Everyone seems to have a favorite movie that they watch during the holidays – mine is The Blue Carbuncle (1984). Jeremy Brett seems as if he were born to play Sherlock Holmes, and I have watched every episode in which he has starred. Not only is The Blue Carbuncle one of my favorites, but it takes place during Christmas which makes it perfect for holiday viewing.
One question that came up this year was whether Holmes kept the jewel, or wound up returning it to the police or the Countess. In the show, he says something about adding it to his private museum, and we see him lock the Blue Carbuncle in a desk drawer along with a brief glimpse of his cocaine syringe.
I decided to settle the matter by opening my copy of The Original Illustrated Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle. I found the answer on page 100:
I’ll lock it up in my strong box now, and drop a line to the Countess to say that we have it.
Another mystery solved!