The Best of Sherlock Holmes

A Census of The Conan Doyle Collection:

Ownership Records and the Christie's 2004 Sale

10 November 2007

This register provides a census of the Conan Doyle material put up for auction at Christie's London on 19 May 2004. That sale included an extensive collection of unpublished personal letters, hand-written manuscripts, and personal effects. The goal of this census is to assist researchers trying to locate rare archival material related to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It currently has information on more than 100 of the 137 lots from the sale.

All owners have been confirmed through direct contact and/or public documents unless noted. Some private owners prefer to remain anonymous. I respect their requests and will not identify them.

Even if the owner remains anonymous, it's still useful for researchers to know that the item is privately held. Please contact me if you own or know someone who does own an item. I'll keep your identity, and theirs, private upon request.

Some of the material from this auction was published in 2007 in Arthur Conan Doyle: A Life in Letters.

Index

Ownership List

Sources and Acknowledgements

Institutional Holdings

More information on the May 19, 2004 Christie's sale

Ownership List

Lots are listed in numerical order along with the lot title as given in the Christie's catalogue. The heirs of Anna Conan Doyle owned all lots at the time of the sale. Some entries are annotated with a hyperlink reference note number. See the Sources section for supporting details, and the Institutional Holdings section for a summary by location.

Lot 1: RICHARD DOYLE (1824-1883)

Owner: Unsold; still the property of the heirs of Anna Conan Doyle

Lot 2: THE FIRST STORY

Lot 3: A JESUIT EDUCATION

Papers relating to Conan Doyle’s Jesuit education

Owner: The British Library (19 May 2004 – present) [1]

Notes: Some material published in 2007 [7]. (Last updated: 10/25/07)

Lot 4: MEDICAL

Lot 5: 'THE LOG OF THE HOPE'

Owner: Unsold; still the property of the heirs of Anna Conan Doyle

Notes: (Last updated: 11/5/07)

Lot 6: THE VOYAGE OF S.S. MAYUMBA AND A SHORT STORY

Owner: Unsold; still the property of the heirs of Anna Conan Doyle

Lot 7: FREEMASONRY

Lot 8: SOUTHSEA

Dr. Conan Doyle's brass nameplate from his Southsea practice

Owner: Private Collection of Dr. Constantine Rossakis (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: (Last updated: 7/18/04)

Lot 9: THE AMERICAN'S STORY

Autograph manuscript of "The American's Story," 30 pages, with other notes and verse in a notebook entitled "Notes on Medicine Session 1879-80"

Owner: The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (19 May 2004 – present) [5]

Notes: See the RCSE web page [5] and item RCSED GD 21/3 #1 for a description and photo. (Last updated: 6/30/04)

Lot 10: CRABBE'S PRACTICE

Lot 11: CONAN DOYLE'S FIRST NOVEL

ACD's unpublished first novel (The Narrative of John Smith)

Owner: The British Library (19 May 2004 – present) [1]

Lot 12: MICAH CLARKE

Autograph preliminary notes for his novel Micah Clarke

Owner: For sale by Peter L. Stern, a dealer (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: Listed with a small photo in Peter L. Stern's Mar.-Apr. 2005 printed catalog as item #41. (Last updated: 10/30/07)

Lot 13: THE WHITE COMPANY AND SIR NIGEL

Three autograph notebooks with ideas and notes for The White Company and Sir Nigel

Owner: Private Collection of Dr. Fred Kittle (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: (Last updated: 6/16/04)

Lot 14: THE STARK MUNRO LETTERS

Fragment and notes (4pp) re: 'The Stark Munro Letters'

Owner: The British Library (19 May 2004 – present) [1]

Lot 15: THE REIGATE SQUIRES

Autograph manuscript fragment from "The Adventure of the Reigate Squires"

Owner: Private Collection of Dr. Constantine Rossakis (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: This is the only known extant page from the original manuscript for this Sherlock Holmes story. It is the last leaf, where Holmes finishes explaining how he solved the mystery. (Last updated: 7/18/04)

Lot 16: ROUND THE RED LAMP

Lot 17: THE MARACOT DEEP AND THE LOST WORLD

Autograph note for The Maracot Deep and an ACD drawing of Professor Challenger

Owner: For sale by Peter L. Stern, a dealer (19 May 2004 – present)

Item 1: ACD drawing of Professor Challenger

Owner: James Pepper Rare Books, Inc. (2006 – present)

Notes (Item 1): Sold by Stern in 2006. Offered by James Pepper as item #13571J on his website with a detailed description and history. (Last updated: 11/2/07)

Item 2: Autograph note for The Maracot Deep and related material

Notes (Item 2): Included with the original manuscript for The Maracot Deep, which was listed with a photo in Peter L. Stern's Summer 2006 printed catalog as item #103. Offered in 2007 as item # 21902 on ABE from his ABE web page, with a detailed description. (Last updated: 10/30/07)

Lot 18: REGENCY

Autograph manuscript signed of the short story 'An Impression of the Regency'

Owner: Not identified (2006? – present)

Prior Owner: Classic Bindings, a dealer (19 May 2004 – 2006?)

Notes: Offered in July 2004 as item #CB9234. Probably sold between May 2006 and October 2007, and no longer listed at the Classic Bindings website. (Last updated: 11/2/07)

Lot 19: 'THE SOUTHSEA NOTEBOOKS'

Three autograph notebooks (1885-1889) of literary, historical, and philosophical notes

Owner: Private Collection of Dr. Constantine Rossakis (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: These notebooks were the premier items from the collection and contain the first lines ever written on Sherlock Holmes. (Last updated: 7/18/04)

Lot 20: 'THE NORWOOD NOTEBOOK'

Autograph notebook (1885-1899) of literary ideas and significant life events

Owner: Private Collector (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: Includes December 1893 entry "Killed Holmes." (Last updated: 9/24/04)

Lot 21: REGENCY

Three autograph notebooks on the Regency period plus 11 pages of other notes

Owner: For sale by Peter L. Stern, a dealer (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: Not yet listed on his ABE web page. (Last updated: 10/28/07)

Lot 22: IDEAS FOR STORIES

Two autograph notebooks, including ideas for Sherlock Holmes stories

Owner: Private Collector (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: (Last updated: 9/24/04)

Lot 23: NAPOLEON AND THE NAPOLEONIC SOLDIER

Two autograph notebooks about the Napoleon and the French Army

Owner: Not identified (2006? – present)

Prior Owner: Classic Bindings, a dealer (19 May 2004 – 2006?)

Notes: Offered in July 2004 as item #CB9235/2. Probably sold between May 2006 and October 2007, and no longer listed at the Classic Bindings website. (Last updated: 11/2/07)

Lot 24: NELSON AND NAPOLEON

Autograph notebook on Lord Nelson and the Napoleonic period

Owner: Toronto Public Library Arthur Conan Doyle Collection (January 2007 – present)

Prior Owner: Sold by Peter L. Stern, a dealer (19 May 2004 – January 2007)

Notes: Listed with a small photo in Peter L. Stern's Mar.-Apr. 2005 printed catalog as item #40 and sold in January 2007. For more details on the notebook and a photo, see "Notebook on Nelson and Napoleonic Times" by Cliff Goldfarb in The Magic Door, v. 10, no. 2 (Fall 2007), pp. 1,3,6. The Toronto "Collected Works: A Public Legacy" online exhibit includes two photos of the notebook. (Last updated: 10/31/07)

Lot 25: DUKE OF WELLINGTON

Autograph exercise book with ACD notes on Wellington and the Napoleonic period

Owner: Private Collection of Cliff Goldfarb (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: (Last updated: 7/18/04)

Lot 26: NORTH AMERICA

Two autograph notebooks and notes for his novel The Refugees

Owner: For sale by Peter L. Stern, a dealer (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: Not yet listed on his ABE web page. (Last updated: 10/28/07)

Lot 27: NOTEBOOKS

Collection of fifteen autograph notebooks

Owner: Julian Browning, a dealer in Rare Books & Manuscripts (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes (Item 1): Pocket Notebook, 4.5 x 2.5 inches, about 10 pages used. One page dated 17 September 1898. Offered in June 2004 as Item 4271 in Julian Browning's online catalogue, with a detailed description and two photos. Sold as of August 2004. (Last updated: 8/26/04)

Notes (Item 2): Autograph Notebook, 7 x 4.5 inches, undated [c.1902-1910] with about 50 pages of notes on the history of the Kings and Queens of England from William I to Victoria. Offered in August 2004 as Item 4337 in Julian Browning's online catalogue, with a detailed description and two photos. Sold as of January 2005. (Last updated: 1/31/05)

Notes (Item 3): Autograph Notebook, 8 x 6.5 inches, undated [?c.1900] with three pages of notes on Roman history, in an Eclipse Exercise Book with title 'Roman Lore'. Offered in October 2005 as Item 5235 in Julian Browning's online catalogue, with a detailed description and two photos. Sold in February 2006. (Last updated: 5/12/06)

Item 4: Autograph Notebook on Macaulay's History of England, Astronomy, etc.

New Owner: Toronto Public Library Arthur Conan Doyle Collection (December 2005 – present)

Notes (Item 4): Autograph Notebook, 7 x 4.5 inches, undated, with 9 pages of original poems written during the Boer War, 61 pages of notes on Macaulay's History of England, and 65 pages of notes on Astronomy. Offered as Item 5507 in Julian Browning's online catalogue. Sold in December 2005. For more details and a photo, see "ACD Notebook 'A Shivery Thrill'" by Barbara Rusch in The Magic Door, v. 9, no. 1 (Spring 2006), pp. 1,6. (Last updated: 10/29/07)

Item 5: Autograph Notebook with notes about South America

New Owner: Toronto Public Library Arthur Conan Doyle Collection (April 2006 – present)

Notes (Item 5): Autograph Notebook, 9 x 7 inches, undated, with twelve pages of notes about South America. Offered as Item 5753 in Julian Browning's online catalogue. Sold in April 2006. (Last updated: 10/29/07)

Item 6: Autograph Notebook with notes on a book entitled 'Ireland 1798-1898'

New Owner: Toronto Public Library Arthur Conan Doyle Collection (November 2006 – present)

Notes (Item 6): Autograph Notebook, 8 x 6.5 inches, 1898, with nine pages of notes on a book entitled 'Ireland 1798-1898' by William O'Connor Morris. Offered in May 2006 as Item 5752 in Julian Browning's online catalogue with a detailed description and a photo. Sold November 2006. (Last updated: 10/29/07)

Item 7: Autograph Notebook entitled 'Generalia'

New Owner: Toronto Public Library Arthur Conan Doyle Collection (June 2007 – present)

Notes (Item 7): Autograph Notebook, 9 x 7 inches, undated, with eight pages, entitled 'Generalia,' containing phrases and facts about India‚ notes on the American Revolution‚ and miscellaneous remarks on Indian Furniture and on Huysmans' novel La Bas. Offered in May 2007 as Item 6880 in Julian Browning's online catalogue with a detailed description and a photo. Sold June 2007. (Last updated: 10/29/07)

Item 8: Autograph Notebook entitled 'Modern Young Man'

New Owner: Toronto Public Library Arthur Conan Doyle Collection (June 2007 – present)

Notes (Item 8): Autograph Notebook, 9 x 7 inches, undated, with five pages, entitled 'Modern Young Man', containing modern phrases, slang, and conversation. Sold by Julian Browning in June 2007. (Last updated: 10/29/07)

Item 9: Autograph Notebook entitled 'Mag. Op. Modern Seaman'

New Owner: Toronto Public Library Arthur Conan Doyle Collection (June 2007 – present)

Notes (Item 9): Autograph Notebook, 9 x 7 inches, undated, with 2.5 pages in his hand and 9 pages in another hand (possibly his wife), entitled 'Mag. Op. Modern Seaman', containing maritime phrases, slang, and conversation in Doyle's hand and 'Description of a storm from Pierre Loti's Pêcheurs d'Islande' in the other hand. Sold by Julian Browning in June 2007. (Last updated: 10/29/07)

Item 10: Autograph Notebook entitled 'Mag. Op. Modern Scientist'

New Owner: Toronto Public Library Arthur Conan Doyle Collection (June 2007 – present)

Notes (Item 10): Autograph Notebook, 9 x 7 inches, undated, with three pages, entitled 'Mag.Op. Modern Scientist,' containing scientific and medical phrases. Sold by Julian Browning in June 2007. (Last updated: 10/29/07)

Notes (General): Although not yet offered, Browning still has a few minor notebook items. You can search for other Conan Doyle material on the Julian Browning Autographs website. (Last updated: 11/2/07)

Lot 28: THE OLD TESTAMENT

Autograph manuscript and notes for a 1928 lecture on the history of the Jews

Owner: Not identified (2006 – present)

Prior Owner: Sold by Peter L. Stern, a dealer (19 May 2004 – 2006)

Notes: Listed with a photo in Peter L. Stern's Oct.-Nov. 2004 printed catalog as item #44. Sold between May 2006 and October 2007. (Last updated: 10/30/07)

Lot 29: SHERLOCK HOLMES -- PLOTS AND IDEAS

Lot 30: NOTES ON LITERATURE AND OTHER WRITERS

Nine items on literary subjects, including autograph and typescript material

Owner: For sale by Peter L. Stern, a dealer (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: Not yet listed on his ABE web page. (Last updated: 10/28/07)

Lot 31: PROOFS

Reader's page proofs for two stories, plus copies of two magazine issues

Owner: The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (19 May 2004 – present) [5]

Notes: See the RCSE web page [5] and items RCSED GD 21/2 #2-3 and RCSED GD 21/3 #2 for descriptions and a photo. (Last updated: 6/30/04)

Lot 32: FOREWORDS AND SPEECHES

Owner: Unsold; still the property of the heirs of Anna Conan Doyle

Lot 33: POEMS

Autograph manuscripts and copies of 12 poems, with 3 booklets of ACD poems

Owner: Private Collector, British (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: (Last updated: 10/15/05)

Lot 34: MISCELLANEOUS NOTES AND MANUSCRIPTS

Owner: Unsold; still the property of the heirs of Anna Conan Doyle

Lot 35: ACCOUNT BOOKS

Three autograph account books with literary earnings and household expenses

Owner: Private Collection of Dr. Constantine Rossakis (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: (Last updated: 7/18/04)

Lot 36: GERALD CHRISTY, English lecture agent

Fifty autograph letters signed and other correspondence to Gerald Christy, 1893-1930 and n.d.

Owner: The British Library (2004 – present) [6]

Notes: (Last updated: 10/25/07)

Lot 37: A.P. WATT & SON, literary agents

Correspondence with ACD's literary agent, comprising 158 letters or cards

Owner: Private Collector (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: (Last updated: 9/24/04)

Lot 38: J.M. BARRIE (1860-1937)

31 autograph letters signed from Barrie to Conan Doyle, and other material related to Barrie

Owner: The British Library (2004 – present) [6]

Notes: (Last updated: 10/25/07)

Lot 39: FOREIGN POLICY

Owner: Unsold; still the property of the heirs of Anna Conan Doyle

Lot 40: SIR HENRY IRVING (1838-1905)

Six autograph letters signed to ACD from 1892-1902 and five other letters

Owner: Private Collector (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: (Last updated: 9/24/04)

Lot 41: SIR HENRY IRVING

Lot 42: THE WATERLOO PLAY

Owner: Unsold; still the property of the heirs of Anna Conan Doyle

Lot 42A: WILLIAM GILLETTE

Inscribed studio photograph of William Gillette

Owner: Private Collector (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: (Last updated: 9/24/04)

Lot 43: WILLIAM GILLETTE (1853-1937)

Eleven autograph letters signed to ACD plus two others

Owner: Private Collector (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: (Last updated: 9/24/04)

Lot 43A: WILLIAM GILLETTE

Gillette's Sherlockian Greetings card for Christmas 1901 with inscription to ACD

Owner: Private Collector (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: (Last updated: 9/24/04)

Lot 44: BRIGADIER GERARD

Typescript with autograph revisions for his play Brigadier Gerard

Owner: For sale by Peter L. Stern, a dealer (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: Not yet listed on his ABE web page. (Last updated: 10/28/07)

Lot 45: THE FIRES OF FATE

Typescript with autograph revisions for his play The Fires of Fate

Owner: Not identified (Fall 2004 – present)

Prior Owner: Sold by Peter L. Stern, a dealer (19 May 2004 – Fall 2004)

Notes: Sold prior to 12/8/04. (Last updated: 12/22/04)

Lot 46: THE HOUSE OF TEMPERLEY

Owner: Unsold; still the property of the heirs of Anna Conan Doyle

Lot 47: THE STONOR CASE

'Author's Copy' typescript of the first two acts of the play, with corrections and additions

Owner: Private Collector (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: This is the original unfinished precursor of the play that later became The Speckled Band. (Last updated: 9/24/04)

Lot 48: THE SPECKLED BAND

Typescript of the three-act play, with autograph alterations and additions, 1910.

Owner: Private Collector (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: (Last updated: 9/24/04)

Lot 49: MRS THOMPSON

Owner: Unsold; still the property of the heirs of Anna Conan Doyle

Lot 50: DRAMATIC WORKS

Autograph manuscripts and typescripts for parts of various plays

Owner: Private collection of Dr. Richard J. Sveum (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: (Last updated: 7/19/04)

Lot 51: EILLE NORWOOD (1861-1948)

Autograph letter signed to Lady [Jean] Conan Doyle, 10 October 1923, and two programmes

Owner: Private Collector (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: (Last updated: 9/24/04)

Lot 52: ROMAN CATHOLICISM

Thirteen items related to Roman Catholicism, including several autograph items

Owner: For sale by Peter L. Stern, a dealer (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: Not yet listed on his ABE web page. (Last updated: 10/28/07)

Lot 53: POLITICS

Political letters

Owner: The British Library (19 May 2004 – present) [1]

Notes: A few letters published in 2007 [7]. (Last updated: 10/25/07)

Lot 54: THE EDALJI CASE

Owner: Unsold; still the property of the heirs of Anna Conan Doyle

Notes: (Last updated: 11/5/07)

Lot 55: THE OSCAR SLATER CASE

Letters and documents from 1914 to 1929 relating to Scotland’s notorious Oscar Slater Case

Owner: Mitchell Library, Glasgow, Scotland (19 May 2004 – present) [3]

Lot 56: THE CONGO

Autograph letter condemning exploitation of the Congo, to unnamed recipient, 7 pp., 27 August 1909

Owner: Not identified (ca. 2006 – present)

Prior Owner: Maggs Bros Rare Books, a dealer (2004? – 2006?)

Notes: Offered by Maggs in March 2006 and sold by October 2007. (Last updated: 10/28/07)

Lot 57: CANADA AND THE EMPIRE

Letters and manuscripts on the future of the Empire and Canada

Owner: Toronto Public Library Arthur Conan Doyle Collection (19 May 2004 – present) [2]

Lot 58: THE IRISH QUESTION AND ROGER CASEMENT

Three autograph letters supporting Home Rule and Roger Casement

Owner: For sale by Peter L. Stern, a dealer (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes (Item 1): Three Page Holograph Letter on Irish Home Rule, dated 2 April 1912. Listed with a photo in Peter L. Stern's Oct.-Nov. 2004 printed catalog as item #45. Offered in November 2004 as item #19724 on ABE from his ABE web page, with a detailed description. (Last updated: 10/28/07)

Item 2: Two One Page Holograph Letters on Roger Casement's Sentence, dated 29 June and 9 July 1916. Also includes a typed letter to ACD rejecting his petition.

New Owner: Not identified (2006 – present)

Notes (Item 2): Listed with a photo in Peter L. Stern's Oct.-Nov. 2004 printed catalog as item #46. Sold between May 2006 and October 2007 to a collector. (Last updated: 10/30/07)

Lot 59: OTHER CAUSES AND CHARITIES

Owner: Unsold; still the property of the heirs of Anna Conan Doyle

Lot 60: SPIRITUALISM

Notebooks, papers and correspondence concerning spiritualism

Owner: The British Library (2004 – present) [6]

Notes: (Last updated: 10/25/07)

Lot 61: SPIRITUALISM: LECTURES AND ESSAYS

Owner: Unsold; still the property of the heirs of Anna Conan Doyle

Lot 62: SPIRITUALISM: DANIEL DUNGLAS HOME (1833-86)

Lot 63: SPIRITUALISM: CONAN DOYLE'S TOUR OF NEW ZEALAND

Handwritten address of appreciation to ACD for his work on Spiritualism, bound

Owner: Private Collector, British (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: (Last updated: 10/15/05)

Lot 64: SPIRITUALISM: CONAN DOYLE'S TOUR OF AUSTRALIA

Lot 65: SPIRITUALISM: CONAN DOYLE'S TOUR OF AUSTRALIA

Lot 66: EGYPT AND THE SUDAN

Journal of a voyage up the Nile 1895 – 1986 and typescript despatches

Owner: Private Collector (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: (Last updated: 6/30/04)

Lot 67: THE BOER WAR

Lot 68: BOER WAR

Lot 69: FIRST WORLD WAR and THE CHANNEL TUNNEL

Lot 70: FIRST WORLD WAR

Owner: Unsold; still the property of the heirs of Anna Conan Doyle

Lot 71: MAJOR ALFRED HERBERT WOOD

Owner: Unsold; still the property of the heirs of Anna Conan Doyle

Lot 72: MILITARY: BODY ARMOUR

Lot 73: 'THE USES OF HATRED - LET ENGLAND REMEMBER'

Lot 74: PASSPORT

Lot 75: BALLOONING

Lot 76: SKIING

Lot 77: CRICKET

Lot 78: THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA

Three autograph notebooks (1914, 1920s) and one from his wife of U.S. and Canadian tours

Owner: Toronto Public Library Arthur Conan Doyle Collection (October 2004 – present)

Notes: This lot went unsold at the May 2004 auction but was acquired later by the Toronto Public Library. (Last updated: 11/15/04)

Lot 79: SOUTHERN AFRICA

Autograph letters and other items related to Southern Africa and Charles Ashton-Jonson

Owner: For sale by Peter L. Stern, a dealer (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: Not yet listed on his ABE web page. (Last updated: 10/28/07)

Lot 80: MARY DOYLE (1838-1921)

Letters of his mother to ACD

Owner: The British Library (19 May 2004 – present) [1]

Notes: Some letters published in 2007, mainly ones concerning the Boer War [7]. (Last updated: 10/25/07)

Lot 81: LOTTIE DOYLE

Letters to and from his sister Lottie Doyle

Owner: The British Library (2004 – present) [6]

Notes: A number of these letters were published in 2007 [7]. (Last updated: 10/28/07)

Lot 82: INNES DOYLE

ACD Letters to his brother Innes Doyle

Owner: The British Library (19 May 2004 – present) [1]

Notes: A number of these letters were published in 2007 [7]. (Last updated: 10/25/07)

Lot 83: INNES DOYLE

Lot 84: LILY LODER-SYMONDS

Fourteen autograph letters signed to Lily Loder-Symonds, 16 June 1913 - 15 May 1915

Owner: The British Library (2004 – present) [6]

Notes: (Last updated: 10/25/07)

Lot 85: KINGSLEY CONAN DOYLE (1892-1918)

Collection of more than 100 letters and postcards from Kingsley to his parents

Owner: Private Collection of Dr. Fred Kittle (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: (Last updated: 10/27/05)

Lot 86: LADY (JEAN) CONAN DOYLE

A series of ten autograph letters and one other to his wife Jean Conan Doyle

Owner: Classic Bindings, a dealer (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: Offered in July 2004 as item #CB9236/10. For details and a photo of this item do a Quick Search on "Doyle" at the Classic Bindings website. (Last updated: 11/2/07)

Lot 87: LADY (JEAN) CONAN DOYLE

Two manuscripts with information for Lady (Jean) Conan Doyle

Owner: Private Collection of Roger Johnson and Jean Upton (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes (Item 1): This 49-page reading list by Sir Arthur for his wife is not in his handwriting. (Last updated: 6/8/04)

Notes (Item 2): This ACD autograph manuscript is actually entitled "A Synopsis of Geology By A.B.U. Syman for the use of J," thus making the putative author's name "A Busy Man." It includes a short comic poem about dinosaurs and "J." The comic sketch actually shows a primitive man trapped between two dinosaurs rather than two crocodiles. (Last updated: 6/8/04)

Lot 88: PERSONAL NOTES AND FRAGMENTS

A collection of 17 miscellaneous undated autograph notes

Owner: Adam Andrusier, a dealer in Rare Autographs and Manuscripts (19 May 2004 – present) and others

Item 1: Autograph 'Diary of Illness'

New Owner: Toronto Public Library Arthur Conan Doyle Collection (October 2005 – present)

Notes (Item 1): Autograph 'Diary of Illness', 4 December - early February [n.y.], one sheet of paper written on both sides with notes on his condition. Offered by Andrusier in June 2004 with a detailed description and a large photo. Sold October 2005. (Last updated: 10/29/07)

Item 2: Autograph catalogue of ACD's crime library at Windlesham, four pages on two sheets.

New Owner: Private Collection of Rudy Faist (August 2004 – present)

Notes (Item 2): Offered by Andrusier in June 2004 and sold in August 2004. (Last updated: 9/30/04)

Item 3: Autograph note on approaching death

New Owner: Toronto Public Library Arthur Conan Doyle Collection (October 2005 – present)

Notes (Item 3): Autograph note on approaching death, one page on a sheet of stationery, beginning 'As a man grows older…' and concluding 'there is much more of hope than of fear in the prospect.' Offered by Andrusier and sold October 2005. (Last updated: 10/29/07)

Item 4: Autograph note on 'The Seasons at Undershaw'

Notes (Item 4): Autograph note entitled 'The Seasons at Undershaw' on one large page. Offered by Andruiser on his website as item #1213 in February 2006 and sold between June and October 2007. (Last updated: 10/31/07)

Item 5: Autograph note on Golf

Notes (Item 5): Autograph note headed 'Golf' with quotations and jokes, on one page. Offered by Andruiser on his website as item #1214 in February 2006 and sold between June and October 2007. (Last updated: 10/31/07)

Item 6: Autograph card with religious passage 'Do not think of self...'

Notes (Item 6): Autograph card with a religious passage beginning 'Do not think of self...' together with its envelope labeled 'Sayings of my Beloved One' by his wife. Offered by Andruiser as item #1215 on his website in February 2006. (Last updated: 10/31/07)

Lot 89: FAMILY CORRESPONDENCE

Miscellaneous Family Correspondence

Owner: The British Library (19 May 2004 – present) [1]

Notes: A number of these letters were published in 2007, especially ones to Lottie [7]. (Last updated: 10/25/07)

Lot 90: E.W. HORNUNG (1866-1921)

Thirteen letters to ACD, five letters to Ida Foley, and one letter from ACD

Owner: For sale by Peter L. Stern, a dealer (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: Not yet listed on his ABE web page. (Last updated: 10/30/07)

Lot 91: AINSLIE

A series of 12 autograph letters to "Ainslie"

Owner: Julian Browning, a dealer in Rare Books & Manuscripts (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes (Item 1): Autograph letter, signed "A Conan Doyle," 7 x 4.5 inches. One page dated 12 June 1896 from 4 Southsea Terrace, Southsea. ACD says he has trouble working, but will chair a woman author dinner. Offered in June 2004 as Item 4272 in Julian Browning's online catalogue, with a detailed description and a photo. Sold as of August 2004. (Last updated: 8/26/04)

Notes (Item 2): Autograph letter, signed "A Conan Doyle," 7 x 4.5 inches. One page undated [c.1895-96] from Mena House Hotel, Pyramids, Cairo. ACD discusses proposed travels for the 11th. Offered in September 2004 as Item 4428 in Julian Browning's online catalogue, with a detailed description and a photo. Sold as of January 2005. (Last updated: 1/31/05)

Notes (Item 3): Autograph letter, signed "A Conan Doyle," 7 x 4.5 inches. One page undated [c.1895-96] from Mena House Hotel, Pyramids, Cairo. ACD asks Ainslie to excuse his silence. Offered in January 2005 as Item 4573 in Julian Browning's online catalogue, with a detailed description and a photo. Sold in April 2005. (Last updated: 10/7/05)

Notes (Item 4): Autograph letter, signed "A Conan Doyle," 7 x 4.5 inches. One page undated from Greyswood Beeches, Haslemere. ACD responds to an invitation, but says he has "a succession of visitors coming." Offered in October 2005 as Item 4886 in Julian Browning's online catalogue, with a description and a photo and sold between January and October 2007. (Last updated: 11/2/07)

Item 5: Autograph letter asking about Jerusalem

New Owner: Toronto Public Library Arthur Conan Doyle Collection (June 2007 – present)

Notes (Item 5): Autograph letter, signed "A Conan Doyle," 5 x 4 inches. One page undated from Mena [Mena House Hotel, Pyramids, Cairo]. ACD asks if Ainslie has been to Jerusalem, proposes a trip together, and suggests returning via Alexandria and Jaffa "if there is no quarantine." Offered in May 2007 as Item 6881 in Julian Browning's online catalogue, with a description and a photo. Sold June 2007. (Last updated: 10/29/07)

Notes (General): Although not yet offered, Browning still has a few Ainslie letters left. You can search for other Conan Doyle material on the Julian Browning Autographs website. (Last updated: 11/2/07)

Lot 92: RALPH BLUMENFELD, Managing Editor of the Daily Express

Eleven autograph letters signed and four postcards to Blumenfeld, most n.d.

Owner: The British Library (2004 – present) [6]

Notes: (Last updated: 10/25/07)

Lot 93: MADAME BROCHMAN, translator into Norwegian

Nine autograph letters and postcards to Madame Brochman, 1897 – 1914, and material from Touie and Mary Conan Doyle

Owner: Private collection of Dr. Richard J. Sveum (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: (Last updated: 7/19/04)

Lot 94: STRATTON BULNOIS

Three autograph letters signed to Bulnois and one letter to ACD

Owner: The British Library (2004 – present) [6]

Notes: (Last updated: 10/25/07)

Lot 95: SIR THOMAS HENRY HALL CAINE (1853-1931)

Three Caine autograph letters to ACD, with a partly autograph reply by ACD

Owner: Private Collector, British (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: (Last updated: 10/15/05)

Lot 96: SIR WINSTON SPENCER CHURCHILL (1874-1965)

Four letters from Churchill to ACD

Owner: For sale by Peter L. Stern, a dealer (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes (Item 1): Signed Holograph Letter to ACD, dated 27 October 1900, regarding a lecture. Listed with a photo in Peter L. Stern's Oct.-Nov. 2004 printed catalog as item #30. Offered in November 2004 as item #19598 on ABE from his ABE web page, with a detailed description. (Last updated: 10/28/07)

Notes (Item 2): Signed Letter to ACD, 5 October [no year], regarding the Congo and a British Consul General in Berlin. Listed in Peter L. Stern's Oct.-Nov. 2004 printed catalog as item #32. Offered in November 2004 as item #19600 on ABE from his ABE web page, with a detailed description. (Last updated: 10/28/07)

Notes (Item 3): Signed Letter to ACD, 1 July 1929, regarding the Great War. Listed with a photo in Peter L. Stern's Oct.-Nov. 2004 printed catalog as item #33. Offered in November 2004 as item #19601 on ABE from his ABE web page, with a detailed description. (Last updated: 10/28/07)

Notes (Item 4): Signed Letter to ACD, 9 May 1907, inviting Conan Doyle to dinner with "Percy, Hugh Cecil ... and a few others" next Thursday. Listed with a photo in Peter L. Stern's Oct.-Nov. 2004 printed catalog as item #31. Sold by Peter L. Stern circa Nov. 2004, with new owner not identified. (Last updated: 12/22/04)

Lot 97: SIR WINSTON SPENCER CHURCHILL

Autograph letter from Churchill to ACD on 1 October 1916 about the use of tanks in the Great War

Owner: Not identified (2006 – present)

Prior Owner: Sold by Peter L. Stern, a dealer (19 May 2004 – 2006)

Notes: Listed with a photo in Peter L. Stern's Oct.-Nov. 2004 printed catalog as item #29. Sold to another dealer between May 2006 and October 2007. (Last updated: 10/30/07)

Lot 98: SIR WINSTON SPENCER CHURCHILL

Owner: Unsold; still the property of the heirs of Anna Conan Doyle

Lot 99: LORD ALFRED DOUGLAS (1870-1945)

Autograph letter to ACD and his (retained copy) autograph letter reply

Owner: Classic Bindings, a dealer (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: Offered in July 2004 as item #CB9237/3. For details on this item do a Quick Search on "Doyle" at the Classic Bindings website. (Last updated: 11/2/07)

Lot 100: THOMAS HARDY (1840-1928)

Lot 101: R. HEMINGSLEY, critic with the Birmingham Daily Times

Twelve autograph letters signed and one postcard to Hemingsley, [3 January 1889] - [25 October 1893]

Owner: The British Library (2004 – present) [6]

Notes: (Last updated: 10/25/07)

Lot 102: JEROME K. JEROME (1859-1927)

Lot 103: RUDYARD KIPLING (1865-1936)

Owner: Unsold; still the property of the heirs of Anna Conan Doyle

Lot 104: GEORGE MEREDITH (1828-1909)

Manuscript of a lecture on George Meredith and seven letters from Meredith to ACD

Owner: The Portsmouth City Museum (19 May 2004 – present) [4]

Lot 105: JAMES PAYN (1830-1898)

Fourteen autograph letters to and seven from James Payn

Owner: Private Collection of Dr. Constantine Rossakis (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: (Last updated: 7/18/04)

Lot 106: THEODORE ROOSEVELT (1858-1919)

Two typed letters, with one signed, from Roosevelt to ACD

Owner: The Harlan Crow Library, Dallas, Texas (May 2005 – present)

Prior Owner: Classic Bindings, a dealer (19 May 2004 – May 2005)

Notes: Purchased at the New York Book Fair in May 2005. (Last updated: 10/17/05)

Lot 107: JAMES RYAN

Approximately 60 autograph letters signed and other correspondence to Conan Doyle, 1910-1918.

Owner: The British Library (2004 – present) [6]

Notes: Some letters were published in 2007 [7]. (Last updated: 10/28/07)

Lot 108: JAMES RYAN

Lot 109: MARGARET RYAN

Two autograph letters to Margaret Ryan, n.d., Birmingham and Southsea

Owner: Cornell University Library (December 2004 – present)

Notes: The letter from Gravelly Hill, Birmingham is one of condolence while the letter from Bush Villa, Southsea concerns a dawning literary career. Part of the Gail and Stephen Rudin autograph collection, #4690. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library. The Rudin literary collection includes over 200 letters by British and American literary giants. They are long-time supporters of the Cornell Library and donated this collection in December 2004. (Last updated: 11/6/07)

Lot 110: GEORGE BERNARD SHAW (1856-1950)

Lot 111: H. GREENHOUGH SMITH, editor of The Strand Magazine

Eighteen autograph letters signed and one postcard to Smith, most n.d.

Owner: The British Library (2004 – present) [6]

Notes: Some letters were published in 2007 [7]. (Last updated: 10/28/07)

Lot 112: BRAM STOKER (1847-1912)

Lot 113: H.G. WELLS (1866-1946)

Seven autograph letters signed to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Owner: Private collection of Dr. Richard J. Sveum (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: (Last updated: 7/19/04)

Lot 114: OSCAR WILDE (1854-1900)

Owner: Unsold; still the property of the heirs of Anna Conan Doyle

Lot 115: P.G. WODEHOUSE (1881-1975)

Two autograph letters signed to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Owner: Private collection of Dr. Richard J. Sveum (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: (Last updated: 7/19/04)

Lot 116: LETTERS TO VARIOUS CORRESPONDENTS

Nineteen autograph letters signed and other correspondence to various recipients

Owner: The British Library (2004 – present) [6]

Notes: (Last updated: 10/25/07)

Lot 117: ECCENTRIC LETTERS

Owner: Unsold; still the property of the heirs of Anna Conan Doyle

Lot 118: GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE OF SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE

ACD's General Correspondence

Owner: The British Library (19 May 2004 – present) [1]

Notes: Some letters were published in 2007 [7]. (Last updated: 10/25/07)

Lot 119: THE CORRESPONDENCE OF LADY [JEAN] CONAN DOYLE

2nd wife's General Correspondence, most after ACD's death

Owner: The British Library (19 May 2004 – present) [1]

Notes: None of these letters were published in [7]. (Last updated: 10/25/07)

Lot 120: LETTERS OF CONDOLENCE

Owner: Unsold; still the property of the heirs of Anna Conan Doyle

Lot 121: GENEALOGY

Lot 122: DIARY

Diary for 1901 with approximately 112 entries

Owner: Private Collector (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: (Last updated: 6/30/04)

Lot 123: AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL MANUSCRIPTS

Two autobiographical autograph letters signed, 5 October 1912 and [November 1921]

Owner: The British Library (2004 – present) [6]

Notes: (Last updated: 10/25/07)

Lot 124: GRAMOPHONE RECORD

Lot 125: ADRIAN CONAN DOYLE

General Correspondence of Adrian Conan Doyle

Owner: The British Library (19 May 2004 – present) [1]

Notes: None of these letters were published in [7]. (Last updated: 10/25/07)

Lot 126: MEMORABILIA

Owner: Unsold; still the property of the heirs of Anna Conan Doyle

Lot 127: ALBUMS

Two visitors' books (Undershaw 1897 – 1907), two photograph albums, and a printed commemorative album

Owner: Private collection of Dr. Richard J. Sveum (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: (Last updated: 7/19/04)

Lot 128: CONAN DOYLE'S WALLET

Lot 129: WEDDING INVITATION

Printed invitation to the wedding of Sir Arthur and Jean Leckie, with autograph note by ACD

Owner: Private Collection of Barbara Rusch (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: (Last updated: 6/16/04)

Lot 130: CIGARETTE CARDS

A set of 27 cigarette cards of characters from Conan Doyle stories including Holmes and Watson

Owner: The Edinburgh Writers' Museum (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: The Writers' Museum shares a website with other Edinburgh museums and galleries at http://www.cac.org.uk/. (Last updated: 1/9/05)

Lot 131: DRAWINGS AND PAINTINGS

Lot 132: PRINTED EPHEMERA

Two copies of The Immortal Memory, menu cards, programs, club diaries, etc.

Owner: Private Collector (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: (Last updated: 6/21/04)

Lot 133: DOMESTIC

A collection of personal papers and ephemera of ACD and his wife

Owner: Adam Andrusier, a dealer in Rare Autographs and Manuscripts (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes (Item 1): Autograph Billiard Scores, one page dated January 1908 with scores against Malcolm Leckie; from the 35-page billiard break book described by Christie's. Offered in June 2004. A different page, dated March 1908 with scores against Stewart Leckie, offered in January 2005. No pages offered as of October 2005. (Last updated: 10/19/05)

Item 2: Notes on exchanges with his children, both sides of one sheet, including discussion of the causes of rain and thunder; from loose pieces in the lot described by Christie's.

New Owner: Toronto Public Library Arthur Conan Doyle Collection (October 2005 – present)

Notes (Item 2): Offered by Andrusier in August 2004 and sold October 2005. (Last updated: 10/29/07)

Item 3: Series of notes entitled 'Children,' one sheet approximately 4.5 x 7.5 inches; from loose pieces in the lot described by Christie's.

New Owner: Toronto Public Library Arthur Conan Doyle Collection (October 2005 – present)

Notes (Item 3): Offered by Andrusier in August 2004 and sold October 2005. (Last updated: 10/29/07)

Notes (Item 4): "Baby's Book" by ACD, 15 pages of notes on Denis and Adrian, 4 x 7 inches. Offered in January 2005 and sold between February and October 2005. Listed with a photo and description in his website's archive section. (Last updated: 11/2/07)

Item 5: Billiard Break Book for January 1899 - September 1905, 14 pages with a red roan cover.

New Owner: Toronto Public Library Arthur Conan Doyle Collection (October 2005 – present)

Notes (Item 5): Offered by Andrusier and sold October 2005. (Last updated: 10/29/07)

Item 6: Jean Conan Doyle's 1930 snowdrop

New Owner: Brian Pugh (May 2006 – present)

Notes (Item 6): Sir Arthur picked the first snowdrop (a small white wildflower) of the season for his wife. This one came with an envelope labeled "The first snowdrop picked for me by my darling Arthur, Jan 23rd 1930." After Andrusier sold the flower and envelope they were framed with photos of Sir Arthur and Jean. Bob Hess purchased the framed item and later sold it to Brian Pugh. (Last updated: 10/31/07)

Item 7: Sir Arthur's hair

New Owner: Private Collector in England (2006 – present)

Notes (Item 7): Lot 133 included a large collection of cuttings of hair from Sir Arthur. One of these was framed and sold to Bob Hess, who later sold it to the private collector. (Last updated: 11/9/07)

Item 8: Envelope with "Lord is on my side"

Notes (Item 8): ACD's envelope with note "The Lord is on my side. I will not fear what man doeth unto me" together with an annotated envelope from his son. Listed in October 2007 with a photo and brief description as item #1658 on his website. (Last updated: 10/31/07)

Lot 134: PHOTOGRAPHS

A collection of photographs and personal items of ACD, his family and his homes

Owner: The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (19 May 2004 – present) [5]

Notes: See the RCSE web page [5] for all items in RCSED GD 21/1 and RCSED GD 21/2 #1 for descriptions and photos. (Last updated: 6/30/04)

Lot 135: 'TO THE BEST OF NURSES'

A gold medal from ACD to his wife Jean, dated 1930, incised 'To the Best of Nurses'

Owner: Private collection of Shirley Purves (19 May 2004 – present)

Notes: (Last updated: 11/15/04)

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Sources and Acknowledgements

The Conan Doyle Collection. (London: Christie's), 2004. Auction catalogue for the Christie's London sale of 19 May 2004 (Code Name: SHERLOCK; Sale Number: 6972). Lot descriptions were also temporarily available on the Christie's website.

"Auction Results: The Conan Doyle Collection 19 May 2004 Sale Number: 6972." <http://www.christies.com/auction/results/results_lotlist.asp?saleno=CKS6972>, accessed 5/21/04. Lots that did not sell can be determined because they are missing from the results. This was confirmed on 5/21/04 by checking the "price realized" entry for these lots in Christie's online catalogue.

Notes

1: British Library 21 May 2004 Press Release. "Saved for the Nation: Conan Doyle manuscripts bought by the British Library." <http://www.bl.uk/cgi-bin/press.cgi?story=1429>, accessed 5/22/04. See below for complete list of BL holdings.

2: Toronto Public Library 19 May 2004 Press Release. "Library's Arthur Conan Doyle Collection Expanded." <http://www.tpl.toronto.on.ca/new_arc_04may19_conan_doyle.jsp>, accessed 5/23/04. Also "Conan Doyle archive grows" by Ray Conlogue in the 21 May 2004 Globe and Mail <http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040521.wxconan21/BNStory/Entertainment/> and "Toronto library adds to Conan Doyle collection" in the 20 May 2004 CBC Arts News website <http://www.cbc.ca/arts/story/2004/05/20/conandoyleauction20040520.html>. See below for a complete list of Toronto holdings.

3: Tim Cornwell, "£30,000 secures Conan Doyle letters," The Scotsman, 21 May 2004, <http://news.scotsman.com/arts.cfm?id=578712004>, accessed 5/23/04.

4: Portsmouth 21 May 2004 Press Release. "Portsmouth Museum successful in purchase of Conan Doyle papers." <http://www.portsmouth.gov.uk/pcc/residents/residentsnews/News20040521_ConanDoylePapers.cfm>, accessed 5/24/04.

5: "Conan Doyle notebook is snapped up by surgeons," The Scotsman, 7 Jun 2004, <http://news.scotsman.com/edinburgh.cfm?id=646392004>, accessed 6/7/04. The RCSE website has a page with photos and descriptions of many items under "Surgeons' Hall Trust Collections > Archives > Collected Papers > 21. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 1859-1930." <http://www.rcsed.ac.uk/site/PID=46200411142/760/default.aspx>, accessed 10/25/07. See below for a complete list of RCSE holdings.

6: Unsold at auction, but the British Library purchased this material by private treaty later in 2004.

7: Arthur Conan Doyle: A Life in Letters, ed. by Jon Lellenberg, Daniel Stashower & Charles Foley (New York: Penguin Press), 2007, various pages. This book prints a large number of letters from the Conan Doyle Collection and other important sources. Some of the lots providing material for this book are noted in their respective entry in the Ownership List above.

Thanks to Adam Andrusier, Peter Blau, Julian Browning, Catherine Cooke, Emma Doyle, Rudy Faist, Rachel Foss, Cliff Goldfarb, Elaine Greig, Eileen Heeran, Roger Johnson, Dr. Fred Kittle, Jon Lellenberg, Ryan Lord, Andrew Malec, Peggy Perdue, Shirley Purves, Brian Pugh, Christopher Roden, Dr. Constantine Rossakis, Barbara Rusch, Peter Stern, Dr. Richard J. Sveum, Jean Upton, Doug Wrigglesworth, and to those who prefer to remain anonymous, for their help and suggestions.

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Institutional Holdings

The following material is held at the indicated institution. See the individual entries above in the Ownership List for more details about each lot.

The British Library

http://www.bl.uk/collections/manuscripts.html

As noted in the individual Lot entries above in the Ownership List, some of this material has been published in Arthur Conan Doyle: A Life in Letters. The British Library holds other Conan Doyle material as well, including letters donated by his daughter Dame Jean Conan Doyle.

3: A Jesuit Education

11: Conan Doyle's First Novel

14: The Stark Munro Letters

36: Gerald Christy, English Lecture Agent

38: J. M. Barrie (1860-1937)

53: Politics

60: Spiritualism

80: Mary Doyle (1838-1921)

81: Lottie Doyle

82: Innes Doyle

84: Lily Loder-Symonds

89: Family Correspondence