"I Have Almost Every Link in My Hands..." [BLUE]

Below you'll find the links to the September issue of <a href="http://members.cox.net/sherlock1/scuttle.htm">Scuttlebutt from the Spermaceti Press</a>, kindly submitted by Peter Blau.<br /><ul><li>Charles Marowitz's play <a href="http://www.newamericantheater.com/">"Sherlock's Last Case" will run at the New American Theater</a> in Rockford, IL from October 17 - November 12</li><li>A unique island property that Conan Doyle once visited, <a href="http://www.savills.co.uk/residentialSearch/15aec56f-1f80-448f-aa22-56bc844ebc08-6-3-3-clickThumbnailSubmit/residentialSearch/propertyDetail.aspx?AlchemyID=299142&pID=133912">Towan Island</a>, is up for sale<br /></li><li>Alan Saunders' <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kaptainkobold/sets/72057594063134397/show">remarkable slide show of Sherlockian scenes</a> created with Lego bricks</li></ul><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kaptainkobold/sets/72057594063134397/show"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/320/FINA_lego.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a><ul><li><a href="http://www.pokersherlock.com/">Poker Sherlock</a>, a high-tech tool that uses its own revolutionary form of reasoning to identify the characteristics of online poker players</li><li><a href="http://www.dangermouse.com/">Dangermouse</a>, the world's greatest detective and his faithful assistant Penfold</li><li>Some new CDs with Sherlock Holmes stories read by James Alexander:</li><ul><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FCase-Identity-Adventures-Sherlock-Holmes%2Fdp%2FB000H5PAJ4%2Fsr%3D8-2%2Fqid%3D1159329124%2Fref%3Dsr%5F1%5F2%3Fie%3DUTF8%26s%3Dbooks&tag=thebakerstree-20&amp;amp;linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325">A Case of Identity</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thebakerstree-20&l=ur2&o=1" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FBlue-Carbuncle-Adventures-Sherlock-Holmes%2Fdp%2FB000GSNU08%2Fsr%3D8-2%2Fqid%3D1159329072%2Fref%3Dsr%5F1%5F2%3Fie%3DUTF8%26s%3Dbooks&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325">The Blue Carbuncle</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thebakerstree-20&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;l=ur2&o=1" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FRed-headed-League-Adventures-Sherlock-Holmes%2Fdp%2FB000GSNUD0%2Fsr%3D8-1%2Fqid%3D1159329327%2Fref%3Dsr%5F1%5F1%3Fie%3DUTF8%26s%3Dbooks&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325">The Red-Headed League</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thebakerstree-20&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;l=ur2&o=1" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FScandal-Bohemia-Adventures-Sherlock-Holmes%2Fdp%2FB000H5PBRK%2Fsr%3D8-1%2Fqid%3D1159329401%2Fref%3Dsr%5F1%5F1%3Fie%3DUTF8%26s%3Dbooks&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325">A Scandal in Bohemia</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thebakerstree-20&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;l=ur2&o=1" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><br /></li></ul></ul><ul><li>Get the same pipe tobacco blend that Basil Rathbone preferred: Belnd 515 from <a href="http://www.vtpipes.com/">Pipeworks & Wilke</a></li><li>Daniel Stashower, BSI is at it again: his new book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FBeautiful-Cigar-Girl-Invention-Murder%2Fdp%2F052594981X%2Fsr%3D1-1%2Fqid%3D1159329612%2Fref%3Dpd%5Fbbs%5F1%3Fie%3DUTF8%26s%3Dbooks&tag=thebakerstree-20&amp;amp;amp;amp;linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325">The Beautiful Cigar Girl: Mary Rodgers, Edgar Allan Poe, and the Invention of Murder</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thebakerstree-20&l=ur2&o=1" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> is available for sale</li></ul><br /><center><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=thebakerstree-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=052594981X&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&amp;amp;lc1=0000ff&bc1=000000&bg1=ffffff&f=ifr" style="width: 120px; height: 240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></center><ul><li>The preliminary exhibition of <a href="http://www.conandoylecollection.co.uk/">Richard Lancelyn Green's collection</a> is on display at the <a href="http://www.portsmouthmuseums.co.uk/">Portsmouth Museum</a></li><li>There is a now Latin translation of "Silver Blaze" called <a href="http://ephemeris.alcuinus.net/holmesiaca.php">"Fulmen Argenteum"</a></li></ul><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://ephemeris.alcuinus.net/holmesiaca.php"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/320/silv-09.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 224px; height: 196px;" /></a>

"I Have Almost Every Link in My Hands..." [BLUE]

Below you'll find the links to the September issue of Scuttlebutt from the Spermaceti Press , kindly submitted by Peter Blau. Charles Ma...

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by Scott Monty

"...An Enthusiastic Admirer of Napoleon..." [SIXN]

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.sh-whoswho.com/gallery/th_Donald_Yates.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.sh-whoswho.com/gallery/th_Donald_Yates.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 39px; height: 59px;" /></a>Don Yates, BSI resides in St. Helena, near Napa Valley where he presides over the Napa Valley Napoleons of SH (they're on the <a href="http://www.frappr.com/sherlockians">Sherlockians Around the World</a> map).<br /><br />Don was in the news recently, as the <span style="font-style: italic;">Napa Valley Register</span> ran a fairly good article (for a mainstream publication) about the Napoleons, titled <a href="http://www.napavalleyregister.com/articles/2006/09/24/features/community/iq_3612857.txt">Napa Valley Sherlock Holmes admirers meet to celebrate a life unlived</a>.<br /><br />This should serve as a nice inspiration for any Sherlockians looking to start their own societies. For existing societies and Sherlockians, here's a list of resources:<br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.frappr.com/sherlockians">Sherlockians Around the World</a> - an interactive map that you can add to</li><li>Peter Blau's <a href="http://members.cox.net/sherlock1/three.txt">list of societies</a> on Sherlocktron</li><li>A really nice display of faces, cross-referenced by geography and by society on <a href="http://sh-whoswho.com/index.php3">Sherlockian Who's Who</a></li><li>For more, scroll down and check out the Resources section in the right column<br /></li></ul>For those of you new to the Sherlock Holmes, there's a whole world of people out there like you. With just a few resources, you can be in touch with them and begin engaging on conversations about your favorite subject. Happy sleuthing!

"...An Enthusiastic Admirer of Napoleon..." [SIXN]

Don Yates, BSI resides in St. Helena, near Napa Valley where he presides over the Napa Valley Napoleons of SH (they're on the Sherlockia...

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by Scott Monty

"...A Letter with a Foreign Stamp..." [FIVE]

<a href="http://www.londonist.com/archives/2006/09/the_philatelic.php">The Londonist</a> just had a post that mentioned the excellent site <a href="http://www.trussel.com/detfic/sholmes.htm">The Philatellic Sherlock Holmes</a>, a site dedicated to Sherlcokian stamps worldwide.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/1600/Stamp_Sherlock_Comoro.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/320/Stamp_Sherlock_Comoro.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/1600/Stamp_Sherlock.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/320/Stamp_Sherlock.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">For any Sherlockian stamp collector, this is a very nice site, with various images of stamps, covers, Cinderella issues, etc. Well worth a look! I have reproduced a few of them here.<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/1600/Stamp_Sherlock_Dominica.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/320/Stamp_Sherlock_Dominica.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/1600/Stamp_Sherlock_GB.0.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/320/Stamp_Sherlock_GB.0.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a><br /><br /></div></div></div>

"...A Letter with a Foreign Stamp..." [FIVE]

The Londonist just had a post that mentioned the excellent site The Philatellic Sherlock Holmes , a site dedicated to Sherlcokian stamps wo...

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by Scott Monty

"...A Very Unexpected Occurrence..." [EMPT]

Via the Hounds of the Internet, Peter Blau reports on a new comedic play called <a href="http://www.sherlockgoeshollywood.com/">The Unexpected Return of Sherlock Holmes</a>. The Web site gives the following synopsis:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/1600/Unexpected_Sherlock.0.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/320/Unexpected_Sherlock.0.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"> For the past month, Baffler Manor has been spooked by sightings of a strange ghostly figure. The head of the household and a veteran actor of the English stage, Desmond Westhaven believes only one person can solve the case: Sherlock Holmes. So, he summons the next best thing - the mind behind the world's greatest detective, Arthur Conan Doyle.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> But things aren't always what they seem. Doyle unknowingly brings his own ghost - Sherlock Holmes himself. Unseen by others, Holmes follows his creator everywhere as Doyle attempts to ferret out the truth. New age spiritualism versus cold, deductive logic, the misadventure builds with an actual murder, affairs of the heart, the author's peculiar reactions and the detective's witty retorts. Can the case actually be solved? The game is afoot!</span><br /><blockquote style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;"><blockquote> <blockquote> <p><span style="font-size:100%;"><i><span style="font-size:85%;"><b></b></span></i></span></p></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><br />Written by Jack L. Herman and directed by Bill Wolsky, the play is running from September 23 - October 14 at the Sierra Stage in West Hollywood, CA. Ticket availability and more information on the play can be found through the link above.

"...A Very Unexpected Occurrence..." [EMPT]

Via the Hounds of the Internet, Peter Blau reports on a new comedic play called The Unexpected Return of Sherlock Holmes . The Web site giv...

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by Scott Monty

"...Aided by a Dane..." [TWIS]

Fans of the comic strip "<a href="http://www.comics.com/comics/marmaduke/">Marmaduke</a>" may have been impressed with a Sherlock Holmes-inspired theme on September 23:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/1600/marmaduke2006091357323.gif"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/320/marmaduke2006091357323.png" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a>

"...Aided by a Dane..." [TWIS]

Fans of the comic strip " Marmaduke " may have been impressed with a Sherlock Holmes-inspired theme on September 23:

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by Scott Monty

"I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere..." [GREE]

Douglas Johnston over at <a href="http://astudyinsherlock.net/">A Study in Sherlock</a> (a beautifully designed and well-informed blog) has started a new series of posts on <a href="http://www.astudyinsherlock.net/2006/09/19/unusual-recordings/">rare and unusual Sherlockian audio files</a> in his collection.<br /><br />His first feature is <a href="http://www.astudyinsherlock.net/files/audio/Meet_Miss_Sherlock_46-07-07_CaseOfTheDeadmansChest.mp3">Meet Miss Sherlock - the Case of the Deadman's Ches</a><a href="http://www.astudyinsherlock.net/files/audio/Meet_Miss_Sherlock_46-07-07_CaseOfTheDeadmansChest.mp3">t</a> (mp3, 6.9 MB, 30:00)<br /><br />That is followed up by a 1930 recording of <a href="http://www.astudyinsherlock.net/files/audio/sir_acd_speaking_1930.mp3">Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Speaking</a> (2.7 MB, 7:26)<br /><br />And then, the parody <a href="http://www.astudyinsherlock.net/files/audio/JackBenny_390611_HoundOfTheBaskervilles.mp3">The Hound of the Baskervilles, starring...Jack Benny?</a> (6.6 MB, 28:48)<br /><br />This is a great service that Doug is providing to Sherlockians by sharing his collection with us. Let him know what you think!

"I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere..." [GREE]

Douglas Johnston over at A Study in Sherlock (a beautifully designed and well-informed blog) has started a new series of posts on rare and ...

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by Scott Monty

"A Small Wooden Shelf Full of Books..." [SPEC]

Greg Jordan of the <span style="font-style: italic;">Bluefield Daily Telegraph</span> (Bluefield, WV) has written a very nice first-person perspective about the importance of early encounters with books, titled <a href="http://www.bdtonline.com/editorials/local_story_263163731.html?keyword=secondarystory">Sherlock Holmes - and others - Can Inspire Life-Long Love of Books</a>.<br /><br />In addition to recounting his first meeting with Sherlock Holmes (a somewhat regular feature in <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/">The Baker Street Journal</a> - check our <a href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/currentvolume/archivedarticles.html">online archives</a> for an example), he also notes a youth literacy program called "A Bookcase for Every Child":<br /><span><br /><blockquote style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Participants in this project help lower income children in the 3 to 5 age bracket get more exposure to reading by giving them their very own bookcase and some gently used books.</blockquote><br />This is a wonderful gesture and an inspired program. If children's editions of the Sherlock Holmes canon are included in such arrangements, we can ensure that Holmes isn't lost to the future generations. Similar work is being done by <a href="http://www.beaconsociety.com">The Beacon Society</a>.<br /><br /><br /><br /></span>

"A Small Wooden Shelf Full of Books..." [SPEC]

Greg Jordan of the Bluefield Daily Telegraph (Bluefield, WV) has written a very nice first-person perspective about the importance of early...

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by Scott Monty

"Now Let Us Follow the Trail..." [PRIO]

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/1600/norw-06.0.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/320/norw-06.0.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 183px; height: 268px;" /></a>For those of you who are new to the Baker Street Blog, first of all, welcome! It's good to have you here. I hope that you find the content fun and informative, adding a little extra something to your day.<br /><br />In my continued desire to bridge my professional interests to this little Sherlockian hobby - and to do so in a useful way - I discovered a site called <a href="http://www.trailfire.com/">Trailfire</a>. Their technology allows users to share the Web with others, in the way they see it.<br /><blockquote style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><div style="text-align: center;">"...we were all hastening in the direction of the fire..." [ENGR]</div></blockquote><blockquote></blockquote>I have estabiled what they call a "trail," or a guided tour of something I'd like to share with you. In this case, it's <a href="http://trailfire.com/bakerstreetblog/trails/11987">an introduction to the Baker Street Blog</a> - kind of a user's guide to get the most out of your experience here.

"Now Let Us Follow the Trail..." [PRIO]

For those of you who are new to the Baker Street Blog, first of all, welcome! It's good to have you here. I hope that you find the con...

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by Scott Monty

"...A Fine, Robust Old Man..." [GLOR]

<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/1600/Schultz.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/320/Schultz.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;" /></a>Robert S. Schultz, BSI ("The <span style="font-style: italic;">Gloria Scott</span>") crossed over the Reichenbach on September, 7, 2006. Bob was a long-time contributor to the <a href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/">Baker Street Journal</a> and an early attendee of the annual Baker Street Irregulars dinner.<br /> <br /> His first contribution to the Journal was in the BSJ's infancy in the mid-1940s, and until his investiture in 2002, he hadn't attended a BSI dinner in over 50 years. Even in the midst of the January weather we've come to dread at the BSI weekends, Bob would venture down from Vermont (I suppose it was warmer, coming south) and, as a late octogenarian, navigate the streets of New York himself.<br /> <br /> He was a gentle and kind man, soft spoken, yet rugged as any outdoorsman. He witnessed the BSI of old and the current BSI, contributing to the schloarship in both epochs. His efforts were not without merit: in 2002, his article <a href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/images/2002%20Dating%20of%20Blood%20Stains%20Schultz.pdf">Upon the Dating of Bloodstains</a> was granted the <a href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/morleymontgomeryaward.html">Morley-Montgomery Award</a>.<br /> <br /> His obituary, courtesy of the <i>Burlington Free Press</i>:<br /> <br /> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 85%;"></span><br /> <blockquote style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 85%;">ROBERT SPENCER SCHULTZ III - Robert Spencer Schultz lll, 89, of South Burlington, died Sept. 7, 2006, at the home of his daughter and son-in-law in Ripton. Born July 1, 1917, in LaSalle, Ill., he was the son of Robert Spencer Schultz II and Elizabeth Letts Schultz. He was a proud and loyal graduate of Williams College, Class of 1939. After graduation, he worked for Econometrics in New York City and then for the War Department in Washington, D.C. during World War II. He returned to NYC and Econometrics where he met his wife, Jane Stern Schultz. He spent most of his career as an economist for Union Bag (Camp) Paper Corporation. He later worked for Mackay Shields and served on the New York Council of Economic Advisors under Governor Hugh Cary. He taught briefly at Fordham University. In 1983, he and Jane retired to South Burlington.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 85%;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 85%;">Bob had numerous local involvements. He was a volunteer for Shelburne Farms, the Shelburne Museum and the Champlain Shakespeare Festival and was an active member of the Chittenden County Historical Society. The fellowship he found at All Saints Episcopal Church in South Burlington was extremely important to him as were his friends in The Goose Club of the Alpha Inn, a local Sherlock Holmes group. He was a member of the Baker Street Irregulars and a contributor to the Baker Street Journal. An avid outdoorsman, he loved hiking and skiing and shared this love with his family. He learned to ski while at Williams and by the early 1960s, he was a Mad River Glen diehard. He was very active in the Scarsdale Ski Club before moving to Vermont. He and Jane were longtime members of the Appalachian Mountain Club and Green Mountain Club and both were members of the AMC's "Four Thousand Footer Club."</span><br /> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 85%;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 85%;">Bob was predeceased by Jane, his wife of 59 years and the love of his life. He is survived by his three children and their families: a son, John Schultz and his wife Annette of Moretown; a daughter Barry (Barbara) King and her husband Warren of Ripton; a daughter Teddy (Edna) Ben Said and her husband Bechir of Lee, N.H.; and six grandchildren, Megan and Katie Schultz, Eliza and Amanda King and Azziza and Ramzi Ben Said. He was also predeceased by his brother Willard Jackson Schultz and is survived by his sister-inlaw, Margaret Wheaton Schultz; two nieces, a nephew and their families.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 85%;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 85%;">A memorial service will be held Oct. 14, at 3 p.m., in All Saints Episcopal Church, 1250 Spear St., S. Burlington. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to: All Saints Episcopal Church, 1250 Spear St., S. Burlington, Vt. 05403; or Addison County Home Health and Hospice, P.O. Box 754, Middlebury, Vt. 05753; or Mad River Glen Single Chair Campaign, P.O. Box 1089, Waitsfield, Vt. 05673.</span></blockquote> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 85%;"><br /><br /></span>

"...A Fine, Robust Old Man..." [GLOR]

Robert S. Schultz, BSI ("The Gloria Scott ") crossed over the Reichenbach on September, 7, 2006. Bob was a long-time contributor ...

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by Scott Monty

"...You Have a Quick Eye For Colour..." [IDEN]

Even our least observant readers can see that we've made a tweak in the design of the site. The background color is now light and the text dark, which increases readability, and the style sheet allows the text to flow over a wider portion of the page.<br /><br />The result (we hope) is a smoother, easier to scan blog with the same tools, features and useful links that you have come to enjoy.<br /><br />Please feel free to leave feedback about the look.

"...You Have a Quick Eye For Colour..." [IDEN]

Even our least observant readers can see that we've made a tweak in the design of the site. The background color is now light and the t...

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by Scott Monty

The Strange Friendship of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Harry Houdini

<h4 style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> "when you have eliminated the impossible" [SIGN]</h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7KHIG66G-AL1I1Y1-D6xb8A-dnEjO6w07fIiIyj1Ro71RpePqcDxCjndJNgRkYz_ELsbDGnnOssxa7SALi67TfAgHujFfmucEoGhyphenhyphenQC25cWX_5m8dDkeYNgnKyNlTstR4cD5eK1J7n9fO/s1600/doyle-houdini_0.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7KHIG66G-AL1I1Y1-D6xb8A-dnEjO6w07fIiIyj1Ro71RpePqcDxCjndJNgRkYz_ELsbDGnnOssxa7SALi67TfAgHujFfmucEoGhyphenhyphenQC25cWX_5m8dDkeYNgnKyNlTstR4cD5eK1J7n9fO/s1600/doyle-houdini_0.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> Even nearly a century later, we're still trying to come to grips with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's foray into Spiritualism. The human mind reels at the conflict between this man of science who created the world's foremost reasoner and a man who was so naive that no reasoning could change his beliefs.<br /> <br /> The Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal has written up <a href="https://gwern.net/doc/psychology/cognitive-bias/2006-polidoro-houdinisimpossibledemonstration.html">Houdini's Impossible Demonstration</a>, recounting Harry Houdini's attempt to smack some sense into Conan Doyle.<br /> <br /> To Conan Doyle's credit, he never wavered in his belief, even after Houdini tried to debunk those into whom Conan Doyle placed his faith. But in trying to convince a true believer, Houdini was a little too vain — he didn't reveal how he accomplished the trick. He simply said, "I can assure you that it was accomplished by trickery and by nothing else."<br /> <br /> This was incredibly short-sighted, as he was trying to coax a man out of believing in one thing that required no tangible proof (Spiritualism) and into believing in another thing without proof. The article goes on to reveal how Houdini accomplished this feat.<br /> <br /> If you're interested, here are some additional sources on Doyle and Houdini: <br /> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.americanhauntingsink.com/houdini-doyle"><i>Conan Doyle & Houdini - A Haunted Friendship</i></a></li> <li><a href="https://amzn.to/4a2JiJ3"><i>Houdini and Conan Doyle: The Story of a Strange Friendship</i></a></li> <li>And one from the Baker Street Irregulars' own Daniel Stashower, <a href="https://amzn.to/3C0m0qz" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><i>The Houdini Specter: A Harry Houdini Mystery</i></a></li> </ul><br />

The Strange Friendship of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Harry Houdini

"when you have eliminated the impossible" [SIGN] Even nearly a century later, we're still trying to come to grips with Si...

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by Scott Monty

"You Should Publish..." [STUD]

Traditionally, one of the biggest obstacles Sherlockian authors have had to overcome is the seemingly limited audience size for whom they are writing. Excellent books have been written but in many cases have been priced so high as to severely reduce the number of readers who might purchase them.<br /><br />There is an excellent option available at <a style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.lulu.com/">Lulu.com</a>. It is a self-service printing site for authors. Described on the site as: <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;">Lulu is fast, easy and free</span> <p>Publish and sell easily within minutes.<br /> No set-up fees. No minimum order.<br /> Keep control of the rights.<br /> Set your own price.<br /> Each product is printed as it is ordered.<br /> No excess inventory.</p></blockquote><p> </p>So, to all of you amateur authors avidly awaiting an avocation - dust off that Sherlock Holmes-related publication and make it a <a href="http://www.lulu.com/"><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51); font-weight: bold;">Lulu</span></a>!

"You Should Publish..." [STUD]

Traditionally, one of the biggest obstacles Sherlockian authors have had to overcome is the seemingly limited audience size for whom they ar...

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by Scott Monty

"...A Scion of One of the Very Oldest Families in the Kingdom..." [MUSG]

The Baker Street Irregulars has lost its oldest member. Ronald Mansbridge, BSI ("A Case of Identity") has passed beyond the Reichenbach.<br /><br />His first BSI dinner was in 1936, but he didn't receive his titular investiture until 1998. An Englishman by birth, he traced his family's roots to the Mansbridge Hundred, a pre-Norman district along Southampton Water in Hampshire.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.legacy.com/NYTimes/DeathNotices.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonID=19129716">His obituary</a>, courtesy of the New York Times:<br /><br /><blockquote>MANSBRIDGE-Ronald, 100. On September 1, 2006, peacefully in his home in Weston, Connecticut. Born 11 November 1905 in England, son of George Frederick Mansbridge, inventor of the Mansbridge electrical condenser, and Florence Quye Mansbridge. Educated at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, Mansbridge founded the American Branch of Cambridge University Press and served as its manager for 40 years. Beloved husband of the late Georgia St Clair Mullan (d. 1988) and Janet Dunning Van Duyn (d. 2003). Greatly loved by his two children, Jane and Bruce; his two grandchildren, Nathaniel Mansbridge Jencks and Travis Marshall Mansbridge; and by his stepdaughters, Barbara Van Duyn and Ruth Pratt. A memorial service will be held Sunday, September 24 at 2 PM at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Weston. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to Amnesty International, 5 Penn Plaza, NYC 10001 or the Tyndale Society, 1000 Regent University Dr, Virginia Beach, VA. 23464. </blockquote>And an <a style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51); font-weight: bold;" href="http://news.independent.co.uk/people/obituaries/article1369582.ece">additional obit</a>, from the Independent.<br /><br />As fate would have it, the Summer issue of <a style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/currentvolume.html">The Baker Street Journal</a> contains an article about Mansbridge, written by Marshall Berdan, who visited with him in his home last November. As a service to the loyal readers of this blog, I'm making that article, <a style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51); font-weight: bold;" href="http://h1.ripway.com/wsmonty/SeniorFellow_Mansbridge.pdf">Senior Fellow</a>, available for download as a PDF.<br /><br />Thanks to Susan Dahlinger and Roger Johnson for the obits.

"...A Scion of One of the Very Oldest Families in the Kingdom..." [MUSG]

The Baker Street Irregulars has lost its oldest member. Ronald Mansbridge, BSI ("A Case of Identity") has passed beyond the Reich...

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by Scott Monty

Remembering Barbara Iris Van Buskirk, née Ulan, ASH

<h4 style="text-align: center;">"Stand with me here upon the terrace"</h4><div><img alt="" border="0" height="640" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/320/VICTORIANA%20copy.0.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="458" /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://ash-nyc.com/membership/ashes-to-ashes#ulan" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">The Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes</span></a> lost an early member last week as well. Barbara Iris Van Buskirk, ASH passed away on August 30, 2006. She had a large hand in the visual cues we have from ASH today: she designed their pin and the cover of the <span style="font-style: italic;">Serpentine Muse</span>, and helped to write the ASH's constitution.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.citizen-times.net/obituaries/obit.php?id=37306" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Her obituary</span></a>, from the Asheville Citizen-Times:Asheville - Barbara Iris Van Buskirk, 56, of Asheville, died Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2006, at John F. Keever Jr. Solace Center.<blockquote><p>She was a daughter of Samuel Ulan of New City, N.Y., and the late Mildred Lindenbaum Ulan.</p> <p>Mrs. Van Buskirk was an accomplished craftsperson, specializing in jewelry and fiber arts and was the designer for the Center For Diversity Education. She was an art director at Bantam/Doubleday/Dell Publishers and a beloved member of Beth Ha Tephila. Barbara was a member of Mystery Writers of America and of the Adventuress' of Sherlock Holmes. She was a loving wife, mother, sister and daughter who will be greatly missed by all who knew her.</p> <p>In addition to her father, she is survived by her husband of 21 years, Charles L. Van Buskirk of Asheville, daughter, Sara Merrill Van Buskirk of the home and sister, Janice Ulan of New York, N.Y.</p> <p>The funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at Beth Ha Tephila with Rabbi Robert J. Ratner and Cantor Debbie Winston officiating.</p> <p>The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to the <a href="http://www.komen.org/" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation</span></a>: The Komen Foundation, 5005 LBJ Fwy., Ste. 250, Dallas, TX 75244.<br /></p> <p><a href="http://www.morrisfamilyfuneralhome.com/" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Morris Funeral Home</span></a>, 304 Merrimon Ave., is in charge of arrangements.</p> <p>Condolences may be emailed through their Web site.<br /></p></blockquote><p></p>And her "<b><a href="https://ash-nyc.com/membership/ashes-to-ashes#ulan" target="_blank">ASHes to Ashes</a></b>" obituary from the Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes, written by Paula Cohen, can be found at this link.<div><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica;"><span lang="0" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 85%;"></span></span>Thanks to Susan Dahlinger for passing this information along.<div><br /></div><div>--</div></div>

Remembering Barbara Iris Van Buskirk, née Ulan, ASH

"Stand with me here upon the terrace" The Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes lost an early member last week as well. Barbara Iris ...

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by Scott Monty

Put Sherlock Holmes in Your Favorite Ad Slogan

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "Here is an advertisement which will interest you" [ENGR]</h4> <br /> In our real life, we work in the advertising and marketing industry. As such, we see a good deal of new technology and interesting widgets — some of which have no bearing on my work with clients, but which nevertheless are fun to pass along.<br /> <br /> Today I happened upon the <a href="http://www.thesurrealist.co.uk/slogan.cgi" target="_blank">Advertising Slogan Generator</a>. Simply plug in your word(s) of choice and you'll be greeted with a familiar advertising phrase incorporating that word. Here are some sample slogans you get by inputting "Sherlock Holmes." Can you identify the original slogans and their brands?<br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/1600/GoodtotheLast.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/320/GoodtotheLast.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/1600/LeaveToUs.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/320/LeaveToUs.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/1600/TestedMother.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/320/TestedMother.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 32px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 331px;" /></a></span><br /> <br /> For those who are truly enamored of this sort of thing, the Web site gives you an opportunity to buy a T-shirt with your favorite slogan.<br /> <br /> Drop us a note an let us know what results you get!<br /> <br /> --<br /> <br />

Put Sherlock Holmes in Your Favorite Ad Slogan

"Here is an advertisement which will interest you" [ENGR] In our real life, we work in the advertising and marketing industry. ...

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by Scott Monty

The Baker Street Irregulars, A Musical

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "let us escape from this weary workaday world by the side door of music" [RETI]</h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/1600/irregulars.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/320/irregulars.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="600" /></a></div> <br /> Now available online: <a href="http://www.geocities.ws/jim_hollingsworth/baker.htm" target="_blank">Act I of The Baker Street Irregulars</a>, a new Sherlock Holmes musical.<br /> <br /> With the book by J.E. Hollingsworth and music by S. Carlton and D.L. Graham, this is a two-act play consisting of 16 male speaking parts and 8-10 female speaking parts for a nearly 2-hour production. The synopsis is as follows:<br /> <br /> <blockquote> Christmas 1887 in London. The Baker Street Irregulars are a group of youngsters who act as scouts for Sherlock Holmes. They are drawn into a network of fraud, kidnapping and attempted murder at the hands of the evil Professor Moriarty, the 'Napoleon of Crime', who uses brilliant adventuress Irené Adler to perpetrate a major fraud on the Capital and Counties Bank, while he himself daringly kidnaps a wealthy American heiress on the stage of the Alhambra Music Hall. Also in the clutches of the Professor is his lover, Mary, the daughter of the bank manager, whose life is put into peril when she eventually recognises Moriarty's true nature.<br /> The Irregulars, alerted by Irené who has also seen through Moriarty, attempt a rescue operation that goes badly wrong, but Moriarty's attempt to blow them all up is thwarted by the timely intervention of Holmes and Watson. The Irregulars even get something of which they have despaired - their Christmas dinner.</blockquote> <br /> This could make a great amateur production for a Sherlockian society. If you'd like more information about the entire play, or other works by this group, check out the <a href="http://www.geocities.ws/jim_hollingsworth/baker.htm" target="_blank">Cyberluvvies home page</a>.<br /> <br /> Meanwhile, enjoy <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbXFlKTm8mA" target="_blank">the opening number</a>:<br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LbXFlKTm8mA?rel=0" width="640"></iframe><br /></div> <br /> --<br /> <br /> <br />

The Baker Street Irregulars, A Musical

"let us escape from this weary workaday world by the side door of music" [RETI] Now available online: Act I of The Baker Stre...

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by Scott Monty

The Greatest Literary Villain of All Time Is...

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "You evidently don't know me." [FINA]</h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQOO4RJr8xs4gJqwi7NseVD1sFRou-xMd55i-09s14HKZ2HwAJoxMSGyzgQER0UUs08NbTv2hhnqL2U6sFHF8LPo5EMplQOJ8wmHtzhO-HuLePN4PlfN3SlDpEsgp4Fll3GPZaVtxwuSO/s1600/FINA+-+Moriarty+-+cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQOO4RJr8xs4gJqwi7NseVD1sFRou-xMd55i-09s14HKZ2HwAJoxMSGyzgQER0UUs08NbTv2hhnqL2U6sFHF8LPo5EMplQOJ8wmHtzhO-HuLePN4PlfN3SlDpEsgp4Fll3GPZaVtxwuSO/s640/FINA+-+Moriarty+-+cropped.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <br /> Ah, the public - "the great unobservant public" - you can count on them to keep only the most recent events, movies and books at the top of their mind. For example any new Hollywood list of "the greatest ___ movie of all time" typically contains an inordinant amount of recent box office hits.<br /> <br /> The publishers Bloomsbury recently asked 16,000 British schoolchildren who their favorite literary villain of all time was. It's no surprise that it was <a href="http://www.crushable.com/2006/09/05/entertainment/top-literary-villian-of-all-time-lord-voldemort/" target="_blank">Lord Voldemort</a> — these are children, after all. The top 10 also included Lex Luthor, the Joker (literary?) and Count Dracula.<br /> <br /> Sherlock Holmes' arch-enemy, that Napoleon of Crime, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professor_Moriarty" target="_blank">Professor Moriarty</a> managed to come in at number 14.<br /> <br /> Hey, we're impressed the kids knew about him at all.<br /> <br /> --<br /> <br />

The Greatest Literary Villain of All Time Is...

"You evidently don't know me." [FINA] Ah, the public - "the great unobservant public" - you can count on them...

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by Scott Monty

New Season of Holmes-Inspired House

<br /> <h4 style="text-align: center;"> "rather more lax than befits a medical man" [MUSG]</h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/320/House.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/320/House.jpg" width="300" /></a></div> <br /> Tuesday, September 5 in the United States marks an event for which many Sherlockians have been waiting the entire summer: this evening is the season premiere of <a href="http://www.fox.com/house/">House</a>.<br /> <br /> Once again, it's House and Wilson as a modern-day Holmes and Watson who are teaming up to solve complex medical mysteries. In <b><a href="http://www.newsday.com/features/printedition/ny-ffmus4871466sep03,0,3899055.story">Medical Association</a></b>, Newsday observes:<br /> <blockquote style="font-style: italic;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> What began as an investigative pairing in the vein of Sherlock Holmes and his handy Dr. Watson only intensifies emotionally this fall, enriching the character byplay that's been attracting ever-greater ratings to "House" even through this summer's reruns.</div> <br /> "It's the Holmes-Watson thing we were hoping for," says executive producer Katie Jacobs.</blockquote> This can be seen through subtle and not-so-subtle touches such as the selection of the name House (home, Holmes - get it?), the Vicodin habit (similar to Holmes' cocaine habit), the closeness with only Wilson (Watson), and House's street address of 221, with his apartment door bearing the letter B.<br /> <br /> We'll see if we meet House's older brother this season...<br /> <br /> Airs Tuesday, September 5 at 8:00 p.m. on Fox. Check your local listings for details.<br /> <br /> --<br /> <br />

New Season of Holmes-Inspired House

"rather more lax than befits a medical man" [MUSG] Tuesday, September 5 in the United States marks an event for which many S...

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by Scott Monty

Yahoo Questions Addresses the Question of Sherlock Holmes

<h4 style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> "the real person is imprisoned in this chamber" [COPP]</h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuJmT2E8IdJHYM5u54JhEnMPbgXd_grnNlVfnW9Ue9SsoFxtGIdrWvXTj6nKUc2uzmy2q-R02SGEeHLLET0dz6cRZGCNsJkO_iIKk9u9sSA5YF9Ss2GVOUtSVlTHJkX5o1Fn5eA_iHf0CB/s1600/Real+Sherlock+Holmes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuJmT2E8IdJHYM5u54JhEnMPbgXd_grnNlVfnW9Ue9SsoFxtGIdrWvXTj6nKUc2uzmy2q-R02SGEeHLLET0dz6cRZGCNsJkO_iIKk9u9sSA5YF9Ss2GVOUtSVlTHJkX5o1Fn5eA_iHf0CB/s640/Real+Sherlock+Holmes.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> The good folks over at Ask Yahoo are getting into it: <a href="https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090824212443AAZmQ7o" target="_blank">Was Sherlock Holmes based on a real person?</a><br /> <br /> Take a look and see if they've got it right. There's always the participatory <a href="http://answers.yahoo.com/" target="_blank">Yahoo Answers</a> if you'd like to ask or answer a question.<br /> <br /> --<br /> <br /> <br />

Yahoo Questions Addresses the Question of Sherlock Holmes

"the real person is imprisoned in this chamber" [COPP] The good folks over at Ask Yahoo are getting into it: Was Sherlock Hol...

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by Scott Monty

Isaac Asimov Super Quiz Features Sherlock Holmes

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "Might I ask a few questions to test you?" [ILLU]</h4> Yesterday's San Jose Mercury News ran an Isaac Asimov Super Quiz with a Sherlock Holmes theme. Isaac Asimov was a proud member of the Baker Street Irregulars.<br /> <br /> <h4> <b> Subject: SHERLOCK HOLMES</b></h4> (e.g., Who created Sherlock Holmes? Answer: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.)<br /> <br /> <h4> <b> FRESHMAN LEVEL</b></h4> 1. Who was the detective's friend and biographer?<br /> 2. What was the detective's address?<br /> 3. The residence was maintained by his landlady. Name her.<br /> <br /> <h4> <b> GRADUATE LEVEL</b></h4> 4. What was the title of the first Sherlock Holmes story?<br /> 5. Holmes retired and became an apiarist. What is an apiarist?<br /> 6. Identify his archenemy.<br /> <br /> <h4> <b> PH.D. LEVEL</b></h4> 7. On whom was the character Sherlock Holmes said to be based?<br /> 8. After what American physician and essayist was Holmes named?<br /> 9. Sherlock Holmes had an older brother. Name him.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Answers are <a href="https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19920418&id=RaAaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dywEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3981,1870118&hl=en" target="_blank">available here</a>.<br /> <br /> --<br /> <br />

Isaac Asimov Super Quiz Features Sherlock Holmes

"Might I ask a few questions to test you?" [ILLU] Yesterday's San Jose Mercury News ran an Isaac Asimov Super Quiz with a Sh...

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by Scott Monty

"...One Link In a Series of Incidents..." [FIVE]

Once again we are pleased to bring you all of the links from Peter Blau's monthly newsletter Scuttlebutt from the Spermaceti Press:<br /><ul><li>The <a style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13594096">Quill Book Awards</a> (hint: vote for Les Klinger in the Mystery/Suspense/Thriller category)</li><li><a style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.solarpons.com/">The Solar Pons Gazette</a>, published by Bob Byrnes</li><li>Set your sites on "Autumn in New Orleans," with brunch and <a style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);" href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/">Baker Street Journal</a> editor Steven Rothman as guest speaker on this event sponsored by the Cimbrian Friends of Baker Street; more information available from <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 255, 51);" href="mailto:221b@byskovjensen.com">Jens Byskov Jensen</a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/1600/Cimbrian%20friends.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/200/Cimbrian%20friends.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a></li><li>Justin Webb has written a new play, <a style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.cottongrass.mirai.co.uk/">Sh</a><a style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.cottongrass.mirai.co.uk/">erlock Holmes and the Final Problem</a>, which will be presented on tour by the Cotton Grass Theatre Company</li><li>Great travel destination: the <a style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.baskervillehall.co.uk/">Baskerville Hall Hotel</a> (now linked on our <a href="http://www.frappr.com/sherlockians">Sherlockians Around the World</a> map)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.baskervillehall.co.uk/"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/320/baskervillehallhotel.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a></li><li>Rodger Garrick-Steele now has a contract with <a style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.thunderballfilms.com/">Thunderball Films</a> for a "reality" documentary on his assertion that Conan Doyle murdered Fletcher Robinson</li><li>The last of a dying breed: <a style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.bakerstreettime.com/">Baker Street Tobacconist</a> is one of - if not <span style="font-style: italic;">the</span> - last Sherlockian tobacconist in California (also mapped)<br /></li><li>A book that analyzes Sherlockian crime scenes in now online: <a style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.redbirdstudio.com/CrimeScenes/">Crime Scene Sketches: Reproduced in Facsimile from the Pen and Ink Drawings in the Notebook of a Private Enquiry Agent.<span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 204);"> </span></a><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 204);" href="http://www.redbirdstudio.com/CrimeScenes/"> Shown below is a scene from 'The Speckled Band'</a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.redbirdstudio.com/CrimeScenes/speckled_band.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.redbirdstudio.com/CrimeScenes/speckled_band.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" /></a></li><li><a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 255, 51);" href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0388615/">Dennis Hoey</a>, who played Inspector Lestrade opposite Basil Rathbone, is featured in a book by his son Michael Hoey, titled <a style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.filmsofthegoldenage.com/">Dennis Hoey: A Son's Rememberance</a></li><li>The <a style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.sherlockholmesfestival.com/">Sherlock Holmes Festival</a> in Tryon, NC will be held November 3-6, 2006</li><li>"The Crucifer of Blood" will be produced at the <a style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.cidermillplayhouse.com/">Cider Mill Playhouse</a> in Endicott, NY from January 25 - February 18, 2007</li><li>The <a style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/">Urban Dictionary</a> has a variety of Sherlock Holmes-related posts</li><li>Jim French's Imagination Theatre has radio productions of <a style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.jimfrenchproductions.com/">The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes</a> available for download<br /></li><li>The August issue of the <a style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.sherlock-holmes.com/e_times14.htm">Sherlockian e-Times</a> is available from Classic Specialties</li><li>The latest issue of <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 255, 51);" href="http://www.sherlockholmes.com/">Sherlock Magazine</a> has been released<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/1600/issue68.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/320/issue68.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a></li></ul>Please feel free to let us know if you have any comments or questions about the above links.

"...One Link In a Series of Incidents..." [FIVE]

Once again we are pleased to bring you all of the links from Peter Blau's monthly newsletter Scuttlebutt from the Spermaceti Press: The ...

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by Scott Monty

If Sherlock Holmes Were...

<h4> "it gave even my hardened nerves a shudder" [ENGR]</h4> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/1600/veronica_mars_season_2_dvd.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/320/veronica_mars_season_2_dvd.jpg" style="float: left; height: 226px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 184px;" /></a><br /> We are all familiar with the phrase "To Sherlock Holmes, she was always <span style="font-style: italic;">the </span>woman," from 'A Scandal in Bohemia.' It is classic and it sums up in one short phrase Holmes' thoughts on the epitome of a woman.<br /> <br /> But to read "If Sherlock Holmes were a hot chick in high school, he'd be Veronica Mars" in <a href="http://www.ifmagazine.com/review.asp?article=1378" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">a DVD review by iFMagazine</a> makes my head spin - and not in a good way. The magazine caters to young filmmakers, so the attitude is somewhat understandable.<br /> <br /> But what's next? Here's a suggestion (and try not to shudder): Watson countering Holmes with<br /> <blockquote> "That is soooo not elementary."</blockquote> <br /> What-ev-er.<br /> <br /> --<br /> <br />

If Sherlock Holmes Were...

"it gave even my hardened nerves a shudder" [ENGR] We are all familiar with the phrase "To Sherlock Holmes, she was always...

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by Scott Monty

Rockford, Illinois Will Feature Sherlock Holmes Events

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "Holmes struck his hand passionately upon the rock" [HOUN]</h4> <br /> There's some interesting activity afoot in <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&amp;q=Rockford,+IL&ie=UTF8&z=5&ll=42.261049,-89.077148&spn=15.760732,42.890625&om=1&iwloc=A" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">Rockford, Illinois</a>. According to an article in the <a href="http://www.rrstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060830/NEWS0107/108300058/1004/NEWS" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Rockford Register Star</span></a>, eleven regional visitor attractions have banded together to form a series of themed events from September through January.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.mysteriesofrockford.com/" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">Mysteries of Rockford</a> is the brainchild of the Discovery Center Museum, New American Theater and Rockford Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. Over 30 events in all, some feature Sherlock Holmes exclusively, from the play "Sherlock's Last Case" to a Sherlock Holmes exhibit at the Discovery Center.<br /> <br /> If you're heading to the Chicagoland area, see if you can make it to Rockford. And check our <a href="http://www.frappr.com/sherlockians" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">Sherlockians Around the World </a>map to see who you might visit while you're there!<br /> <br /> --<br /> <br />

Rockford, Illinois Will Feature Sherlock Holmes Events

"Holmes struck his hand passionately upon the rock" [HOUN] There's some interesting activity afoot in Rockford, Illinois . ...

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by Scott Monty

"...He Wrote With a Broad-Pointed Quill..." [MISS]

One of the most remarkable books published in the last year on the subject of Sherlock Holmes is <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-style: italic;" href="http://www.annotatedsherlockholmes.com/">The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes</a>, by Sherlockian and Baker Street Irregular Les Klinger.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/1600/quill_awards.gif"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/320/quill_awards.gif" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 199px;" /></a>If you have enjoyed this work (or, more likely, are in the midst of enjoying it), here's your chance to show Mr. Klinger your appreciation: <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13594096">vote for <span style="font-style: italic;">The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes</span></a> as a recipient of a <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);" href="http://thequills.org/">Quill Award</a> in the Mystery/Suspense category.<br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.thequills.org/">The Quills</a>, created with the support of Reed Business Information and NBC, is an industry-qualified “consumers choice” awards program for books. The Quills were established to:<ul><li class="textBodyBlack">Celebrate excellence in writing and publishing</li><li class="textBodyBlack">Recognize and praise the writers & illustrators of wonderful books and great literature</li><li class="textBodyBlack">Interest more consumers in acquiring books and reading</li><li class="textBodyBlack">Act as a bellwether for literacy initiatives</li></ul>Let's show Les how much we value his <span style="font-style: italic;">opus magnum</span>. And please - spread the word by using the email link (the envelope icon) below - send this on to other Sherlockians!

"...He Wrote With a Broad-Pointed Quill..." [MISS]

One of the most remarkable books published in the last year on the subject of Sherlock Holmes is The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes , by Sher...

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by Scott Monty

"It May Be a Mere Intellectual Puzzle to You..." [SUSS]

Article III of the Constitution of the Baker Street Irregulars states that eligible members must pass "an examination of the Sacred Writings."<br /><br />After Christopher Morley convened the first meeting of the BSI in January of 1934, his brother Frank V. Morley (under the pseudonym 'Mycroft Holmes') published a crossword puzzle to serve as an entrance exam. The original crossword appeared in the <span style="font-style: italic;">The Saturday Review of Literature</span> on May 3, 1934.<br /><br />Now, courtesy of Bob Crispen, you can test your knowledge on the <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://holmes.crispen.org/bsi.html">original crossword puzzle</a> on the Web.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://holmes.crispen.org/bsi.html"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/320/BSI_Crossword.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a>

"It May Be a Mere Intellectual Puzzle to You..." [SUSS]

Article III of the Constitution of the Baker Street Irregulars states that eligible members must pass "an examination of the Sacred Wri...

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by Scott Monty

"...I Represent Justice So Far as My Feeble Powers Go..." [3GAB]

Evidently, there is a new poll afoot - many of you may already be aware of it. <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://insidejustice.cjsonline.gov.uk/polls/index.php">Inside Justice Week 2006</a> is asking its readers to vote for a favourite British detective.<br /><br />Your options are:<br />Inspector Morse, James Bond, Horace Rumpole, Jack Regan, Iris Cope, Danger Mouse, Mr. Barrowclough, Sherlock Holmes, Judge John Deed and Miss Marple.<br /><br />This is your chance to keep Holmes in the lead - <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://insidejustice.cjsonline.gov.uk/polls/index.php">vote now</a>!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://insidejustice.cjsonline.gov.uk/images/vote.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://insidejustice.cjsonline.gov.uk/images/vote.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Merci to Thierry St. Joanis for the link!<br /><br /></span>

"...I Represent Justice So Far as My Feeble Powers Go..." [3GAB]

Evidently, there is a new poll afoot - many of you may already be aware of it. Inside Justice Week 2006 is asking its readers to vote for ...

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by Scott Monty

"I Started My Pilgrimage at Chicago..." [LAST]

<a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);" href="http://www.gapersblock.com/slowdown/archives/2006/10/07/">Gaper's Block</a> noted the following upcoming event on October 7, 2006:<br /><br />Holmes/Doyle Colloquium @ Newberry Library<br /><blockquote>Come into the world of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and his famous detective, Sherlock Holmes. The <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);" href="http://www.newberry.org/">Newberry Library</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">'</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">s</span> annual <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.newberry.org/programs/SherlockHolmes.html">colloquium</a> delves into the author's collection of written works and memorabilia and showcases his contributions to Victorian literature. Lecture subjects include "Doyle's Favorite Book," "Dr. Arthur Conan Doyle: A Self Portrait" and "When Is a Book Not a Book?" Free and open to the public, 9:30am-12pm. The Newberry Library is located at 60 W. Walton St. Call 312-943-9090 for more information.</blockquote><p></p><p>Interested Sherlockians who are travlleing there might also want to check the <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.frappr.com/sherlockians">Sherlockian map</a> for Chicago-area residents, as well as the <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=sherlockian.calendar%40gmail.com">Sherlockian Calendar</a> for other items of note throughout the autumn.</p><p><br /></p><p></p>

"I Started My Pilgrimage at Chicago..." [LAST]

Gaper's Block noted the following upcoming event on October 7, 2006: Holmes/Doyle Colloquium @ Newberry Library Come into the world of ...

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by Scott Monty

"Who Do You Give Your Casting Vote To?" [ENGR]

<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 204, 0);"></span></span>The poll for the Summer issue of the <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);" href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/">Baker Street Journal</a> (Vol. 56, No. 2) is up and running in the top right portion of the page. If you haven't voted yet, hop on over and select the feature that you like the most. Vote early and vote often (you know who you are).<br /><br />And for those of you who are curious, here are the results from the Spring issue, out of 94 votes (<span style="font-style: italic;">What is your favorite feature of the Spring BSJ?</span>):<br /><ul><li>Art in the Blood - 1 vote</li><li>The Editor's Gas-Lamp - 2 votes</li><li>The BSI Weekend Recap - 2 votes</li><li>Commonplace Book/Inventory - 3 votes</li><li>From Sardines to Sodality - 5 votes</li><li>Holmes, Moriarty & the Faust Ledgent - 14 votes</li><li>An Old Campaigner - 29 votes</li><li>Shoscombe Through the Looking Glass - 36 votes</li></ul><br />Thank you to everyone who voted!

"Who Do You Give Your Casting Vote To?" [ENGR]

The poll for the Summer issue of the Baker Street Journal (Vol. 56, No. 2) is up and running in the top right portion of the page. If you ...

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by Scott Monty

Mutant Dog or Hound from Hell?

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> <b>"Had I not known this legend" [HOUN] </b></h4> <br /> A recent headline "<a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/id/14383883/ns/us_news-weird_news/t/dead-beast-marauding-hybrid-mutant/#.WaGa2CiGPb0" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">Hybrid mutant found dead in Maine</a>" was arresting on its own, but the accompanying photograph was equally as alarming.<br /> <br /> Some sort of a beast was found dead on the side of the road in Maine, after having been hit by a car. Officials think it may have been a cross between a wild dog and a coyote or a wolf. I was immediately reminded of <a href="http://camdenhouse.ignisart.com/canon/6-houn.htm" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Hound of the Baskervilles</span></a> by certain quotes in the story.<br /> <br /> Compare the news quotes with actual quotes from the Canonical tale in which Mr. Sherlock Holmes faced down the hound:<br /> <span class="story"></span><br /> <blockquote> <span class="story"><span style="font-style: italic;">"may be the mysterious creature that has mauled dogs, frightened residents and been the subject of local legend for half a generation."</span></span><br /> <span class="story"><br /></span> <span class="story">"it is a statement of a certain legend which runs in the Baskerville family."</span><br /> <span class="story"><br /></span> <span class="story"><span class="story" style="font-style: italic;"> "It was evil, evil looking."</span></span><br /> <span class="story"><span class="story"><span style="font-style: italic;">"For the past 15 years, residents across Androscoggin County have reported seeing and hearing a mysterious animal with chilling mon</span></span><span class="story"><span style="font-style: italic;">strous cries and eyes that glow in the night."</span><br /><br />"I assure you that there is a reign of terror in the district..."<br /><br />"...its eyes glowed with a smouldering glare.."<br /></span></span></blockquote> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/724/187/1600/hb.0.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/724/187/320/hb.0.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" /></a>  <span class="story"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/724/187/1600/houn-55.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/724/187/320/houn-55.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" /></a></span><br /> <div style="text-align: left;"> An update, 8/25/06: experts <a href="http://www.boston.com/news/local/maine/articles/2006/08/18/beast_called_a_dog_after_a_close_look/" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">call the beast a dog</a>, after all.<br /> <br /> --<br /> <br /> <br /> <span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></div> </div>

Mutant Dog or Hound from Hell?

"Had I not known this legend" [HOUN]  A recent headline " Hybrid mutant found dead in Maine " was arresting on its ow...

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by Scott Monty

"...To Make It Clear to the Whole World..." [DANC]

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFXaBgKxp4drnXkuie5rxUxVksJv9fsiymOyUcopxAtDCqlzVvz__7Df-0sZGwaieH2tpp2ivxG5jFmobWmHlRYBnNzz8Lux8koe4dkRtOD8GaLlo1xHuiTRRvS0v7oEPPgfOsLVQ1N-mh/s1600/Wolff+Atlas+World.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFXaBgKxp4drnXkuie5rxUxVksJv9fsiymOyUcopxAtDCqlzVvz__7Df-0sZGwaieH2tpp2ivxG5jFmobWmHlRYBnNzz8Lux8koe4dkRtOD8GaLlo1xHuiTRRvS0v7oEPPgfOsLVQ1N-mh/s1600/Wolff+Atlas+World.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> Brad Keefauver noted our <b>Sherlockians Around the World</b> Frappr map (now defunct) unveiling on his blog, <a href="http://www.sherlockpeoria.net/ViewFromSP/ViewSP2006/ViewSP081306.html" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">The View of Sherlock Peoria</a>, with a nod to the influence the Internet has (and continues to have) on Sherlockiana.<br /> <br /> He notes that chief among the Sherlockian tenets is the ability to share one's treasures with one's friends - and this is exactly what the Internet is designed to do! It's certainly what the <a href="http://ihearofsherlock.com/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere</a> is meant to do.<br /> <br /> While it is tempting - and downright frightening - to think of a paperless world, to the degree that the Web allows us to share insights, discoveries and thoughts at the speed of light, it makes the Sherlockian world a smaller, better place.<br /> <br /> Certainly, nothing can take the place of holding that long sought-after book, a rare manuscript, or even a chocolate bust of Sherlock Holmes in one's hands - the tactile nature of collecting is truly visceral at its core. But for those who cannot afford to travel to remote libraries, aren't aware of ongoing public auctions, or don't know private collectors, the electronic transmission of information is the next best thing to holding a valuable in one's hands.<br /> <br /> Some Sherlockians may view this wide dissemination of knowledge as counter to the very essence of what Christopher Morley was trying to create with the Baker Street Irregulars - that "whiskey and sodality" among a select few - but early members of the BSI created pamplets, booklets and publications to entertain and edify each other, originally at the annual dinners, then in print beyond that. And, as Brad notes, their correspondence was legend. But thanks to these writings in which they shared their experiences, we can enjoy them as well.<br /> <br /> The journey of Sherlockian discovery is a profoundly personal one. The ongoing series in <a href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/" style="color: #000066; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"><i>The Baker Street Journal</i></a>, "<a href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/images/First%20Meeting%20by%20Tweed%20Roosevelt%20EDITED.pdf" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">My First Meeting with Sherlock Holmes</a>" is a testament to the fact that each of us has come to enjoy the detective and the Game in vastly different ways. And most of what you'll read, beyond the authors' love of reading, will inevitably come down to their appreciation for friendship. Morley referred to the Canon as "a textbook of friendship," as it illustrated a wonderful relationship between Holmes and Watson. For thousands of people around the world, the Canon serves as an introduction to friendships in Sherlockian circles which extend many generations and families.<br /> <br /> In the Twenty-First Century, everyone is able to share his experience or her discoveries in a way that can be accessed and distributed by all. It is my hope that this blog will continue to serve as a powerful and unique way for me to continue to share my own Sherlockian journey as it unfolds.<br /> <br /> --<br /> <br />

"...To Make It Clear to the Whole World..." [DANC]

Brad Keefauver noted our Sherlockians Around the World Frappr map (now defunct) unveiling on his blog, The View of Sherlock Peoria , wi...

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by Scott Monty

"He Has a Secretary Who Is Devoted to His Interests..." [CHAS]

<a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);" href="http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=filmNews&storyID=2006-08-11T061846Z_01_N11219620_RTRIDST_0_FILM-SHERLOCK-DC.XML">Reuters</a> is reporting that Mark Dindal, who directed the Disney animated film "Chicken Little," will make his live-action debut in "<a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0466329/">Sherlock's Secretary</a>."<br /><br />Sherlockians know that since Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's time, people have been writing letters to Sherlock Holmes at 221B Baker Street. In 1985, Richard Lancelyn Green edited <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?link_code=ur2&tag=thebakerstree-20&amp;camp=1789&creative=9325&location=/gp/search%3F%26index=books%26keywords=%26quot%3Bletters%20to%20sherlock%20holmes%26quot%3B%26_encoding=UTF8">Letters to Sherlock Holmes</a>, a compendium of some of the requests that arrived at the address over the years.<br /><br />According to the report, the movie will focus on the person living at that address, whose world is turned upside down when he gets one of these letters and decides to take on a real case.

"He Has a Secretary Who Is Devoted to His Interests..." [CHAS]

Reuters is reporting that Mark Dindal, who directed the Disney animated film "Chicken Little," will make his live-action debut in...

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by Scott Monty

"So Perfect Was the Organisation of the Society..." [FIVE]

A reader in Brazil recently asked about a "buy-law" with regard to the Baker Street Irregulars. For the uninitiated, I post the entire Constitution and Buy-Laws of the Baker Street Irregulars, as written by <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elmer_Davis">Elmer Davis</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Constitution</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Article I</span><br />The name of the society shall be the Baker Street Irregulars.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Article II</span><br />Its purpose shall be the study of the Sacred Writings.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Article III</span><br />All persons shall be eligible for membership who pass an examination in the Sacred Writings set by officer of the society, and who are considered otherwise suitable.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Article IV</span><br />The officers shall be: a Gasogene, a Tantalus, and a Commissionaire.<br />The duties of the Gasogene shall be those commonly performed by a President.<br />The duties of the Tantalus shall be those commonly performed by a Secretary.<br />The duties of the Commissionaire shall be to telephone down for ice, White Rock, and whatever else may be required and available; to conduct all negotiations with waiters; and to assess the members pro rata for the cost of same.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Buy-Laws</span><br /><ol><li>An annual meeting shall be held on January 6th, at which the canonical toasts shall be drunk which were published in the <span style="font-style: italic;">Saturday Review</span> of January 27, 1934; after which the members shall drink at will.</li><li>The current round shall be bought by any member who fails to identify, by title of story and context, and quotation from the Sacred Writings submitted by any other member.</li><ol><li>Qualification A: If two or more members fail so to identify, a round shall be bought by each of those so failing.</li><li>Qualification B: If the submitter of the quotation, upon challenge, fails to identify it correctly, he shall buy the round.<br /></li></ol><li>Special meetings may be called at any time or any place by any one of three members, two of whom shall constitute a quorum.</li><ol><li>Qualification A: If said two people are of opposite sexes, they shall use care in selecting the place of meeting, to avoid misinterpretation (or interpretation either, for that matter).</li><li>Qualification B: If two such persons of opposite sexes be clients of the Personal Column of the <span style="font-style: italic;">Saturday Review</span>, the foregoing does not apply; such persons being presumed to let their consciences be their guides.<span style=";font-family:";font-size:11;" ></span></li></ol><li>All other business shall be left for the monthly meeting.</li><li>There shall be no monthly meeting. </li></ol>

"So Perfect Was the Organisation of the Society..." [FIVE]

A reader in Brazil recently asked about a "buy-law" with regard to the Baker Street Irregulars. For the uninitiated, I post the e...

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by Scott Monty

"Well, I Chose August..." [LAST]

August 7, 2006, to be precise. This is the date I've chosen to unveil the feature of the <span style="font-style: italic;">"utmost coolness"</span> to the Sherlockian community.<br /><br />I started with Peter Blau's master list of Sherlockian societies, then mapped them all on a new site called Frappr in order to give us the beginnings of <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.frappr.com/sherlockians">Sherlockians Around the World</a>. This site uses Yahoo's/Google's mapping technology and allows us to create a visual/virtual community of Sherlockians around the world.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.frappr.com/sherlockians"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/724/187/400/Frappr.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a><br />It is entirely interactive, so you can add your name, photo, make comments, edit your scion society contact information (including adding a Web address if appropriate). It works for <span style="font-weight: bold;">individuals </span>as well as <span style="font-weight: bold;">scions</span>, and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Sherlockian sites </span>of interest.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.frappr.com/sherlockians"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/724/187/320/Frappr2.0.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>Going on a trip and want to see if there's a Sherlockian nearby? Check the map. Want to know if there's a local scion where you're going and if they're having a meeting? Check the map and cross reference it with our <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=sherlockian.calendar%40gmail.com">Sherlockian Calendar</a>.<br /><br />In addition to viewing the icons on the map, you can view a list of individuals, societies and locations in a list, which you can sort by name, location, or date added.<br /><br />Members can also post photos of themselves (similar to what has been done at the comprehensive database of Holmesians, the <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.sh-whoswho.com/">Sherlockian Who's Who</a> site, maintained by Thierry St. Joanis and Alex Barquin).<br /><br />Please take a moment to visit the <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.frappr.com/sherlockians/">Sherlockians Around the World</a> site and - most importantly - <span style="font-weight: bold;">add your information to it</span>. The more people participate, the stronger our community will be.<br /><br /><br />And if you would like to tell a Sherlockian friend about this new feature, use the envelope icon below to forward this post to them. We need your help to spread the word!<br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);" href="http://del.icio.us/post" onclick="window.open('http://del.icio.us/post?v=4&noui&jump=close&url='+encodeURIComponent(location.href)+'&title='+encodeURIComponent(document.title), 'delicious','toolbar=no,width=700,height=400'); return false;"> Save This Page</a>

"Well, I Chose August..." [LAST]

August 7, 2006, to be precise. This is the date I've chosen to unveil the feature of the "utmost coolness" to the Sherlockia...

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by Scott Monty

"Born in New Jersey..." [SCAN]

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlwJXFG45a79kEExCYBTvFp3HCYUjWDrOSNjO1J0znzkkF5CVjHbIXRWk3yayivdTeBfJ4BoDlseE0brz9Hl7TGS41xyQgCDQ6z32xbbEAkDV7jKxsnve8I2nbe25Q7jL_rFGb6QZIIdZF/s1600/Cape+May.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlwJXFG45a79kEExCYBTvFp3HCYUjWDrOSNjO1J0znzkkF5CVjHbIXRWk3yayivdTeBfJ4BoDlseE0brz9Hl7TGS41xyQgCDQ6z32xbbEAkDV7jKxsnve8I2nbe25Q7jL_rFGb6QZIIdZF/s640/Cape+May.JPG" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> In an article titled <a href="http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1154556609175&call_pageid=970599119419" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">"The game's afoot in New Jersey,"</a> the <span style="font-style: italic;">Toronto Star</span> notes that Cape May, NJ is hosting a Sherlock Holmes weekend November 3-5, 2006.<br /> <br /> Full weekend packages are available starting at $170 (U.S.) a couple, or $90 a person (not including accommodation). The Search for Clues Tour can be enjoyed separately for $15 a person.<br /> For more information, see the the Web site of the <a href="http://www.capemaymac.org/Tours-Events/Holmes/sherlockholmes.htm" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts</a>.<br /> <br /> And we of course know that Irene Adler was "born in New Jersey" [SCAN] as her biography notes.<br /> <br /> <i>Image credit: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3A927_933_Beach_Cape_May_HD.JPG" target="_blank">Smallbones</a> (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons</i><br /> <br /> --<br /> <i><br /></i>

"Born in New Jersey..." [SCAN]

In an article titled "The game's afoot in New Jersey," the Toronto Star notes that Cape May, NJ is hosting a Sherlock Hol...

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by Scott Monty

It is, of course, a trifle...

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "...but there is nothing so important as trifles."  [TWIS]</h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkyt58QqAFd_ZYJiQmbxuSA9VZmzMwzL8hzSgFBjutRYt7oTd8cgZD1o9_KetGfgJZoau7cpI-K4lUOh1ZE6TsI4YBgqwgy9ZagBGjqkLhIYtq5-D_rgClAq1YvaolWJaMrUcuI0bQTKya/s1600/books.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkyt58QqAFd_ZYJiQmbxuSA9VZmzMwzL8hzSgFBjutRYt7oTd8cgZD1o9_KetGfgJZoau7cpI-K4lUOh1ZE6TsI4YBgqwgy9ZagBGjqkLhIYtq5-D_rgClAq1YvaolWJaMrUcuI0bQTKya/s640/books.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br />  Project Gutenberg is a site of <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">over 18,000 free eBooks</a> available for download, many of which are audio books.<br /> <br /> The <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/browse/scores/top" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">Top 100 eBooks</a> yesterday included the following (with dowloads in parentheses):<br /> <br /> 1. <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/9551" style="color: #000066;">The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (614)</a><br /> 8. <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/9557" style="color: #000066;">The Valley of Fear by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (223)</a><br /> 13. <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/9552" style="color: #000066;">The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (193)</a><br /> 14. <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1661" style="color: #000066;">The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (186)</a><br /> 23. <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/9553" style="color: #000066;">The Return of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (143)</a><br /> 31.<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/9555" style="color: #000066;"> The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (117)</a><br /> 35. <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/9556" style="color: #000066;">A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (104)</a><br /> 39. <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/9554" style="color: #000066;">His Last Bow by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (101)</a><br /> 90. <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/9558" style="color: #000066;">The Sign of the Four by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (58)</a><br /> <br /> Sir Arthur Conan Doyle topped off the list as #1 on the Top 100 authors yesterday.<br /> <br /> <br /> <i>Image credit: <a href="https://flic.kr/p/e6BtW5" target="_blank">Kirrus (Flickr)</a></i><br /> --<br /> <br /> <br />

It is, of course, a trifle...

"...but there is nothing so important as trifles."  [TWIS]  Project Gutenberg is a site of over 18,000 free eBooks available...

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by Scott Monty

"'So I See,' the Other Answered With the Utmost Coolness." [REDH]

<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><span style="color: #ffcc00; font-size: 130%; font-weight: bold;"></span>Some time within the next week, we will unveil a tool of the <span style="font-style: italic;">utmost coolness</span> to Sherlockians around the world.<br /> <br /> Stay tuned here so you see what we're talking about.<br /> <br /> --<br /> <br />

"'So I See,' the Other Answered With the Utmost Coolness." [REDH]

Some time within the next week, we will unveil a tool of the utmost coolness to Sherlockians around the world. Stay tuned here so you see...

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by Scott Monty

"Every link is now in its place..." [THOR]

We're pleased to bring you, once again, the links from the latest issue of Peter Blau's monthly newsletter <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://members.cox.net/sherlock1/scuttle.htm">Scuttlebutt from the Spermaceti Press</a>.<br /><br /><ul><li><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://http//www.dailyscript.com/">The Daily Script</a> is a collection of movie scripts and screenplays for writers, actors, and those who enjoy reading movie scripts. Search for "Sherlock Holmes" and you'll find a script for Billy Wilder's <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066249/">The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes</a>.<br /></li><li>The Blue Ridge Radio Players have <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.nationalaudiotheater.org/">an audio recording of their performances</a> of "The Second Stain" and "The Six Napoleons" from the Sherlock Holmes Festival at Tryon, NC in 2005 (as well as five other Sherlockian performances)</li></ul><ul><li>Conan Doyle purchased <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.savills.co.uk/residentialSearch/2a5318db-0129-4108-b238-bd42520aeaf9-0-1-0-viewDetailsSubmit/residentialSearch/propertyDetail.aspx?pID=139716">Bignell Wood</a> in 1926, calling it "our country cottage"; it is up for sale again and viewable on the Savills Property site. In addition to dowloading a brochure for the sale, readers can also take a look at the complete floorplan of this 5,568 square foot cottage.</li></ul><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.savills.co.uk/residentialSearch/5aea9a18-e9b2-4bc2-bfc2-2571d536da3f-0-1-0-viewDetailsSubmit/residentialSearch/propertyDetail.aspx?pID=139716"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/724/187/320/Bignell%20Wood.2.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a><ul><li>Search results for the <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?an=Doyle&y=0&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;kn=Crowborough&x=0&sortby=1">"Crowborough Edition"</a> of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's works on Abebooks range from just over $6,000 to nearly $26,000</li></ul><ul><li><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.watsonshouseofales.com/">Watson's House of Ales</a> in Houston is a new addition to a Texas chain that<br />includes nine Sherlock's Pubs and six 221B Baker Street Pub and Grills</li><li><span style="font-style: italic;">"Art in the blood is liable to take the strangest forms,"</span> could have not been more accurate than as in John Lennon's self-portrait in Sherlockian costume. Limited edition prints are available from <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.johnlennonartwork.com/">Legacy Fine Art and Productions</a></li></ul><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/724/187/1600/Sherlock%20Lennon.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/724/187/320/Sherlock%20Lennon.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a><ul><li><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.authorstobelievein.com/">The Secret Adventures of Sherlock Holmes</a> by Paul E. Heusinger, is a collection of ten stories memorized by Watson and rescued by telepathic clairvoyance</li><li>"The Game's Afoot," or at least your tour is, with <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.acrossthepondtours.com/">Across the Pond</a>, which offers independent guided tours of the United Kingdom; mention SHM06 for a $250 discount</li><li><span style="font-style: italic;">Entertainment Weekly</span> published a list of <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.ew.com/ew/article/commentary/0,6115,1213384_1_0_,00.html">"The 50 Greatest Sidekicks of All-Time,"</a> which featured <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.ew.com/ew/article/commentary/0,6115,1213415_1%7C%7C233618%7C1_0_,00.html">Dr. Watson as #6</a>, behind Ed McMahon, Robin, George Costanza, Chewbacca, and Ethel Mertz. To give EW full credit, part of their writeup included <span style="font-style: italic;">"Watson is more than Holmes' friend: He's his humanity."</span></li></ul><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.ew.com/ew/article/commentary/0,6115,1213384_1_0_,00.html"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/724/187/320/Watson%20Sidekick.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a><ul><li><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.mccranies.com/tobacco_tin.html">McCranie's</a> offers some Sherlockian pipe tobacco in tins: Peterson's Sherlock Holmes blend and McClelland's 221B-Black Shag, 221B-Arcadia, and 221B-Honeydew</li><li>Some geneological information on Nigel Bruce is available (with the photograph below) on <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://web.ukonline.co.uk/members/tom.paterson/BruceStenhouse.htm">Bruce of Airth and Stenhouse</a></li></ul><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://web.ukonline.co.uk/members/tom.paterson/BruceStenhouse.htm"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/724/187/200/BrucesofStenhouse.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a><ul><li>Scott and Alison Ibbitson breed bull terriers at <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.bakerstreetbullterriers.com/">Baker Street Bull Terriers</a>; Scott's first bull terrier was named "Watson"</li><li>One Act Players' live performances of "The Speckled Band," "A Scandal in Bohemia" and "The Final Adventure" are available for free dowloand on <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.artistlaunch.com/artistsearch.asp">ArtistLaunch</a> (search for "Sherlock")</li></ul>

"Every link is now in its place..." [THOR]

We're pleased to bring you, once again, the links from the latest issue of Peter Blau's monthly newsletter Scuttlebutt from the Sper...

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by Scott Monty

Matilda, the Algonquin Hotel Cat

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "I could have laughed when I realized that it was the cat" [CHAS] </h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzUzh9JHKdA2krKPNrGkvp2XtZH4C_lXSsVYIxxZDeHlL7F557x5w1gO5HZUFeClq_zlQ5Rf8i3aMrwFmN34NFmxVDrq_cVvkmCD8h-jgS7lEkDlZ915pGHHmbJ35foaYpedO-hVfM7o7R/s1600/Matilda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzUzh9JHKdA2krKPNrGkvp2XtZH4C_lXSsVYIxxZDeHlL7F557x5w1gO5HZUFeClq_zlQ5Rf8i3aMrwFmN34NFmxVDrq_cVvkmCD8h-jgS7lEkDlZ915pGHHmbJ35foaYpedO-hVfM7o7R/s640/Matilda.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> The <a href="http://algonquinhotel.com/" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">Algonquin Hotel</a> has served as the unofficial headquarters of the Baker Street Irregulars' annual weekend gathering for many years. For those who have visited, in addition to the plush lobby, bells that summon the waitstaff with your martini, and the venerable Oak Room with Andrea Marcovicci, one of the main features of the hotel cat, Matilda.<br /> <br /> NPR has done a feature on Matilda, <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5590366" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">The Algonquin Hotel's Feline Celebrity</a>, which contains a summary of the piece and a link to the audio file. Long time BSI Weekend attendees may also recognize the voice of Mike Lyons, bell captain who has been with the Algonquin for four decades.<br /> <br /> <br /> <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">More resources:</span><br /> <ul> <li>The <span style="font-style: italic;">New York Times</span> did a feature on the <a href="http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=travel&res=9C00E1DC1238F93BA15756C0A96E958260" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">Algonquin renovations</a> in its Travel section in 1998.</li> <li>The Dorothy Parker Society threw <a href="http://www.dorothyparker.com/wordpress/2002/11/100th-birthday-bash-at-the-gonk.html" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">a 100th birthday party</a> for the Gonk in 2002 (that's Mike blowing out the cake)</li> </ul> Have you got a favorite Algonquin memory? Share it in a comment.<br /> <br /> <i>Image credit: Fuzzy Gerdes (<a href="https://flic.kr/p/6LyzqB" target="_blank">Flickr</a>)</i><br /> <br /> --<br /> <br />

Matilda, the Algonquin Hotel Cat

"I could have laughed when I realized that it was the cat" [CHAS]  The Algonquin Hotel has served as the unofficial headquar...

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by Scott Monty

"I Travelled in My Youth, Took to the Stage..." [TWIS]

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWS5XDdkBu9MM0ZsViBDpgNnr4eNLP2-AGphsCZvTFa9SwjbPdp9NUitVD6vYV_46Vh8lRq2OqK2mmFRwB1-B1iw9ZMgXvGQhTd7IPzGdjtp_u01n0uMsSlZXwhAFS_Fpxm6tuLf7uWWnP/s1600/William+Gillette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWS5XDdkBu9MM0ZsViBDpgNnr4eNLP2-AGphsCZvTFa9SwjbPdp9NUitVD6vYV_46Vh8lRq2OqK2mmFRwB1-B1iw9ZMgXvGQhTd7IPzGdjtp_u01n0uMsSlZXwhAFS_Fpxm6tuLf7uWWnP/s640/William+Gillette.jpg" width="394" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="color: #ffcc00; font-weight: bold;"></span></span>Today is the anniversary of the birth of the stage actor most closely associated with the role of Sherlock Holmes. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Gillette" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">William Gillette</a> was born on July 24, 1853 in Hartford, Connecticut.<br /> <br /> If <s>you're</s> you were in the area on Sunday, <s>join</s> you would have seen the Men on the Tor's picnic at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Gillette#Gillette_Castle" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">Gillette Castle</a> to celebrate this happy event.<br /> <br /> --<br /> <br />

"I Travelled in My Youth, Took to the Stage..." [TWIS]

Today is the anniversary of the birth of the stage actor most closely associated with the role of Sherlock Holmes. William Gillette wa...

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by Scott Monty

<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 0); font-weight: bold;">"But Now Your Thoughts Went Back to Beecher..." [CARD]</span></span><br /><br />In the opening of "The Cardboard Box" (and "The Resident Patient," for that matter), Holmes makes the following observation of Watson as Watson stared at the photograph of Henry Ward Beecher:<br /><blockquote style="font-style: italic;">But now your thoughts went back to Beecher, and you looked hard across as if you were studying the character in his features. Then your eyes ceased to pucker, but you continued to look across, and your face was thoughtful. You were recalling the incidents of Beecher's career. I was well aware that you could not do this without thinking of the mission which he undertook on behalf of the North at the time of the Civil War, for I remember your expressing your passionate indignation at the way in which he was received by the more turbulent of our people.</blockquote>There is a new book out about Beecher, titled <span style="font-style: italic;">The Most Famous Man in America</span>, that was <a style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.opinionjournal.com/la/?id=110008647">recently reviewed</a>: "Supposed that a man with Bill Clinton's charisma and wayward habits were the son of Billy Graham and had become the most famous liberal preacher in the country. He might be something like a contemporary equivalent of the 19th-century superstar Henry Ward Beecher.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=thebakerstree-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=0385513968&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&amp;amp;amp;lc1=0000ff&bc1=000000&bg1=ffffff&f=ifr" style="width: 120px; height: 240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe><br /></div>

"But Now Your Thoughts Went Back to Beecher..." [CARD] In the opening of "The Cardboard Box" (and "The Resident Pat...

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by Scott Monty

Letter of Support for Undershaw

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "let us now see the letter" [TWIS]</h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ8kVe8VipBTSdJ5lXvabkQzorAcd6lx5vvIihUlSDIdWAaccD-l9LoWYn5k7j_85Ce5xZinbW07BtEH7y22oTqhf9RME0JtkQYwYsxjQZGXX5NRAZCaH8LtQgUwZOF0FFUwMQ4pWr2Cex/s1600/undershaw-by-charles-bone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ8kVe8VipBTSdJ5lXvabkQzorAcd6lx5vvIihUlSDIdWAaccD-l9LoWYn5k7j_85Ce5xZinbW07BtEH7y22oTqhf9RME0JtkQYwYsxjQZGXX5NRAZCaH8LtQgUwZOF0FFUwMQ4pWr2Cex/s640/undershaw-by-charles-bone.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Below we have reproduced in full the letter that appeared in <a href="http://arts.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,1822045,00.html" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">the July 17 issue of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Guardian</span></a>. We do so because we have been following the Undershaw drama, and because the undersigned are largely all members of the Baker Street Irregulars.</div> <br /> <blockquote> "We write in support of the Victorian Society's appeal to English Heritage to raise the listed status of Arthur Conan Doyle's house Undershaw in Hindhead, Surrey, to Grade I (Sherlock Holmes and the case of the property developers, July 8).<br /> "Representing the worldwide interest in Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes, we recognise that even though the recent application for listed building consent has been withdrawn, the house still desperately needs the protection that the higher grading will bring.<br /> "In 1895 Conan Doyle believed that his wife's tuberculosis meant a nomadic existence in foreign health resorts. But when he learned of the dry air and sheltered conditions of Hindhead, he built a remarkable home there.<br /> "Those years at Undershaw were among Conan Doyle's most productive. Sherlock Holmes, killed off in 1893, was restored to life, and many other stories and novels were written there, including Sir Nigel, which he considered his literary high point. He involved himself in public issues, and stood for parliament twice. He served as a volunteer army surgeon in South Africa during the Boer war, and wrote both a history of it and an internationally circulated pamphlet defending Britain's cause. He became deputy lieutenant of Surrey, and took an active role in the local golf club and in the Chiddingfold Hunt. He championed the cause of George Edalji, who was falsely imprisoned for animal mutilation (the subject of Julian Barnes's recent novel Arthur & George).<br /> "The many distinguished visitors to Undershaw included the writers James Barrie and Bram Stoker, the artist Sidney Paget, the cricketers Albert Trott and Frederic Meyrick-Jones, and even Field Marshal Lord Roberts, hero of Afghanistan and commander of British forces in the Boer war.<br /> "Conan Doyle's house is an obvious memorial to his achievements, and we believe it would be an indictment of British interest in its own heritage if the building's integrity were to be destroyed."<br /> <b> Guy Marriott</b><br /> The Sherlock Holmes Society of London<br /> <b> Michael Whelan</b><br /> The Baker Street Irregulars (US)<br /> <b> Christopher Roden</b><br /> The Arthur Conan Doyle Society<br /> <b> Steven Rothman</b><br /> The Baker Street Journal (US)<br /> <b> Roger Johnson</b><br /> The Sherlock Holmes Journal<br /> <b> Christopher Redmond</b><br /> Sherlockian.Net<b><br /> Jon Lellenberg</b><br /> US representative of the Conan Doyle Estate<br /> <b> Daniel Stashower</b><br /> author, Teller of Tales: The Life of Arthur Conan Doyle</blockquote>

Letter of Support for Undershaw

"let us now see the letter" [TWIS] Below we have reproduced in full the letter that appeared in the July 17 issue of The Gu...

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by Scott Monty

"...The Story Is Still Told in India..." [EMPT]

<b><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 204, 0);"></span></span></b>Today's edition of The Hindu has a book review of <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.hindu.com/br/2006/07/18/stories/2006071800261600.htm"><span style="font-style: italic;">Experiments in Advocacy: A Colossus in the Courts of Justice, The Life and Times of Dr. Kailus Nath Katju</span></a>. The book is a collection of Katju's essays and speeches, with more than a slight nod to one of his heroes, Mr. Sherlock Holmes:<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><p align="justify"></p><blockquote><p align="justify"> In his presentation of cases, none other than the detective of all times, Sherlock Holmes influenced him. "He [Holmes] always insisted upon close observation of detail and proper inferences, and those rules I found invaluable and indeed a key to success in many mysterious cases which I was briefed to argue in court of appeal." The master detective finds a reference throughout the book with two special chapters dedicated to him. "Sherlock Holmes in India" narrates three criminal cases that prove the adage "truth is stranger than fiction."</p><p align="justify"> In "The Sherlock Holmes Method Applied in Court," Katju describes how he developed his own powers of observation, deduction and inference on the lines indicated by Holmes to Watson.</p></blockquote><p align="justify"></p><p align="justify"><br /></p><p align="justify"> </p></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.hindu.com/br/2006/07/18/stories/2006071800261600.htm"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/724/187/320/Katju.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 162px; height: 228px;" /></a>

"...The Story Is Still Told in India..." [EMPT]

Today's edition of The Hindu has a book review of Experiments in Advocacy: A Colossus in the Courts of Justice, The Life and Times of Dr...

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by Scott Monty

"It Is Full of Old Houses..." [SUSS]

<b><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 0); font-weight: bold;"></span></span></b>A couple of news stories Monday relate two houses that have a connection to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.<br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/living/travel/15056081.htm">Rudyard Kipling's home</a> in Dummerston, Vermont was visited by Conan Doyle, who went golfing and skiing in the area. The home has been restored by the Landmark Trust USA, a division of a foundation based in the United Kingdom that preserves and restores notable British houses. Interested individuals can even make <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.landmarktrustusa.org/naulakha/index.html">arrangements to sta</a><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.landmarktrustusa.org/naulakha/index.html">y</a> at the historic house.<br /><br />And a <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.blueplaque.com/">blue plaque</a> has been laid at the <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://new.edp24.co.uk/content/news/story.aspx?brand=EDPOnline&category=News&tBrand=EDPOnline&tCategory=news&itemid=NOED16%20Jul%202006%2019%3A07%3A17%3A030">Hill House in Happisburgh, North Norfolk</a>. Conan Doyle visited this public house frequently and wrote <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://camdenhouse.ignisart.com/canon/danc.htm">"The Dancing Men"</a> while he was staying there in 1903. You may recall that Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson travel to Norfolk to help Mr. Hilton Cubitt; as it happens, the Cubitt family ran the Hill House while Conan Doyle stayed there.

"It Is Full of Old Houses..." [SUSS]

A couple of news stories Monday relate two houses that have a connection to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Rudyard Kipling's home in Dummersto...

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by Scott Monty

"...I Observe That Your Circulation is More Adapted for Summer..." [BLUE]

<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 204, 0);"></span></span>The Summer (not June!) issue of the <span style="font-style: italic;">Baker Street Journal</span> is on its way! We ask you to be patient as the Post Office does its thing.<br /><br />In the meantime, you might <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/currentvolume.html">check out the current contents</a> of the Journal, which include:<br /><ul><li>The latest <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/currentvolume/theeditorsgaslamp.html">Editor's Gas-Lamp</a></li><li>The featured article, <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/currentvolume/watsonsweirdtales.html">Watson's Weird Tales</a>, by former BSJ editor Phil Shreffler, concerning horror elements in Sherlock Holmes Canon</li><li>The text of <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www2.mcdaniel.edu/English/faculty/panek.htm">Leroy Lad Panek</a>'s 2006 BSI Distinguished Lecture on the origins of the detective story in America</li><li>David Musto's investigation of genetics and heredity in the Canon</li><li>Arthur Conan Doyle as a whaler and a sailor, by Walter Jaffee and Deborah Herman, respectively</li><li>Marshall Berdan pays a visit to <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Mansbridge">Ronald Mansbridge, BSI</a>, who turned 100 last November<br /></li><li>Charles Press delves into the timing and details in Arthur Conan Doyle's life in an effort to determine exactly when he met Jean Leckie, the future Mrs. Conan Doyle. The results may surprise you.</li><li>Another former editor of the BSJ, Donald Pollock, continues the tradition of "Maybe You Collect Yourself, Sir..." with an explanation of the Longman's "new edition" of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Hound of the Baskervilles</span></li><li>And the usual roundup of the Baker Street Inventory, the editor's Commonplace Book, Scott Bond's artwork, and Letters to Baker Street</li></ul>As always, we would like to hear what you think! We've set up another poll at the top of the blog to get your thoughts.

"...I Observe That Your Circulation is More Adapted for Summer..." [BLUE]

The Summer (not June!) issue of the Baker Street Journal is on its way! We ask you to be patient as the Post Office does its thing. In the...

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by Scott Monty

"It Makes a Considerable Difference to Me..." [BOSC]

<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 0); font-weight: bold;"></span></span>If you've taken the time to head over to the <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/">Baker Street Journal</a> site, you will have noticed a considerable difference in the layout. Please have a look around and let us know what you think - we want to have a site that works for you, so don't be shy. We've set up <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/contactus/letterstobakerstreet.html">Letters to Baker Street</a> so we can read your comments on articles, get your feedback and answer your questions.<br /><br />One point of reference: the left side navigation bar (in grey) has both top-level and drop-down links; clicking on the top-level will get you to the main page, while the drop-down (or mouse-over) links will get you to sub-level pages. You can see it all laid out on the <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/home/sitemap.html">sitemap</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/724/187/400/BSJ-screenshot.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a><br /><img alt="" src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/SCOTTM%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-2.jpg" />

"It Makes a Considerable Difference to Me..." [BOSC]

If you've taken the time to head over to the Baker Street Journal site, you will have noticed a considerable difference in the layout. ...

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by Scott Monty

An Undershaw Update from the Sherlock Holmes Society of London

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "you've surely saved the lodge" [VALL]</h4> <br /> <span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="color: rgb(255 , 204 , 0); font-weight: bold;"></span></span>Further to our post of July 6, it seems that Undershaw has been given a reprieve. <a href="http://www.sherlock-holmes.org.uk/press_cutting.php?id=26" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">Details are available</a> on the Sherlock Holmes Society of London page.<br /> <br /> --<br /> <br /> <br />

An Undershaw Update from the Sherlock Holmes Society of London

"you've surely saved the lodge" [VALL] Further to our post of July 6, it seems that Undershaw has been given a reprieve. D...

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by Scott Monty

Conan Doyle's Undershaw May Be Destroyed

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "Possibly you have seen pictures and read descriptions of the famous old building" [MUSG]</h4> <br /> <b><span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="color: #ffcc00; font-weight: bold;"></span></span></b>In 1897 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle made his home in Surrey, where his personally-designed house Undershaw was completed. It is while he lived there that he wrote <span style="font-style: italic;">The Return of Sherlock Holmes</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">The Hound of the Baskervilles</span>.<br /> <br /> From 1924 to 2004, the 36-room house was a hotel, but now it is in danger of losing the charm and details that have been part of the home for over 100 years, as developers are considering destroying it to make way for three homes to be built on the site of the house, plus another on the grounds. The <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/07/06/nhomes06.xml" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">full article is available from the Telegraph</a>.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/07/06/nhomes06.xml" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="210" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/724/187/320/Undershaw.0.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="400" /></a><br /> Some quotes:<br /> <br /> From John Gibson (of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0967750008/002-7132755-0695226?v=glance&n=283155" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">Gibson & Green</a> fame): <br /> <blockquote> <span style="font-style: italic;">"This was the only house that Conan Doyle had built for himself. To gut it will destroy the integrity of the important building and all its connections."</span></blockquote> From Nick Utechin (editor of <a href="http://www.sherlock-holmes.org.uk/journal.php" style="color: #000066; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">The Sherlock Holmes Journal</a>):<br /> <blockquote style="font-style: italic;"> "No thought appears to have been given to the incredible importance Conan Doyle has in popular literary culture. We are not saying the house needs to be maintained exactly as it was, but it would be nice if something could be kept or if the public were able to look around it."</blockquote> Both the Sherlock Holmes Society of London and The Victorian Society are doing their part to save the property.<br /> <br /> <b><span style="color: #ffcc00; font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></b>

Conan Doyle's Undershaw May Be Destroyed

"Possibly you have seen pictures and read descriptions of the famous old building" [MUSG] In 1897 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle made h...

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by Scott Monty

"Then We Solemnly Renewed Our Oath to Stand by Each Other..." [SIGN]

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "then we solemnly renewed our oath to stand by each other" [SIGN] </h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhklstl2XNvafWfL4WbTRb2fW42yt_gsaBFKHDblrT8vG7Fm7FALqhivUjvMVCZ3ZEup-sHT15k3JwXpY275nc3dOW83uLdwEFHVVwjAbRjn99pbKp8LTLjgVcEfNONNAXWzdqQulazuasm/s1600/BSI-logo-profile.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhklstl2XNvafWfL4WbTRb2fW42yt_gsaBFKHDblrT8vG7Fm7FALqhivUjvMVCZ3ZEup-sHT15k3JwXpY275nc3dOW83uLdwEFHVVwjAbRjn99pbKp8LTLjgVcEfNONNAXWzdqQulazuasm/s1600/BSI-logo-profile.png" /></a></div> <br /> <span style="color: rgb(255 , 204 , 0); font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span>Please stand by over at <a href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/" style="color: rgb(0 , 0 , 102); font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">The Baker Street Journal</a> web site, as we are making some slight improvements to the site. Since its inception in July of 2001, the site has used frames. We thought it was time to put an end to the frames, and the new templates require a bit more work from us.<br /> <br /> The site is a work in progress (hasn't it always been so?) that will change over the next week or so. If you have any questions or suggestions, please email us.<br /> <br /> --<br /> <br />

"Then We Solemnly Renewed Our Oath to Stand by Each Other..." [SIGN]

"then we solemnly renewed our oath to stand by each other" [SIGN]  Please stand by over at The Baker Street Journal web site...

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by Scott Monty

Dispelling Myths About Sherlock Holmes

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "it is a statement of a certain legend" [HOUN]</h4> <br /> Last week it was <a href="http://www.straightdope.com/" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">The Straight Dope</a>; this week, it's the <a href="http://www.snopes.com/" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">Urban Legend Reference Pages</a>.<br /> <br /> For those of you unfamiliar with the ULRP [Now known as Snopes - Ed., c. 2016], it is a very useful site that helps to make sense out of some of the rather questionable "facts" and stories (aka "urban legends") that have abounded since the advent of the Internet, as well as long-standing pieces of misinformation.<br /> <br /> Today, the webmaster takes a crack at the perennial urban lengend: <a href="http://www.snopes.com/quotes/signature/elementary.asp" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">Sherlock Holmes said "Elementary, my dear Watson."</a><br /> <br /> --<br /> <br />

Dispelling Myths About Sherlock Holmes

"it is a statement of a certain legend" [HOUN] Last week it was The Straight Dope ; this week, it's the Urban Legend Refere...

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by Scott Monty

CSI: Sherlock Holmes

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "the press, Watson, is a most valuable institution" [SIXN] </h4> We recently linked to E.J. Wagner's book <a href="http://www.forensic.to/webhome/ejwagner/" style="color: #000066; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">The Science of Sherlock Holmes</a>. In the <a href="http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1151705448264&call_pageid=970599119419" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">July 2 issue of the Toronto Star</a>, the Baker Street Irregulars' own Peter Calamai ("The <span style="font-style: italic;">Leeds Mercury</span>") provides an review on the book, with an in-depth look at Ms. Wagner's analysis of forensics in the Canon.<br /> <br /> <blockquote> "Pop culture reveres <i>CSI</i>'s Gil Grissom but the Great Detective was in the lab first."</blockquote> <br /> --<br />

CSI: Sherlock Holmes

"the press, Watson, is a most valuable institution" [SIXN]  We recently linked to E.J. Wagner's book The Science of Sherlock...

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by Scott Monty