Ernest Hemingway Autograph Letter Signed (7 pages) September 11, 1933

Description: HEMINGWAY, Ernest. Autograph letter signed. Madrid: September 11, (1933). Quarto, two original tan leaves (measuring 5-1/4 by 6-3/4 inches folded) in manuscript on seven pages, rear page blank. Rare September 11, 1933 seven-page letter entirely penned and signed by Hemingway, writing from Madrid to his close friend Karl Thompson about his progress on the proofs for Winner Take Nothing, the recent challenges of a championship hunt—“you have to shoot much faster than we are used to”—and plans for the upcoming ten-week safari with his wife Pauline and Thompson, a trip that famously inspired Hemingway’s Snows of Kilimanjaro.After spending the summer in Havana and Key West, Hemingway, his wife Pauline and her sister Jinny travelled to Spain in August 1933. By the end of the month, they had registered at the Hotel Biarritz in Madrid where Hemingway set to work editing the galley proofs for his 1933 anthology of short stories, Winner Take Nothing. At the same time he was preparing for a ten-week safari in East Africa that was to begin in December. The trip was sponsored by his wife's "Uncle Gus" who financed it for $25,000 as an investment anticipating a well-received book to be produced from Hemingway's experiences there.Hemingway opens his letter to Charles "Karl" Thompson by tying up some loose ends from their summer jaunt from Havana to Key West. The letter reads: "Sept 11, Hotel Biaritz, Calle Victoria, 2 Madrid. Dear Karl: The enclosed check for 150 smackers is to pay for the day with the boat I forgot to leave cash for (Woodward's boat) the telegrams etc. You paid for us at Havana and to have some cash on hand for Jimmy's salary (Have they got a code for Jig's yet?) Put a blue Eagle on Jimmy's backside." He continues, getting to the heart of the matter by coordinating his travel arrangements with his favorite hunting and fishing companion: "We plan to sail around Nov. 20th or 15th for Mombassa—Due there Dec 15th—will be in Nairobi Dec 17 to meet you—That means you will figure on leaving N.Y. about Thanksgiving if you want to fly. Will get all details and make all arrangements when we get to Paris last of October—Will also let you know about shipping or bringing guns—If Uncle Gus coming over may have you send to him and him bring or ship over—Then we can take them on the boat—Will you get those lamb's wool cases from beans to fit the 30-06's and impregnate them (sounds dirty) with Fiendoil—Put guns in wool lined fiendoil impregnated case and that suede leather case as I have Mannlicher fixed—squirt them full of Fiendoil—Hell Smith's too—I have got some wonderful big[?] soft tough hunting shoes made here—if you send me drawing of your foot (draw around it—can get you a pair made. Light as moccasins—water proof and wear forever—(what they wear here for all sorts of shooting) highest real shoe I've ever had on—"While in Madrid Hemingway participated in his first live pigeon shoot. He continues his letter by describing it in tremendous detail, as only a fellow hunter could describe to another: "I shot in Championship of the World live pigeon shoot—First day killed 15 out of 20 and 2 of the others dead just over barrier—Shot steadily worse after that—was handicapped at 27 meters (handicaps ran from 20 to 30) Big shoot was at 27 meters for everybody—5 Traps—had to kill them before they went over yard high fence 15 yards from the traps—Shooting at about 28 yards from the traps—Some Birds absolutely unkillable—So fast that if you did hit them load would knock them over—others easy—I never drew and easy bird in whole shoot –truly—most shoots miss and out—I went out on 2nd and 5th rounds—20 straight won—147 group shooting—shoot 1st at 11 o'clock maybe—2nd at 2.30 3rd at 4—4th at 6th—Clearly my pump in the gun room the birds jammed it and it wouldn't handle Ten minutes before shooting biggest shoot—Had to use borrowed gun I'd never seen or shot ever—Missed 1st—Killed 2nd— Then missed 2 straight—all hard ones but believe I could have killed 2 of them anyway with my own gun—3 misses put you out in that shoot— There were 40 shooters out by the 3rd round so you can imagine how birds were flying. I have much to learn about it but know I could learn it and believe could make [unclear]—you have to shoot much faster than we are used to and kill them before they get impossible—They pull their tails out before they put them in the traps so they cant [sic] fly straight—are about size of a Jack knife [?] in body Small—all dark and grey blue—raised only for this—Some go so fast you couldn't believe it Will tell you about it when I see you-"Over the summer, Hemingway had become embroiled in a spat with Scribner's when the galleys for Winner Take Nothing had not arrived in Havana before he departed for Key West that summer. Despite the fact that the mail was delayed due to a general strike of Cuban postal workers, Hemingway placed the blame squarely on Scribner's for not applying enough postage for air mail. He continues his letter by writing: "Got proofs here and sent them to Max a week ago—Damned shame to miss them in Cuba—Scribner's didn't put on enough air mail Postage! What did you do that last day? How's everything? Best to you always, Ernest." Winner Take Nothing, which Scribner's released on October 27, 1933, included such classics as "Fathers and Sons" and "A Clean, Well-Lighted Place."Following his signature, Hemingway adds a lengthy postscript with some last-minute thoughts: "Pauline says would you look and see if Jimmy is watering everything—if not take away his Blue Eagle We have seen some good [bull] fights—Max is at the Beach—Baby Bumby [Gregory Hemingway] with Henrietta [the nanny]—is picking up French and is much burlier and heavier—Bun has gone to Paris to be with Hadley [Hemingway's first wife] all in fine shape—Let me know how everything is with you? Love to Lorine [Thompson's wife] from us all—good luck Kid—I know there were other things I meant to write about but have forgotten—Will send Bra some tell him – Best to Joise when you see him—Am getting fat again on this Madrid beer—" With that, Hemingway ends this fascinating letter. His 10-week safari took Pauline and Ernest Hemingway (together with Karl Thompson) to Mombassa, Nairobi, and onto the Serengeti. The safari was led by Philip Hope Percival, the big game hunter who had guided Theodore Roosevelt on his 1909 trip to Africa. During the trip, Hemingway contracted dysentery and had to be flown back to Nairobi and provided the foundation for "The Snows of Kilimanjaro," considered to be one his finest literary efforts.Text dark, tiny ink smudge at Hemingway's signature. An exceptional rarity in fine condition.

Price: 19975.95 USD

Location: Coronado, California

End Time: 2024-12-28T19:30:35.000Z

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