Holograph letter to P. F. Collier

In this letter, Conan Doyle renews contact with publisher Peter F. Collier. The two men had a long and cordial acquaintance, and Conan Doyle’s familiarity and good cheer are evident as he shares his progress: “... I’ve actually resuscitated Sherlock, and run to over 9000 words doing so — so I hope you won’t regret your bargain. ...”

As a Christmas gift five years later, Conan Doyle presented Collier with the manuscript of “The Adventure of Black Peter,” one of four story manuscripts from The Return of Sherlock Holmes on display here. The magazine’s dealings with Conan Doyle lasted more than two decades; it carried subsequent Sherlock Holmes adventures as well as other work by Conan Doyle through 1924.