Tuesday, March 18, 2014

What's your favorite Sherlockian accoutrement? Or how many favorites do you have?

As Sherlockians we are always ready and willing to point out all the things non-Sherloclian's associate with Sherlock Holmes; the deerstalker, the curved pipe and the Iverness cape, amongst other things. And no matter how many times we state the fact that, "Holmes did not use any of those!", they still remain iconic images of the great detective. And that's okay. Just because it doesn't say he did use them, it doesn't mean he couldn't have. And all three have made him the recognizable image he is today.
Even the most august Sherlockian journals and blogs don't mind using those symbols as representation in or on their pages. It's hard to fight a myth you help perpetrate.

The most recent popular adaptations of the stories, the RDJ movies, Sherlock and Elementary have for the most part not embraced the use of these symbols as stereotypical accoutrements of the great detective. Sherlock is the only one so far to find a way to incorporate them into it's show, but in a very subtle way. They use an over sized coat as a faux representation of the Iverness (it could be argued), and the deerstalker has been used as a comical prop.

And let's face it, even though, to show our Sherlockian knowledge, we are quick to point out they where not used, most of us are pretty comfortable with the image they suggest.

But that is not why we are here today.

My question to you is, like stated in the title; "What is your favorite Sherlockian accoutrement?"
If you had one thing you could chose to put in your home, your Sherlockian room, what would it be?
Would in be the knife in the mantle or the slipper next to it?
Would it be the Gasogene?
Our would you have an extra space built in your garage for a Hansom Cab?
Would you have Mrs. Hudson polished coffee service on your side board?
Or Watsons comfortable chair?
I might chose one of the walking sticks or the fenders around the fireplace.
Most of us can not afford to replicate an entire room from 221b, and many of us who do have an item from that time period may have come by it by luck or accident (I have a bulls-eye lantern I just love).

So the question remains; "What would be the first thing you would chose to fill that space?"



7 comments:

  1. It's funny, but I don't have any Sherlockian accoutrements. I don't own a deerstalker, though I wouldn't mind having a nice one. It has always been books with me, whether pastiches (mainly in my youth; I don't enjoy them that much now--they usually pale in comparison to Doyle) or scholarship. It's only in the last few years that I've cared enough about the cinematic Holmes to own a few DVDs. So, for me, I'd like the contents of Watson's battered tin dispatch box.

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  2. A tie between the deerstalker and the pipe.

    B2B.

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    Replies
    1. I pictured you more the pipe and mouse colored dressing gown kind.
      But I like your choices.

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