September 2019 Volume 23 Number 3 March 2009 D S O F N Volume 13 Number 1 E T 50 Years Ago...Continued from Page 3 I H R E bottle of Courvoisier plus one fifth of the history of the scion mentioned earlier, The physical book is an interesting F New Jersey cognac, with the note: ‘Tell Thomas Hart reports that a publication artifact in itself, featuring quarter bind- the bartender to serve the Courvoisier fund was established as early as 1952 ing with textured morocco-colored first. Then by the time the Sons get to (with the princely sum of $4.00.) Hart, as endpapers of the same stock as the the New Jersey cognac, they may not treasurer of the Publication Committee, covers. spot the difference’” (250). Today, goes on to apologize to the membership Lellenberg says of Starr, “I’m convinced for “his many exhortations for funds, and Leaves from The Copper Beeches was fol- Sherlock Holmes that Julian Wolff [who took over leader- many stern admonitions against failure, lowed up by a second volume, More ship of the Baker Street Irregulars under made at meetings” over the years. Leaves from The Copper Beeches, in COLLECTIONS the title “Commissionaire” after Smith’s 1976. The Sons are still flourishing as untimely death in 1960] would have an active scion society; perhaps some- “Your merits should be publicly recognized” (STUD) retired as Commissionaire sooner than he day we will be able to look forward to did if Bill Starr had not died at a some- a third volume. what early age in 1976 and had been Contents around in the early ’80s to take over.” John Bergquist, BSI Francine and Wayne Swift By Peter E. Blau, ASH, BSI Leaves from The Copper Beeches was par- Francine and Wayne Swift tially financed by contributions from Illustration by H.W. Starr, captioned “The appeal t has been said that marriages between two Sherlockians are the most permanent. members of the Sons, who are listed in for the Publication Fund,” printed in Jon 1 Many Sherlockians have found it easy enough to persuade a spouse to enjoy the Lellenberg’s Irregular Crises of the Late ’Forties the acknowledgments. In his memoir of Sherlockian world, but when two people who already are Sherlockians marry they (New York, 1999) 100 Years Ago I will sooner or later merge their collections, as well as their lives. And there is no 2 custody battle, whether over the car, the house, the pets, or the children, that can possi- Continued from Page 6 bly match the difficulty of dividing a collection that has no duplicates. 50 Years Ago So for two Sherlockians it’s a matter only of the better, and never the worse. That cer- 3 tainly was true of Wayne B. Swift and Francine Morris, who were Sherlockians when Exploring Dark Places… they met for the first time. Francine started her Sherlockian life in Texas, where she was Remembrances a librarian; she founded The Sub-Librarians Scion of the Baker Street Irregulars in the From the President American Library Association, and In supporting the Sherlock Holmes Collections, many donors have made 4 was one of the founders of The contributions either in honor or in memory of special persons. Practical, But Limited, Geologists at an informal luncheon in the Zodiac In Honor Of From Musings Room at Nieman Marcus in Dallas. Peter Blau Arthur E.F. Wiese Jr. 4 When she moved to Washington she Fred Levin Cliff Goldfarb Sherlock quickly became a member of The Red Circle, and was one of the ring- The In Memory Of From An Update from of leaders in planning the society’s full- Paul Churchill John Baesch and Evelyn Herzog For any inquiries contact: the Collections fledged costume party at the Paul Churchill Thomas Drucker Timothy J. Johnson, Curator Collections National Press Club. 5 courtesy Paul Churchill Warren Randall 612-624-3552 or Wayne was from Nebraska, an elec- Joseph Gillies Michael Kean [email protected] Photo Holmes Allen Mackler Patricia Nelson Recent Acquisitions Wayne and Francine Swift trical engineer and a teacher, and an Allen Mackler Once Upon A Crime Mystery Bookstore Sherlock Holmes Collections 5 early convert to the world of com- Allen Mackler Philip Swiggum Suite 111, Elmer L. Andersen Library puters. When he moved to Washington he decided to take an adult-education course in Beatrice McCaffrie John Lockwood University of Minnesota Sherlock Holmes at a local community college and soon attended his first Sherlockian E.W. McDiarmid Michael Brahmey 222 21st Ave. S. To the Editor function, a running of The Silver Blaze (Southern Division) at Pimlico Race Track in E.W. McDiarmid Jim DeLeo Minneapolis, MN 55455 6 Maryland, where he and Francine quickly discovered they shared more than an interest E.W. McDiarmid Jeffrey Klaus Telephone: 612-626-9166 in Sherlock Holmes. They courted , and wed, and had many happy years together, shar- E. W. McDiarmid Peter Klaus FAX: 612-625-5525 ing a multitude of interests, Sherlockian and otherwise. Robert Pattrick Vincent Brosnan A Beacon of the Future Mailing list corrections requested— Wayne became a member of The Baker Street Irregulars in 1978 (as “The Giant Rat of Jan Stauber Alexian Gregory Because of the high cost of returned newsletters, 6 Jan Stauber Francine and Richard Kitts we would appreciate being informed of changes Sumatra”). Francine became a member of The Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes in Tom Stix Karen Anderson of address or other corrections. 1977 (as “Hatty Doran”) and was honored by the BSI as The Woman in 1983, and Dr. Richard Sturtz William Sturtz Remembrances awarded her Irregular Shilling and Investiture in 1994 (as “The Wigmore Street Post Timothy J. Johnson, Curator Throughout the presentations, there 8 Continued on page 6 question relating to Sherlock Holmes that featured interesting speakers. At 8 Friends of the Sherlock Holmes Collections Friends of the Sherlock Holmes Collections 1 correctly. Barbara Rusch focused on one point during the evening, Peter E. were enticing vendor tables covered the racism in the Canon, providing an Blau conducted an exciting auction, with Sherlockian treasures. Of course, excellent analysis on how the Victo- in which I actually bid but did not there was a table with books from the rians viewed race. She also touched end up getting anything. There were BSI Press, where I bought a book. I upon the use of phrenology. Following original Colliers magazines with stories had to restrain myself because there her talk, Daniel M. Polvere explained of Sherlock Holmes among the auction was so much amazing Sherlockiana being offered. I ended up buying many Sherlock Holmes Baritsu, how it evolved, and how it items. was used in the Canon. books, coins, stamps and pins. Regina COLLECTIONS Finally, Sunday, the last day of the Stinson’s pins and keychains with Sher- During the lunch break, local Norwe- conference, came around. The first lockian themes were breathtaking. This “Your merits should be publicly recognized” (STUD) gian Explorer Karen Ellery was kind presentation was extremely informa- conference had something for every- enough to drive me to Once Upon A tive and useful, since I am a teacher. one. Even though I was in Greece in Crime bookstore so I could buy some Shannon Carlisle explained how she July, this conference was the highlight Contents Exploring Dark Places, Encountering mystery goodies. When the conference uses the Sherlock Holmes stories and of my summer. The day ended with reconvened, Dr. Carlina de la Cova his methods in her teaching. This was some drinks at a restaurant nearby Wicked Companions, and Having Strange with a group of Sherlockian friends. gave a fascinating and very informative followed by the witty and enjoyable Exploring Dark Places, The presentations, exhibits, banquet, Experiences talk on forensic anthropology. Cheryll panel of long-suffering Sherlockian Encountering Wicked vendor tables, and drinking was fun, Fong combined her interest in Holmes Companions featuring Judy Margolin, Companions, and Having by Constantine Kaoukakis but the most important aspect of this and architecture, with a discussion Mike McKuras, and Barbara Shaw. The Strange Experiences conference was the human connection. about William Gillette’s Farewell Tour conference ended with a theatrical treat herlockians tend to be introverts, but we are willing to meet and socialize. We I had the opportunity to reconnect and appearance at the Metropolitan Opera by The Red-Throated League of the 1 are willing to leave our nice cozy homes with our collections of Sherlockiana create new connections with the most House in Minneapolis. Dan Payton Norwegian Explorers. They presented to meet and talk about anything related to the Master. There are many confer- amazing species on this planet: homo closed the day’s presentations with his the radio play “The Adventure of The Upon the Sideboard ences put on by different groups, with the most famous being the BSI Week- sapiens Sherlockianus. I can’t wait for S presentation about how the Canon Hound of the Baskervilles, Part VI.” end in New York. However, there are others that have a lot to offer. I had heard that the my next Sherlockian adventure. The 2 might have shaped Victorian England’s There was an array of actors recreat- Norwegian Explorers in Minneapolis hold a triennial conference, and that the next one game is definitely afoot! view of the United States. The evening ing a radio play that proved to be very was coming up this year: “Dark Places, Wicked Companions and Strange Experiences.” ended with a sumptuous banquet entertaining and hilarious. It Looked Like a Small Museum 3 Added to the Collections From the President Nicholas Utechin donated a copy of his latest work, The Controversity, Was Sherlock Holmes at Oxford or Cambridge.