Ernest Hemingway
[Key West, FL], August 1, 1933
Ernest Hemingway 4x Signed ALS, Mentions "A Farewell to Arms" & "Death in the Afternoon" - Stunning Literary Content
ALS

A lengthy autograph letter from Ernest Hemingway to Arnold Gingrich, co-founder and editor of Esquire magazine. 4pp, 8.5" x 11", [Key West, FL], August 1, 1933. Signed at conclusion as "Ernest Hemingway," plus an additional three times within the text, he writes regarding his article 'Marlin Off the Morro' for the magazine's premier issue. Within, Hemingway objects to the article's heading and provides revisions, mentioning both 'A Farewell to Arms' and 'Death in the Afternoon'. Together with a photocopy of the letter's original mailing envelope addressed in Hemingway's hand. Previously offered by the prestigious firm of Nick Adams & Co. Rare Books at $17,500 with their original description included. Exhibits uneven toning commensurate with age and light edgewear resulting in some small marginal chips and tears. Expected letter folds with minor separation to center of first leaf; slight corner loss to the second, not affecting text. Good overall condition with fantastic literary contents!

Reading in part:

"Enclosed corrected typescript - it is ok to head it Marlin off the Morro if you want...
I do not want to trade on fact that wrote A Farewell to Arms ^Death in the Afternoon^ - for on the new book - if you want to say Mr. Hemingway's latest book is called Winner Take [sic] Nothing at the end of the letter or in notes on contributors - That is O. K. - But that is the place for it - But please do not put names of books I have written in the headlines-...
Also will you please never tell anyone what I write here pieces for you for - writers get paid by a certain category - ie. what they can get - it is a racket controlled by law of supply and demand - I would rather write for nothing if I had any way of living or enough cash otherwise. Because I haven't I have to keep the category that I have and charge them plenty …. But if you tell anyone I wrote you pieces for 250 it would cost me 2500 a piece-…
Am probably touchy on various subjects - But the sum total of your small unreasonableness and touchiness and affectations adds up to your bloody character-…"

'Marlin Off the Morro: A Cuban Letter' was published on September 1, 1933 in the first issue of Esquire magazine. The essay details the escapades of a Cuban fisherman dragged out to sea by a marlin, and notably serves as the basis for 'The Old Man and the Sea', published nearly twenty years later. The topic of fishing became an important theme throughout Hemingway's life, and indeed, it was with the cash advance he received from Esquire that he purchased his own boat for deep-sea fishing, the custom-built 38-foot cabin cruiser Pilar. Despite his complaints of low pay, the success of the inaugural issue convinced Gingrich to raise Hemingway's fee to twice the going rate.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 8.5" x 11"
  • Medium: ALS

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