Frederic Dorr Steele

Frederic Dorr Steele

Frederic Dorr Steele (6 august 1873 - 6 july 1944) was an American illustrator. For Collier's Weekly in 1903 he was invited to do the illustrations for The Return of Sherlock Holmes. He continued to produce drawings for the Conan Doyle stories for various publishers during the rest of his career. His model for Holmes was the portrayal of the character by the American actor William Gillette and he was largely responsible for the association of Holmes with the calabash pipe and deerstalker hat.

Between 1903 and 1944, he did 165+ illustrations for Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes fictions.

Illustrations for Conan Doyle fictions

1901-1902

• The Hound of the Baskervilles (unpublished sketches) 3 illustrations

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1903

• The Adventure of the Empty House (26 september 1903, Collier's) 7 ill.

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• The Adventure of the Norwood Builder (31 october 1903, Collier's) 6 ill.

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• The Adventure of the Dancing Men (5 december 1903, Collier's) 5 ill.

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• The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist (26 december 1903, Collier's) 4 ill.

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1904

• The Adventure of the Priory School (30 january 1904, Collier's) cover + 6 ill.

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• The Adventure of Black Peter (27 february 1904, Collier's) cover + 5 ill.

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• The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton (26 march 1904, Collier's) cover + 5 ill.

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• File:Colliers-1904-03-26-chas-2.jpg
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• The Adventure of the Six Napoleons (30 april 1904, Collier's) 5 ill.

• Illustrations by Frederic Dorr Steele in Collier's (30 april 1904)
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  The Return of Sherlock Holmes - The Adventure of the Six Napoleons

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  Holmes had just completed his examination when the door opened.

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  He picked up his hunting-crop and struck Napoleon.

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  He carried a large old-fashioned carpetbag.

• The Adventure of the Three Students (24 september 1904, Collier's) 8 ill.

• Illustrations by Frederic Dorr Steele in Collier's (24 september 1904)
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  The Return of Sherlock Holmes - The Adventure of the Three Students

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  Cover illustration

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  Daulat Ras.

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  Miles McLaren.

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  "I trust; Mr. Holmes, that you can spare me a few hours."

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  Gilchrist.

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  Bannister explains.

• The Adventure of the Golden Pince-Nez (29 october 1904, Collier's) 6 ill.

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• The Adventure of the Missing Three-Quarter (26 november 1904, Collier's) 7 ill.

• Illustrations by Frederic Dorr Steele in Collier's (26 november 1904)
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  The Return of Sherlock Holmes - The Adventure of the Missing Three-Quarter

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  Cover illustration

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  We looked up to find a queer like old man, jerking and twitching in the doorway.

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  Dr. Leslie Armstrong

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• The Adventure of the Abbey Grange (31 december 1904, Collier's) cover + 5 ill.

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• File:Colliers-1904-12-31-abbe-2.jpg
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1905

• The Adventure of the Second Stain (28 january 1905, Collier's) cover + 5 ill.

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1908

• The Singular Experience of Mr. John Scott Eccles (15 august 1908, Collier's) cover + 6 ill.

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• The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans (12 december 1908, Collier's) 5 ill.

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1911

• The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax (december 1911, The American Magazine) 4 ill.

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1913

• The Adventure of the Dying Detective (22 november 1913, Collier's) cover + 3 ill.

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1917

• His Last Bow (22 september 1917, Collier's) cover + 4 ill.

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1921

• The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone (october 1921, Hearst's International) 4 ill.

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1923

• The Adventure of the Creeping Man (march 1923, Hearst's International) 7 ill.

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1925

• The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire (8 march 1925, The Courier-Journal) 1 ill.

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• The Adventure of the Creeping Man (15 march 1925 The Courier-Journal) 1 ill.

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• The Adventure of the Three Garridebs (22 march 1925, The Sun (Baltimore)) 1 ill.

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• The Adventure of the Illustrious Client (29 march 1925 The Courier-Journal) 1 ill.

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1926

• The Adventure of the Three Gables (18 september 1926, Liberty) 6 ill.
  • see also 13 february 1927

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• The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier (16 october 1926, Liberty) 6 ill.
  • see also 30 january 1927

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  Teaser image

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• The Adventure of the Lion's Mane (27 november 1926, Liberty) 7 ill.
  • see also 6 february 1927

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• The Adventure of the Retired Colourman (18 december 1926, Liberty) 4 ill. + 1 map
  • see also 22 may 1927

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1927

• The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger (22 january 1927, Liberty) 5 ill.

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  Teaser image

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• The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier (30 january 1927, The Los Angeles Times) 1 ill.
  • see also 16 october 1926

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• The Adventure of the Lion's Mane (6 february 1927, The Los Angeles Times) 1 ill.
  • see also 27 november 1926

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• The Adventure of the Three Gables (13 february 1927, The Los Angeles Times) 1 ill.
  • see also 18 september 1926

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• The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place (5 march 1927, Liberty) 7 ill.
  • see also 29 may 1927

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• The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger (15 may 1927, The Los Angeles Times) 1 ill.
  • see also 22 january 1927

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• The Adventure of the Retired Colourman (22 may 1927, The Los Angeles Times) 1 ill.
  • see also 18 december 1926

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• The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place (29 may 1927, The Los Angeles Times) 1 ill.
  • see also 5 march 1927

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1944

• The Problem of Thor Bridge (1944, Limited Edition Club) 1+ ill.

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Other illustrations

1915

• The Adventure of the Clothes-Line, by Carolyn Wells (Sherlockian pastiche in The Century, may 1915)

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