Solving "the Problem of the Princess's Necklace"

Dearest detectives,

Thank you to the many of you that wrote in by mail and at Dearholmes.com/solve with your questions and solutions to last month’s mystery, “the Problem of the Princess’s Necklace”. With more submitted solutions than ever, we’re still evaluating your solutions to select our next Featured Detective, but in the mean-time, Holmes would like to share with you a letter he wrote to Watson explaining how he solved the case, and who is responsible for the disappearance of the princess’s jewelry.

Sincerely yours,

The Dear Holmes Team

——

221b Baker Street

London

23 January, 1901

Dear Detective Chief Inspector Morin,

My deepest condolences to you and all British subjects on this national day of mourning. In Reading, from which I have just returned, the air had been thick these past few days with concern over the Queen’s deteriorating condition. Today, in London, I see every shop trimmed in black mourning. Black veils cover every woman’s face; every man sports a black armband, if not full black attire. The morning newspaper reports that dignitaries from every corner of the globe are making their way towards England to pay their respects. I do not envy you your duties for the coming week.

You have acted admirably under great pressure these last few days, or at least as competently as any member of the police department could under such circumstances. Allow me to ease your mental burden: your last message to me included the final clues I needed to solve this case.

The fact that the necklace was the only thing missing from the safe told me that this was no simple theft. Smudging aside, there were no fingerprints on the safe or combination paper besides Mrs. Teslow’s. These facts combined made your first theory, regarding Miss Dahl, unlikely. Besides, I believe that the ambassador would resolve any financial concerns of hers, were she to ask him. The fact that she is quite close with the ambassador, yet still has unpaid bills, tells me that she is too proud to stoop to blackmail or petty theft.

Mrs. Teslow is a spendthrift who would welcome the money that the necklace would bring. But why not sell her other jewelry first? And consider, both the Princess and Mrs. Teslow have been seen wearing that necklace: if she pawned it at any of the fashionable jeweler’s, the truth of its ownership would quickly emerge. Above all else, Mrs. Teslow is too sensitive to scandal. She has shown only worry and shame throughout this investigation, and her friendship with Princess Louise has suffered.

Which brings us to Mr. Venner. He wants to keep his friendship with the jewelry store clerk Leif a secret, due to the fact that his former schoolmate is a Swede. Sweden and Norway may have some political friction, but they are not at war, nor have they been for generations. There would seem to be something more to the fact that Mr. Venner desires to hide his relationship with the jewelry store clerk.

Consider this: Mrs. Teslow confided in Mr. Venner that she had damaged Princess Louise’s necklace. She didn’t want to take it to any of the jewelers she normally frequents, as word would inevitably get back to the palace that the necklace had been damaged while in Mrs. Teslow’s care. Mr. Venner suggested she visit Mr. Nilsson’s shop in the morning, and then he likely visited the store immediately afterward, to forewarn his friends of the situation.

They now have a unique opportunity to turn a tidy profit, even split three ways, and do some mischief to the Norwegians in the bargain.

Mrs. Teslow is told that a special clasp would be required for the necklace and to return on Monday. This was not done to order the clasp; any jeweler would be able to make such a simple repair while the customer waited, but to give the Swedes time to adapt one of their jewelry boxes. One of the more popular devices of the street magician is the “disappearing money box.” You put your coin in the box, close the drawer, and when you pull the drawer out again, the money seems to have vanished! In reality, the coin drops away to a false bottom. There are variations, but the results are similar.

So, Mr. Nilsson makes sure to give Mrs. Teslow a box for the necklace, despite the fact that she is wearing the necklace as she leaves the store. She goes home, puts the necklace in the box, and the next time she opens the box, the necklace is hidden in the false bottom. A few days later, Mr. Venner switches out the trick box with a plain empty box from Nilsson’s. Working in the embassy, Venner would have had many opportunities to spy Mrs. Teslow’s carelessly laid safe combination. I suspect this is not the first time he has accessed the safe, wearing gloves to conceal his fingerprints.

I believe you just missed the hand-off. When you found Mr. Venner and the clerk talking at the jewelry counter, the clerk left to bring a stack of jewelry boxes to the back room — one of which contained the necklace. If you act quickly, you should still find that box in the store’s back room. One hides a leaf in a forest! The Swedes are most likely “waiting for the heat to die down” before attempting to fence this item.

One last thing — I would suggest further investigation of Mr. Venner and his Swedish cohorts. Secrets may be stolen from an embassy just as easily as a necklace. Mr. Venner was in a perfect position to spy on the Norwegian ambassador. It would also explain why Mr. Venner was so eager to avoid any association with the staff of Nilsson’s.

If I may be of any further assistance to you or your department in these coming days, please do not hesitate to ask.

God save the King.

                                                                                                Yours sincerely,