Arthur Conan Doyle/Sherlock Holmes, 1879 - 1974

Series

Scope and Contents

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This series is comprised of original magazine and first book publications of Sherlock Holmes stories, parodies, Baker Street Irregular materials, private printing and pamphlet works pertaining to Sherlock Holmes and other writings by Arthur Conan Doyle. Of particular note are holograph letters written by William Gillette and Basil Rathbone (two of the most famous portrayers of Sherlock Holmes on the stage and screen), as well as the first appearance of Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Mystery of Sasassa Valley” in Chamber’s Journal, 1879 (the author’s first published story).

Other notable materials include the first published appearance of Sherlock Holmes in “A Study in Scarlet” in the 1887 issue of Beeton’s Christmas Annual, Christopher Morley’s contributions to the Saturday Review of Literature, a pristine bound set of The Strand Magazine from 1891 to 1906, and original Sherlock Holmes stories published in magazines like Cosmopolitan and Hearst’s International. The series also encompasses 3 boxes of Sherlock Holmes materials previously collected by Holmes authority, Vincent Starrett. Consult Occidental College Special Collections Library for a detailed inventory.

Dates

Creation: 1879 - 1974

Creator

Doyle, Arthur Conan, 1859-1930 (Person)
Gillette, William, 1853-1937 (Person)
Rathbone, Basil, 1892-1967 (Person)
Bell, H. W. (Harold Wilmerding) (Person)
Smith, Edgar Wadsworth, 1894-1960 (Person)
Klinefelter, Walter, 1899-1987 (Person)
Woollcott, Alexander, 1887-1943 (Person)
Steele, Frederic Dorr, 1873-1944 (Person)

Language of Materials

English

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research. Contact Occidental College's Special Collections for an appointment.

Biographical / Historical

Edward “Ned” Tyndal Guymon, Jr. (1900-1983) was a 1922 graduate of Occidental College and later became known as one of the world’s leading book collectors of mystery and detective fiction. He was a member of the Baker Street Irregulars and Mystery Writers of America. In 1952, he became the first recipient of the MWA’s Raven Award for his exceptional library of mystery literature (the award is given annually in recognition of outstanding achievement in the mystery field outside the realm of creative writing).

Biographical / Historical

Vincent Starrett (1886-1974) was an author and bibliophile, most notably known as a book columnist for the Sunday Chicago Tribune (from 1942 to 1967). A great authority on Sherlock Holmes, he was a founding member of the Baker Street Irregulars, the oldest Sherlockian literary society in the world, established in 1934.

Partial Extent

42 Linear Feet

Partial Extent

3 Box(s)

Additional Description

Abstract

This series is comprised of books, letters, magazines, journals, newspapers, manuscripts and memorabilia pertaining to Sherlock Holmes, and includes other writings by Arthur Conan Doyle. It is a subset of the Ned Guymon Mystery and Detective Fiction Collection and also encompasses 3 boxes of Sherlock Holmes materials written and collected by Vincent Starrett.

Arrangement

The general contents of the Vincent Starrett boxes are as follows:

Box 1: Holograph letters and telegrams from Basil Rathbone to Vincent Starrett; letters from Walter Klinefelter; inscribed typescript of The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes by Vincent Starrett; private printings of Vincent Starrett, Christopher Morley, Anthony Boucher and others’ writings on Sherlock Holmes; invitations and other ephemera

Box 2: Letters (handwritten and typed) from Basil Rathbone, Elmer Davis, Alexander Woolcott, Edgar Smith, and J. Allen St. John; Christmas cards from Basil Rathbone to V. Starrett; early unpublished typescript of The Portraiture of Sherlock Holmes by Walter Klinefelter (with corrections in author’s hand); handwritten manuscript of Adventure of the Unique Hamlet by V. Starrett (in author’s hand); television scripts for Basil Rathbone with notes written in his hand; galley copy of Rathbone’s autobiography, In and Out of Character.

Box 3: Programs from Basil Rathbone stage portrayals of Sherlock Holmes; Christmas cards; private printings of Arthur Conan Doyle, Vincent Starrett, and Jay Finley Christ writings.

All other materials of the Arthur Conan Doyle-Sherlock Holmes Series are either cataloged and searchable in Occidental College Library's online catalog sysyem, or listed in a detailed inventory. Please contact Special Collections for more information.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Ned Guymon donated his extensive collection of Arthur Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes materials (approximately 530 items) to Occidental College Library in 1964. He later donated 3 boxes of Vincent Starrett materials pertaining to Sherlock Holmes in 1977.