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Sherlockian Friendships . . . The Ultimate Collectable

Many, many moons ago, while I was recovering from brain surgery, I founded the scion society of The Baker Street Irregulars called The Maniac Collectors. I was housebound for a couple of months and still did not own my own home computer but this did not keep me from corresponding with other Sherlockians around the world. Sherlockians have always been massive letter writers.

Besides letter writing during this time of convalescence, I re-read the Canon for the umpteenth time. However when I read "The Illustrious Client" the words Holmes spoke to Watson stuck in my fast healing (according to some) brain. "He has the collection mania in its most acute form -- and especially on this subject, on which he is an acknowledged authority."

Well I might be an acknowledged authority but I certainly had the collection mania in its most acute form - and especially on this subject -- Sherlockiana! I called my friend and mentor, the late John Bennett Shaw and told him I wanted to create an international Sherlock Holmes collector's society. He loved the idea and soon I not only formed The Maniac Collectors but I became known as The Maniac Collector.

I have many rare and unusual Sherlockian items in my collection but it is the rare and unusual Sherlockian friends I have acquired along with them that makes it all worth while. I enjoy telling non-Sherlockians about what I like to call the world best fraternity. I could tell them stories about the inside jokes or Sherlockians love of puns but those outsiders would never "get it". So I always make it a point to tell those who ask that it is the friendships that are the real heart of Sherlockians activities.

As the number of books in my collection grew, so did the number of Sherlockian friends. I attended my first Sherlockian event at the Frontier Saloon in Moriarty, New Mexico. John Shaw had invited me to attend the Unhappy Birthday Celebration and he was the only person I knew when I arrived. That didn't last long. Soon, many well-known Sherlockians were introducing themselves to me. It was like we were long, lost cousins.

I could drop some famous Sherlockian names but I won't.

I began attending as many Sherlockian events as my meager pocketbook would allow. Everytime my collection of Sherlockian friends would grow. It is always grand fun when you finally meet someone face to face after a long, distant relationship. I can always meet other Sherlockians wherever I travel on holiday. To paraphrase Will Rogers, I have never met a Sherlockian I didn't like. The first time I attended the Birthday Weekend in New York City, I was nervous as I entered The Algonquin for the first time. I did not know what to expect, until a voice shouted, "There's Don Hobbs, The Maniac Collector!" It felt just like Homecoming.

As I looked around the dark, oak-paneled lobby, I saw many friends. One conversation bled into another and then another. Stories are told, retold, listened to, and relistened to. The same people tell different stories and the same stories are told by different people. My point being that in the world's greatest fraternity, Sherlockians/Holmesians friendships are the most important glue. It is the friendships that keep everyone together.

I have been lucky enough to attend Sherlockian events in Moriarty, Indianapolis, Chicago, Peoria, St. Louis, Minneapolis, London, and Paris to name just a few. The results have always been the same. It is always a great, memorable event with great and memorable Sherlockians to talk to, to listen to, dine with and drink with. There are always plans in the works for the next get together. What a great bunch of people Sherlockians are.

I feel fortunate to be part of it and to have so many great Sherlockian friends. It is the ultimate collectable.

Happy Collecting