The Pictorial History Of Sherlock Holmes By Michael Pointer
The Pictorial History of Sherlock Holmes
An Unrivalled Visual Treasury and Comprehensive Chronology of the World’s Greatest Consulting Detective
Bibliographic Specifications
- Title: The Pictorial History of Sherlock Holmes
- Author: Michael Pointer
- Publisher: Bison Books Ltd, London
- Publication Date: 1991
- ISBN-10: 0861248546
- ISBN-13: 9780861248544
- Edition Details: First Edition, Large Format Release.
- Binding: Original publisher's premium oversized cloth-bound hardcover boards, complete with an unclipped illustrated paper dust jacket.
- Physical Format: Folio / Coffee Table Scale, 160 pages. Profusely illustrated with over 200 rare visual artifacts, historical film stills, early magazine graphics, and vibrant color plates.
- Language: English
Official Condition Report
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The Book: Very Good Plus (VG+)
- Exterior / Boards: The broad hardcover boards are exceptionally flat, square, and structurally flawless. The spine remains uncreased, tight, and completely perfect with undamaged headbands and bright, crisp lettering.
- Interior: The text block binding is pristine and remarkably tight. Internal pages, expansive color plates, and margins are clean, bright white, and fully intact. Free of dealer pencil marks, modern ink inscriptions, or standard reader dog-ears.
- Protective Preservation: Secured within a custom-fitted premium archival cellophane wrapper, offering full defense against airborne dust, friction, and environmental wear.
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The Dust Jacket: Very Good Plus (VG+)
- Condition details: Beautifully preserved, vibrant, and complete. Displays only microscopic, very slight signs of light storage handling along the extreme margins, completely avoiding tears, heavy scuffs, color loss, or chips.
Synopsis & Historical Value
Published in 1991, The Pictorial History of Sherlock Holmes stands as a monumental encyclopaedic reference work mapping the massive transmedia legacy of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's legendary creation. Renowned Sherlockian scholar Michael Pointer offers a brilliant, curated look that goes past standard literary analysis, diving deep into the visual culture that defined the sleuth's public image. Illustrated with over 200 pictures, the book documents early theatrical performances, rare comic strips, spoofs, pastiches, and the myriad of global marketing campaigns that have utilized Holmes' iconic silhouette and deerstalker cap. From classic film stills of the most memorable actors to global variations of Baker Street lore, this scarce, well-maintained volume functions as a high-value archival keepsake for Sherlock Holmes collectors, literary historians, and vintage pop-culture enthusiasts alike.
Author Profile: Michael Pointer
Michael Pointer (1922–2006) was a world-renowned British scholar, film historian, and one of the foremost authorities on the theatrical and cinematic adaptations of Sherlock Holmes. As an active member of The Sherlock Holmes Society of London, Pointer authored several seminal works, including The Public Life of Sherlock Holmes and The Sherlock Holmes File. He is widely celebrated within international literary circles for his exhaustive research into early performance archives, making his volumes the definitive reference standards for studying the visual evolution of the master detective.
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