Who hasn’t heard of Sherlock Homes? Do you realise you could buy a chess set based on the famous exploits of this well-known fictional detective? You could hold in your hand chess set pieces depicting characters based on the original drawings that appeared in Strand Magazine to accompany the Sherlock Holmes stories.
What is it about Sherlock Homes that still thrills us after all these years? After all, the detective first appeared in 1887. Yet, the film Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows has lately been on our film screens. And, thousands of people in the UK were gripped recently by the three episodes of Sherlock aired on television.
There were certainly plenty of stories involving the character created by Scottish author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In all, Conan Doyle wrote four novels and 56 short stories. Of these, all but four were narrated by Holmes’s friend Dr John Watson.
I can remember having the books on my Christmas list. However, I think what inspired me to ask for the books was having seen, on television, the actor Basil Rathbone playing the role in the films made between 1939 and 1946.
It is when you look at the many and varied interpretations of the character on stage and screen that you start to realise why Sherlock Holmes has always been of interest to us, despite the numerous other fictional detectives who have followed him.
What most fascinates us then? I suspect an answer commonly given would be his methods of detection. We are all intrigued when Sherlock Holmes looks at someone he has never met before and is able to provide significant facts about their life.
We are now very accustomed to the use of forensic science in crime drama - drinking it in and always noticing if someone contaminates a crime scene. In Sherlock Holmes we see this science in its infancy and a detective who understands the importance of maintaining the integrity of the crime scene.
Sherlock Holmes is the master of disguise, using it to great effect in solving crimes. He even took in his closest friend Dr Watson with the cleverness of his skill in this area.
The latest Sherlock Holmes film certainly highlights another strength of the detective, namely his physical strength and fitness. A less healthy characteristic in the stories is his use of addictive drugs, in particular Cocaine.
Such is the interest in Sherlock Holmes that many societies of dedicated followers have been established across the World. The Sherlock Holmes Society of London arranges visits to the scenes of the detective’s adventures, such as the Reichenbach Falls in Switzerland.
Followers can also visit a number of exhibitions, including the Sherlock Holmes Museum in Baker Street in London. 221B Baker Street must be one of the World’s most famous addresses.
If you are a fan of Sherlock Holmes, this could be your best chess set.
A carved chess set with Sherlock Holmes characters could be yours. Just go to ChessSetHeaven.com to find out more and to see other chess sets for sale.
