PROCLAMATION
It is with great sadness that our brother
in arms, Francis of Westwood has departed from this mortal coil. Earlier
this year, surgeons, the ilk of the mighty Ras Thavas himself, had done
a superb job in giving him a triple by-pass operation that everyone had
hoped would see him through for many years to come.
Unfortunately Francis then suffered a
severe stroke whilst recuperating at home that immobilised him for several
weeks before finally succumbing to its toll. On 28th September, Francis
of Westwood took his final pilgrimage down the River Iss leaving behind
his beloved Doreen of 40 years and a collection of the works of Edgar Rice
Burroughs that he had spent his whole life in building.
Doreen has asked for my assistance in
selling off his collection. Unfortunately this left me with a great dilemma.
Do I try and sell the books at their market value on forums such as eBay,
or do I take it to a Burroughs convention and hopefully sell the books
there. Book dealers may only offer at best 20-25% of their worth and make
their own fortune from it. As nearly all of the Burroughs conventions are
in the United States, just the transportation would cost more than the
value of the collection.
Faced then with this dilemma, it has been
decided that you, the friends of Francis of Westwood and fans of Edgar
Rice Burroughs will have the first opportunity to purchase his collection
at approximately the same value as a book dealer would give. What could
be better than to see his books in the hands of true fans, to be cherished
in the years ahead, than to a dealer who seeks only to fill his own coffers?
In a sense, the books will be sold at
a convention but located not in the United States, but at the home of Francis
and Doreen of Westwood in the realm of Seven Kings, Essex. There will be
no agenda for this event other than for you to come along, meet and greet
fellow knights and purchase whatever books, comics, stills, fanzines and
whatever else that may take your fancy.
This will be a one day event only on Saturday,
January 25th. 2014 at 77 Pembroke Road, Seven Kings, Essex 1G3 8PQ between
the hours of 11:00am and 5:00pm.
It has been 16 years since Burroughs fans
have had the opportunity to visit with one another here in England – home
of the Outlaws of Torn. Climb then upon your mighty steeds and set forth
to Seven Kings as I hope to see many of you there.
Respectfully yours
Laurence G. Of Dunn
R.S.V.P. Laurence G. Dunn,
224 Brighton Road,
South Croydon, Surrey CR2 6AH
Tel. 020 8681 3245 (Evenings and weekends)
or Email: LGDunn@aol.com
Please note, between the dates of December
21st until January 5th,
contact will only be available via email
