Hemingway’s Special Books for Special People at LiveAuctionTalk.com Rosemary McKittrick is a storyteller. Her weekly antiques column is
chock-full of interesting history and useful information.
News-Antique.com - Aug 30,2009 - Aug. 30, 2009 -- Pauline Pfeiffer was Ernest Hemingway’s second wife. During the 1930s the barn at Pfeiffer’s parents’ home in Piggott, Ark., was converted into a studio and sleeping quarters so that Hemingway could write in solitude while visiting his in-laws.
The Hemingways visited the Pfeiffer home for the first time as the couple awaited the birth of their first of two sons. Hemingway returned frequently during the 13 year marriage to stay, hunt quail, and write.
The Pfeiffers supported Hemingway personally and financially in his rise to fame. Both their home and the barn-studio were named to the National Historic Register in 1982. The dwelling offers a glimpse into a life chronicled in Hemingway’s writing.
It’s no surprise Hemingway presented his father-in-law with an inscribed copy of his book, “For Whom the Bell Tolls.”
Collecting American first editions is a popular hobby today. Books are not that hard to find and they’re not all that scarce. It’s an area of book collecting usually encompassing American fiction and poetry published in the 20th century.
On June 18, PBA Galleries, San Francisco, offered a selection of Ernest Hemingway’s Books in its Fine Literature sale. Hemingway’s 1940 first edition, first issue, presentation copy of “For Whom the Bell Tolls” mentioned above sold for $13,200.
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