Sherlock Sunday: The Speckled Band

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

I'm jumping around a bit in the first collection of stories The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. "The Adventure of the Speckled Band" was published in February 1892. ACD got the idea for the story from an article in Nineteenth Century by Sir Joseph Fayrer about the Indian adder.

We get Holmes being kind to an abuse victim. And showing physical strength by unbending a bent fire poker. We get the deduction of the dog cart (which I think BBC Sherlock cribbed for the deduction of the Pink Lady's legs).

I once made the band an original character in the Inky Quill & Co 'verse. The band's name was Cyril Monteverdi No-Legs, and he liked opera.

Also, in real life, I have actually been even closer to a baboon than Holmes and Watson. When I visited Akagera safari reserve in Rwanda, a baboon entered the breakfast room and stole the jam off my table, the jam I was using! They really are fierce, strong, and intimidating creatures with a kind of blunt playfulness.

Quotes I like:

1. When a doctor does go wrong he is the first of criminals. [This is the money quote, right? The jackpot. Say what you will about continuity, but when ACD turned a phrase he turned it!]
2. These are very deep waters...
3. 'It is not cold which makes me shiver... [said in the right voice, this is very effective]
4. This exchange between Roylott and Holmes [the sass!]:

'I will do nothing of the kind. My stepdaughter has been here. I have traced her. What has she been saying to you?'

'It is a little cold for the time of the year,' said Holmes.

'What has she been saying to you?' screamed the old man furiously.

'But I have heard that the crocuses promise well,' continued my companion imperturbably.

So I did a collage. I realized when doing the junk journals that I really enjoy doing the edges, finding fun ways to trim the outer edge of the page, but for some reason, I haven't done that with my collages so I am going to start because it really is great fun. So see the gold cord for the Valentine pink and this one on the other side.



The first episode (1979) of the old Russian Holmes (aka Livanov Holmes) dealt with this story, along with Holmes & Watson's introduction, and I thought that the (probably) practical considerations of production budget, the dousing a lot of the set of darkness produced an extra sinister and eerie effect, which works very well, I think.

Watch on YouTube

Comments

[sweettartheart]

I do love The Speckled Band. It was my first exposure to Sherlock Holmes -- a teacher had us listen to an audio version of the story! Lovely collage. I particularly like how you made the page darker for the deep waters quote.

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

It's a great gothic tale. That's very cool.

Thank you! I use the online ACD encyclopedia which has printable images nicely organized from illustrations from various editions.

[smallhobbit]

I liked Cyril Monteverdi No-Legs!

I still like The Speckled Band - despite the milk and the whistle!

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

He was fun. I have been thinking to go back to Inky.

*smacks forehead* I completely forgot to mention the most notable thing about the story: complete lack of reptile knowledge! My sister the vet HATES this story.

[barbaratp]

When a doctor does go wrong he is the first of criminals. nunca vi citação mais correta, ainda mais que tenho sentido isso na pele faz meses...

Adoro como BBC Sherlock pode fazer grandes alusões aos originais de ACD, mas que eu jamais saberia sem que outro fã indicasse já que nunca li nenhum dos livros originais (espero um dia remediar isso u.u)

Adorei sua colagem. Realmente a forma como você faz as coisas tão bonitas me deixa sem palavras 💖💖💖

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Oh, yes, that quote will have a special significance for you. I'm sorry.

Yeah, there were a lot of clever allusions, especially in the first season.

Aw, thank you!!

[barbaratp]

Não precisa sentir, não é de hoje que médicos erram comigo e possivelmente não será a última vez. Muitos hoje só se formam pelo dinheiro, outros por status e ainda há aqueles que iniciarem por amor e no meio do caminho passaram a se achar mais que os pacientes. É um grupo que raras vezes tem apreço real pelo que fazem, porque pela minha péssima experiência alguns médicos não mereciam nem a alcunha de doutor porque só fazem errar.

Mas deixando de lado meu sentimento de tristeza por causa de experiências médicas ruins eu amei as alusões que BBC Sherlock trouxe (as que descobri por mim mesma e as que soube depois como a de hoje), porque é legal que mesmo sendo uma versão derivativa eles parecem sempre estar a homenagear o original.

E quanto a sua colagem, como sempre é algo lindíssimo que fico extasiada de ver. Adoro esse tipo de arte, já falei anteriormente sobre e vou continuar falando sempre. Adoro suas colagens e fico muito encantada com cada uma delas que vejo u.u

[firecat]

That's a great collage!

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Thank you!

[malinaldarose]

I saw the Granada Holmes version of "The Speckled Band" a week or so ago and they reproduced that drawing of Holmes pretty much exactly in the staging.

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Ah, that's cool because it means they are going back to Paget's illustrations for verisimilitude.

[garonne]

Ooh, yes, one of my favourite Holmes stories (even if people do make a fuss about the eating and hearing habits of real snakes, haha :D )

Thanks for the reminder of the excellent quotes.

(And wow, what an experience you had with that baboon!)

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

My sister is a vet (and a lizard breeder) and she HATES it. The quickest way to get her to start ranting is to mention it

Thank you!

Yeah, they are really aren't cute monkeys they are closer to gorilla type intimidating creatures. Although I once had a monkey swinging on a hammock who swung into me and got tangled in me and my hair and it was awful that was in Costa Rica, the baboon was in Rwanda.