Author: Buttons

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“Chips” Adds: “On This Date”

Our Master of the Canonical Tid-Bit, Ron Lies “Chips” has added a wonderful new feature to his posts: the “On This Date in the Canon.” He will list the Watsonian/Sherlockian occurrences on key dates from his researches into the good doctor’s writings.

Here is this week’s:

To All:

A little behind on my posting but I am in a group of irregulars myself.

“Chips.”

On This Date:

January 1st Saturday 1881, Stanford introduced Holmes to Watson.

January 2nd Sunday 1881, Watson moved into 221B Baker Street.

January 3rd Monday 1881 Holmes moved into 221B Baker Street.

January 3rd Saturday 1903 James Dodd received an amicable reply to his letter from Mrs. Emsworth.

January 4th Monday 1885 Joseph Openshaw received 5 Orange pips.

January 4th Sunday 1891 Holmes crossed Moriarty’ s path.

January 5th Monday 1903 James Dodd traveled from London to Bedford and thence to Tuxbury Old Place January 5th Monday 1903 James Dodd sees the face of Godfrey Emsworth at his bedroom window.

January 6th Wednesday 1886 Wednesday Charles Augustus Milverton called upon Holmes at 221B Baker Street.

January 6th Tuesday 1903 Colonel Emsworth tells James Dodd that he must leave Tuxsbury Old Park the next morning, January 6th Friday 1888 Jack Douglas shot and killed Ted Baldwin

and the most IMPORTANT:

January 6th Friday 1854 Sherlock Holmes was born!

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Weekly Forum: January 6

As the new year begins, it is time to resume our Weekly Forum and to continue generating interesting joint articles for the journal, as well as have some fun whilst speculating on the unending mysteries of the Canon.

Based on the evidence of both Watson and Holmes, which do you believe The Agency prefers: Capital crimes or non-capital crimes? In which cases do we find our two partners experiencing the most zest, passion and determination?

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New Book

We are pleased to announce the publication of THE OENOLOGICAL HOLMES: The Role of Wine in the Life and Times of Sherlock Holmes, by Steve Robinson. Introduction by Brad Keefauver, BSI. Published by George Vanderburgh at The Battered Silicon Dispatch Box, www.batteredbox.com Illustrated with beautiful color photography throughout. A book that brings Sherlockians and wine lovers together for a look at the more human side of Sherlock Holmes.

“Chips”
Robinson_Oenological

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The Fourth Garrideb Formed

Greg Ruby “Robin” of The John H Watson Society announces the formation of The Fourth Garrideb:

The Fourth Garrideb was formed on August 9, 2014 during the World’s Fair of Money in Chicago with 7 founding charter members “of the finest period.” TFG is a group of Sherlockian coin collectors and numismatists who are looking to document the 175+ numismatic items featuring Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, Arthur Conan Doyle and related items. In addition, we look for numismatic references within the Canon and related stories.

TFG posts irregularly (60 posts to date since our formation) about Canonical and Conanical numismatics at www.FourthGarrideb.com. TFG has the motto of “Numismatists Do Not Fear Change.” TFG was recognized as a scion of the Baker Street Irregulars in September and is also a member club of the American Numismatic Association.

Lifetime memberships are available for $22.10, with details at fourthgarrideb.com/join-us. Those joining now will be considered charter members “of the Alexandrian School,” while those joining after the charter period will be considered as “the rest of a bad lot.” Members receive email notifications of when new posts are published, a membership certificate and a Garrideb dekadrachm (which we do not recommend polishing as Nathan Garrideb was doing).

TFG will be mainly a virtual society, but hopes to have meetings with other Sherlockian societies in conjunction with major coin shows around the country. Tentative arrangements are being made for 2015 in Portland, Oregon and Chicago for the spring and summer conventions of the American Numismatic Association.

Member of The John H Watson Society are encouraged to explore this interesting new group at their website.

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Chris Music’s New Book

FROM THE LOWER VAULT Edited by Chris Music

Now Available @ $25.00 Postage Paid
FROM THE LOWER VAULT: Treasures from the Archives of The Amateur Mendicant Society of Detroit; Edited by Christopher Music, JHWS “Russell,” BSI.

FROM THE LOWER VAULT is an archival history of one of the Baker Street Irregular’s oldest scion societies—The Amateur Mendicant Society of Detroit. With the encouragement of Vincent Starrett, the AMS was founded in 1946 by fellow newspaperman Russell McLauchlin of the Detroit News—and is still active and thriving today—nearly 70 years later.

The Amateur Mendicant Society of Detroit is very fortunate to have in its possession a rich archive of documents dating back to the 1940s—letters, scholarly papers, magazine and newspaper articles, dinner programs, photographs, and much more, and FROM THE LOWER VAULT highlights many of the most important items found in that archive.

FROM THE LOWER VAULT brings to light for the first time in decades the earliest documents from the club’s founding and early history. Contained are writings from Sherlockian giants like Russell McLauchlin, Bill Rabe, Robert G. Harris, Vincent Starrett, Edgar W. Smith & many others. It is also a look back to bygone era—a Golden Age in Detroit history—when fellow Sherlockians used typewriters, sent telegrams, handwrote letters, and met in long forgotten clubs in order to
discuss the most important issues of the day—Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John H. Watson.

For more information email: amateurmendicantsociety@gmail.com · or visit www.amateurmendicantsociety.org

T: (248) 494-3473 · 6717 Snow Apple Drive, Clarkston, MI 48346

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Christmas Limerick

Isaac Asimov and his limerick for “The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle”:

On the goose behind (fat and fine)
The Peterson Family may dine.
Then they find a large jewel—-
But can Sherlock be cruel?
It is Yule! To forgive is divine!

Chips wishing all a blessed and Joyous Christmas !

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Weekly Quiz:  51  The Pawky Puzzler’s Christmas Quiz

This week’s quiz is the Pawky Puzzler’s Christmas Quiz for your Yuletide enjoyment and delectation.  We thank Margie Deck “Gwen,” our intrepid Quiz Maven from the SOBs in Seattle for her fine work in creating this unique and fun quiz. Submit your answers by Christmas Eve, 24 December.

Good Luck to All!  And to All, “The Compliments of the Season!”

2014_christmas_quiz_questions.doc

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Holiday Tid-Bit

As we move into the time of Christmas , I look for and find that one volume and have it at hand to read. I open the cover of the book and read the introductory notes.
The title of the piece is: “The Blue Carbuncle or The Season of Forgiveness.”

The first Sentence is: “Surely one of the most unusual things in the world: A Christmas Story without slush.”

These words penned by our beloved scholars and the rest of the article are well worth reading.

To all of our society and their loved ones, I wish a joyful, peaceful and a blessed one. “God bless us every one.”

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Weekly Forum: December 16, 2014

The Holidays do take their toll on participation in the Weekly Forum and the Weekly Quiz; however, we will “Keep Calm and Carry On.”

Anyone care to expand the “back story” on:  Henry Baker; the British Museum; Mr Windigate, the landlord of the Alpha Inn; and Mr Breckinridge of Covent Garden Market?

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” “Tis the Season to be Watson . . .”

Here is a delightful limerick by Bruce R Beaman from A Baker Street Christmas; cover illustration by Sidney Paget; Stevens Point, WI; The Yellow Face Press, Christmas 1981; limited to 221 copies.

“A cold wind sends snow down this old gaslit street
While at 221b’s door you may happen to meet
Doctor Watson returning from a medical case,
Or Sherlock himself, from a criminal chase.”

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Author Diane Gilbert Madsen  notes . . .

We received this from our Member, Diane Gilbert Madsen “Lass” . . .

Today, Dec 9th in 1934, NBC broadcasted “The Case of Vamberry the Wine Merchant” with Hector and Lovell.

I was fortunate to appear in Omni Mystery News.  Hope you will enjoy.

Lass

http://www.omnimysterynews.com/2014/12/please-welcome-mystery-author-diane-gilbert-madsen-1412051200.html#.VINldtLF_xA

Take a look at the very nice review!  Thank you, “Lass.”

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Weekly Forum: December 9

Once again, the great wheel of the seasons has revolved and we find ourselves approaching the Winter Solstice. Do you believe Doctor Watson wrote of the astronomical influences? If so, perhaps you would care to comment on those observations he made.  Are they purely secondary to the stories, or are they part-and-parcel of the events and outcomes?  For example, we know of the good doctor’s mention of the equinoctial gale, but is it influential or symbolic–indeed, part of–the events in the story ?

Here, for your pleasure in language, is Doctor Watson’s extraordinary paragraph from FIVE:

It was in the latter days of September, and the equinoctial gales had set in with exceptional violence. All day the wind had screamed and the rain had beaten against the windows, so that even here in the heart of great, hand-made London we were forced to raise our minds for the instant from the routine of life, and to recognize the presence of those great elemental forces which shriek at mankind through the bars of his civilization, like untamed beasts in a cage. As evening drew in the storm grew higher and louder, and the wind cried and sobbed like a child in the chimney. Sherlock Holmes sat moodily at one side of the fireplace cross-indexing his records of crime, whilst I at the other was deep in one of Clark Russell’s fine sea-stories, until the howl of the gale from without seemed to blend with the text, and the splash of the rain to lengthen out into the long swash of the sea waves. My wife was on a visit to her aunt’s, and for a few days I was a dweller once more in my old quarters at Baker Street.

Are there other examples of this astronomical atmosphere and periodicity of Nature in the Canon?

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Weekly Quiz 49

RESULTS:  No takers this week!  We will reserve the quiz for another attempt at a later date.

This week’s quiz is all about crime.  Please send solutions to Buttons by noon, Wednesday, December 10, 2014.  Good luck!

weekly_quiz_49_questions_crimes.docx

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New Quiz is Posted and a Special Christmas Quiz by Margie Deck “Gwen” is Coming

We are back with this week’s quiz. And, on December 19 we have a wonderful new quiz by The Pawky Puzzler, Margie Deck “Gwen.” This is a 50 question holiday quiz to occupy your mind during the annual Christmas visit of Cousin Eddie (“That there’s an RV, Clark. Don’t you go gettin’ attached to it though, we’ll be taking it with us when we leave here next month.”)

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A Brief Hiatus

Both this week’s Quiz and Weekly Forum will take a brief hiatus, so you can enjoy your holiday time with family and friends. We will return on Friday, December 5 with the Quiz, and Tuesday, December 9 with the Weekly Forum.

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Weekly Quiz 47

RESULTS:  Paul Hartnett “Scout” was first in with all correct solutions.  Ariana Maher “Carla” was also “all correct” and second in.  Congratulations on a tough quiz.  Answers below.

Here is a little quiz that asks you to get inside Doctor Watson’s head and hear his inner thoughts.  The clues are paraphrased, but the actual thoughts of Watson can be deduced from the paraphrasing. Please identify the written text, the book or story and the page number in Doubleday, 1930, The Complete Sherlock Holmes.

Solutions to buttons@johnhwatsonsociety.com by noon Wednesday, November 26.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of our American colleagues in the Colonies.

weekly_quiz_47_questions_and_answers.docx

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“Chips'” Photo Quiz

To All:

I ran across this picture and thought others would enjoy looking at it. So, can any other Watsonian identify the three actors, their roles and what story?

Have Fun!

“Chips”

P.S. Thanks for all of your good wishes for my recovery. They mean more to me then
you will ever know.

ANSWERS:  The actors are left to right standing Richard Morgan and Peter Cushing. The sitting actor is the wonderful Peter Sellers. This for an episode of the Peter Cushing television series, “The Dancing Men” episode.

Picture