Joel Orosz writes:
Vol 5, No 25, June 16, 2002, "Breen and Astrology"
A reminder that numismatics was only one of several enthusiasms for the great bearded polymath.
Carl Honore writes: "I'll bet you didn't know that Walter
Breen wrote an article entitled "Sherlock Holmes's Horoscope"
In Sybil Leek's Astrology Journal of January 1971 there
appeared an interesting astrological chart for Sherlock Holmes
written by Walter Breen. This item was subsequently reprinted
in "A Sherlock Holmes Compendium" edited by Peter Haining.
Astrology was one of Walter's many varied hobbies and it was
only natural to try to do a chart for one who was as mentally
astute as Walter was. It's both interesting and fun to read"
Carl adds: "While we're on the subject, one peculiar Numismatic
reference is to be found in "The Adventure of the Musgrave
Ritual", wherein the story is told in the past tense by Holmes
sitting in 221B Baker Street... "...some old rusty discs" which
later turn out to be coins found in a box at the Musgrave estate
in an underground vault next to Brunton the butler who had
suffocated...
Other references to Numismatics include "the Red Headed
League in which Jabez Wilson is paid in gold sovereigns. I
just thought this was fun -- can any of you find others?"
[Well, it turns out someone has already gone to the effort of
compiling numismatic references in Shakespeare. See
"Coins in Shakespeare. A Numismatic Guide." 67pp, illus.
by Engstrom, J.E., Dartmouth College Museum Publications,
New Hampshire,1964. -Editor]
Breen's probably the second most controversial figure after John Ford. Another regular topic.
-Editor
To read the complete original E-Sylum article, see:
BREEN AND ASTROLOGY
(coinbooks.org/esylum_v05n25a06.html)
Wayne Homren, Editor
The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a non-profit organization
promoting numismatic literature. See our web site at coinbooks.org.
To submit items for publication in The E-Sylum, write to the Editor
at this address: whomren@gmail.com
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