#Howard K Elcock

[monocordum]

For context, the illustration by Howard K. Elcock. Notice Watson's NEARNESS. (And Holmes' arm, that doesn't strike me as particularly thin; it's true that Watson is watching it, though.)

Naked and close to Watson in a hammam, Holmes is LESS RETICENT and MORE HUMAN than anywhere else, showing his LONG, THIN, NERVOUS ARM. Watson is NEARER him than anyone else, just waiting TO BE USED...

Out of context but by a hair's breadth.

(From The Adventure of the Illustrious Client, February and March 1925 issues of The Strand)

[thefugitivesaint]

Howard K. Elcock (1886-1952), ''The Tatler'', Annual Number, 1923

[dailyholmes]

"For God's sake, give me some advice, for I am at my wit's end." The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire. Published in The Strand Magazine. Howard K. Elcock, 1924

Sources 1 2

[lexie-squirrel]

The Adventure of the Three Garridebs illustration by Howard K. Elcock (1925)

[thepetulantcat]

Well…

(Source: x)

[dieselfutures]

Now Sealed Cabinets - Howard K Elcock

[corneliusgaiman]

Howard K. Elcock

[seattlemysterybooks]

philsp

January 1929 issue

cover art by A.C. Michael

stories included:

Guy Fletcher, “Secret Sanctuaries"   

L. H. Brenning, “The House of Requin, I: The Affair on the Bois", illustrated by Howard K. Elcock    

Frank H. Shaw, “God’s Wisdom”, llustrated by Charles Crombie    

Charles J. L. Clarke: The Great Noise 

Albert Buhrer: The Question 

Bertram Atkey, “Geo. H. Jay and the Great Chance” (Part 2 of 7), illustrated by Mac Michael    

Johnston McCulley, “The Crimson Clown’s Matinee”  (Delton Prouse/The Crimson Clown), Detective Story Magazine, September 29, 1928; illustrated by W. E. Wightman  

Seattle Mystery Bookshop 

[educatedinyellow]

One last installment of early Holmesian art

There is much more art archived at the Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia, but we are coming to the end now of the pieces that I saved because they interested or amused me personally. Let’s see what I’ve got left in my folder...

Modeling After Sidney: Walter Paget & Howard K. Elcock

After Sidney Paget’s passing, The Strand hired artists for the later Holmes stories who maintained the look that had been established by Sidney’s earlier work. For years I didn’t realize that these drawings were not in fact his illustrations. For “The Dying Detective,” The Strand hired his older brother, Walter Paget.

This is the moment when Holmes leaps from his sickbed to lock Watson in the room with him. Those are rather fetching striped pajamas, Holmes! And I do especially enjoy his bare feet on their little doormat.

Don’t open that box, Watson!! I am rather charmed by all the little rugs scattered around this room. I particularly like that tiny one next to Holmes’s bed, which I imagine is solely for the purpose of keeping his feet from freezing when he gets up first thing in the morning -- a little island to stand on while he finds his slippers so he doesn’t have to brave the uncarpeted portions of the cold floor. Also, I can’t take credit for this observation -- it was commented on by someone else in another post circulating on tumblr -- but...it does rather look like Holmes has got a picture of Watson hanging over his bed. Sweet! That portrait is either Watson or a respectably be-suited criminal, but it seems to have its own space on the wall rather than being part of Holmes’s rogue’s gallery.

That’s the only Holmes story that Walter ever illustrated, but Howard K. Elcock became a more regular contributor for The Strand from the early to mid-1920s. It was Elcock who illustrated the original printing of “The Three Garridebs,” and he devoted two illustrations to the dramatic moment:

He’s also responsible for a much loved illustration among Holmes/Watson shippers of the pair looking quite cosy reclining together at the Turkish Bath in “The Illustrious Client”:

You have launched many a fic, Howard! Well done!

Elcock’s Holmes looks pretty intense, and certainly would have remained recognizable to Strand readers with that distinctive Paget-style hairline. By the way, if you’re wondering what inspired Paget to draw Holmes’s hair that way in his illustrations in the first place...

Here’s a couple photographs of Sidney Paget. He gave Holmes his own wonky hair, bless. (It was long rumored that he modeled Holmes on his brother Walter, and certainly I can see elements of Walter’s profile in Holmes, too. But Walter’s hairline receded in more mundane fashion; it was Sidney’s that had that signature peninsula of hair swerving down the middle.)

Coda: For the LOLZ

Honestly, these just made me laugh...

I was surprised and delighted to learn that Charles A. Doyle, Arthur Conan Doyle’s father, illustrated an 1888 edition of A Study in Scarlet. I find his drawings very funny, terrible, and cute; not to mention oddly Kate Beaton-ish at times. Look at this one. Which one is Holmes, which Watson, and which Lestrade? Normally I would guess Holmes was the tall bearded one in the middle, as the composition seems to be centering around him, but...Holmes is never bearded? I’m shook, quite honestly. Maybe Watson is the tall bearded one, and Holmes the one on the right explaining some deductions?

Okay, I think Holmes is the clean-shaven one giving orders to the Irregulars from behind his desk? while bearded Watson lounges in what appear to be figure hugging white breeches in a pose that would strike envy into the heart of any dandy? But it could be the other way around, with Bohemian Bearded Holmes and clean shaven Watson? Any way you slice it, it’s wild. Thank you for this gift, Sir Arthur’s Dad.

A Hound of the Baskervilles sketch by B. Widman. The interior decoration of 221B looks like it has beamed in from another dimension. Excellent.

This is a version of 221B from artist Solar d’Alba, and I am choosing to interpret this interior decoration scheme as “little bees” themed wallpaper and “footprints” themed carpeting. Either that or “muddy puddles.” Holmes also appears to be monocled, cheerio!

F. C. Swayze’s Watson looks oddly reminiscent of Vladimir Lenin, which amuses me. (It’s coincidental, though -- this is an 1892 illustration, too early.)

J. Baste’s Holmes is just casually showing Watson a couple of human ears while lounging around in his jammies, as one does.

Professor Moriarty appeared! Straight from hell, apparently? With fire and brimstone boiling out of his head??? I am...at a loss. But delightfully so! Thank you J. P. Quint, for this confounding piece of art. On second look, maybe that’s Holmes with the volcano head? The other man is holding his hat and cane as if he’s just walked in off the street, and so may be Moriarty? A Clash of Titans, clearly. Holmes marshals his Fire Magic, which is why Moriarty arranges to fight him at a waterfall...?

And on that note, I will bid a fond farewell to this series. Thank you to all those who’ve taken an interest in it, it’s been fun to look through these images and discover new things to appreciate in our very long-lived fandom! :)

I will make a masterpost with links to all the ‘illustrated history’ posts I’ve put together, in case anyone would like to find them later.

[rthrmrgn]

The Strand Magazine, January 1925 Howard K. Elcock  

x

[granada-brett-crumbs]

“There was a crash as Holmes’s pistol came down on the man’s head... Then my friend’s wiry arms were roundme, and he was leading me to a chair.” —The Adventure of the Three Garridebs, illustration by Howard K. Elcock

[nessa-atalanta]

FOR ANSWER HE HAD SHOT HIS LONG, THIN, NERVOUS ARM OUT OF THE SHEETS.

Illustration by Howard K. Elcock in The Strand Magazine(february-march 1925)

[dailyholmes]

"Sherlock Holmes shot his long, thin, nervous arm out of the sheets and drew an envelope from the inside pocket of the coat which hung beside him." The Adventure of the Illustrious Client. Published in The Strand Magazine. Howard K. Elcock, 1925

Sources 1 2

[lexie-squirrel]

The Adventure of the Three Garridebs illustration by Howard K. Elcock (1925)

[dailyholmes]

"'Stop! Where are you going?' 'To Scotland Yard.'" The Adventure of the Three Gables. Published in The Strand Magazine. Howard K. Elcock, 1926

Source

[dailyholmes]

"The Professor's face was convulsed and he grinned and gibbered at us in his senseless rage. I am convinced that Holmes and I would have had to fight our way out of the room if Mr. Bennett had not intervened." The Adventure of the Creeping Man. Published in The Strand Magazine. Howard K. Elcock, 1923

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