Peter Cushing Was an Accomplished Painter

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

Peter Cushing Was an Accomplished Painter

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

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by Scott Monty

"I Should Hope to Inspire" [VALL]

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

"I Should Hope to Inspire" [VALL]

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

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by Scott Monty

Episode 18: The Sons of the Copper Beeches

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

Episode 18: The Sons of the Copper Beeches

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

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by Scott Monty

The Adventure of the At-Home Worker

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

The Adventure of the At-Home Worker

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

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by Scott Monty

"All the Footprints of the World" [HOUN]

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

"All the Footprints of the World" [HOUN]

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

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by Scott Monty

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

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

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

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

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by Scott Monty

"The Print of a Recent Horror" [SILV]

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

"The Print of a Recent Horror" [SILV]

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

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by Scott Monty

"Our Little Drama" [SIGN]

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

"Our Little Drama" [SIGN]

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

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by Scott Monty

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

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

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

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

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by Scott Monty

Episode 17: Collectors' Corner - Otto Penzler

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

Episode 17: Collectors' Corner - Otto Penzler

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

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by Scott Monty

"The Next Few Minutes Were Delicious" [SOLI]

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

"The Next Few Minutes Were Delicious" [SOLI]

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

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by Scott Monty

"The Ladies Who Entered" [COPP]

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

"The Ladies Who Entered" [COPP]

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

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by Scott Monty

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

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

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

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

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by Scott Monty

"See How It Glints and Sparkles" [BLUE]

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

"See How It Glints and Sparkles" [BLUE]

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

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by Scott Monty

"A Certain Annual" [SPEC]

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

"A Certain Annual" [SPEC]

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

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by Scott Monty

Special Episode: Compliments of the Season

<h4 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"compliments of the season" [BLUE] </h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEisOa8EB3WP3vsHVWiJzMamYVd_KJdE0vbw2kZvssfgqzGJW8-NfLbIMk7EA_GnicRZIO-yBbF2jW-SHyejulfqpII6XxJxYUKd7n4hWDd1s5OC5AP7AYFu87J0N7VRuK5040Wi7zsqmLgqBmb5yBOccFHb-NPz30qsxjDH_mLw5UEhm2ntk_083Yws5Q=s1015" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1015" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEisOa8EB3WP3vsHVWiJzMamYVd_KJdE0vbw2kZvssfgqzGJW8-NfLbIMk7EA_GnicRZIO-yBbF2jW-SHyejulfqpII6XxJxYUKd7n4hWDd1s5OC5AP7AYFu87J0N7VRuK5040Wi7zsqmLgqBmb5yBOccFHb-NPz30qsxjDH_mLw5UEhm2ntk_083Yws5Q=w640-h364" width="640" /></a></div><br />This time of year always draws our minds to "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adventure_of_the_Blue_Carbuncle">The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle</a>," the only Sherlock Holmes story that takes place at Christmas. It's the source of our greeting cards to each other, with the universally applicable "Compliments of the Season," which is exactly the wish that Burt and Scott give to each and every one of you.<br /> <br /> Thank you so much for being part of this journey with us throughout the second half of 2007. We look forward to bringing you more episodes of the quality you've come to expect, and we may even have a few surprises in store for 2008.<br /> <br /> In the meantime, sit back, relax, and enjoy 10 minutes or so of a very special holiday greeting from your friends at I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere.<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #0e0e0e; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #0e0e0e; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;"><h3 style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><a href="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/traffic.libsyn.com/secure/ihearofsherlock/ihearofsherlock_compliments2007.mp3" style="color: #013fd3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Download</a> [Save As] | File size 8.9 MB, 9:41</h3></div> <center><br /><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1185689230&color=%23ce1a21&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/ihearofsherlock" title="I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/ihearofsherlock/compliments-of-the-season" title="Compliments of the Season" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Compliments of the Season</a></div></center> <br /> --<br /> <br /> <br /></div>

Special Episode: Compliments of the Season

"compliments of the season" [BLUE]  This time of year always draws our minds to " The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle ,...

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by Scott Monty

"In His Yorkshire Days" [HOUN]

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9SajP8g6hlBgXVXvOt51b4D8oMZ35xq4RcPzOsAI3qnATLF9oJXMvWWi4Td2ukfOW2SgGxOX0D-0o3cflNXbzSw87jyaL6Ljjh_LmNb8g5s74tEdL74FD7Ooj_eqlfFJcEwXAfKxAQDy1/s1600-h/York_Watts.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5148500438878279618" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9SajP8g6hlBgXVXvOt51b4D8oMZ35xq4RcPzOsAI3qnATLF9oJXMvWWi4Td2ukfOW2SgGxOX0D-0o3cflNXbzSw87jyaL6Ljjh_LmNb8g5s74tEdL74FD7Ooj_eqlfFJcEwXAfKxAQDy1/s200/York_Watts.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>For the good people in the northern portion of England, there's about to be a special museum feature afoot. The <a href="http://www.yorkshiremuseum.org.uk/Page/Index.aspx">Yorkshire Museum</a> in (where else?) York is going to be opening a new exhibit on January 1, called "<a href="http://www.yorkshiremuseum.org.uk/Page/Events.aspx#The%20Mystery%20Files">Mystery Files</a>," which encourages visitors to put on their own symbolic deerstalkers and search for clues amid the current exhibits.<br /><br />At the end of 2008, the search will culminate in the opening of the museum's vault. There are a number of rarely seen exhibits and artifacts that are being displayed as part of this year-long hunt. The <a href="http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/yorknews/display.var.1925514.0.sherlock_holmes_lends_a_hand_at_the_yorkshire_museum.php">full story is available at the York Express</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">If you live in or take a visit to the north of England, please do drop us a line and let us know about your experience with this feature at the museum.</span>

"In His Yorkshire Days" [HOUN]

For the good people in the northern portion of England, there's about to be a special museum feature afoot. The Yorkshire Museum in (wh...

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by Scott Monty

"Recent Services to One of the Royal Houses" [SCAN]

I think the 21st century is finally starting to catch up with us. As a reader of this blog, you no doubt have seen some wonderful things, thanks to the advancing technology. It would seem now that the monarchy of Great Britain is joining in the fun.<br /><br />If you haven't heard, on the heels of her 81st birthday, making her the oldest monarch in England's history (long may she reign!), <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7157947.stm">Queen Elizabeth II will be broadcasting her annual Christmas message on YouTube</a>. And in advance of that news, the Royal Family has established its own channel on YouTube: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/theroyalchannel">http://www.youtube.com/theroyalchannel</a><br /><br />We American Sherlockians have always bowed to the east, in honor of the queen of Sherlock Holmes's time, as well as our present-day queen. While it's not terribly Sherlockian, allow me to share with you <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBRP-o6Q85s">the first televised Christmas Greeting</a>, from Elizabeth II in 1957. And may you and yours have a very Happy Christmas.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" class="b-hbp-video b-uploaded" frameborder="0" height="266" id="BLOGGER-video-7358d5cafaff0740-13577" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzePs6ZlWTfks6Nto7DQovH_5Hqjd08foiKDpjWKj8boj1cEU2cSNvwvB7gt1E5OaN1n3dBmhCTDamcZSk8CoeXoUYils80PooGwXZIhcpCuXSM1OPpRnL6Yg6PDj-dWjiSVuo2" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="320"></iframe></div>

"Recent Services to One of the Royal Houses" [SCAN]

I think the 21st century is finally starting to catch up with us. As a reader of this blog, you no doubt have seen some wonderful things, th...

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by Scott Monty

Episode 16: Collectors' Corner - Jerry Margolin

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmKAdUd4CpGowljqqGgkHJ29KlZW2zin0FaWywLBzWaaBBQyHw7UOPvmH2Au8yvZ_KVgSFM8famzE-7eGDdvdmR1jbVvHOeXZdgWPdmRnZ77MDgm7ADyf9ndWlWjFD30NNLEgzszWh4Y_A/s1600/Jerry+Margolin,+BSI.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmKAdUd4CpGowljqqGgkHJ29KlZW2zin0FaWywLBzWaaBBQyHw7UOPvmH2Au8yvZ_KVgSFM8famzE-7eGDdvdmR1jbVvHOeXZdgWPdmRnZ77MDgm7ADyf9ndWlWjFD30NNLEgzszWh4Y_A/s1600/Jerry+Margolin,+BSI.jpg" /></a></div> <br /> <center> <iframe allowfullscreen="" height="90" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/1114989/height/90/width/600/theme/custom/autonext/no/thumbnail/yes/autoplay/yes/preload/no/no_addthis/no/direction/backward/no-cache/true/render-playlist/no/custom-color/ff7000/" style="border: none;" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="600"></iframe></center> <br /> <br /> We're pleased to welcome Jerry Margolin, BSI ("Hilton Cubitt") to this show this week. Jerry has been a collector of something or other nearly his whole life, but his Sherlockian collection was the thing that occupied most of his adult life. Recently, Jerry decided to sell his collection, and we wanted to understand what went into that process, from the making the very difficult decision, picking a buyer, and what's happened along the way.<br /> <br /> Those who know Jerry will be pleased to know that he did not sell the core of his collection - his Sherlockian artwork - which contains a wide array of original comic art, many made specifically at Jerry's request. You can see some of Jerry's art collection in the slideshow beneath the flash player for the show below.<br /> <br /> Please leave a comment at (774) 221-READ (7323), comment [AT] ihearofsherlock [DOT] com, within the comment section of each entry, or in the Splashcast player. We also encourage you to join the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/ihearofsherlock">I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere Facebook page</a>, to vote for us at <a href="http://podcastalley.com/podcast_details.php?pod_id=49043">Podcast Alley</a>, and to consider making a donation to the show (in the sidebar on the right).<br /> <br /> <strong>Show Notes:<br /> 1:13</strong> Show intro<br /> <strong>4:47</strong> The origins of Jerry's collecting mania<br /> <strong>6:30</strong> Jerry's first piece of Sherlockian artwork: "Murder at the English Pub" by V.I.P.<br /> <strong>7:15</strong> Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Plus, Jerry's Sherlockian mentor<br /> <strong>9:01</strong> It's in your DNA - the collector gene<br /> <strong>9:39</strong> Meet St. Judy<br /> <strong>10:32</strong> Where does one put a Sherlockian art collection of over 900 pieces?<br /> <strong>11:39</strong> Jerry's art collecting theme - personal favorite artists, commissioned pieces<br /> <strong>13:50 </strong>Will call for Peanuts - <a href="http://www.snoopy.com/">Charles Schultz</a><br /> <strong>17: 32</strong> Jerry's personal favorites: <a href="http://www.snoopy.com/"></a><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000071/">Jimmy Stewart</a>, <a href="http://www.willeisner.com/">Will Eisner</a>, <a href="http://www.gahanwilson.com/">Gahan Wilson</a><br /> <strong>25:42</strong> The oldest artwork in Jerry's collection<br /> <strong>30:01</strong> Shifting gears from art to books<br /> <strong>32:40</strong> Discovering rare & scarce books pre-eBay<br /> <strong>34:40</strong> The hallmarks of a good collector<br /> <strong>36:13</strong> Beginning to think about selling the collection<br /> <strong>40:10</strong> Starting the selling process<br /> <strong>40:45</strong> The emotional aspect of selling a collection<br /> <strong>42:29</strong> Starting to hear from collectors of the collection<br /> <strong>44:06</strong> Seller's remorse - and making up for it<br /> <strong>45:23</strong> It's not just about the sale - some philanthropy as well<br /> <strong>51:02</strong> What "what ifs" of collecting<br /> <strong>56:57</strong> The Editor's Gas Lamp: "Something Can Be Added," <a href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/">The Baker Street Journal</a> Vol. 1, No. 4 (New Series) October 1951<br /> <br /> <center> <iframe align="middle" frameborder="0" height="400" scrolling="no" src="http://www.flickr.com/slideShow/index.gne?group_id=&user_id=9152065@N04&set_id=72157603451412010&tags=jerrymargolin" width="476"></iframe><br /> <small></small></center> <br /> <span style="font-style: italic;">Mouse over the slideshow to hide/unhide the thumbnails; you can click on the artwork to be taken to the full site.</span><br /> <div> <i>Update</i>: <a href="http://blog.marsdencartoons.com/tag/baker-street-irregulars/">an interview with Jerry via the Marsden Cartoons blog</a>.</div> <div> <br /> <strong>Links:</strong> <br /> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ihearofsherlock/sets/72157603451412010/">Samples of Jerry's art collection on Flickr</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.snoopy.com/">Charles Schultz</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000071/">Jimmy Stewart</a> on the IMDb</li> <li><a href="http://www.willeisner.com/">Will Eisner</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.gahanwilson.com/">Gahan Wilson</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/">The BSI Trust</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/">The Baker Street Journal</a> </li> </ul> <br /> <b>Listen now:</b> <br /> <a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/ihearofsherlock/ihearofsherlock16.mp3" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7TL5jgdrUh_nM_zlDgxql-jKOFGUVFqhoV6A2JtYklXOu4qmVDyRVbwGV6XrwXZgnG9awSwJ7td-txL1_4KGrpSf4igJLILOim4yJmX5pGTPIdMhCBYLyImSI5gs1MOMUZPAlpAgvtPdb/s200/podcastIcon.gif" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 21px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 46px;" /></a>Download this episode by right-clicking the icon and selecting "Save As..." (File size: 59 MB, 1:02:43)<br /> <br /> <iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/134346227&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe><br /> <br /> --<br /> <br /></div>

Episode 16: Collectors' Corner - Jerry Margolin

We're pleased to welcome Jerry Margolin, BSI ("Hilton Cubitt") to this show this week. Jerry has been a collector of so...

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by Scott Monty

"I Shall Get the Tickets" [BOSC]

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.resonanceensemble.org/"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145960098866681714" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2AUroyxDbBkGXeEjJJn-hOIs9PMYjBk0_j1gSn7kGxolzXk4S09YhQsinYLbdzTe0UQJaAyOvkgJGdOh0N8I7uwzNczugMsZgvlrgpqGxsNswLbz31Vtrcis6IupSSzM6VueACFDH-6bw/s200/SherlockSolo.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>[<span style="font-style: italic;">Notice</span>: this is one of a number of contests that I'll be running on the blog here over the next few weeks. I've been lucky enough to have been contacted by some individuals who were interested in getting some publicity for their efforts. I hope you'll have fun with these, participate, and encourage others to do the same.]<br /><br />You may have heard that in conjunction with the <a href="http://www.bsiweekend.com/">BSI Weekend</a>, the one-man play <a href="http://www.resonanceensemble.org/">Sherlock Solo</a> will be performed by Victor L. Cahn at the Kirk Theatre.<br /><br />The play runs from January 10 through February 3 in New York, so there are other times to see it if you don't make it to during the Weekend festivities (there are so many other things to do!). You can buy tickets at (212) 279-4200.<br /><br />Or - here's a thought - you can participate in a contest right here on the blog. The producer has given me 5 pairs of tickets that I'll be giving away to my readers. Here's how the giveaway will work:<br /><br />In the comments section of this post (if you're reading this as an email or through a feedreader, please go to the web site), or on the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=5262672284">Baker Street Blog Facebook Group</a>, leave a comment that explains how you've personally been affected by Sherlock Holmes this year. It could be a book, a movie, another Sherlockian, an online discussion - whatever. But tell me some way that the character has enriched your life for 2007.<br /><br />Entries are due on or before 11:59 PM on December 31, 2007. After that, I'll be choosing winners at random. I'm also promoting this through the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=5262672284">Baker Street Blog Facebook Group</a>. I may post additional information to the group only; please join the group now so you don't miss out on any details.<br /><br />Good luck! I look forward to reading about your experiences!

"I Shall Get the Tickets" [BOSC]

[ Notice : this is one of a number of contests that I'll be running on the blog here over the next few weeks. I've been lucky enough...

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by Scott Monty

Episode 15: Michael Whelan, Wiggins of the Baker Street Irregulars (Part 2)

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgMs3JAiDZX406YHikvYVqMKOsF-eJjLxyznQrJN3UWd0wnI6p2EV8iVYXR0j8juBazJESKWf5Xgx-yhVIvunhfexb79s5FzRFUwWu9NylB39Tg-LL1hqliVShwjZORcRAz_ZXU4C-Q6LU/s1600/Algonquin_lobby_lounge.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgMs3JAiDZX406YHikvYVqMKOsF-eJjLxyznQrJN3UWd0wnI6p2EV8iVYXR0j8juBazJESKWf5Xgx-yhVIvunhfexb79s5FzRFUwWu9NylB39Tg-LL1hqliVShwjZORcRAz_ZXU4C-Q6LU/s1600/Algonquin_lobby_lounge.jpg" /></a></div> <br /> In the previous episode of the show, you heard us get into some pretty interesting topics with Mike Whelan, head of the Baker Street Irregulars. We continue in this vein in Part 2, talking about the <a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/">BSI Trust</a>, the <a href="http://www.bsiweekend.com/">BSI Weekend</a> in much greater detail, the Dr. Watson Fund, and a very exciting contest that you can participate in!<br /> <br /> Comments? Questions? Suggestions? Please contact us using the information in the sidebar to the right.<br /> <br /> <h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Show Notes:</span></h4> <span style="font-weight: bold;">2:33</span> The evolution of the archives of the BSI, thanks to Dan Posnansky and Harvard<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">5:43</span> Mike's leadership style and getting things done<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">8:18</span> What happens at the BSI Weekend, anyway?<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">14:30</span> The Dr. Watson Fund - what it is, how it works, and how to contribute<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">16:01</span> Listener contest!!! Listen, participate and win!<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">17:10</span> Mike's favorite part(s) of the BSI Weekend<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">20:16</span> Follow the BSI Weekend activities - <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">live </span>- on <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/" rel="nofollow">I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere</a> and the <a href="http://www.bsiweekend.com/">BSI Weekend</a> site<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">21:48</span> How does Mike explain this avocation to civilians?<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">23:04</span> Mike spends his free time doing...<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">26:15</span> The secret to enjoying the Game<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">27:30</span> Getting Mike into the 21st century - maybe<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">29:02</span> Interviews at the 2007 BSI Dinner with recently investitured Irregulars: Dayna MacCausland, Mattias Bostrom, Elaine McCafferty, Maggie Schpak, Warren Randall, Mike Homer and <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2007/07/episode-03-mike-berdan.html">Mike Berdan</a>.<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">37:53</span> The Editor's Gas-Lamp, "Who Is a Baker Street Irregular?" Vol. 3, No. 2 of the 1948 <a href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/" style="font-style: italic;">Baker Street Journal</a><br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">42:23</span> Subscribing to the Baker Street Journal<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">44:30</span> Listener comments - all kinds!<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">52:15</span> <br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">56:01</span> Burt makes Scott tell the Johnny Carson / Carnac hiatus joke<br /> <br /> <h3 style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://traffic.libsyn.com/ihearofsherlock/ihearofsherlock15.mp3">Download</a> [Save As] | File size: 53.5 MB, 58:28</b></h3><iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/134346152&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true" width="100%"></iframe><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: interstate, "lucida grande", "lucida sans unicode", "lucida sans", garuda, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/ihearofsherlock" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="ihearofsherlock">ihearofsherlock</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/ihearofsherlock/i-hear-of-sherlock-8" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Episode 15: Michael Whelan (Part 2)">Episode 15: Michael Whelan (Part 2)</a></div> <br /> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Links:</span></div> <ul> <li style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/">BSI Trust</a></li> <li style="text-align: left;">The <a href="http://hcl.harvard.edu/libraries/#houghton">Houghton Library</a> at Harvard University</li> <li style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.bsiweekend.com/">BSI Weekend</a></li> <li style="font-style: italic; text-align: left;"><a href="https://ihose.co/BSJ" target="_blank">The Baker Street Journal</a></li></ul><div style="text-align: left;"> <br /><br /> --<br /> <br /></div>

Episode 15: Michael Whelan, Wiggins of the Baker Street Irregulars (Part 2)

In the previous episode of the show, you heard us get into some pretty interesting topics with Mike Whelan, head of the Baker Street Ir...

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by Scott Monty

"The Giant Rat of Sumatra" [SUSS]

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg512wCMDTfVScAio2-3qtrWee3PTZry9QnRhFE89sceSW33tb26GxBKq8Chw7cQOWsSdI0RDcuOMKFDz9qE0DXzVK_MzIZj0Yf7PS5IQ_e5Vuotg7hrgk3fcDmIkFydJc0i0AUY_jKVis7/s1600-h/giant+rat.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145070967621965650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg512wCMDTfVScAio2-3qtrWee3PTZry9QnRhFE89sceSW33tb26GxBKq8Chw7cQOWsSdI0RDcuOMKFDz9qE0DXzVK_MzIZj0Yf7PS5IQ_e5Vuotg7hrgk3fcDmIkFydJc0i0AUY_jKVis7/s200/giant+rat.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>Sometimes you come across a news item that's just too good to be true. Or in this case, too Canonically accurate. It's almost frightening.<br /> <br /> In <a href="http://www.sherlockian.net/canon/stories/suss.html">The Sussex Vampire</a>, Holmes mentions that the <span style="font-style: italic;">Matilda Briggs</span> "was a ship which is associated with the giant rat of Sumatra, a story for which the world is not yet prepared." And so it went, that the Giant Rat of Sumatra became one of the most highly recognized of the apocryphal tales - the unrecorded cases of Sherlock Holmes.<br /> <br /> So imagine my surprise when I saw a headline on CNN.com today that not only included the <span style="font-style: italic;">Rattus horribilis</span>, but also a mention of one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's other enduring tales: <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/12/17/giant.rat.ap/index.html">Giant rat found in 'lost world'</a>.<br /> <br /> In this case, the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0938501232?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0938501232"> Lost World</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thebakerstree-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0938501232" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> in question is not some South American plateau, but none other than Indonesia - which coincidentally includes Sumatra. In this case, the rodent was found in the Foja mountains in the eastern Papua province, which is not all that far away from Sumatra. Two new species were discovered in an area that is rarely visited by humans - and one of them happened to be a "giant rat" that is about 5 times the size of a normal city rat. I don't know you, but I think city rats are fairly large to begin with. This is approaching being a R.O.U.S. (Rodent Of Unusual Size).<br /> <br /> I love it when our little hobby becomes fodder for the headlines and something that was written about nearly 100 years ago becomes fact. I know Conan Doyle was into the psychic phenomena, including spiritualism, but this is just plain uncanny. As Sherlock Holmes himself said, "life is infinitely stranger than anything which the mind of man could invent." ['A Case of Identity']<br /> <br /> --<br /> <br /> <br /> <iframe src="http://rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?t=thebakerstree-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=0938501232&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width: 120px; height: 240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>

"The Giant Rat of Sumatra" [SUSS]

Sometimes you come across a news item that's just too good to be true. Or in this case, too Canonically accurate. It's almost fright...

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by Scott Monty

"Holmes Gave Me a Brief Review" [THOR]

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuXEiT11nhOmFI88giP09JGV5Da7Iak99uhMMnRrA4Fj7OMfxcr-2q_2LzKJj9W5pn_RuBoA1eQ7BM8kcstEZ0XGPwNdFXP3ZBtbe1sR_TXpHSHNSlqtk9TslIY2H04K5rS4qK46er3pIQ/s1600-h/Carbuncle.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5142545380950997378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuXEiT11nhOmFI88giP09JGV5Da7Iak99uhMMnRrA4Fj7OMfxcr-2q_2LzKJj9W5pn_RuBoA1eQ7BM8kcstEZ0XGPwNdFXP3ZBtbe1sR_TXpHSHNSlqtk9TslIY2H04K5rS4qK46er3pIQ/s200/Carbuncle.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;" /></a>You may recall <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2007/10/theatre-party-miss_14.html">our announcement of the opening of two one-act plays</a> by Andrew Joffe, BSI ("Sir Charles Halle"), starring Paul Singleton, BSI ("Covent Garden"). In it, I mentioned that if you're in New York in December, you should make it a point to see The Blue Carbuncle & the Gift of the Magi - a nice mashup of Conan Doyle and O. Henry. The details are:<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br /> <blockquote> <span style="font-weight: bold;">The Blue Carbuncle with Sherlock Holmes & The Gift of the Magi</span><br /> Adapted from stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle & O. Henry<br /> By Andrew Joffe<br /> Directed by Kathleen Brant<br /> Musical Direction: Jeffrey Buchsbaum<br /> With Paul Singleton as Sherlock Holmes<br /> Dec. 6 - Dec. 22, Tues thru Sat.<br /> At: The WorkShop Theater Company<br /> 312 West 36th Street, 4th Floor<br /> New York, NY<br /> <span class="HEADINGTextBLUEmed"> (212) 695-4173</span><br /> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span class="HEADINGTextBLUEmed">Reservations through Theatermania:<br /> </span><a class="HEADINGTextBLUEmed" href="http://www.theatermania.com/ticketing/index.cfm/int_showid/138403" target="new">http://www.theatermania.com/ticketing/index.cfm/int_showid/138403</a></div> </blockquote> Well, it turns out that even though I'm a big Joffe/Singleton fan, you shouldn't take my word for it, oh no. Please, see what the inestimable Susan Rice, ASH, BSI, 2s. ("Beeswing") had to say.<br /> <blockquote> I know you're all aware of the current production of Blue Carbuncle and Gift of the Magi, adapted for the stage by Andrew Joffe and starring Paul Singleton. I saw it tonight, and I'm doing you a favor by telling you to take out your calendars and reserve a ticket for yourself <span style="font-weight: bold;">NOW</span>. Andrew's adaptation of BLUE manages to demonstrate all the warmth every Sherlockian perceives in the friendship of Holmes and Watson without ever needing to put it into words. You think you have seen Paul play Holmes, but until you see this production, you have not seen him be Holmes, and I'm glad to report his Watson is above reproach. The Gift of the Magi is a lovely piece of lagniappe, as is an opening chorus of contemporary holiday music, some of which is extremely funny.</blockquote> <br /> And just so you don't think that Susan and I are simply Kool-Aid drinking Sherlockians and <span style="font-weight: bold;">FOPS </span>(Friends of Paul Singleton), take a look at what <a href="http://www.backstage.com/bso/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003682860">Backstage</a> added:<br /> <blockquote> Amidst all the big-budget holiday theatrical fare, I sincerely hope theatregoers will find time to enjoy this delightful offering at a tiny Midtown black-box theatre. It overflows with the true spirit of the season.<br /> <br /> Both tales have been cleverly adapted by Andrew Joffe and imaginatively staged by Kathleen Brant to include the hustle and bustle of a metropolitan Christmas, complete with jubilant carolers and a street-corner violinist (Ken Linsk). Touches like an invisible O. Henry (played with buoyant good humor by Richard Kent Green) helping his character Della on with her coat are wonderful. Jodie Bentley and Tyler Hollinger manage to avoid easy sentimentality and find the camaraderie and love, with an undercurrent of erotic passion, that bind O. Henry's famous romantic pair. Paul Singleton gives us brief glimpses of the emotional loneliness behind the pipe-chomping Holmes' piercing intellect and deftly illuminates the famous sleuth's unswerving moral passion, while Todd Butera creates an earthy, good-natured Watson who has great admiration and compassion for his longtime friend.</blockquote> <br /> Please click through to the <a href="http://www.backstage.com/bso/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003682860">Backstage site for the full review</a>.<br /> <br /> <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Have you seen the plays? Let me - and the rest of the readership know what you thought of it by leaving a comment below.</span>

"Holmes Gave Me a Brief Review" [THOR]

You may recall our announcement of the opening of two one-act plays by Andrew Joffe, BSI ("Sir Charles Halle"), starring Paul Sin...

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by Scott Monty

"The Chaplain, No Less!" [GLOR]

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizmtdRuVfbZZrpuO_Yiz-85aahpogTRJB9kspUlxgtW_LA0LrS87PTwCAviJOCTbEskGzxUvkH5wOEk19VBkRf_v93oM0Eqk4bYv1xtscy0L9d9LmxrGH8Kn_aMXbCiCTbfvsBx2B04FdC/s1600-h/wood.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5142458369208547682" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizmtdRuVfbZZrpuO_Yiz-85aahpogTRJB9kspUlxgtW_LA0LrS87PTwCAviJOCTbEskGzxUvkH5wOEk19VBkRf_v93oM0Eqk4bYv1xtscy0L9d9LmxrGH8Kn_aMXbCiCTbfvsBx2B04FdC/s200/wood.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>Once again, it is with a heavy heart that I take up my pen to write of the passing of another member of the Baker Street Irregulars. Benton Wood, BSI ("A Scandal in Bohemia") passed away in Florida on Saturday, December 8. Ben had been in failing health for years and passed way very peacefully, according to his wife Joan.<br /><br />For many years, Ben was the official chaplain of the Baker Street Irregulars, presiding over the dinner's blessing. By trade, he was a headmaster of an Episcopal school, which made his local investiture in the Pleasant Places of Florida - Dr. Thorneycroft Huxtable - all the more appropriate. His accomplishments include the publication of <a href="http://www.trussel.com/detfic/shbib.htm#C12758"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Philatelic and Numismatic Holmes</span></a> (that's stamp & coin collecting). Ben received his investiture in the BSI in 1979; his wife Joan was honored as 'The Woman' at the 1991 dinner.<br /><br />While I didn't know Ben personally (I only met him a couple of times), fellow Floridian David McCallister, over at the <a href="http://sherlockholmes.ning.com/">Sherlock Holmes Social Network</a>, writes:<br /><blockquote>Ben was the second invested "Scandal in Bohemia" of the BSI, and its chaplain. He followed Leslie Marshall in this investiture and role, and also as the long-time head of the Pleasant Places of Florida scion. He was given the Two Shilling award by Tom Stix, and will be remembered by his many proteges and friends as an indefatigable apostle for Sherlockiana. His wife Joan, is one of The Women, to whom our condolences are expressed.</blockquote>There are no funeral services planned. If you would care to do so, you may write to Joan at:<br /><blockquote>9840 Sucia Circle<br />Parrish, FL 34219-9080<br /></blockquote>I join other Sherlockians around the world in remembering Ben and wishing Joan and their family my heartfelt condolences.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">If you have any other information about Ben, or memories that you'd like to share, please use the comment link below. I'm sure other Sherlockians would like to know.</span>

"The Chaplain, No Less!" [GLOR]

Once again, it is with a heavy heart that I take up my pen to write of the passing of another member of the Baker Street Irregulars. Benton ...

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by Scott Monty

Episode 14: Michael Whelan, Wiggins of the Baker Street Irregulars (Part 1)

<a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/152/366688143_f68e3ac8af_m.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/152/366688143_f68e3ac8af_m.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 200px;" /></a>In this episode of the only Sherlockian podcast, we begin our interview the head of the Baker Street Irregulars - the internationally renowned literary society that remains at the forefront of the study of Sherlock Holmes. Michael Whelan has been "Wiggins" of the BSI for the last decade, and here he shares some thoughts on his own personal history, the organization, the annual gathering known as the <a href="http://www.bsiweekend.com/">BSI Weekend</a>, and more.<br /> <br /> The Baker Street Irregulars is the umbrella organization for a host of so-called scion societies around the world and has been in existence since 1934.<br /> <br /> <h4> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Show Notes</span></h4> <span style="font-weight: bold;">1:15</span> Introduction & welcome<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">5:10</span> Mike's first experience with Sherlock Holmes<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">9:50</span> A Rotary-like element to being a Sherlockian<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">10:15</span> Mike's first Sherlockian dinner, 1969 - Hugo's Companions<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">11:18</span> Mike's first BSI dinner, 1973<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">13:16</span> The Montgomery tradition begins and other Irregularities<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">15:36</span> Mike gets his investiture and discussion of the "wait list"<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">17:54</span> How Mike became the head of the BSI<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">22:59</span> That's a lot of dinners!<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">23:26</span> The BSI's style - informal, no dues, no requirements<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">25:29</span> Tom Stix changed some things, Mike's vision for the organization<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">30:48</span> The BSI re-enters the publishing business<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">38:38</span> Archiving this podcast and other BSI-related material<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">42:21</span> Show wrap-up and highlights from next week's conclusion<br /> <br /> <h3 style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://traffic.libsyn.com/ihearofsherlock/ihearofsherlock014.mp3">Download</a> [Save As] | File Size 40.4 MB, 44:08</b></h3><center><iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/134346022&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true" width="100%"></iframe><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: interstate, "lucida grande", "lucida sans unicode", "lucida sans", garuda, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/ihearofsherlock" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="ihearofsherlock">ihearofsherlock</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/ihearofsherlock/i-hear-of-sherlock-7" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Episode 14: Michael Whelan (Part 1)">Episode 14: Michael Whelan (Part 1)</a></div></center> <br /> <h4> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Links</span></h4> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.bakerstreetirregulars.com" target="_blank">The Baker Street Irregulars</a> </li> <li><a href="https://ihose.co/BSJ" target="_blank"><i>The Baker Street Journal</i></a></li> <li><a href="https://ihose.co/BSIPress" target="_blank">The BSI Press</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/">The BSI Trust</a></li> </ul> <br /><br /> --<div id="gtx-trans" style="left: 186px; position: absolute; top: 963.521px;"><div class="gtx-trans-icon"></div></div>

Episode 14: Michael Whelan, Wiggins of the Baker Street Irregulars (Part 1)

In this episode of the only Sherlockian podcast, we begin our interview the head of the Baker Street Irregulars - the internationally renown...

+ Read more »

by Scott Monty