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The Ransom Center Collection By Don Hobbs Located deep in the heart of Texas is one of the world's finest cultural archives. The Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center at The University of Texas at Austin is home to more than 39 million literary manuscripts, one million rare books, five million photographs, and over 100,000 works of art. Highlights include a Gutenberg Bible (c. 1455), the world's first photograph (c. 1826), important paintings by Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, and major manuscript collections of James Joyce, Ernest Hemingway, T.S. Eliot, D.H. Lawrence, Isaac Bashevis Singer, and Tennessee Williams, to name but a few. The Center is used extensively for research by scholars from around the world and presents numerous exhibitions and events showcasing its collections. The exhibitions and events are free and open to the public. The library is also a treasure-trove of Sherlockian/ Doylean books, manuscripts, and personal items. The HRC owns the original manuscripts of "The Adventure of the Golden Pince-Nez" and "A Scandal in Bohemia". They also have a copy of the 1887 Beeton's Christmas Annual. The Personal Effects Collection at the HRC includes many items of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. They have the socks Conan Doyle was wearing when he died, a black suit, 3 undershirts, a pair of eyeglasses, a shell necklace, and a bow tie. His golf clubs and bag, pool cue and case, desk and chair, and an Ouiji board are all part of the center's collection. The Ransom Center Galleries are opened Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 10:00 to 5:00; Thursdays from 10:00 to 7:00; and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5:00. The Leeds Gallery is open by appointment only. The reading room is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 to 5:00 and Saturday 9:00 to noon. Sherlockians who wish to see some of the rarer items should contact Mr. Oliver P. Franklin. He is the Executive Curator for Public Programs and he is well aware of the way Sherlockians regard anything related to The Master or his literary agent. Another person that might be able to help out-of-town Sherlockians is Sarah Ann Robertson. She is the recruitment secretary for The Sherlock Holmes Society of Austin. She can be reached through the society's web page: http://www.realtime.net/~revenant/sherlock.html. The University of Texas at Austin has the second largest enrollment in the nation with over 50,000 students and like most great university towns, Austin possesses plenty of good used bookstores. There are lots of places to hear live music at night and of course great restaurants. Austin is one of those places that is a little off of the beaten path for Sherlockian visits but if one ever gets there and visits the Ransom Center, it won't be the last time. The Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center Happy Collecting!! |
