"A Picker-Up of Shells" [HOUN]

The January 18, 2010 edition of Publisher's Weekly is currently running a piece by Lenny Picker called, cleverly enough, "The Return of Sherlock Holmes."

In it he predicts a spike in sales of books about Sherlock Holmes - the first since the craze that followed the publication of The Seven-Per-Cent Solution and the revival of William Gillette's play in the 1970s. In fact, he notes that PW previously had predicted the phenomenon as they ran a piece in 1974 called "The Case of the Baker Street Boom."

This time around, PW has some great quotes from Sherlockians we know and respect: bookseller and editor Otto Penzler (whom we interviewed on I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere), Sherlockian bon vivant Peter Blau, author Lindsay Faye and pastiche database keeper Philip K. Jones. Theories abound as to the reason behind the rise in new Holmes stories - from nostalgia to desire for new stories. But the interview subjects all agree that there are many ways to find our way to Holmes and that there will be many more to come.

Here are a few of the titles mentioned in the article - well worth checking out:

        

Read More...

Summary only...

"The Great Black-Faced Monkey" [CREE]

I love hearing from other Sherlock Holmes enthusiasts - many have similar stories of how we all got interested; a book, a movie, a visit to London. But sometimes there's a unique twist involved.

Here's an excerpt from a recent email I received from Matt:

About five years ago, I caught a Hound of the Baskervilles showing on television and instantly became a fan Sherlock Holmes. My interest sparked when I shortly thereafter discovered Jeremy Brett's version,and I have seen every episode in that masterful Granada series. A couple years ago, my job afforded me almost weekly travel between New York and London and I had the chance to visit the museum at 221B Baker St., stay in the hotel and visit the pub, both named after the legend.

Another interest of mine since I was a small child, for some odd reason - perhaps their scientific binding to us, has been primates. I remember having collected several stuffed animals, one of which, a sock monkey, still "resides" with me in New York.

For Christmas this year, my girlfriend took is upon herself to combine those two loves and have something unique created for me.

And this is where Matt included the following photo, courtesy of siansburys on Flickr.

   

Sian has an Etsy shop you can check out - and it looks like she does custom orders. It might be just the gift for the Professor Presbury in your life.

Read More...

Summary only...

"You'll Feel Bullier" [STUD]

In a recent New York Times article, the question of the rights of the characters in the Sherlock Holmes stories was investigated ("For the Heirs of Holmes, a Tangled Web").

As any news story about the rights to Sherlock Holmes does, this one included the name of Andrea Plunket, the widow of Sheldon Reynolds, who claims to hold some copyrights, despite being denied repeatedly by U.S. federal courts. Of course, Sheldon Reynolds was the producer of the 1950s Sherlock Holmes series starring Ronald Howard. You can find the complete series by clicking here.

And as Plunket goes, so goes Lellenberg: Jon Lellenberg, BSI ("Rodger Prescott") manages the literary estate of the Conan Doyle family here in the U.S. and he's more than familiar with Ms. Plunket's claims. However, it would seem that he's not familiar with a use of Sherlock Holmes in some recent advertising - something that he said "definitely should" be licensed:

Asked about a recent Red Bull television commercial that features a cartoon Holmes and Watson, Mr. Lellenberg said he had not seen it. “Very interesting,” he said. “News to me.”

Here, for your consideration (and for Jon's as well) is that Red Bull ad.




And speaking of advertising, you might pick up a copy of the 2009 Baker Street Journal Christmas Annual, "Did You Notice Nothing Curious About That Advertisement?" In it, Peggy Perdue takes a look at the various incarnations of Holmes in the marketing and advertising world.

Read More...

Summary only...

"Globe of Light" [VALL]

For the three of you who may not have yet heard the news, Robert Downey, Jr. received a Golden Globe award for his role in the recent film "Sherlock Holmes."

His award was for Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical (!). Since the film wasn't a musical, we're assuming the august and all-wise members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) put the latest interpretation of the immortal detective in the comedy category. We should all have such a sense of humor.

In his unconventional acceptance speech, Downey - who still refuses to wear a tie - he thanked almost no one. For a while, he seemed to play on the ego for a while, perhaps even channeling a bit of Holmes in his remarks. But then, to the delight of Sherlockians everywhere, he supplied a quote to the HFPA:

"There's a Holmes quote by Conan Doyle - who was a genius, by the way - and he said 'Art in the blood is liable to take the strangest forms.' That is why I'd like to thank the Hollywood Foreign Press - 'cause they're a strange bunch and now I'm one of 'em."

Read More...

Summary only...

"Somewhat Acid Irony" [VALL]

Occasionally, we run across images and mentions that strike a particular chord. Humorous, ironic, strange, fortuitous, or amazingly on-point, they bear a mention here. Today's example is one that was just too poignant to pass up: an image at the Baker Street Underground stop.

Have you seen or heard anything that bears a note here? Drop us a line and give us a tip.

Read More...

Summary only...

"Breakfast 2s 6d, Cocktail 1s" [NOBL]

For our final day at the BSI Weekend, we recreated the Saturday experience as we've known it for some years: breakfast at the Red Flame Diner, browsing the Vendors' Room at the Algonquin Hotel, and then the Baker Street Irregulars Reception.

Each of these has an important and universal component to it: we have an opportunity to spend time interacting with other Holmesians present at the events. With the advent of Facebook and the Sherlock Holmes Social Network, it's easy to connect with other like-minded souls at any time. But as we've said before, our little hobby is one of the original social networks. We gather because of a single common interest, yet we connect on a variety of levels. And the the convivial conversation, witty banter and intellectual discourse we have in person is irreplaceable. Indeed, it's one of the driving forces behind so many hundreds of us gather in New York each January.

Breakfast at the Red Flame is one of the unscripted events during the weekend. The diner is directly next to the Algonquin, so it's a natural stop for so many of us. Walking in the door, you feel like you're in a neighborhood establishment, as you're instantly greeted by waves and greetings. The booths accommodate up to 4 people, so the breakfast discussions are usually intimate - and funny if you happen to be at some of the booths we've been lucky enough to join over the years.

The gates to the Vendors' Room open at 9:00 a.m., and one will usually find Jerry Margolin foaming at the mouth, lest anyone gain admission before he does. Jerry is always first in and first with his checkbook out. The collectibles range from a full table of BSI publications to rare books, theatre cards, correspondence, jewelry, and a wide variety of Sherlockiana. It's really a site to behold. And usually, we stop in between the tables, chatting with each other and congratulating the newest members of the BSI as they come through.

The Reception
Over the last few years, the New York City Bar Association has graciously shared their quarters with us - very convenient, as they're literally across the street from the Algonquin. In addition to food and drink, attendees hunger and thirst for the entertainment that accompanies this annual party. The BSI dinner is capably recapped - in verse - by Al Rosenblatt ("Inspector Bradstreet") and his daughter Betsy Rosenblatt ("Lucy Ferrier"). This year, they focused on current events including recent late night television show wars, Tiger Woods, and of course the Guy Ritchie film.

Another highlight is the auction for some unique Holmesian items, the proceeds of which benefit the John H. Watson Fund. The fund helps to defray the travel costs for Sherlockians who are otherwise unable to afford the entire price of the BSI Weekend. This year's auction items included a pillow embroidered to reflect events in "The Abbey Grange," a set of posters from the new film, a medical certificate signed by Joseph Bell's father (Bell himself being a medical school professor of Conan Doyle's and an inspiration for the character of Sherlock Holmes), and a set of five medals/pins from the Curious Collectors of Baker Street. There was also an impromptu bidding for a BSI dinner packet which was left behind last night by the author of this blog. (!)





Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Ray Jessel, lyricist for the 1965 Broadway musical "Baker Street" and one of last night's dinner guests, joined us today as well - and graced us with some banter and a few witty songs. Update: You can view the entire set of recorded musical numbers by Ray and others here:




With that, we wrapped up the weekend and hopped on a flight back home. The full recap of the weekend events will be available in the Spring issue of the Baker Street Journal. Please follow the link to subscribe.

Read More...

Summary only...