Enid's Signature?

[pete9012S]

Boatbuilder has made me think. Did Enid ever sign any books as Mary Pollock?

[Rob Houghton]

That's a good point! I've never seen a signed copy for sale, so maybe not! Perhaps she wasn't famous enough!

Its well worth entering The Cave of Books, Boatbuilder, in case you've never ventured in! Its got all the facts!

[Boatbuilder]

Wikipedia's wrong there — The Treasure Hunters was always published as an Enid Blyton book. You can see the first edition cover and other details here in Tony's online Cave of Books (best Blyton resource on the internet, or probably anywhere for that matter! ).

There were only six books that Enid originally published under the name Mary Pollock and you can see them all here.

Well I did say "if it is correct", Courtenay.

Having looked at your links, I have now taken the liberty of correcting Wikipedia on that and another Mary Pollock book - 'Mischief at St. Rollos' - which was stated as being published in 1947 instead of 1943.

[pete9012S]

Recently sold for £220:

Blyton (Enid, 1897-1968). Autograph letter signed, 'Enid Blyton', letterhead of Hotel Grosvenor, Swanage, Dorset, 26 March 1947, to [Robert M.] Holbrow in response and thanks for his offer to help her on his forthcoming trip to America, 'I think it is possible that some of the publishers you call on may know of me or my books or even be publishing them, so if you could just say a word about their popularity in England it might be a help to me and of interest to them. I am sending you a photo-stat copy of some "personal particulars" which Macmillans, my publishers here, have kindly sent me 2 dozen copies of, for use in America or on the Continent. The material is not copyright in any way, and can be used by anyone anywhere, as it is "blurb"! ... I have 12 Continental publishers now, and 4 American ones... ', with a vertically written postscript, 'I am here til the 31st, playing golf all day one!', two pages, light rust mark from old paperclip to upper left corner, 8vo, together with two carbon copies of letters from R.M. Holbrow [assistant editor of the News and Book Trade Review], the first dated 24 March 1947 offering Enid Blyton his help and to which her letter is the reply, the second later letter dated 23 June 1947, after his return from America, saying that he and his wife had a very enjoyable time, and 'I was interested to find copies of your books in several of the public libraries I visited and in some of the bookshops', giving further details about how he had tried to help, offering his congratulations on her American medal and saying 'may your books soon be in just as big a demand in the USA as they are in this country', each two pages, 8vo, plus a five-page stapled carbon copy (including cover page), titled 'Facts Concerning Enid Blyton', to which Blyton refers in her letter,

https://www.dominicwinter.co.uk/Auction ... lot=348595#" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[pete9012S]

Enid Blyton - Signature

No fuss or fripperies with this sale, just 'the signature'!

A signature in black ink on an off-white card

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Enid-Blyton- ... SwQelc5Raw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Rob Houghton]

in my view, that doesn't look like Enid's signature.

[pete9012S]

I'll probably be shot down in a blaze of glory, but I thought the same Rob..

[pete9012S]

A nice long 'meaty' letter - with signature written by Enid in September 1953 - I think..

https://imgur.com/a/mlD4TPg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Anita Bensoussane]

Thanks, Pete. It's interesting to see Enid the naturalist discussing moths and their chrysalides.

The date is 1933 as the letter was written when Enid and Hugh lived at Old Thatch.

[pete9012S]

https://imgur.com/a/QqiViZj" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[pete9012S]

Special Attributes: signed by Author, 1st Edition, Illustrated, Inscribed

To me, this signature looks a bit different - any experts care to advise?

[Daisy]

To me it is nothing like her signature!

[John Pickup]

I agree. Doesn't look like her signature to me either.

[Courtenay]

Or anything like her handwriting in general, either.

[Tony Summerfield]

You don't even need to look at the signature, it is not Enid Blyton's writing and clearly that was all written by the same person. That book was published in 1935 by Newnes who also published Sunny Stories and I would guess this was sent by Newnes as a painting competition prize.