Introduction
There are various assocations with Sherlock Holmes which are mis-founded. These are some of those.
Elementary my Dear Watson
The quote "Elementary, my dear Watson, elementary" is perhaps the most famous quote assoctaed with Sherlock Holmes. However it does not appear in any of the texts. The nearest match is in The Adventure of the Crooked Man, with “Excellent!" I cried. "Elementary," said he. The actual source is the book by P.G. Wodehouse called "Psmith Journalist which was published in 1915.
The Deerstalker Hat
The Deerstaler hat has become synonymous as the default headwear for Sherlock Holmes. More generally the hat is associatd with rural persuits and the countyside. However there is no direct reference to this hat in any of the texts.
The associateion was created by the illustrator Signey Paget. In his illustustration for the Boscombe Valley Mystery, Holmes is shown wearing a Deerstalker. In the text, Watson describes Holmes wearing ‘close-fitting cloth cap’. Indications are that Sydney Paget has a personal preferance for wearing that style of hat.
This was re-enforced by Basil Rathbone wering the Deerstalker in the 1939 film the Hound of the Baskervilles, appriorate for visiting the countryside setting.
The Curly Pipe
Sherlock Holmes is often portrayed with a curly pipe, often styles such as Calabash or Black Briar. However the oringal texts point to a different styls of pipe, less curly and more straigt in nature.
The illustartions by Signey Paget portray a long stemmed stright pipe. A long stemmed cherrywood pipe is described in The Adventure of the Copper Beeches. In The Red Headed League, Watson describes Holmes "He curled himself up in his chair, with his thin knees drawn up to his hawk-like nose, and there he was with his eyes closed and his black clay pipe thrusting out like the bill of some strange bird.”
It appears that the adoption of the curly pipe was perferred for early stage performances of Sherlock Holmes as it provided less obsruction, allowing the audience to too see the actor speaking more easily. This has been attributed to British Actor H A Saintsbury, and especially american actor William Willet. Willet wrote Gillette adapted the play "A Drama in Four Acts" delivering over 1200 perforamnces as Holmes on Stage. Basil Rathbone is portrayed smoking a Calabash in promotional material for the radio shows.
The pipe remains signifant.... "It was to him as a counsellor" (Iden) "companion of his deepest meditations" (Vall) "It is quite a three pipe problem, and I beg that you won't speak to me for fifty minutes" (Redh)
221B Baker Street
The address appeared in A Study in Scarlett in 1887. In a Scandal in Bohemia it is described as "a suite of rooms on the first floor of a lodging house above a flight of 17 steps". However, when the texts were written, Baker Street was in existance, but the numbering did not extend to 221. Baker Street was later extended, and in 1932 an Art Deco building was constructed for the Abbey National Building Society covering the numbers 219–229, hence including 221. They employed a member of staff to specifically deal with the Sherlock Holmes correspondance.
The Sherlock Holmes Museum sat on Baker Street at 229 between 237 and 241. Following an agreement with Westminster City Council, the Museum has been offically designated at 221 since 1990.
Basil the Great Mouse Detective (1986 film) resides at 221½ Baker Street, a mouse hole under the house.