMhCBYLyImSI5gs1MOMUZPAlpAgvtPdb/s200/podcastIcon.gif" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 21px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 46px;" /></a>Download this episode by right-clicking the icon and selecting "Save As..." (File size: 48.7 MB, 51:06)<br /> <br /> --<br /> <br />

Episode 18: The Sons of the Copper Beeches

A visit to a venerable scion society, the Sons of the Copper Beeches, in October 2007. Headmastiff Gideon Hill describes the group's hi...

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by Scott Monty

The Adventure of the At-Home Worker

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <h4 style="text-align: center;"> "a hard worker" [BRUC]</h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4j5uEV7eTK-BU30KR9CnaqjZ7IDJUDId8pnP7U2G2FFZXtF8KUtD6aFONvWq4Ay28a59dc2LbgU4SFYsjeU8ydXnCve3muSF4mJuCpiMljx-QtguOQKP1OOMWlu1WidPiUVcCMDIDZqiS/s1600/At+Home+Worker.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4j5uEV7eTK-BU30KR9CnaqjZ7IDJUDId8pnP7U2G2FFZXtF8KUtD6aFONvWq4Ay28a59dc2LbgU4SFYsjeU8ydXnCve3muSF4mJuCpiMljx-QtguOQKP1OOMWlu1WidPiUVcCMDIDZqiS/s640/At+Home+Worker.PNG" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> It's been a while, my faithful readers. But seeing that today is 2/21 (221, get it?), I thought I owed you a post. This not-so-great hiatus of the last month was precipitated by an inordinate amount of work; when I say I was working 20-hour days for the last 4 weeks, it's no exaggeration.<br /> <br /> As you may know, there's a lot of hard work that goes into this blog and into my <a href="http://ihearofsherlock.com/">podcast</a>. And working for a startup keeps me extraordinarily busy as well. Add to that my family life, and...well, you get the idea. Anyway, I thought that now it might be appropriate to share a little bit of my daily life with you here.<br /> <br /> A fellow new media expert, <a href="http://lenedgerlydotcom.blogspot.com/">Len Edgerly</a>, came to my house in the fall to interview me for his video podcast <a href="http://lenchronicles.blogspot.com/">Video Pod Chronicles</a>. He interviewed me and my family about the benefits and challenges of working at home and gave plenty of airtime to Sherlock Holmes, even going so far as to title this episode <a href="http://lenchronicles.blogspot.com/2007/11/36-scott-monty-adventure-of-at-home.html">The Adventure of the At-Home Worker</a> and scoring the video with one of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000034CYW?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B000034CYW">Mendelssohn's <span style="font-style: italic;">Lieder</span> (aka Songs Without Words)</a>.<br /> <br /> You can view Len's fine work by clicking on the embedded <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsWo5_8JNTQ" target="_blank">video</a> below.<br /> <br /> <center> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jsWo5_8JNTQ?rel=0" width="640"></iframe></center> <br /> <br /> If you liked the music you heard, you might check out Murray Perahia's album that contains works from J.S. Bach, Mendelssohn and Liszt. I highly recommend it for some quiet, relaxing times.<br /> <br /> <br /> <center> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=thebakerstree-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B000034CYW&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr&nou=1" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></center> <center> </center> <div align="left"> And I hope to get back on my regular schedule with you shortly.<br /> <br /> --<br /> <br /></div> <div align="left"> </div> </div>

The Adventure of the At-Home Worker

"a hard worker" [BRUC] It's been a while, my faithful readers. But seeing that today is 2/21 (221, get it?), I thought I...

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by Scott Monty

"All the Footprints of the World" [HOUN]

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUltv3_SFqJ_R_2KGOpCFXIcTmPSBZVAa8-c-2mQtrkyGa6uZusjUOOohWy00avjaKW1ttwrpETMN4VVH1p9stMYi7uoCq7moUJq2nHKp1Wi024tTNlXgVTOFMB-x9DgDj_f-5QCS_hDpE/s1600-h/Sicar6.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5154765138305767586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUltv3_SFqJ_R_2KGOpCFXIcTmPSBZVAa8-c-2mQtrkyGa6uZusjUOOohWy00avjaKW1ttwrpETMN4VVH1p9stMYi7uoCq7moUJq2nHKp1Wi024tTNlXgVTOFMB-x9DgDj_f-5QCS_hDpE/s640/Sicar6.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;" width="640" /></a><br /> <blockquote> </blockquote> <blockquote> "There is no branch of detective science that is so important and so much neglected as the art of tracing footsteps," Holmes remarked in <i>A Study in Scarlet</i></blockquote> <br /> In this case, the the art is being taken to a science and the world's police - forces in 128 countries, to be exact - are <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/in-sherlocks-footprints/2008/01/12/1199988648056.html">teaming up to develop a comprehensive database of footprints</a>.<a href="http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/in-sherlocks-footprints/2008/01/12/1199988648056.html"><br /></a><br /> <a href="http://www.fosterfreeman.com/index.html">Foster + Freeman</a>, a forensic science company has developed a proprietary software called <a href="http://www.fosterfreeman.com/products/shoeprints/sicar/sicar.html">SICAR </a>that essentially is a version of Sherlock Holmes's brain on steroids. The software studies the patterns, treads and shapes on shoe soles and adds them to the database of over 15,000 prints. When an image is searched, the process of scanning the database for a match takes only 1-2 minutes.<br /> <br /> It's still amazing to think that Holmes to retain so much of this in his own brain without the aid of a computer - 140 varieties of cigar ash, 42 different impressions of bicycle tires, etc. While 15,000 prints would be impossible for any human to remember, it's encouraging to know that Holmes was the original crime computer and the inspiration for much more today.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/in-sherlocks-footprints/2008/01/12/1199988648056.html"><br /></a>

"All the Footprints of the World" [HOUN]

"There is no branch of detective science that is so important and so much neglected as the art of tracing footsteps," Holmes r...

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by Scott Monty

"To Whom Also You Will Give a Shilling" [HOUN]

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3_0_1Atw7BP0vVAWXiABpLMTsiL0xV-jz-K-YF2aJTvCEN8AnBgXBdpnk3LdFJooeXOSDQGo5Ji_GyBjPK517R0tt0dpycPFGHez4jH0m7ZfSlHlOCWxSvwxiI-R8eYCuURGkBN79nnUc/s1600-h/BSI+Rosette.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264144173950728322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3_0_1Atw7BP0vVAWXiABpLMTsiL0xV-jz-K-YF2aJTvCEN8AnBgXBdpnk3LdFJooeXOSDQGo5Ji_GyBjPK517R0tt0dpycPFGHez4jH0m7ZfSlHlOCWxSvwxiI-R8eYCuURGkBN79nnUc/s200/BSI+Rosette.png" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 93px; height: 92px;" /></a>As you may have seen in the <a href="http://twitter.com/S_Holmes">Twitter stream</a> (the section on the right titled <span style="font-weight: bold;">"Holmes Was a Very Busy Man"</span>), the coveted Baker Street Irregulars investitures were awarded tonight at the BSI Dinner. Mike Whelan <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/search?q=whelan">states that it's his favorite part of the dinner</a> - and I can certainly believe him. Much joy was given, much joy was received.<br /><br />While the dinner is about much more than the investitures, it's clearly the thing on everyone's mind at the dinner. Having been someone who attended a number of dinners before I was called up to the podium, I can honestly say that the old Oscars cliche "it's an honor just to be nominated" does in fact ring true. I hope that this year's attendees feel the same.<br /><br />In the order they were announced, here are the latest Baker Street Irregulars:<br /><ul><li>Betsy Rosenblatt, "Lucy Ferrier"<br /></li><li>Dana Richards, "The Priory School"<br /></li><li>David Morrill, "Count von Kramm"<br /></li><li>Barbara Roisman Cooper, "Mary Maberley"<br /></li><li>Randall Stock, "South African Securities"</li><li>John Genova, "Harry Pinner"<br /></li><li>Guy Marriott, "The Hotel du Louvre"<br /></li></ul>And this year, Mike gave the coveted Two-Shilling Award to a Baker Street Irregular who has gone above and beyond the call of duty in service to the BSI. The Two-Shilling Award went to:<br /><ul><li>Sherry Rose Bond<br /></li></ul><br />I'm particularly pleased because the new class skewed significantly younger. I can point to John, Randall and Betsy as 30-somethings who are now part of this august organization - a sign that we're beginning to set the stage for the next generation, but we've still got a ways to go. Congratulations to one and all!<br /><br />Fair warning to the new BSIs: I'll be hunting you down to ensure you subscribe to <a href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/" style="font-weight: bold;">The Baker Street Journal</a>. And to my dear readers: you <a href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/itemsforsale/subscriptions.html">subscribe</a> to the BSJ, don't you?

"To Whom Also You Will Give a Shilling" [HOUN]

As you may have seen in the Twitter stream (the section on the right titled "Holmes Was a Very Busy Man" ), the coveted Baker Str...

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by Scott Monty

"The Print of a Recent Horror" [SILV]

<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYaFoBFV0zynf9e3x1x06cAw2lAEdR5gPJr5Awac6ADwQ23Qq5W7Bi13Bfwy4rmZjmwJSVIw2P8W4FtyIEcoBBrAgvM3LdUCeOg9BrV7O54eXAmVRf3Iv4sSmogCa7SKUYS7Yyn5_cAdz1/s1600-h/Frayling.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5154203588511684738" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYaFoBFV0zynf9e3x1x06cAw2lAEdR5gPJr5Awac6ADwQ23Qq5W7Bi13Bfwy4rmZjmwJSVIw2P8W4FtyIEcoBBrAgvM3LdUCeOg9BrV7O54eXAmVRf3Iv4sSmogCa7SKUYS7Yyn5_cAdz1/s200/Frayling.JPG" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" /></a> The Baker Street Irregulars' Distinguished Speaker Lecture took place as planned at the Williams Club on Thursday evening, January 10. The speaker was Sir Christopher Frayling, author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0563371986?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0563371986">Nightmare: The Birth of Horror</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thebakerstree-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0563371986" style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; MARGIN: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none" width="1" />.<br /><br /><br /><div>We were treated to a very interesting talk lasting about 45 minutes, the subject of which was <em>The Hound of the Baskervilles</em>. Sir Christopher noted that of the 220+ (221?) films that have been made about Sherlock Holmes, The Hound is the single most popular story, having been made and remade 18 times. And I think everyone assembled agreed that it has not yet been filmed satisfactorily.</div><br /><div>But the point of Sir Christopher's talk was to investigate the timing around Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's authorship of the book. The generally accepted timing has given way to the ridiculous supposition that <a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1784205,00.html">Doyle murdered Fletcher Robinson</a>, who gave Doyle some background information that helped with the creation of the story.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBvcZn34FgLTTuqSIgew5pnk0YklHLkX4JIMizyH8ftripSKbbMJgdWcgqGK0Fb-NnCyZWskpn42Bb1oN6QUSBOToVx5GDVkizh9akqUUp-I0maD2qQjDIEh2ZbpK8_crJ1QyR8sHaigFf/s1600-h/Diary.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5154205851959449746" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBvcZn34FgLTTuqSIgew5pnk0YklHLkX4JIMizyH8ftripSKbbMJgdWcgqGK0Fb-NnCyZWskpn42Bb1oN6QUSBOToVx5GDVkizh9akqUUp-I0maD2qQjDIEh2ZbpK8_crJ1QyR8sHaigFf/s200/Diary.jpg" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /></div><div>In his lecture, Sir Christopher built an airtight case against this while doing some detective work of his own. The key element that helped Frayling in his efforts is an item that he picked up at the Christies' auction of Doyle memorabilia: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's self-registering diary for 1901. He said that since it was so small, it went unnoticed by other collectors, who were there for more significant items. He managed to get it for a relative bargain. I won't give away the full story here, as it's best told in context - and it's likely to appear in a future issue of <a href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/">The Baker Street Journal</a> (now would be a good time to subscribe, if you don't yet). </div><br /><div></div><div></div><div>We were very lucky to have been treated to a talk by this consummate researcher and scholar. He certainly has a great depth of knowledge about Victorian horror and gothic elements - but he's also a font of knowledge on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?ie=UTF8&keywords=spaghetti%20western&tag=thebakerstree-20&index=dvd&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325">spaghetti westerns</a>, if you can believe it.<br /></div><br /><br /><center><iframe style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none" border="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=thebakerstree-20&o=1&p=13&l=st1&mode=books&search=Christopher%20Frayling&fc1=000000&lt1=&lc1=3366FF&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" frameborder="0" width="468" scrolling="no" height="60"></iframe></center></div>

"The Print of a Recent Horror" [SILV]

The Baker Street Irregulars' Distinguished Speaker Lecture took place as planned at the Williams Club on Thursday evening, January 10. ...

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by Scott Monty

"Our Little Drama" [SIGN]

<a href="http://twitter.com/S_Holmes" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153181841561770098" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBd7bwLe6W9hCqvJctVQ6imc2ntQYrassAK89ncsGhTlFzFJiu3I4MkGKm_XXNgMeZz3EzvCiqmo0WGEZX17kptTRXJRDVX-CwjAnbOF2W0vN_nulY7UeWppjmKyi3Twj7yPYt7EIXCb-R/s200/twitter.png" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>I'll be in New York for the BSI Weekend, participating in many of the activities. As a service to the community, I'll be providing live updates for those who can't be there - I'll be using <a href="http://twitter.com/">Twitter</a>, a microblogging service that is free to join. But you don't have to join to follow along.<br /><br />I'll be posting on <a href="http://twitter.com/S_Holmes">http://twitter.com/S_Holmes</a>, where you can follow along - but I'll also have those updates streaming in little boxes at the top of <a href="http://www.bakerstreetblog.com/">The Baker Street Blog</a> and <a href="http://www.bsiweekend.com/">The BSI Weekend</a> sites, so you can follow the action there as well. You see that section over to the right labeled <span style="font-weight: bold;">"Holmes Was a Very Busy Man"</span>? That's the section where you can see the Twitter updates.<br /><br />But if you so elect, you can also get updates on your desktop via <a href="http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/email_chat/twitterrific.html">Twitterific</a> or <a href="http://rareedge.com/twitteroo/">Twitteroo</a>, or through your browser by using <a href="http://www.naan.net/trac/wiki/TwitterFox">Twitterfox</a> <a href="http://rareedge.com/twitteroo/"></a>or <a href="http://www.twitbin.com/">Twitbin</a>; or you can get the updates sent directly to you on your mobile phone or through IM.<br /><br />I'll try to mention people I meet, things that are said, food that is eaten, and sites that I see. But for the ultimate updates, follow me around <span style="font-weight: bold;">10 p.m. EST on Friday, January 11</span> for real-time updates of those who will be receiving their Investitures into the Baker Street Irregulars.<br /><br />In addition to "live-tweeting" the events, I'll also put up longer posts here on the blog, so you can learn a little more. I invite any of my readers who are attending the following events - <span style="font-weight: bold;">the Gaslight Gala, ASH Wednesday, the Clients of Adrian Mulliner, and Lost in New York with a Bunch of Sherlockians</span> - to please be in touch with me about writing a guest post about your experience with these events. Please email me or leave a comment below.

"Our Little Drama" [SIGN]

I'll be in New York for the BSI Weekend, participating in many of the activities. As a service to the community, I'll be providing l...

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by Scott Monty

"Age Doth Not Wither Nor Custom Stale My Infinite Variety" [EMPT]

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBwHL7hHb0bef7tEtqPVaQK5N87rZkG7xhs7GeIL8arAn5FCcru6-Fnkp-WOSIPMr9JiGvkcmkWs7_EFSbH9RwIzjRcXVVWXUZw-JF8Ria12IkLtD0bxmZeEpC_DC8fyj-vNZTu6LHWxxL/s1600-h/birthday_cake.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5152426056166692930" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBwHL7hHb0bef7tEtqPVaQK5N87rZkG7xhs7GeIL8arAn5FCcru6-Fnkp-WOSIPMr9JiGvkcmkWs7_EFSbH9RwIzjRcXVVWXUZw-JF8Ria12IkLtD0bxmZeEpC_DC8fyj-vNZTu6LHWxxL/s200/birthday_cake.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>It's January 6th - which can mean only one thing in our world: it's the birthday of Sherlock Holmes. By all accounts, he's 154 today - and still as sprightly as ever.<br /><br />First popularized by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Morley">Christopher Morley</a>, the date of January 6th has become the <span style="font-style: italic;">de facto</span> accepted date for Holmes' birthday. Why? Well, there are a couple of reasons.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1. Canonical evidence</span><br />Of all of the quotes in the Canon, I William Shakespeare was the most often quoted author. And there is only one Shakespearean play that Holmes quotes twice - <span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0743482778?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0743482778">Twelfth Night</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thebakerstree-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0743482778" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></span>. In <span style="font-style: italic;">The Sign of the Four</span>, Holmes concludes, "All is well that ends well." This is from from Act IV, Scene 4. And in 'The Empty House,' Holmes states "'Journeys end in lovers meetings,' as the old play says," from Act II, Scene 3.<br /><br />The reason the date was chosen is that in Christianity, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/January_6">January 6th</a> is the Feast of the Epiphany, or officially the twelfth day of Christmas. I suppose if we were being truly technical about it, the twelfth night of Christmas would fall on January 5th...<br /><br />Of course the quote I chose for today's post is another Shakespearean quote, but Holmes paraphrased it for his own purposes. It's from <span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0743482859?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0743482859">Antony and Cleopatra</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thebakerstree-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0743482859" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></span> and properly written, it should be:<br /> "Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale / Her infinite variety."<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2. Personality</span><br />The second basis for Holmes' birthday being accepted as January 6 is that his personality fits into the sign of <a href="http://www.astrology-online.com/capricrn.htm">Capricorn</a> on the Zodiac. Here's an excerpt from <a href="http://www.diogenes-club.com/zodiac.htm">"The Sign of Sherlock Holmes"</a> by Tessa Roberts:<br /><blockquote>Capricorn is ruled by Saturn the plant of discipline, structure, and isolation. We all know about Sherlock’s discipline and the practical structure he forms as he works on a problem.</blockquote>If you'd like a further explanation of all of the details, please click on the link to the paper above.<br /><br />I hope you'll take a moment and wish him happy birthday in your own way. If you'd like to join in the festivities here, please feel free to leave a birthday comment below.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Photo credit: <a href="http://www.sherlock-holmes.com/SBIOS_Oct_2006.htm">Classic Specialties</a></span><a href="http://www.sherlock-holmes.com/SBIOS_Oct_2006.htm"><br /></a>

"Age Doth Not Wither Nor Custom Stale My Infinite Variety" [EMPT]

It's January 6th - which can mean only one thing in our world: it's the birthday of Sherlock Holmes. By all accounts, he's 154 t...

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by Scott Monty

Episode 17: Collectors' Corner - Otto Penzler

<br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglZED7GhmK5hpFJObuQbtwg0fqI5Tnp0nEyhEYCFFPV7deF_-ou7HoXS3jtmu1l6orfCtMDLdL7RgNm9JjtYRMikLOuNw0coggAq4A09kkTbV52cUVsQSjh1LJCt7BHVemkl5EafFCZCXK/s1600/Otto+Penzler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Mysterious Bookshop proprietor Otto Penzler and his wife Lisa Atkinson" border="0" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglZED7GhmK5hpFJObuQbtwg0fqI5Tnp0nEyhEYCFFPV7deF_-ou7HoXS3jtmu1l6orfCtMDLdL7RgNm9JjtYRMikLOuNw0coggAq4A09kkTbV52cUVsQSjh1LJCt7BHVemkl5EafFCZCXK/s1600/Otto+Penzler.jpg" title="Otto Penzler" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> <iframe allowfullscreen="" height="45" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="http://html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/1115004/height/45/width/450/theme/standard/direction/no/autoplay/yes/autonext/no/thumbnail/yes/preload/no/no_addthis/no/" style="border: none;" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="450"></iframe><br /></div> <br /> Here we pick up where we left off <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2007/12/episode-16-collectors-corner-jerry.html">last time with Jerry Margolin</a>. You'll recall that previously, we interviewed Jerry Margolin about giving up part of his collection; in this episode, we speak with the man who bought that collection. Otto Penzler, BSI ("The King of Bohemia") is a specialty dealer, the proprietor of <a href="http://www.mysteriousbookshop.com/">The Mysterious Bookshop</a>, and a long-time expert of Sherlock Holmes and mystery fiction.<br /> <br /> Tune in as Otto tells us a bit about what it's like to have the opportunity to purchase an excellent collection, how he goes about deciding upon a purchase, and his own interests. He also gives some valuable advice to aspiring collectors.<br /> <br /> Please leave a comment at (774) 221-READ (7323), comment [AT] ihearofsherlock [DOT] com, or within the comment section of each entry.. We also encourage you to join the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/ihearofsherlock">I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere Facebook page</a>, or leave a review for us on iTunes.<br /> <br /> <b>Show Notes</b>:<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">1:17</span> Introduction & housekeeping<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">4:54</span> Scott & Burt welcome Otto Penzler<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">6:15</span> Otto and the emotional collectors; how many books does Otto have in his own collection?<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">8:18</span> Jerry Margolin tells us why he chose Otto to sell his collection to<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">10:25</span> Otto's visit to and impressions of Jerry's collection - what made his job easy<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">12:50</span> Otto explains how to assess a book collection<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">14:45</span> What if Jerry decided to sell his art collection?<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">18:02</span> How the collectible mystery book market has changed over the last 30 years<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">19:35</span> The smart investor invests in... (a top 3 list) and a reason <span style="font-style: italic;">not </span>to buy books<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">21:16</span> What excites Otto as far as collecting<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">22:50</span> Where to find Jerry's collection (and Otto) - visit early and often!<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">24:38</span> Otto's publishing background<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">25:47</span> Defending Otto's literary starring role in Elmore Leonard novels<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">27:43</span> He writes, too! - sports, crime and more<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">30:30</span> A bit of background with the Baker Street Irregulars from the King of Bohemia<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">35:55</span> Otto recommends where mystery readers should start<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">38:08</span> Commonalities of collectors<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">40:05</span> How to find Otto online and things do to once you're there<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">42:36</span> Otto picks some winners<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">43:53</span> Final insights on reading and collecting from a mystery expert<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">46:05</span> Interview wrap-up, the wonder of this common interest in Sherlock Holmes, memories of Sherlock on film<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">53:41</span> The Editor's Gas Lamp from <span style="font-style: italic;">The Baker Street Journal</span>, Vol. 2 No. 3 (Old Series), 1947: "The Fortunate Ones"<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">58:52</span> Memories of first discoveries of the stories<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">1:01:38</span> Listener comment<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">1:04:33</span> How you can help in the coming year<br /> <br /> <br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Links:</span><br /> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/27/nyregion/27writerct.html?_r=0"><i>New York Times</i> feature on Otto</a></li> <li><a href="http://mysteriousbookshop.com/">The Mysterious Bookshop</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.bsiweekend.com/">The Baker Street Irregulars Weekend</a></li> <li>Otto's appearance in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060724242?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=0060724242">Elmore Leonard's <span style="font-style: italic;">Up In Honey's Room</span></a></li> <li><a href="http://www.nysun.com/authors/Otto+Penzler">Otto's Column in the New York Sun - "The Crime Scene"</a></li> <li style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0156287870?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=0156287870">The Encyclopedia of Mystery & Detection</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.mysteriousbookshop.com/?page=shop/disp&pid=page_clubs&CLSN_2723=11994261972723da3ac85d07cb1dceb1">The Mysterious Bookshop Clubs</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.preservehollywood.org/DungeonWebNew/Home.html">Cortlandt Hull</a></li> <li><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Henry Hull</span></li> <li><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Bergen">Edgar Bergen</a></span></li> </ul> <a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/ihearofsherlock/ihearofsherlock017.mp3" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7TL5jgdrUh_nM_zlDgxql-jKOFGUVFqhoV6A2JtYklXOu4qmVDyRVbwGV6XrwXZgnG9awSwJ7td-txL1_4KGrpSf4igJLILOim4yJmX5pGTPIdMhCBYLyImSI5gs1MOMUZPAlpAgvtPdb/s200/podcastIcon.gif" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 21px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 46px;" /></a>Download this episode by right-clicking the icon and selecting "Save As..." (File size: 63.7 MB, 1:06:19)<br /> <br /> <iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/134346354&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe><br /> <br /> --<br /> <br /> <script type="text/javascript"> amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "thebakerstree-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "86cea6f2331fb2e8e682691676548d11"; amzn_assoc_asins = "0345802985,1883402077,1883402913,1101870893"; amzn_assoc_search_bar = "false"; amzn_assoc_title = ""; </script><br /> <script src="//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US"></script><br /> <br />

Episode 17: Collectors' Corner - Otto Penzler

Here we pick up where we left off last time with Jerry Margolin . You'll recall that previously, we interviewed Jerry Margolin ab...

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by Scott Monty

"The Next Few Minutes Were Delicious" [SOLI]

<a href="http://del.icio.us/scuttlebuttfromthespermacetipress" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151444617484851234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhymsBijksMEwlRcLGfOqylJjnEZ-rjjrCkFvG9fzTCj1Qz-4FG4nxP8Mwcp1Bf18nYGlUfeqI-BSTmDM4iCFBYfM2KlZ5jmbyX1GHzrL5i-1TYeLeS8Dfi0CNoWkams2roO6rvXuv5hpAu/s200/del.icio.us.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>One of the <a href="http://www.bakerstreetblog.com/search/label/scuttlebutt">features</a> that I've tried to keep up with here - but there never seems to be enough time - is sharing all of the HTML links from Peter Blau's monthly <a href="http://members.cox.net/sherlock1/scuttle.htm">Scuttlebutt from the Spermaceti Press</a>. As you may know, his is the definitive Sherlockian newsletter; you can receive it either electronically or through the mail.<br /><br />The irony is that even though Peter continues to churn out the newsletter in ASCII, thanks to WordPerfect, he's including HTML links. And each successive issue has more links, it seems. So much so that became cumbersome for me to look at each, format the entries and write a post.<br /><br />Well, I've decided to dip into my social media toolbox and use one of the more useful sites out there - it's a bookmarking site called <a href="http://del.icio.us/">del.icio.us</a>. You know the bookmark folder you have up there in your browser? It's like that, except it's online, so you can access it no matter where you are. Some features worth noting:<br /><ul><li>You can make the bookmarks private, so only you can see them</li><li>You can make them public, so you can share them with other people</li><li>There's space to write a description, as a handy reminder as to why you thought the site was worth bookmarking in the first place</li><li>And it's all driven by what's called "tags," or unique identifiers that help figure out what each site is (for example, this site might be tagged blog, Sherlock Holmes, Scott Monty)</li></ul>So, I've established a del.icio.us page for Scuttlebutt for the Spermaceti Press, which will allow you to find all of the links in one place: <a href="http://del.icio.us/scuttlebuttfromthespermacetipress">http://del.icio.us/scuttlebuttfromthespermacetipress</a>. You'll be able to search the links by category as well as by time, as I'm bundling them by month.<br /><br />Another great feature: if you open your own del.icio.us account (for free - all you need is an email address), you can suggest links directly to the Scuttlebutt del.icio.us account. All you have to do is tag your entry "for:scuttlebuttfromthespermacetipress" and it will show up in the inbox of Scuttlebutt's del.icio.us account. For more information and background, go to <a href="http://del.icio.us/help/">http://del.icio.us/help/</a>.<br /><br />If you're totally confused, I implore you watch this 3 1/2 minute video, entitled <a href="http://commoncraft.com/bookmarking-plain-english">Social Bookmarking in Plain English</a>:<br /><center><object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/x66lV7GOcNU&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/x66lV7GOcNU&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object></center><br /><br />And now, after the long wait, <a href="http://del.icio.us/scuttlebuttfromthespermacetipress/december2007" style="font-weight: bold;">here are the Scuttlebutt links for December 2007</a>.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">What do you think of this new arrangement? Does it sound like a resource you'll use? Would you think about creating an account for yourself? Let me know.<br /><br /></span>

"The Next Few Minutes Were Delicious" [SOLI]

One of the features that I've tried to keep up with here - but there never seems to be enough time - is sharing all of the HTML links f...

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by Scott Monty

"The Ladies Who Entered" [COPP]

<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1593304811?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=1593304811" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151369309528283154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiACFvaWhGFKglq3VOZcRldZV7PcTwGg2w6ER4bgJzMTrcqrGvV8-nL7O5ml7xwIEyMDvaIkwW6dg5DzsgU09ZhtbTzgvXgI3zu7e9QKTqrKdstIXSP9aj-hK0hnSsO4utbZ5D3J6acuorw/s200/Ladies.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;" /></a>I was recently given a copy of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1593304811?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1593304811">Ladies, Ladies: The Women in the Life of Sherlock Holmes</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thebakerstree-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1593304811" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> which was edited by Patricia Guy, ASH and Katherine Karlson, ASH, BSI ("The <span style="font-style: italic;">Evening Standard</span>"). I'd like to share my impressions of the book with you here, as I think it's something worthy of note.<br /> <br /> Far more than simply a rehashing of all of the women who made an appearance in the Canon - and there were some remarkable ones, from worthy foes such as Irene Adler and Isadora Klein, to the victimized Lady Brackenstall and Sophy Kratides, to strong independent women like Helen Stoner and Violets Smith, DeMerville and Hunter - it takes a look at society in Sherlockian times (1881 - 1914).<br /> <br /> What we end up with is a number of excellent Sherlockian essays dotted with complementary factoids or entr'actes. You'll find a variety of authentic Victorian music hall songs ("The Ghost of Sherlock Holmes," "Daisy Bell," "When I Take my Morning Promenade") as well as some original songs such as "Out There in the Fair Countryside" by the BSI's own T. Michelle Fromkin ("The Missing Three-Quarter").<br /> <br /> In addition to entertaining us, the interspersed pieces also inform, with well-researched background articles on period information, such as "Italians in the United States," "Sportswear," "From Corsets to Cherry Toothpaste," "Ladies Drinks," "Historic Perfumes" and "Fish and Chips: Working Class Health Food."<br /> <br /> You'll find essays by such prominent Sherlockians (all <a href="http://www.ash-nyc.com/">Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes</a>): as Joanne Zahorsky-Reeves, Katherine Karlson, Patricia Guy, Evelyn Herzog, BSI ("The Daintiest Thing Under a Bonnet"), Marilyn MacGregor, BSI ("V.V. 341") M.E. Rich ("Lady Frances Carfax"), and Catherine Cooke, BSI ("The Book of Life"). In addition to the distaff side of Baker Street, we also come across contributors such as Philip Shreffler, BSI ("Jefferson Hope") and Enrico Solito, BSI ("Gennaro Lucca"). There are many more - this is not a comprehensive list of contributors.<br /> <br /> I highly recommend this book. It's simply a delight to read and full of wonderfully interesting information. What are you waiting for? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1593304811?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=1593304811">Go get it</a>!<br /> <br /> <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Note</span>: for the sake of clarity and consistency, I only note BSI investitures on this blog. I try to identify BSI & ASH members where appropriate. <a href="http://www.sherlocktron.com/invest.pdf">Please click here for a full listing of all BSI investitures and ASH members, as well as the Two-Shilling Award and *The* Woman</a>.</span>

"The Ladies Who Entered" [COPP]

I was recently given a copy of Ladies, Ladies: The Women in the Life of Sherlock Holmes which was edited by Patricia Guy, ASH and Katherine...

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by Scott Monty

"I Dare Call Nothing Trivial When I Reflect" [STUD]

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_seFUF5kqcWsjnbc_lwlBIiBnfenvFuRpyXTKKCivqgteSi5GK1F9WxVz0q1HMPEdWmECygmrErsQcMBz-bXVgdmFduYd0LycJIq_wwv4vfBAlQu9o3PXWskLwPYZMQH-kew1DTWrWRL6/s1600-h/Janus.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5150702795028453378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_seFUF5kqcWsjnbc_lwlBIiBnfenvFuRpyXTKKCivqgteSi5GK1F9WxVz0q1HMPEdWmECygmrErsQcMBz-bXVgdmFduYd0LycJIq_wwv4vfBAlQu9o3PXWskLwPYZMQH-kew1DTWrWRL6/s200/Janus.JPG" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>It's natural that at this time of the year, we begin to reflect upon what has happened in our lives during the previous year and take note of improvements or changes we'd like to see in the next. In fact, the month January was named after the Roman god <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus_%28mythology%29">Janus</a>, which was always depicted has having two faces - one looking forward and one looking back.<br /><br />A <a href="http://www.bakerstreetblog.com/2007/12/see-how-it-glints-and-sparkles-blue.html#c6588678498829593808">recent comment</a> by Mickey was quite humbling, and I wanted to express my gratitude to you, dear reader, for spending time on this blog. I know there are a number of other websites, discussion groups, books, periodicals, and - let's face it - actual face-to-face opportunities to engage in Sherlockian discourse. The fact that you drop by here and let me know how it affects your life is profoundly encouraging and uplifting to me (and yes, that's a not-so-subtle request to keep the comments coming).<br /><br />But on the cusp of the New Year, I thought I'd share with you why I think this site is unique, what I plan to do with it (in part) in 2008, and what you can do to keep it up and running.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What makes this blog so special</span><br />Part of what I try to impart here is my own personality - sometimes it works, other times it doesn't. But at the end of the day, I try to write in a conversational style that actually makes you feel at home, or as if you've just dropped in for a drink and we're throwing ideas around.<br /><br />And while I try to bring you as much of the mainstream Sherlockian news as possible, I also make it my mission to seek out the odd and the well-hidden gems that make life so much more interesting. One of the hallmarks of Sherlockians is that we're always able to find a parallel between something that happened in the Canon and either a personal interest or an item in the current news. I hope I'm succeeding there.<br /><br />But more than just cutting & pasting headlines or parroting information you may be getting from other circles, I put some commentary and perspective around each news item, in order to make it relevant or stand out in some way. I hope that doing so provides you with some added value. You may not always agree with my opinion - which is completely acceptable - the comment link is just a click away. I welcome debate as well as praise; that's part of what makes a blog so interesting, in my opinion.<br /><br />In addition, I'm discovering new and energetic Sherlockians whom I've never met and sharing their works with you. Some examples from 2007 are the <a href="http://www.bakerstreetblog.com/2007/04/it-was-remarkably-animated-scan.html">Russian animation</a> that I found on YouTube, the recent <a href="http://www.bakerstreetblog.com/2007/12/see-how-it-glints-and-sparkles-blue.html">stick figure retelling</a> of 'The Blue Carbuncle,' and <a href="http://www.bakerstreetblog.com/search/label/music">the music video series</a> I ran throughout the summer. These were all examples of individuals whom I stumbled upon. Throughout 2008, I'm going to try to discover some additional sources of great content (and dipping back into the well for more from the same).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What else you can do</span><br />As you may know, I produce and co-host a podcast (don't be frightened - that's just a fancy way of saying <span style="font-style: italic;">radio on the Internet</span>) called <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/">I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere</a>. If you haven't had a chance to check it out, please visit the site. It's basically a Sherlockian talk show. I <span style="font-weight: bold;">guarantee</span> you it's worth your while. If you don't agree, I'll refund your money. But I will say that it wouldn't be possible without the able participation of my co-host, Burt Wolder. It's definitely a two-man show.<br /><br />And if you like what you hear there or what you read here, please consider doing two things:<br /><ol><li><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/BakerStreetBlog">Subscribe for free</a> - that was the blog; you can also <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/BakerStreetBlog"></a><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/IHearOfSherlock">subscribe to the podcast for free</a><br /></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Recommend them to your friends, family, and Sherlockian colleagues</span> - or even to the uninitiated, if you want to help them understand what this crazy pastime is all about. If you can tell <span style="font-weight: bold;">at least 3 people</span> in your life about my blog & podcast, that will help them grow. And if you'd like to do it here online, just use that neat little <a href="http://s7.addthis.com/button1-bm.gif" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://s7.addthis.com/button1-bm.gif" style="cursor: pointer; width: 116px; height: 15px;" /></a> button you see at the bottom of each post.<br /></li></ol>You can join the <a href="http://sherlockholmes.ning.com/">Sherlock Holmes Social Network</a> - this is a group that I established to help people stay in touch with each other, share interests, bring up discussion topics, upload and share photos, videos or music, and special interest groups. Think of it as an offline version of what you experience when you're at a social event. Again, this is free and you can choose to disclose whatever level of information about yourself that you're comfortable sharing.<br /><br />Finally, if there's anything that you'd like to see or anything you think I shouldn't be doing, please let me know. While I can't promise you that I'll do exactly what you recommend, I will read what you write and provide you with a response. The only way I know what you think is for you to tell me.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Thank you</span><br />I write this blog as a labor of love (isn't that why we all pursue this crazy hobby of Sherlock Holmes?) and I sincerely hope that you find it even the slightest bit valuable. I encourage you to use the links in the sidebar when you make any online purchases - whether it's the search box on the side or the aStore that both link to Amazon, or the clothing and technology deals at the bottom of the sidebar - your patronage helps to support this blog. And if you find it within your heart to donate something, there's a ChipIn link (filed under the heading "Your Own Gift" in the sidebar) as well. Any amount would be appreciated.<br /><br />Thank you again, for welcoming me into your life on a daily, weekly, or ad hoc basis. I'm honored that you think enough of my writing to want to spend time with me. I hope that if we have the chance to meet in person, you'll feel the same way. And if our paths don't cross in person at an event this year, please feel free to <a href="mailto:bakerstreetblog@gmail.com">drop me a line</a>.<br /><br />Until then, "the game's afoot!"

"I Dare Call Nothing Trivial When I Reflect" [STUD]

It's natural that at this time of the year, we begin to reflect upon what has happened in our lives during the previous year and take no...

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by Scott Monty

"See How It Glints and Sparkles" [BLUE]

This was too good to pass up. Over at the discussion forum <a href="http://www.holmesian.net/forums/index.php?">Holmesian.net</a>, I came across some wonderful stick artwork by a member named whorl. When I saw the following posted there, I asked permission to repost it here.<br /><br />So, in honor of the anniversary of "The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle," I give you animated piece "The Adventure of the Bloo Sparkly" (if you're reading this in a feedreader and can't see the image, please click through to the blog).<br /><br /><center><a href="http://s270.photobucket.com/albums/jj88/scottmonty/?action=view&current=stick_BLUE-1.gif" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj88/scottmonty/th_stick_BLUE-1.gif"></a></center><br />Please click through to see the full size animation.<br /><br />If you like this, please let me know and I'll be glad to arrange to have other works displayed here from time to time as well.

"See How It Glints and Sparkles" [BLUE]

This was too good to pass up. Over at the discussion forum Holmesian.net , I came across some wonderful stick artwork by a member named whor...

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by Scott Monty

"A Certain Annual" [SPEC]

<a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2760/4108249706_220b1e666d_o.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2760/4108249706_220b1e666d_o.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 405px;" /></a>For anyone reading this blog, there has never been a time when the world as you know it has been without Sherlock Holmes. As a matter of fact, it's been exactly 120 years since Sherlock Holmes made his first appearance in the <span style="font-style: italic;">Beeton's Christmas Annual</span>. For a short summary of Holmes's humble beginnings, you can listen to <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17563872">a segment on <span style="font-style: italic;">All Things Considered</span></a> that NPR ran on December 23.<br /><br />And in our own humble way, we honor his memory over at the <a href="http://bakerstreetjournal.com/">Baker Street Journal</a>. Each year for the last 10 years, we've been offering an additional companion piece to our quarterly journal - something we call the <a href="http://bakerstreetjournal.com/itemsforsale/christmasannuals.html">Baker Street Journal Christmas Annual</a>.<br /><br />The Christmas Annual for 2007 is about to hit the streets, and we've already got a record number of subscribers signed up to receive it. If you are renewing your BSJ subscription or if you're taking a subscription out for the first time, you can automatically include the Annual as part of your package, and receive a discount in the process. So, <a href="http://bakerstreetjournal.com/itemsforsale/subscriptions.html">sign up now for the 2008 Journal & Annual</a>.<br /><br />In the meantime, let's focus on what we've got in 2007. The title of this year's entry is:<br /><a href="http://bakerstreetjournal.com/itemsforsale/christmasannuals.html"></a><blockquote><a href="http://bakerstreetjournal.com/itemsforsale/christmasannuals.html">Rathbone Returns: A Misadventure Called <span style="font-style: italic;">Sherlock Holmes</span></a> by S.E. Dahlinger, ASH and Glen Miranker, BSI ("The Origin of Tree Worship")<br /></blockquote>Basil Rathbone is still a perennial favorite of many Holmes enthusiasts. As a matter of fact, I recently met a 9 year-old who came to a dinner of the Friends of Irene Adler in Cambridge, MA dressed as the great detective - and he himself told me that Basil Rathbone was the best Sherlock Holmes ever. We could argue that here or in a variety of forums forever, but let's say that by the end of his 14 film stretch and radio play, Rathbone was inexorably typecast.<br /><br />Indeed, he was just as eager to push Sherlock Holmes over the precipice at Reichenbach Falls as Arthur Conan Doyle had been. As he wrote in his autobiography, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0879101199?tag=thebakerstree-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=0879101199&adid=15KJEK4J7QKM928K7C5G&" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">In and Out of Character</a>:<br /><blockquote> I was . . . deeply concerned with the problem of being "typed," more completely "typed" than any other classic actor has ever been or ever will be again. . . . There was nothing I could do about it, except to stop playing Mr. Holmes. . . .</blockquote>That June, Rathbone and his wife Ouida left Hollywood for the New York stage in search of better things. At least, that was the plan. They quickly found that Broadway wouldn't touch Basil as anything other than Holmes, either. Rathbone began casting about for the play in which to rekindle his rapidly fading star—and fell back on his wife to write it.<br /><br />Thereby hangs our tale of Sherlock Holmes by Ouida Rathbone. It may have been a comedy, or it may have been a tragedy. It cost one man his dream of conquering Broadway in his most notable role. It cost another man his career as a Broadway producer. It gave yet a third man a heart attack at the dress rehearsal. It even caused the Conan Doyle Estate to forget that the script had ever been produced in the first place. Yet there was certainly an element of comedy.<br /><br />The play opened here in Boston (as did many plays of the day before hitting the Great White Way). Peter Blau even <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/search?q=Peter+Blau">mentioned planning on seeing it in New York</a> after its Boston run. If you pick up a copy of the Annual, you'll see what happened in the process.<br /><br />So, as a birthday present to Holmes and as a happy Blue Carbuncle Day ("the second morning after Christmas"), order your copy - and sign up for a subscription and next year's Annual while you're at it, over at <a href="http://bakerstreetjournal.com/">bakerstreetjournal.com</a>.

"A Certain Annual" [SPEC]

For anyone reading this blog, there has never been a time when the world as you know it has been without Sherlock Holmes. As a matter of fac...

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by Scott Monty