Private Life Sherlock Holmes signed by Starrett

A little while back I obtained a copy of The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1st ed, 1933, Macmillan) at an auction. This ticked off something I'd been seeking, as this copy is signed by Vincent Starrett. The book came with a custom bookcase, certainly it did not come with the book, and the book is also missing its dustjacket.

The book is signed and inscribed by author on the front free endpaper: 

"To Franklin Rhode – this rare first edition – signed with canonical greetings by Vincent Starrett 17 Nov. 1965".

I had not looked into who this 'Franklin Rhode' might be, when the sale was mention in Peter Blau's 'Scuttlebutt' newsletter for September 2025 (you can read the newsletter each month at redcircledc.org).

I let Peter know that I had the book, and Peter recommended I check in with the World-Leading Starrett Authority, Ray Betzner. Ray got back to me with some lovely information:

"I am quite confident that this book was inscribed by Starrett himself. The inscription and date lend a high level of authenticity.... As for Frank Rhode, there is a good candidate I think. There were many by that name in Chicago in the '60s. But I feel confident his full name was Franklin W. Rhode, who was a member of the Hounds of the Baskerville (sic), Starrett’s Chicago scion."

Ray also suggested I look into whether there was a Sherlockian meeting in Chicago on 17 November 1965... for example the Hounds of the Baskerville (sic), 

But first, who was Franklin Rhode? The great news is that the Hounds of the Baskerville (sic) have a wonderful web site that includes biographies of members:

Franklin Williams Rhode was born January 5, 1910 in Chicago, IL.  Rhodes was described as a “railroad man and a collector of old English glossaries” in the June 1967 issue of The Baker Street Journal. He was active with Hugo’s Companions, participating in their Silver Blaze horseraces, and served as their Sergeant-at-arms. He contributed the article “My Old Friend Charlie Peace” to the June 1966 Baker Street Journal; “Palmer and Pritchard Were Among the Heads of Their Profession”, parts 1 and 2, to the June 1967 and March 1968 issues; and “Langdale Pike and Steve Dixie” to the March 1970 issue. He received the investiture of “My Old Friend Charlie Peace” from The Baker Street Irregulars in 1967. He moved to St. Louis in 1970. Rhode died on October 17, 1974 and is buried in St. Louis, MO. Biographical information provided courtesy of Julie McKuras.

A collection of Sherlockian pieces by Franklin Rhodes were published under the title Pike’s Peeks at the World of Sherlock Holmes (Battered Silicon Dispatch Box, 1988). The book includes a brief bibliography of Rhodes, and some delightful sketches:

In time I will add any extra biographical notes from the Rhode book.

Sadly, I have not yet identified how Starrett and Rhode intersected on 17 November 1965. I've searched Chicago newspapers and found no account of any event, and helpful searches by Chicago scion heads hasn't unearthed an event on that date. Starrett published 'Born in a Bookshop' in late 1965, and there are multiple book reviews in Chicago papers in November 1965. Perhaps the book was autographed at a book signing event for Starrett's new book.

Rhode lies in Bellefontaine Cemetery, St. Louis City, Missouri

Franklin Williams Rhode

Birth 5 Jan 1910

Death 17 Oct 1974 (aged 64)

Glittering fragments of John Bennett Shaw

I recently picked up some wonderful items regarding John Bennett Shaw (www.johnbennettshaw.com). Shaw was famous as a collector of all things Sherlockian. He sent out an annual Christmas Card, was a productive correspondent, and ran a delightful scion that met in Moriarty, New Mexico to disdain the memory of that evil genius - including with a shooting session.

The collection of material was owned by Jim Coffin, a CA Sherlockian. I've decided to show some examples here of Shaw's wonderful output.

I hope these examples are entertaining,

Christmas cards

 

1993 was the last year that Shaw sent out a Christmas card, and he presaged that with the message in his card. It was the year his collection made its way to the University of Minnesota. 

Letters - Shaw dedicated an incredible amount of time to correspondence. Here's one letter as an example. Shaw mentions a murder that happened (suspected) next door, and also appears to be referring to the suspicion that Jack Tracy BSI murdered his mother (you can read a great deal about that at this web page).

The Brothers Tree of Moriarty - Shaw's scion. Each program includes a list (a long list!) of toasts, and included the Colonel Sebastian Moran Trap Shoot !

 

Photos - a visit to Shaw was recorded in a set of photos, including a wonderful one of Shaw and his wife Dorothy, and Shaw's wonderful license plate!

Finally among a set of newspaper article is a wonderful program for one of Shaw's workshops

Tucked in the back - a philately connection

My last post on A sheet of stamps and a thick bundle of postcards discussing the stamps in 'Philatelic & Numismatic Holmes' by Benton Wood BSI. Peter Blau wrote to me to remind me of the excellent "The Philatelic Sherlock Homes" web page that was created and maintained by Stephen (Kepano) Trussel: www.trussel.com/detfic/sholmes.htm. The site indicates that Trussel passed away on June 26, 2020. Sadly I cannot find an obituary for Trussel, but he appears to have been a linguist who created and maintained Hawaiian and Pacific language online dictionaries, described also as a retired professor of English from Sanno College in Tokyo. Trussel apparently created and maintained the eminent Maigret site Simenon and his Inspector Maigret, and lived in Honolulu, Hawaii.

The information on Trussel's site is truly remarkable and detailed, and provides a list of all stamps ever released. So thorough is the site, that it goes beyond officially. issued stamps to also describe other reference works, as well as "Cinderella issues". Cinderalla stamps are non-postal labels that can look exactly like stamps. They are not 'postally usable', but can be created for a special purpose. Looking at Trussel's site, I browsed the Cinderalla stamps, and noticed something....

I recently obtained a copy of Susan Rice's 'A Compound Of Excelsior', which prompted me to write a blog post about beekeeping.

"For Mary Jane, It is my goal to keep the Master's memory not only green, but honey colored! Best Regards, Susan Rice, Hallowe'en '92."

Inside this wonderful book was the above inscription, indicating that Susan signed her book on October 31, 1992. Tipped into the book were two yellow cardboard sheets, as shown below. The list 1992 as the year, include perforations to tear out the four rectangles, the letters "ABS" and "LOCAL POST", with the signature of "L. Crane 1992" at the bottom.

I posted on the 'socials' to see if anyone could advise me of what they were... and didn't have any luck on what the item was for, though Scott Monty pointed out the ABS is likely 'Autumn in Baker Street'. This was an annual meeting held in .... Autumn!..... usually at Bear Mountain in NY.

The Philatelic Sherlock Homes website closes the loop - on the item and the date in the book. It is a sheet containing four Cinderella stamps! Linda Crane ASH established a 'Wigmore Street Post Office' that operated at the 1992 Autumn in Baker Street meeting - one would buy Cinderella stamps, hand the letter over, and they would be delivered to their recipient. Mystery solved! These Cinderellas never made it onto a letter.

This also explains exactly where Susan Rice signed the above copy of 'A Compound of Excelsior' - it must have been at the 1992 Autumn in Baker Street meeting !

Now if only I knew who Mary Jane was.... 

A sheet of stamps and a thick bundle of postcards

As a boy I was an enthusiastic collector of stamps. In my basement is a box of Australian 'stamp packs', 'first day covers' and other Australia Post memorabilia. While I outgrew the hobby, I still enjoy themed stamps, and have cast an occasional eye over the Sherlockian and Doylean world of philately.  I should acknowledge that this post is about stamps. I just can't get into coins (sorry Greg).

I picked up two different editions of 'Philatelic & Numismatic Holmes' by Benton Wood BSI ("A Scandal in Bohemia", 1927-2007), one from 1993 and one from 1995 (which is signed). Rev. Dr. Benton Wood was a chaplain, the chaplain of the BSI, and an ardent philatelist. 

These books are the convergence of his enthusiasm for Holmes and for stamps. It appears the first edition of this book appeared in 1990, then 1993 and 1995. The books aim to describe all stamp releases that include Sherlock Holmes, including images and some brief information about each release. The major change to the 1995 edition (apart from an update with a new stamp release) is the inclusion of color plates for each of the stamps to replace the black & white images in the 1993 edition.

As of 1993, there were surprisingly few stamp releases, and stamps are usually more affordable than books, so I decided to gather all the stamps within the books. While I'm missing a few first day covers shown in the books, I've gathered all the stamps, and those are shown here in colour over the top of the relevant images on the page. And here they all are!!

Nicaragua released the first Sherlock Holmes stamp (!!!) in 1972. To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of INTERPOL, the Holmes stamps was one of twelve in a series of famous detectives. 

Next was San Marino, with a 1979 issue of stamps showing five different detectives. The next year, Comoro Islands issued a stamp for the 50th Anniversary of Arthur Conan Doyle's death. This stamp featured Holmes looking through his magnifying glass, with a small silhouette of a hound at the bottom.

Perhaps the most attractive stamps in this small catalog are the 1984 issues from Turks & Caicos. Four individual stamps were released featuring scenes from four short stories, along with a separate souvenir sheet with a stamp showing Conan Doyle. This series was released to mark the 125th Anniversary of Conan Doyle's birth.

And finally, here's an unexpected set of releases. The first is from Dominica in 1991 (top left), a souvenir sheet showing Holmes and Watson watching the Brunig Line train descend from Brunig Pass to Meiringen in Switzerland. This stamp was released to observe the "Reichenbach Centenary". Second (bottom left) is an issue from Redonda from 1984, a souvenir sheet showing Goody as Sherlock seeking out easter eggs. At right, while at the time of publishing the UK had not (remarkably) released Sherlock-themed stamps, they had produced these four beautiful stamp booklets (the stamps are inside). The art on the outside depicts scenes from two novels and two short stories.

OK so I clearly need to work on adding stamps from the 1995 edition, and seeking out other editions of Wood's wonderful booklets!


EDIT: Since posting this, I stumbled across another Benton Wood philately publication. I visited Denny Dobry today (Oct 14 2024) in Reading PA, and found an undated (but post-1984) Pleasant Places of Florida publication containing two items. The first is 'Dirty Pool', a reprint of a philatelic pastiche by Herman Herst BSI. The second is possibly the first philatelic summary by Wood titled 'Philatelic Philandering... or "Stamping Around" with Sherlock Holmes' showing 'all the Sherlockian stamps extant'.