Celebrate Sherlock Holmes Birthday - January 6th

ghostsofpompeii

Load up a bowl of your favorite tobacco. Pour yourself a glass of stout, bitter ale, or a steaming cup of tea. And then settle back in a comfy chair and join me as I celebrate the birthday of history's most famous pipe smoker ... who never lived - Sherlock Holmes.

Each year I mark the occasion with a bowl of my favorite blend in a meerschaum gourd Calabash pipe and a cup of Earl Grey tea, then spend the evening watching a Sherlock Holmes movie marathon or a couple of episodes from one of the many Holmes series which have aired over the years. The Jeremy Brett Granada TV series is always a nice start, as is the classic Rathbone & Bruce stand-bys I grew up with. There are probably over a hundred titles to choose from with dozens of actors donning the deer stalker hat, from  the aforementioned Basil Rathbone and Jeremy Brett to Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Ronald Howard, Charlton Heston, Roger Moore, Matt Fewer, Christopher Plummer, Arthur Wotner, Nicol Williamson, John Neville, and most recently Robert Downey Jr., Benedict Cumberbatch, and even Ian McKellen who is featured as a retired 90 year old Holmes in the film "Mr. Holmes".     

Though some may dispute the actual date, January 6th, 1854 has long been established by Sherlockian scholars and aficionados, including The Baker Street Irregulars - who meet each year to celebrate the occasion - as Holmes official birthday. And far be it for me to dispute the claim. I'm always game for a celebration not matter what the occasion. And Sherlock Holmes birthday is a day marked on my calendar.

So grab your pipe and join me in celebrating the birthday of a beloved literary pipe smoker who just so happened to solve a few cases between bowls.       

DrDetroit

Thanks for the Sherlock birthday reminder! There is a new season of Sherlock on PBS this month to watch. I still enjoy the Basil Rathbone series of movies though. He was never far from his pipe! Great at playing Holmes!

Charles

The classic Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce Sherlock Holmes movies have always been a favorite of mine. For me, it is usually a Sunday thing.  Sunday morning on the Movie Channel, they always show one of these classics.  Usual with a cup of Earl Grey and a calabash filled with Dunhill London Mixture, I spend an hour and a half watching and listening to the deductive reasoning of Sherlock Holmes.  Happy 162nd Birthday Mr. Holmes!

PappyJoe

Just watched the season opener for Sherlock on PBS. A while back I found a lot of Sherlock Holmes tales on old time radio podcasts so I'll be listening to them as I make a road trip for the weekend.

Bigstrike

Thanks for the reminder! Jeremy Brett's portrayal of Sherlock is by far my favorite.

piperdave

@ghostsofpompeii I am shocked they didn't make a google doddle. I mean it's his observed birthday, thanks for the reminder. @drdetroit I agree I like Basil Rathbone & Nigel Bruce the best just what I grew up watching with my Dad I guess. @pappyjoe I recently watched Sherlock on PBS as well; the ending was a gut punch but I still liked it and will keep watching. Have a safe road trip.

JosiahWN

Thanks for the reminder. I'll have to throw on the Christmas special from the Benedict BBC version. It's the only episode in this new series that he smokes a pipe. That part is disappointing to me because the pipe is so vital for Sherlock. But other than that one awful decision to have him smoke cigarettes I do love the series. It's quite thrilling.

PappyJoe

Not to change the subject but Cumberbatch would be interesting as Doctor Who.

judandhispipe

We all know of Holmes with his calabash,but that's not what he smoked in the books - that's from the movies.

motie2

@PappyJoe you should see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3bGYljQ5Uw where Sherlock meets Dr. Who.

motie2

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Russ Ouellette has an excellent fine Sherlock Holmes article at http://www.pipesandcigars.com/faq/article/123/on-sherlock-holmes and another at http://pipesmagazine.com/blog/put-that-in-your-pipe/the-great-detective-and-his-pipes/

motie2

No idea about all that stuff above my comment......