The Scourers of Dancing Men

"'Why, Holmes, it is a child's drawing,' I cried." [DANC]

Just when you thought everything about Sherlock Holmes and popular culture was known, a new mystery emerges from dusty U.S. newspaper archives.

Join us as we interview the remarkable Ross E. Davies, BSI ("The Temple"), organizer of "The Scourers of the Dancing Men," a fascinating research project that dives deep into a 1903 advertising campaign for the publication of "The Adventure of the Dancing Men" in Collier's magazine.

They've discovered dozens of unique advertisements — including a particularly intriguing "third format" whose cryptic figures bear a striking, unexplained resemblance to the original drawings that inspired Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

You'll hear about the ongoing, national hunt for missing ads and the perplexing questions these newly found "Collier's dancing men" pose. You can even join the search to gather the data and help solve this curious, 120-year-old mystery.

Once again, we give you a glimpse of Sherlockian society activities, this time in the first half of January in "The Learned Societies" segment. Madeline Quinones is back with "A Chance of Listening," and the Canonical Couplet quiz tests your Sherlock Holmes knowledge, with a copy of a prize from the IHOSE vaults for the winner. Send your answer to comment @ihearofsherlock.com by November 29, 2025 at 11:59 a.m. EST. All listeners are eligible to play.

As a reminder, our supporters can listen to the show ad-free and have access to occasional bonus material. Join us on the platform of your choice (Patreon | Substack).

Bonus material for this episode includes images of the Dancing Men advertising, the current map of found newspapers, Strand and Colliers errors, and the original inspiration for the Dancing Men code.

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Links

• The ACD Society
• The Stranger's Room (Facebook)
• Canadian Holmes
• Episodes mentioned in this show:
• Episode 137: Boxes From Royalty
• Episode 175: Building an Archive
• Episode 212: All Things ACD
• Episode 219: The Baker Street Almanac
• Episode 234: A Masterpiece of Villainy
• Episode 302: A Year in Review
• Other links:
• A Chance of Listening: Fawx & Stallion
• The Learned Societies: Sherlockian Calendar
• OUR NEW MERCH PAGE

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