Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan

A substantial fragment of the autograph manuscript signed ("Arthur Conan Doyle") of "His Last Bow (An Epilogue of Sherlock Holmes)" 14 ruled pages (rectos only), (of 24, lacking pages 5, 6, 9, 10, 14, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22),  various sizes quarto and folio ( several pages cut down), Crowborough, 7 March 1917, with extensive revisions throughout; most leaves numbered in red in a diminutive hand at upper right corner, small holes in upper left corners, some scattered spotting and light soiling, fixative remnants on versos.

A substantial fragment of the autograph manuscript signed ("Arthur Conan Doyle") of "His Last Bow (An Epilogue of Sherlock Holmes)" 14 ruled pages (rectos only), (of 24, lacking pages 5, 6, 9, 10, 14, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22), various sizes quarto and folio ( several pages cut down), Crowborough, 7 March 1917, with extensive revisions throughout; most leaves numbered in red in a diminutive hand at upper right corner, small holes in upper left corners, some scattered spotting and light soiling, fixative remnants on versos.
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The most heavily revised manuscript of a Sherlock Holmes story.  His Last Bow  is the story which brought the career of Sherlock Holmes to an end, as he is called out of retirement to apprehend a German spy on the eve of the outbreak of World War I. This last case is universally acknowledged as among the very best of the Holmes stories. Unlike the manuscripts for other Sherlock Holmes stories, the present manuscript has extensive additions, deletions, and corrections. In addition, pages have been cropped suggesting large blocks of text were deleted and reworked. To bring Sherlock Holmes out of retirement for one last case appears to have created quite a challenge to Doyle as evidenced by the extensive reworking of the manuscript. The story first appeared in the September 1917 issue of the Strand Magazine and then later in the same year in book form as the last in a collection of stories entitled His Last Bow. Some Reminiscences of Sherlock Holmes, published by Murray.

The manuscript comprises the following sections:

1. pages 1–4 corresponding to printed text page 278 ( the beginning of the story) to page 283 (" . . . she must think of her future.")

2. pages 7–8 corresponding to printed text page 286 (" traitor i assure you . ..") to page 288 (" . . .safety and that but for . . .")

3. pages 11–13 corresponding to printed text page 291 ("Well, I guess you'll have me up also . . .") to page 293 (" . . . and when I heard it I guessed . . .")

4. page 15 corresponding to the printed text page 294 ("The gunner turned damned nasty . . .') to page 297 (" . . . Do you understand?")

5. page 18 corresponding to printed text page 297 ("the addresses as usual . . .") to page 297 (" . . .Then they are of no use.")

6. pages 23–24 ( page 24 cut in two pieces not affecting text) corresponding to printed text page 303 ("illegal a0nd dangerous . . .") to page 305 (" . . . capable of stopping it if he can." [the end])