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The Hound of the Baskervilles Manuscript:
Heritage Auctions 2022 Sale Information
By Randall Stock, June 11, 2022 (revised)
One of about a dozen privately-held manuscript pages from The Hound of the Baskervilles went to auction on June 4. The most recently sold page from Conan Doyle's classic tale of Gothic mystery and suspense went for more than $400,000.
The Hound of the Baskervilles Manuscript (H37) Description
Lot 47140: Manuscript Leaf From The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
This leaf from Conan Doyle's original autograph manuscript contains 33 lines of text written in ink on one side of a sheet that is about 8 x 12.5 inches. Like the other extant Hound leaves, it is not signed or dated, but Conan Doyle wrote this story in the spring and summer of 1901.
As noted in the census for The Hound of the Baskervilles manuscript, only 37 leaves from this novel still exist, and institutions hold most of them. In addition to this page, there are only about a dozen other privately-held leaves.
The scene from this page (census Leaf H37) involves Holmes, Watson, and their client, the baronet Sir Henry Baskerville. It also mentions both Stapleton, the villain of the story, and "the moor," which provides the key setting for the tale.
While Holmes is not present in most of the novel, he dominates this page from Chapter XIII with more than half of its dialogue. In it, Holmes gives instructions to Sir Henry as the detective prepares a trap for Stapleton and the Hound.
Conan Doyle could write entire pages with no revisions. He removed one sentence from this leaf, and changed the real location of "Newton Abbott [sic]" to the fictional town of "Coombe Tracey." See below for a photo and transcription of the entire manuscript leaf.
Other Points of Interest
Unlike his later manuscripts, Conan Doyle did not have a typist make copies of The Hound. A compositor probably used this sheet when setting type for the Strand Magazine, thus accounting for the spindle hole in the top left corner and a penciled "21" in the blank left margin.
Other Hound leaves also contain penciled numbers added to the left margin. The numbers found on pages from Chapters XII and XIII suggest the compositor received and set type for both chapters at the same time.
A pencil notation on the back of the leaf in another hand reads "Chap 13." See below for a photo of the verso (back) of this manuscript leaf.
Some paper loss along the edges has been filled in, touching on two letters of text. Japanese tissue was used to strengthen or restore a few other points on the sheet.
Sale Results & Related Information
A different manuscript page from The Hound (Leaf H31) sold at auction in 2021 for $423,000. In December 2012, Hound Leaf H36 sold at auction for $158,500.
Bidding for this leaf H37 opened at US$100,000 on May 10, 2022, with the auction closing on June 4, 2022. The manuscript leaf did not sell. For more auction details, see the catalog section below.
Publishing History
Inspired by a West Country legend conveyed to him by Bertram Fletcher Robinson, Conan Doyle wrote this tale in roughly three months from May to July 1901. His handwritten manuscript was broken up as part of a publicity campaign for the American publication of the book in 1902. Most of the manuscript is almost certainly lost, with only 37 leaves reported to exist, and the majority of those held by institutions.
The Hound was serialized in both the London and New York editions of The Strand Magazine. The English version appeared from August 1901 through April 1902, while the American version went from September 1901 through May 1902. George Newnes published the English first edition of The Hound of the Baskervilles in 1902, and McClure, Phillips & Co. produced the American first edition.
This leaf is from Chapter XIII of the story, and its text appears in The Strand Magazine (UK) for March 1902 (vol. 23, no. 135) on page 246. The text is on pages 299–300 of the 1902 Newnes first edition.
Manuscript Ownership History
This leaf was last sold in 1996 at an estate sale in the New York City area. The buyer then gave it to the current owner in 1996. It was unknown to the Sherlockian community until it was added as Hound Leaf H37 to the Hound Manuscript census in 2018.
The Hound of the Baskervilles Manuscript (H37) Photos
Leaf H37 of Conan Doyle manuscript for The Hound of the Baskervilles
Text From Leaf H37 of The Hound of the Baskervilles Manuscript
hospitable people and I am sure that they would be very glad to see you."
"I fear that Watson and I must go to London."
"To London!"
"Yes, I think that we should be more useful there at the present juncture."
The Baronet's face perceptibly lengthened.
"I hoped that you were going to see me through this business. The Hall and the Moor are not very pleasant places when one is alone."
"My dear fellow you must trust me implicitly and do exactly what I tell you. You can tell your friends that we should have been happy to have come with you, but that urgent business required us to be in town. We hope very soon to return to Devonshire. Will you remember to give them that message"
"If you insist upon it."
"There is no alternative, I assure you."
I saw by the Baronet's clouded brow that he was deeply hurt by what he regarded as our desertion.
"When do you desire to go?" he asked coldly.
"Immediately after breakfast. We will drive in to Newton Abbott Coombe Tracey but Watson will leave his things as a pledge that he will come back to you. Watson, you will send a note to Stapleton to tell him that you regret that you cannot come. I have a little lad outside who will deliver it for you."
"I have a good mind to go to London with you" said the Baronet "Why should I stay here alone?"
"Because it is your post of duty. Because you gave me your word that you would so as you were told and I tell you to stay."
"All right then, I'll stay."
For more details on the manuscript, see the description section above.
Back of Leaf H37 of The Hound of the Baskervilles Manuscript
Verso (back) of manuscript leaf H37 from The Hound of the Baskervilles
Heritage Auctions Catalog & Sale Information
Heritage Auctions provides an online listing and bidding page for Lot #47140 Conan Doyle's Hound of the Baskervilles manuscript leaf. The listing includes large photos of the front and back of the leaf.
This auction's printed catalog features an inside front cover with a photo of this Hound leaf, as well as a full-page photo of the leaf as part of the lot description. You can order a printed catalog, or download a free PDF, from the Heritage Auctions Sale #6247 web page.
Sale Information
Historical Manuscripts Signature Auction #6247
Saturday June 4, 2022
Heritage Auctions
2801 W. Airport Freeway
Dallas, TX 75261
Phone: 877-HERITAGE (877-437-4824)
The buyer's premium is 25% on the first $300,000, plus 20% of any amount between $300,000 and $3,000,000.
Online bidding opened at US$100,000 on May 10, 2022. Heritage Auctions offered this lot with No Reserve. However, their terms explain "by law, consignors may still bid under certain conditions, but they are responsible for paying the full Buyer's Premium and Seller's Commission if they do."
Pre-sale viewing by appointment only.
Acknowledgements and Page History
Manuscript photos courtesy of Heritage Auctions.
My thanks to Sandra Palomino at Heritage Auctions and to the owner of this manuscript leaf.
This page is based on information from the Heritage online catalog as well as other research.
The first version of this report appeared on March 23, 2022. A few details about the auction and its catalog were added on May 10 after online bidding opened. Auction results were added June 11, 2022.
Census of the Manuscript of The Hound of the Baskervilles
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Randall Stock. All Rights Reserved.