Field Visit
Date 13 December 2000
Event ID 613512
Category Recording
Type Field Visit
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/613512
Sherlock Holmes.
Full-length bronze standing figure of Sherlock Holmes, wearing an Inverness cape and a deerstalker hat. His head is slightly tilted downwards. His right hand is raised, holding a pipe, while the other is on his hip. His left leg is placed forward. The figure is on a bronze plinth, on which is an enormous footprint of the Hound of the Baskervilles. The statue is placed on a stone pedestal.
The statue was commissioned by the Edinburgh chapter of the Federation of Master Builders to commemorate the fortieth anniversary of the founding of the Federation. Funds were raised by various means, including an amateur boxing match in a pub.
The statue was cast at Gerald Laing's own bronze foundry at Kinkell Castle in Sutherland.
In 2009 the statue was removed to make way for tram works. At this time, a time capsule was found underneath it. This was placed in storage, and will be reburied when the statue is relocated in 2011.
Represents Sherlock Holmes, the fictional character created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, meditating on the death of his author.
The inscription around the bowl of the pipe is a homage to the artist Magritte.
Inspected By : Emma Retson
Inscriptions : On base of stone pedestsl (incised letters): SHERLOCK HOLMES
On plaque (white raised letters, centred): IN MEMORY OF / SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE / BORN ON 22 MAY IN 1859 CLOSE TO THIS SPOT / DONATED TO THE CITY OF EDINBURGH BY / EDINBURGH AND LOTHIANS BRANCH OF THE FEDERATION OF MASTER BUILDERS / ON THE FEDERATIONS 50TH ANNIVERSARY / UNVEILED ON 24 JUNE 1991 BY / PROFESSOR GEOFFREY D. CHISOLM / Ch.M., P.R.C.S. Ed, F.R..C.S. Eng., F.R.C.P. Ed, F.R.A.C.S.(Hon), F.R.S.(SA) (Hon). / PRESIDENT, THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS, EDINBURGH.
Around bowl of pipe: Ceci n'est pas une pipe
Signatures : Back of statue on bronze base on which the statue is mounted. On the left (raised letters): GERALD OGILVIE LAING ME FECIT
On the right (raised letters): A.R.U.B.C.U. FOND KINKELL MCMXC
Design period : 1989-1991
Notes : Plaque says 50th anniversary of Federation of Master Builders, Gerald Laing says 40th. Federation founded in 1946.
Unveiling details : Monday 25th June 1991
Information from Public Monuments and Sculpture Association (PMSA Work Ref : EDIN0967)
