Hemingway, Ernest

Estimate

18,000 - 25,000 USD

bidding is closed

Description

For Whom the Bell Tolls. New York: Scribner's, 1940
ink,paper

8vo. Original tan cloth stamped in red and black. Original illustrated dust jacket with photographer identified on rear panel, very fine and bright. [with:] A first issue jacket with a long closed tear and very minor rubbing. Red cloth case with morocco label.

Provenance

Jonathan Goodwin. (Sotheby Parke Bernet, New York, April 12, 1978, lot 693)

Literature

Hanneman A18a; cf. Reynolds, Michael. Hemingway the 1930's. New York, 1997

Catalogue Note

first edition, a scarce dual presentation copy from ernest hemingway and martha gellhorn (signed) to a fellow war correspondent: "To Herbert with love from Marty and Ernest."

Hemingway collected material For Whom the Bell Tolls while covering the Spanish Civil War, using his experiences on the front as a war correspondent as the background for the story of a young American that enlists in the International Brigades.

Hemingway's mistress Martha Gellhorn was also in Spain as a reporter for Collier's Magazine and it was there that the relationship between the two became more serious. They entertained as a couple from Hemingway's suite at the Hotel Florida, the war providing the perfect proving ground for Hemingway to feel that he had found his equal in thrill seeking. Their affair in Spain "fed off the emotional rush of public violence and private romance." (Reynolds)

The "Herbert" of the presentation is likely Herb Matthews, correspondent for the New York Times and frequent guest of the couple at the Hotel Florida, where Hemingway always managed to set a fine table and entertain with the latest war stories, maps, and of course, whiskey.

Gellhorn and Hemingway married in 1940. It was his third marriage and a contentious one that lasted only four years. Gellhorn was a extraordinarily accomplished war correspondent in her own right and her career often caused friction with Hemingway, who wanted her to stay at home and away from covering the front during World War II.

We can trace only one other book jointly presented by the two sold at auction in the last 30 years.