The First and Only Weekly Online Fanzine Devoted to the Life and Works of Edgar Rice Burroughs

Volume 0780
presents
A Burroughs Family Biblio-Pro-Phile

EDDIE GILBERT
THE EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS COLLECTION

Sue-On ~ Eddie Gilbert ~ Bill Hillman

"Ed Gilbert first discovered Burroughs’ work at the age of twelve in 1925. Two years later, he met Burroughs and a friendship developed,  blossoming into a romance between Burroughs and Gilbert’s older sister, Florence Gilbert Dearholt. Florence and Burroughs married in 1935 and Ed Gilbert became the brother-in-law to his favorite author for the six-year marriage. Burroughs was extremely generous to Gilbert, and not only autographed many of his books for Gilbert, but also rendered original drawings, the most special being an original watercolor drawing of Tarzan holding Tantor the elephant over his head on the front endpaper of Gilbert’s first edition of Tarzan of the Apes."

Pacific Book Auction Galleries

November 15, 2001 ~ 133 Kearny St., 4th Fl., San Francisco, CA  94108

The main references used in the description of the Gilbert auction items:
A Golden Anniversary Bibliography of Edgar Rice Burroughs by Henry Hardy Heins
ERB: The Exhaustive Scholar's and Collector's Descriptive Bibliography of
American Periodical, Hardcover, Paperback, and Reprint Editions by  Robert B. Zeuschner

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The Gilbert collection with its many ERB inscriptions and other rare items was first brought to the attention of ERB fans at the 1999 Dum-Dum in Tarzana, California. Burroughs fan, collector, scholar and author, Bob Zeuschner, prepared a Commemorative Burroughs Bibliophiles booklet for this event: Edgar Rice Burroughs: Artist and Humorist ~ A Selection of Drawings and Inscriptions from the Library of Edward Gilbert. This item is truly a collector's item as there were only 300 copies printed. Fittingly, Mr. Gilbert was also the popular Guest of Honour at this convention and he graciously autographed many of the booklets which made them all the more special. Many of the inscriptions and sketches featured in the accompanying ERBzin-e online tour of Eddie's ERB collection (most adapted from the Online Catalogue: PBA Galleries Auction ~ November 15, 2001) are featured in the rare Gilbert/Zeuschner BB booklet.

Above photos from the Robert Zeuschner Collection

Bob Zeuschner ~ Florence's Children: Lee Ashton Chase and Caryl Lee ~ Eddie Gilbert

Eddie Gilbert

Bob Zeuschner reported in ERBzine 0368 that:  "Eddie Gilbert, the brother-in-law of ERB, passed away in the hospital two weeks ago (June 27, 2000). Eddie was a wonderful and intelligent man who loved to reminisce about his relationship with ERB, and  loved to share his great collection of books with fellow fans. He also had lots of great stories about the many movie stars who bought books at his bookshop on Hollywood and Vine over the decades. "The Burroughs Bulletin published an interview with Eddie several years ago, and will publish one more piece by Eddie in an upcoming issue. Our heartfelt sympathies go out to his wife Claire and his family. Eddie and Clair would have celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary this year."  Eddie was Guest of Honour at the Tarzana Dum-Dum 99 where his warmth and his sharing of many ERB anecdotes will be long-remembered by Burroughs fans.

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THE HONEYMOONERS  1935 Associated Press release  photo of "Creator of Tarzan." Original press release caption read:  "Edgar Rice Burroughs, 59, author, whose chief bid for fame is founded on his stories of the Strange Adventures of TARZAN, is seen with his new bride, the former Mrs.Florence Gilbert Dearholt, Actress, on their return to Los Angles, Calif.,after their wedding at Las Vegas, NV."  They are emerging from a Western Airlines airplane with stewardess in the backround.