The Paton Collection Comes to Minnesota
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December 2000 D S O F N Volume 4 Number 4 E T Using the Sherlock Holmes Collections I H R E andy Stock of Mountain View, F California spent a week at the Sherlock Holmes Collections in October, doing research on theR serial appearances of Sherlock Holmes. Working from the Gibson and Green bibliography, Randy’s Sherlock Holmes research focused on the initial publica- tions of many of the Holmes stories. COLLECTIONS He hopes to produce several articles, and possibly a book, from his “Your merits should be publicly recognized” (STUD) research. Randy hopes to include the Sherlock Holmes Collections in any additional trips to the Minneapolis. Contents The Paton Collection Comes to Minnesota Often, people visit the Sherlock Photo by Julie McKuras Randy Stock, Reading Room at the Sherlock Holmes Collections The Paton Collection he Sherlock Holmes Holmes Collections to obtain a copy of Collections at the a desired article, or to find the answer Comes to Minnesota University of to a question. Others visit to view 1 Minnesota will soon Dorothy Rowe Shaw’s miniature of T wear another jewel in its 221B Baker Street. While on a break 100 Years Ago crown as the world’s largest from school, Adam Sveum, son of assemblage of material related Friends President Richard J. Sveum, 2 to Sherlock Holmes. Current took time to scrutinize and evaluate St. Louis resident Jennie C. the miniature representation of the 50 Years Ago Paton (pronounced Pay' ton), Great Detective’s home. 3 who has painstakingly built the most complete library of Photo by Julie McKuras From the President Holmes on video ever assem- Adam Sveum with Dorothy Rowe Shaw's bled, is donating her library to Miniature of 221B Baker Street 4 the Collections. photo by Julie McKuras Videos from the Paton Collection Remembrances An Update from the "You aren’t getting all of the In supporting the Sherlock Holmes Collections, many donors have made contributions either in honor or in memory of Collections collection," Jennie says. "Among other special persons. collector," Jennie says. "This is a collection things, you are getting the foreign tapes, to be used." Although Jennie has suspend- 4 society meetings and duplicate commer- IN HONOR OF FROM ed the circulating library for now because cial tapes. The ‘circulating library,’ or of several recent moves, she hopes to "The Insoluble Puzzles" Karen Murdock Musings ‘study collection,’ will remain with me." Daniel Stashower's Edgar and Agatha Awards Cliff Goldfarb revive it once she is more settled. For any inquiries contact: 4 How much are we getting? "I have a Timothy J. Johnson, Curator whole wall lined with videotapes," Jennie "All along, I was building the collection to 612-624-3552 or Community Support says. Along with the videos comes a six- pass it on to somebody else," Jennie says. teen-page catalog "in tiny print with nar- [email protected] for the Collections Concluding that the University of row margins. Someone there will have to Minnesota was the logical choice to house Sherlock Holmes Collections 5 do a better job of indexing," she says. The the collection eventually, Jennie decided Suite 111, Elmer L. Andersen Library Collections also will be receiving Jennie’s to start turning it over now. Why now? University of Minnesota The Paton Collections collection of laser discs. "The picture qual- After having gone through three work- 222 21st Ave. S. ity on laser discs is so good I thought the Minneapolis, MN 55455 related moves in three years and expect- 7 Collections ought to have them." ing to move again soon — to an area with Telephone: 612-624-7526 an arid climate — Jennie says, "It’s not a FAX: 612-626-9353 Using the Sherlock Circulating library? In a private collection? good idea — especially given the transito- Holmes Collections Timothy J. Johnson, Curator Unusual among collectors, Jennie has will- ry nature of magnetic mediums — for the 8 ingly lent out her videos, going so far as to collection to have constant changes in advertise their availability through flyers temperature and humidity. It would be Mailing list corrections requested— mailed out to Sherlockian publications Because of the high cost of returned newsletters, Remembrances better stored in a better location." The we would appreciate being informed of changes and societies. "I’m a librarian, not a temperature- and humidity-controlled of address or other corrections. 8 Continued on page 6 8 Friends of the Sherlock Holmes Collections Friends of the Sherlock Holmes Collections 1 W.K.L. Dickson and formed the is also the first appearance of a detec- The Paton Collection American Mutoscope Company. tive on screen. Undoubtedly the film- Dickson had developed 35mm film makers realized that audiences would ach of the seven boxes Cartoons are represented by Alvin and stock while an assistant to Thomas recognize the name and character of received to date from Jennie the Chipmunks, Beetlejuice, James Bond Edison, but became unhappy with his Sherlock Holmes. Silent era detective Paton contains an inventory of Jr., Peter Pan and the Pirates, Winnie situation with Edison and left his films "labored under the difficulty of the contents. These invento- the Pooh, and the Berenstain Bears. employ. By 1897, their American not being able to conduct prolonged E ries list the appearances of Sherlock Television shows aimed at a young audi- 100 Mutoscope Company was the most interrogations or oral deductions…the Holmes from his initial appearance in ence include Wishbone, Gilligan’s Island, YEARS AGO popular film company in the U.S. stress was on mystery or physical the 1900 Sherlock Holmes Baffled to the Batman, The Adventures of Shirley action rather than on liter- The Friends of the Sherlock Holmes Collections most recent January, 2000 broadcast of Holmes, and The Muppets. Commercials is a quarterly newsletter published by the Sherlock Holmes Baffled was made ary-derived sleuthings." in 1900, and marked the pre- The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes, with Sherlock Holmes promote cheese, Friends of the Sherlock Holmes Collections (Everson 4) But to leave the fictionalized account of Dr. Joseph Chevron and Burger King which seek to promote the activities, inter- mier of the Master Detective in Sherlock Holmes baffled? ests and needs of the Special Collections Bell’s demonstration of his deductive and Rare Books Department, University of the new entertainment medium As Steinbrunner and of the motion picture.1 Although abilities with his student, a young References to Holmes are represented Minnesota Libraries. Michaels noted, "The film Arthur Conan Doyle. by copies of programs such as Life Mail editorial correspondence c/o: the film lasts less than one did nothing much to exploit minute, the impact of Holmes on Goes On, Entertainment This Week, Editor and develop the image of And what lies between in that period Divorce Court, Star Trek, To Tell the Julie McKuras the screen is still felt 100 years the great detective – then 13512 Granada Ave. of 100 years are many versions of Tr uth, Saturday Night Live, Doogie Apple Valley, MN 55124 later. Jennie Paton has donated a still at the height of his first copy of this film to the Sherlock Holmes in movies, television and com- Howser M.D., CBS News, Murder She 952-431-1934 literary popularity – but it mercial appearances, in English and in Wrote, Alfred Hitchcock, The Avengers, 952-431-5965 Fax Holmes Collections. [email protected] did introduce Sherlock foreign languages. An overview of Fame, Remember WENN, Nash Bridges Holmes to the screen." (8) The late 1800s and early 1900s these inventories provide a glimpse and Good Morning America. Editorial Board into what John Bergquist described as John Bergquist, Timothy Johnson, saw worldwide changes in cul- Jon Lellenberg, Bruce Southworth, Sherlock Holmes on the Screen Julie McKuras tural and industrial conditions. "the most complete library of Holmes Jennie also collected the Granada Dr. Richard Sveum Leisure time increased, with a on video". Television series with Jeremy Brett and Copyright © 2000 consequent "vast proliferation of Douglas Wilmer on BBC, and foreign University of Minnesota Library Photo from Photo from Holmes films include those in the Basil language Holmes, such as programs The University of Minnesota is an Equal visual forms of popular culture." Sherlock Holmes Baffled Opportunity Educator and Employer. (Thompson 3) In 1895, the first Rathbone series, and those in which from Russian, French, German and Holmes is portrayed by Stewart Japanese television. Seminars and moving pictures debuted in Paris. 1 In late April, 1900, shooting in "the Some confusion has existed regarding the dat- Produced by the Lumiere Brothers on ing of this first Holmes film, and it is often Granger, Christopher Plummer, Arthur events such as Autumn in Baker Street, New York rooftop studio of the a combination camera and projection referred to as being produced in 1903, which is Wontner, Peter Cook, Ian Richardson, The Bimetallic Colloquium and the CIA American Mutoscope and Biograph undoubtedly due to the fact that it was regis- device of their own invention, the ini- Christopher Lee, Roger Moore, Tom Dinners are included as are numerous Company" (Steinbrunner 8), camera- tered that year. Sherlock Holmes Baffled was reg- tial screenings showed short-action istered by the American Mutoscope and Baker, Peter Cushing, Charlton recordings of the meetings of the man Arthur Marvin filmed Sherlock films of about one minute duration. Biograph Company on Feb. 24, 1903, and car- Heston, Patrick MacNee and Edward Hansom Wheels of Columbia SC. Holmes Baffled. In it, a dressing- ries the registration number of H28561. The business of cinema quickly Woodward. Also included are those gowned Holmes, "modeled on According to Elias Savada in The American Film became very popular, and one reel Institute Catalog, the prefix H indicates it was not strictly Canonical, such as Without It would appear that since Jennie Gillette’s portrayal" (Pointer 31) films were soon the rage.