After I reported yesterday that neither Brian Leno nor I could dope out six of the signatures on the 1977 Bouchercon program booklet, Brian waded back in. Nothing he likes better than deciphering autographs and kicking ass — and he’s still got a few to parse out, so we’re safe for now.
Of the six, it looks as if Brian has nailed down three, maybe three and a half:
Between the W and the Y the name John M______. The name John Mullen is on the Lackritz list, but this one doesn’t seem to match.
“The one between the W and Y is probably John Nieminski,” Leno says. “It’s a good guess anyway.”
Yeah, Nieminski was a commonly seen name in crime fiction circles in that era.
Under WAL, in blue ink, Peter (?) S (?) B (???). Doesn’t quite match the auto of Peter S. Beagle, but in haste he might have put the “l” in Beagle in the wrong position.
“I checked my Peter S. Beagle signature, wasn’t him,” Leno confirms. “So I went on a search and I believe it’s Peter E. Blau. A Bouchercon regular, I believe — in the Baker Street Irregulars crowd.”
To the right of the blue siggie, M____ E_____ (???).
“The M E looks really familiar to me with that big sweeping cloud-like beginning to the name. I’ve seen it before but can’t remember no matter how hard I try. Could it be Michael Eaton? — but it doesn’t look like Michael. Or Marvin P. Epstein, the Sherlockian collector? No cap P or lowercase p visible, but a possibility just the same.”
Under MURDER, the name Charles S_______.
To the right of Charles S______, past Michelle Slung, and above the Davis in Dorothy Salisbury Davis, some squiggling at an up-and-down angle. I can’t tell if the name starts at the top or the bottom. Or if the squiggles are two autographs.
“I think the under MURDER is Charles Shibuk. Worked with Otto Penzler, etc. Fairly sure. I think Shibuk could be ruled a definite unless and until something better comes along.
“The one written up-and-down on the lower right side of the sheet I keep thinking of Dorothy B. Hughes. She was there, signing books. But her signature is very distinct and readable, so probably not unless she had a writing cramp of epic proportions.”
I almost can see Dot Hughes in the squiggles — especially if she was in a hurry, trying to work her pen in that cramped space. Maybe one of the last ones to sign.
“I’ll look a little more,” Brian says, “but honestly I’ve taken it about as far as I can, I think. Hate to admit it. I got the three by just entering in the search engine the parts of the name I think I know and then adding Bouchercon.”
