The Enid Blyton Society

Pete does turn up some interesting things. Any chance of posting a scan of the article from Journal 14 Pete? Please?

Very interesting. I would like to see the article from Journal 14 too if possible.

It can be intriguing to look up older Blyton issues and in these fast moving days it might turn out that only recently we were discussing a subject which has now re-emerged. Seventeen or so years might seem an 'eon' to younger EBS members though.

From 'Green Hedges' #36 -

"Back in November (2000) a book purporting to be Enid Blyton's earliest adventure story was discovered in Canada."

Michael Rouse went on to say that Mark Finn was an Enid Blyton enthusiast who'd sent Tony some scans taken from the mysterious new book.

As recounted in his thought-provoking article (EBSJ #14), Tony could find no reference to "Adventurers Three" in his collection of information and who'd have access to a better one? He also informed us that Mark Finn had posted a message on the website belonging to Matt Roberts who was well associated with the Enid Blyton World in those times.

Michael Rouse finally declared the book was a "forgery or hoax" because, being a computer buff, he expounded the typeface of the book's cover as being of a " .... standard Windows font supplied with nearly all modern computers."

Rob's recent comment touches on this aspect.

Tony also suggested it was a hoax and comments are made on some of the oddball correspondence between himself and the man from Canada.

I didn't know anything about 'fonts' and 'typefaces' in those days having just been introduced to computers, so my gauging of the story in question came from writing style. The word "Mummy" repeated four times quite closely is a little jarring, and the sentences appear a little 'staccato.' It doesn't seem as if the prose originated from an Enid Blyton pen .... unless she was experiencing an off-day.

Mind you, would it really matter seeing the composition is, to all intents and purposes, extinct? Furthermore, as many of us may have experienced, people often put forward claims regarding the possession of enormous collections or rarities whether it be books, paintings or whatever, in order to receive their allotted fifteen minutes of fame.

Here are a couple of comments that were placed on Matt's website at the time:

Adventurers Three:

IP: 216.234.161.83
Posted on 11/11/2000 at 11:55:43 PM by
"MarkFinn@goplay.com"

Hi. I've got an early Blyton book called Adventurers Three dated 1923. Any of you guys know what its worth?

Re(1): Adventurers Three
IP: 203.134.27.113
Posted on 11/12/2000 at 06:10:34 AM by
"eurocrat_au@ ..... co.uk"

I don't really know whether it was published in 1923, myself. And I usually prefer to know what books are about rather than how much they're
worth. Are you intending to sell it? She didn't really write mass adventure stories until about 1939.

When I saw the title I thought of the Bold Bad Three in First Term at Malory Towers, you know Alicia, Betty and Darrell's gang. I can think
of a few people who might maybe like it. What will you have for postage or selling? Check out other collectors prices for Blyton and see how rare/common this book is, maybe on a library site such as the British library.

Adelaide

Re(2): Adventurers Three
IP: 203.76.17.20
Posted on 11/12/2000 at 01:08:57 PM by
"andypandys@ ..... com.au"

HI there Mark!

I am a passionate Blyton collector and may be interested in purchasing this from you - if you want to sell - I can offer you the highest price - let me know more about the book etc.

Regards, Andrew.

******

Interesting point made by 'Adelaide.'


***********************

As an aside, the said GHM also contains an interesting little piece in it about Harmsen van der Beek:

"So you thought that the early illustrations for Enid Blyton's Noddy books were all done by Harmsen van der Beek himself?

Wrong!

One of our readers who lives in Holland recently interviewed van der Beek's son and was told by him that the whole of the Beek family were involved with the production of the Noddy drawings. Even as a small child, the son would help by colouring in the outlines."

tix wrote:
One of our readers who lives in Holland recently interviewed van der Beek's son and was told by him that the whole of the Beek family were involved with the production of the Noddy drawings. Even as a small child, the son would help by colouring in the outlines."

Interesting! That makes the billing in the early books of 'Pictures by Beek' even more appropriate!