The (Bow) Ties that Bind

Sebastian McCabe, the protagonist of my primary series of  mystery novels, wears bow ties. I wear bow ties. And now my new business card wears a bow tie, and will make its debut appearance this weekend at the Baker Street Irregulars' "Building an Archive" conference in Bloomington, IN.

Maybe I'm projecting here, but there seems to be a disproportionately high number of bow tie wearing Sherlockians. I have dubbed us His Last Bow, a mythical or perhaps virtual Sherlockian scion society. Ray Betzner very kindly called me the Top Knot. Here are some of us at a meeting of the Sons of the Copper Beeches in Philadelphia on Oct. 25:

Steve Rothman, Ray Betzner, Dan Andriacco, James Reibman, Greg Ruby 

And earlier in the month at the Hounds of the Baskerville (sic) in Chicago:

Andriacco, Carlina de la Cova, Jonathan Shimberg, Don Izban (seated), Bob Sharfman

Earlier still, at the Holmes, Doyle, & Friends symposium in Dayton at the end of March:

Carlina de la Cova, Scott Monty, Monica Schmidt, Andriacco

I've even on occasion (New York in January springs to mind), provided pre-tied bow ties for those who don't normally wear them. So next time we meet, let's be sure to tie one on!