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Phil Bergem @philbergem.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

I'm on vacation in Spain and we toured the Royal Palace in Madrid today. Overall the trip has been non-Sherlockian but at the Palace there are 5 Stradivarius instruments including 3 violins. I suspect this one is in better condition than the one Holmes owned. #sherlock

A Stradivarius violin at the Royal Palace in Madrid.

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Phil Bergem @philbergem.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

Behold the Lion's Mane . . . mushroom! (Picked up at the Minneapolis Farmer's Market this morning.)

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Phil Bergem @philbergem.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

Jeopardy had another Sherlockian clue the other day. The category was "Frequently Misquoted."

This 4-word phrase of explanation doesn't appear in any of Conan Doyle's writings, but it was in common use by 1909.

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Phil Bergem @philbergem.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

There was another ACD clue on Jeopardy today. Subject was "1926 Bookshelf" for $1600.

In the '20s, Arthur Conan Doyle cranked out nonfiction on a passion of his, including "History of" this movement of seances & mediums.

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Phil Bergem @philbergem.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

Happy 167th anniversary of Arthur Conan Doyle’s birth. In 1880 he was on the whaling ship SS Hope. On his 21st birthday, his diary entry read: “A heavy swell all day. I come of age today. Rather a funny sort of place to do it, only 600 miles or so from the North Pole. … 1/3

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Phil Bergem @philbergem.bsky.social · 18/04/2026

I like noting when Holmes or ACD clues come up on Jeopardy. On April 17, under "Brit Bits" for $800, the clue was "For Queen Mary's Dolls' House at Windsor Castle, he hand-wrote a miniature manuscript entitled 'How Watson Learned the Trick'." The solution was "Who is Sir Arthur Conan Doyle."

Image of the miniature book "How Watson Learned the Trick."

Picture of Queen Mary's Dolls' House at Windsor Castle.

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Phil Bergem @philbergem.bsky.social · 23/02/2026

I enjoy the online comic xkcd, and love Sherlock Holmes. It’s fun when interests intersect. imgs.xkcd.com/comics/elimi... Phil

imgs.xkcd.com

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Phil Bergem @philbergem.bsky.social · 19/02/2026

I’m enjoying the Olympics, especially the figure skating. I’m reminded that the wife of Herbert Greenhough-Smith (Strand editor), Dorothy Vernon Greenhough-Smith (née Muddock) won a bronze medal in figure skating in the 1908 Olympics in London. That was the first Olympics that figure skating. 1/3

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Reposted by Phil Bergem

Matt Hall @221bcooee.bsky.social · 21/06/2025

New blog post on a new article - on the first known reference that Doyle made to his first Sherlock story. 221bcooee.blogspot.com/2025/06/unta...

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Reposted by Phil Bergem

Sonia Fetherston @221blonde.bsky.social · 03/06/2025

Preparing to send abt 120 more vintage/rare/unusual Sherlockian greeting cards to Univ of Minnesota’s Sherlock Holmes Collections. They’ll join my previous gift of 1,145 similar Sherlockian cards. Next time you visit Minneapolis, ask to view the Fetherston Collection. Labor of love, for sure!

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Phil Bergem @philbergem.bsky.social · 10/05/2025

Today the Norwegian Explorers' Red Throated League gave a Sherlock Holmes radio play presentation at the Pavek Radio Museum. A wonderful time. @norwegianexplorers.bsky.social

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Phil Bergem @philbergem.bsky.social · 24/04/2025

Another interesting answer on Jeopardy! The category was Very Distant Relatives.

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Phil Bergem @philbergem.bsky.social · 23/04/2025

Seeing Linus at the Elmer L. Andersen Library, U of Minnesota, always makes me smile.

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Phil Bergem @philbergem.bsky.social · 11/04/2025

While in Atlanta for the #221bcon we went to the Center for Puppetry Arts. Saw this symbol for kids doing a scavenger hunt. Sherlockian symbols abound!

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Phil Bergem @philbergem.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

On Jeopardy today there was a Sherlockian question. The Clues Crew does like to pose questions about the Canon.

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Phil Bergem @philbergem.bsky.social · 15/02/2025

Thank you Sonia for your wonderful donation to the Collections. @norwegianexplorers.bsky.social take note.

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Phil Bergem @philbergem.bsky.social · 27/01/2025

So, what are the thoughts on the new show "Watson"? For me, good so far, has potential. A lot like House. Similar to Elementary in that whole that was good, it only felt 15% Sherlockian. Introducing Moriarty this soon has me worried that the writers will try for too much. But I'll watch more.

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