BEST IF VIEWED IN ADOBE READER RATHER THAN YOUR BROWSER SO THE BOOKMARKS FOR THE 120 PAGES WILL DISPLAY FOR YOU. In Google Chrome, to save the file to your hard drive, click the diskette icon (2nd from the right), then open with Adobe Reader. In Internet Explorer click the Adobe icon (far right) In Mozilla Firefox, click the “Open With Different Viewer” button on the top right of the screen. Libra Pictura Nero Wolfei Compiled with reverence by Michael Bishop Introduction It started out as a simple idea: Collect a picture of each orchid that is mentioned in one of the Nero Wolfe stories. After all, it would be reasonable to expect that some earlier enthusiast had collated the orchid series, and it would probably be posted somewhere on the Internet. Well, indeed, such was the case---sort of. There are indeed such lists available, three were quickly found, but it was obvious that they had been compiled with full appreciation of early efforts (errors of commission and omission were repeated) but most surprising, they were all woefully incomplete! Accordingly, each and every story was read anew in an attempt to rectify the list. Next, the Internet was searched for a suitable image of each of the orchids. Orchids, or even flowers in general, appear to be favorites of photographers, so the selection among the many choices was not easy. Surprisingly, however, images of all of the orchids named by Rex Stout are not to be found. Some are restricted by copyright or electronic transmission filter, some are of very low resolution and make poor copies, and some appear simply to be figments of Stout’s imagination. In tracing the records of orchid illustrations, there are indications that there are fads in orchid culture, and some of the orchids named in the early Nero Wolfe stories may simply have fallen out of favor, and so photographs are not available. Nevertheless, some orchid images have also been captured in drawings or paintings. Others have appeared on postage stamps or glazed tiles. Examples of these alternative portrayals have been included in the collection simply for variety and entertainment. In the libra pictura, each orchid image has the passage from the book where the orchid is mentioned. Only the chapter citation is given, since the correct page numbers are a function of the edition in which it appears. (There was a lot of trouble trying to decide what was the appropriate punctuation, spelling, and italicization for the excerpts, so the sharp-eyed quibblers will have a field day, the rest of us will just enjoy them. And besides, Stout or his editors and proofreaders were not consistent either. It might even be said that Stout was indifferent, perhaps even cavalier, toward the proper spelling of orchid names.) In compiling the collection, a decision was made to include at least one illustration from each one of the stories, even those that did not have any orchids named. And moreover, some of the more familiar Wolfean artifacts that appeared regularly are included. (At some point a halt had to be called on the further addition of these supplements, otherwise the collection would have become a Classic Comic book.) In each orchid image, if the caption is without parenthesis, the orchid is indeed the one named. If a parenthesis is included, the actual orchid has not been found, or it is one of Stout’s imaginary ones, so the flower shown is either of the appropriate type, but a different subtype, or it is one that is just plain pretty. Additions, corrections, and suggestions are welcomed, again a challenge to the eagle-eyed. Otherwise, just enjoy the pictures. Happy viewing! The Orchids Of Nero Wolfe The complete listing from Michael Bishop (In chronological book publication order) I set out to make Julie an album containing a picture of each of the orchids mentioned in the NW stories. Found out lots of interesting things, such as some possibly imaginary names, erratic spellings, and lots of other flora names. Anyway, one of the most challenging tasks in trying to complete the album was to find a complete list of the orchids mentioned in the Stout works. So, of course, that meant I had a challenge to do it up right. I am sure that some of the more enthusiastic Wolfeans will find it interesting. And of course, I would like to know if I missed any orchids or made any mistakes. Fer-de-Lance Curtains for Three (3) Champagne for One Angraecum sesquipedale Coelogyne Cattleya dowiana aurea The Gun With Wings Dendrobium Cymbidium Alexanderi None Renanthera Cattleya Odontoglossum Laelia Bullet for One Miltonia Odontoglossum Zygopetalum Phalaenopsis Oncidium Renanthera Cattleya Miltonia Odontoglossum Laeliocattleya Lustre Plot It Yourself Brassocattlaelia Truffautiana Disguise for Murder Cattleya gaskelliana alba Miltonia blueanaeximina Brassocattleya Cattleya mossiae wageneri Dendrobium chlorostele Laeliocattleya Phalaenopsis Aphrodite Cymbidium Miltonia Dendrobium Melpomene Odontoglossum Three at Wolfe's Door (3) Dendrobium Findlayanum Cattleya dowiana Dendrobium Poison a la Carte The League of Frightened Phalaenopsis Aphrodite Men Murder by the Book Jack in the Pulpit Cattleya Phalaenopsis Odontoglossum Cattleya Method Three for Murder Miltonia Dendrobium chrysotoxum none Brassocattlaelia Truffautiana Cypripedium Lord Fisher Dendrobium Dendrobium Cybele The Rodeo Murder Brassocattleya none The Rubber Band Laeliocattleya Oncidium Cattleya Dionysius Too Many Clients Cattleya trianae Cattleya Katadin Calanthe veitchi sandhurstiana Odontoglossum Cattleya peetersi Lycaste delicatissima Miltonia Brassocattleya Calypso Cattleya Brassocattleya fournierae The Final Deduction Laelia Brassocattleya Nestor Miltonia vexillaria Cymbidium Laeliocattleya barbarossa Oncidium marshallianum Laeliocattleya Lustre Laeliocattleya Carmencita Dendrobium chrysotoxum Laeliocattleya Laeliocattleya St. Gothard Laelia purpurata Oncidium varicosum Miltonia roezlii Oncidium The Red Box Oncidium Forbesi Homicide Trinity (3) Coelogyne pandurata Cypripedium Minos Eeny Meeny Murder Mo Laeliacattleya luminosa aurea Dendrobium none Cattleya Cochlioda Too Many Cooks Triple Jeopardy (3) Death of a Demon none Odontoglossum pyramus Home to Roost Some Buried Caesar Miltonia Counterfeit for Murder Paphiopedilum lawrenceanum Miltonia roezlii hyeanum The Cop Killer Miltonia Paphiopedilum callosum sanderae none Laeliocattleya Gambit Odontoglossum The Squirt and the Monkey Laelia gouldiana none Over My Dead Body Prisoner’s Base The Mother Hunt Odontoglossum Cymbidium holfordianum Cypripedium lawrenceanum hyeanum Dendrobium Cymbidium pauwelsi Coelogyne Trio for Blunt Instruments Miltonia The Golden Spiders (3) Lycaste Vanda caerulea Cattleya Vanda Kill Now—Pay Later Oncidium Brassavola none Miltonia roezlii Where There’s a Will Phalaenopsis Aphrodite Murder Is Corny Cattleya Mossiae Cattleya Dendrobium nobile Laelia Oncidium Black Orchids (2) Miltonia roezlii alba Laeliocattleya Black Orchids Three Men Out (3) Blood Will Tell Brassocattlealia truffautiana Cymbidium Doris Brassocattlealia thorntoni Invitation to Murder Cypripedium pubescens none A Right to Die Cypripedium Fissipes Miltonia roezlii Phalaenopsis Aphrodite Cymbidium Miranda The Zero Clue Vanda suavis Phalaenopsis Odontoglossum Cattleya hassellis Calanthe The Doorbell Rang Miltonia sanderae Cordially Invited to Meet This Won’t Kill You Odontoglossum pyramus Death none Vanda Phalaenopsis Aphrodite Oncidium flexuosum The Black Mountain Not Quite Dead Enough (2) Laeliocattleya Jaquetta Dendrobium nobilius Death of a Doxy Not Quite Dead Enough Odontoglossum hellemense none Before Midnight Odontoglossum harvengtense Cattleya mossiae Odontoglossum crispum Vanda rogersi Booby Trap Odontoglossum Phalaenopsis Odontoglossum crispo-harryanum none Cattleya mossiae reineckiana Odontoglossum aireworthi Oncidium varicosum Miltonia vexillaria The Silent Speaker Miltonia roezlii Cattleya Three Witnesses (3) Laeliocattleya The Next Witness The Father Hunt Brassocattleya thorntoni none Laelia schroederi Laelia ashworthiana Too Many Women When a Man Murders Miltonia hellemense Miltonia Phalaenopsis Aphrodite none Phalaenopsis Miltonia charlesworthi Odontoglossum pyramus Die Like a Dog And Be a Villain Phalaenopsis Aphrodite sanderiana Zygopetalum crinitum none Death of a Dude Trouble in Triplicate (3) Might As Well Be Dead none Phalaenopsis stuartiana Before I Die Phalaenopsis schilleriana Please Pass the Guilt Cattleya Acampe pachyglossa Dendrobium Three for the Chair (3) Peristeria elata Phalaenopsis A Window for Death Broughtonia sanguinea none Dendrobium chrysotoxum Help Wanted, Male Cattleya Immune to Murder A Family Affair none none Instead of Evidence Dendrobium Too Many Detectives The Second Confession none Dendrobium bensoniae If Death Ever Slept Odontoglossum harryanum Cochlioda roezliana Odontoglossum armainvillierense Three Doors to Death (3) And Four to Go (4) Death Times Three (3) Bitter End Man Alive Christmas Party none None Odontoglossum Frame-up For Murder Omit Flowers Easter Parade (aka Murder Is No Joke) Miltonia roezlii Vanda Vanda Vanda peetersiana Miltonia Door to Death Vanda sandarae Odontoglossum cirrhosum Cattleya Assault on a Brownstone Odontoglossum nobile veitchianum Calanthe (aka Counterfeit Murder) Phalaenopsis Aphrodite Phalaenopsis none Phalaenopsis Aphrodite dayana Phalaenopsis Aphrodite sanderiana Miltonia Fourth of July Picnic Renanthera imschootiana In the Best Families Miltonia Murder Is No Joke Phalaenopsis Laelia gouldiana Vanda peetersiana Life Magazine, 15 September, 1963 Why Nero Wolfe Likes