A case study of early British Sherlockian fandom
Previous studies of Sherlock Holmes fandom have concentrated on fan letters as being exemplary of the early beginnings of the Great Game: a fantasy played by fans that acts upon the belief that Sherlock Holmes exists. Fans, while fully comprehending that it is indeed a fantasy or a game, perform fan...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Organization for Transformative Works
2017-03-01
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| Series: | Transformative Works and Cultures |
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| Online Access: | http://journal.transformativeworks.org/index.php/twc/article/view/861/736 |
| _version_ | 1819150076287647744 |
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| author | Katharine Brombley |
| author_facet | Katharine Brombley |
| author_sort | Katharine Brombley |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Previous studies of Sherlock Holmes fandom have concentrated on fan letters as being exemplary of the early beginnings of the Great Game: a fantasy played by fans that acts upon the belief that Sherlock Holmes exists. Fans, while fully comprehending that it is indeed a fantasy or a game, perform fan activities such as historical and literary analysis as if Holmes were real. This paper shifts the focus away from letter writing as the central means of the expression of this ironic belief and looks at the example of collecting autographs as a means of celebration of the canon. It places the autograph in its historical context of being the meeting point between the remnants of the Romantic theory of genius, the development of pseudosciences such as the interpretation of handwriting, and the literary, cultural, and commercial landscape in which Holmes appeared. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T14:11:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cdb64673755b48a3ad3cb8a759edb019 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1941-2258 1941-2258 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T14:11:45Z |
| publishDate | 2017-03-01 |
| publisher | Organization for Transformative Works |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Transformative Works and Cultures |
| spelling | doaj.art-cdb64673755b48a3ad3cb8a759edb0192022-12-21T18:23:12ZengOrganization for Transformative WorksTransformative Works and Cultures1941-22581941-22582017-03-012310.3983/twc.2017.0861A case study of early British Sherlockian fandomKatharine Brombley0University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, United KingdomPrevious studies of Sherlock Holmes fandom have concentrated on fan letters as being exemplary of the early beginnings of the Great Game: a fantasy played by fans that acts upon the belief that Sherlock Holmes exists. Fans, while fully comprehending that it is indeed a fantasy or a game, perform fan activities such as historical and literary analysis as if Holmes were real. This paper shifts the focus away from letter writing as the central means of the expression of this ironic belief and looks at the example of collecting autographs as a means of celebration of the canon. It places the autograph in its historical context of being the meeting point between the remnants of the Romantic theory of genius, the development of pseudosciences such as the interpretation of handwriting, and the literary, cultural, and commercial landscape in which Holmes appeared.http://journal.transformativeworks.org/index.php/twc/article/view/861/736AutographsCelebrityCollectingFan lettersGraphologyThe Great GameSherlock HolmesThe Strand Magazine |
| spellingShingle | Katharine Brombley A case study of early British Sherlockian fandom Transformative Works and Cultures Autographs Celebrity Collecting Fan letters Graphology The Great Game Sherlock Holmes The Strand Magazine |
| title | A case study of early British Sherlockian fandom |
| title_full | A case study of early British Sherlockian fandom |
| title_fullStr | A case study of early British Sherlockian fandom |
| title_full_unstemmed | A case study of early British Sherlockian fandom |
| title_short | A case study of early British Sherlockian fandom |
| title_sort | case study of early british sherlockian fandom |
| topic | Autographs Celebrity Collecting Fan letters Graphology The Great Game Sherlock Holmes The Strand Magazine |
| url | http://journal.transformativeworks.org/index.php/twc/article/view/861/736 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT katharinebrombley acasestudyofearlybritishsherlockianfandom AT katharinebrombley casestudyofearlybritishsherlockianfandom |