Annual Rendell Lecture | Meaning & Magic In Handwritten Material

In this lecture, Glen Miranker will discuss both the intangible values and the tangible insights that are inherent in some of the holograph manuscripts, letters, notebooks, and marginalia from his collection of Sherlock Holmes material.

“When authors put pen to paper, their handwritten text—plus insertions, strike-throughs, and other scribbles—reveal both a special aura and provide valuable clues for devoted readers, bibliographers, historians, and biographers alike,” Miranker said. “The up-close exploration of manuscripts can bring unparalleled understanding of its life and times and the community—agents, reviewers, illustrators, bookbinders, editors, printers, publishers, booksellers, collectors—with whom authors interact.”

Glen Miranker is one of the foremost collectors of Sherlockian books and has served as a bibliophilic consultant and lecturer for numerous institutions, including the Toronto Reference Library, the Harry Ransom Center, and the Newberry Library.

Registration

If you are a Grolier Club member, please register yourself and your guests via the Club website. Do not register via Eventbrite.

Support

We appreciate your interest in the Grolier Club’s programming on the art and history of the book. For over 130 years we have offered our exhibitions and lectures to the public, free of charge. If you have enjoyed these offerings, and would like to support that tradition, and help ensure that it continues, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to the Grolier Club.

Accessibility

An ADA-compliant lift from street level to the lobby is available to anyone with mobility issues. All desk staff should be ready and able to assist you in operating the lift, with or without advance notice.

A “T-Coil” assisted listening system is available to anyone attending a lecture in the Exhibition Hall. Visitors with hearing aids should turn their devices to the “T” setting in order to access the system; visitors without hearing aids may request a “loop receiver” with earphones.

Environment

The temperature and humidity in the exhibition hall are tightly controlled for the sake of the valuable items on display, and this may cause the room to feel chilly, particularly in warmer weather, to those coming in from outside. Members and visitors are advised to bring a light wrap when visiting an exhibition, or attending an event in the hall.