I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere

"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. First popularized by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Morley">Christopher Morley</a>, the date of January 6th has become the de facto accepted date for Holmes' birthday. Why? Well, there are a couple of reasons. 1. Canonical evidence 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 - <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" />. In The Sign of the Four, 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. 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... 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 <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" /> and properly written, it should be: "Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale / Her infinite variety." 2. Personality 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: <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. 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. Photo credit: <a href="http://www.sherlock-holmes.com/SBIOS_Oct_2006.htm">Classic Specialties</a><a href="http://www.sherlock-holmes.com/SBIOS_Oct_2006.htm"> </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

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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. 
 
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. 
 
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. 
 
Show Notes: 
1:17 Introduction & housekeeping 
4:54 Scott & Burt welcome Otto Penzler 
6:15 Otto and the emotional collectors; how many books does Otto have in his own collection? 
8:18 Jerry Margolin tells us why he chose Otto to sell his collection to 
10:25 Otto's visit to and impressions of Jerry's collection - what made his job easy 
12:50 Otto explains how to assess a book collection 
14:45 What if Jerry decided to sell his art collection? 
18:02 How the collectible mystery book market has changed over the last 30 years 
19:35 The smart investor invests in... (a top 3 list) and a reason not to buy books 
21:16 What excites Otto as far as collecting 
22:50 Where to find Jerry's collection (and Otto) - visit early and often! 
24:38 Otto's publishing background 
25:47 Defending Otto's literary starring role in Elmore Leonard novels 
27:43 He writes, too! - sports, crime and more 
30:30 A bit of background with the Baker Street Irregulars from the King of Bohemia 
35:55 Otto recommends where mystery readers should start 
38:08 Commonalities of collectors 
40:05 How to find Otto online and things do to once you're there 
42:36 Otto picks some winners 
43:53 Final insights on reading and collecting from a mystery expert 
46:05 Interview wrap-up, the wonder of this common interest in Sherlock Holmes, memories of Sherlock on film 
53:41 The Editor's Gas Lamp from The Baker Street Journal, Vol. 2 No. 3 (Old Series), 1947: "The Fortunate Ones" 
58:52 Memories of first discoveries of the stories 
1:01:38 Listener comment 
1:04:33 How you can help in the coming year 
 
 
Links: 
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/27/nyregion/27writerct.html?_r=0">New York Times 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 Up In Honey's Room</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>Henry Hull</li>
<li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Bergen">Edgar Bergen</a></li>
</ul>
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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. 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. 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: <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. 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>. 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>: <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> 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>. 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.

"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; margin: 0px;" width="1" /> which was edited by Patricia Guy, ASH and Katherine Karlson, ASH, BSI ("The Evening Standard"). I'd like to share my impressions of the book with you here, as I think it's something worthy of note. 
 
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). 
 
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"). 
 
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." 
 
You'll find essays by such prominent Sherlockians (all <a href="http://www.ashsherlockian.org/">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. 
 
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>! 
 
Note: 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>.