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Lot 102

HEMINGWAY, ERNEST. 1899-1961.
Autograph Letter Signed ("papa" and "EH"), to "Kit" (Katherine Figgis), describing some of his injuries from his recent plane crash, 1 p, 4to, n.p., March 2, 1954,

Amended
5 December 2019, 10:00 EST
New York

Sold for US$2,550 inc. premium

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HEMINGWAY, ERNEST. 1899-1961.

Autograph Letter Signed ("papa" and "EH"), to "Kit" (Katherine Figgis), describing some of his injuries from his recent plane crash, 1 p, 4to, n.p., March 2, 1954, on thin airmail paper, with additional text in three margins, and a small portion of the verso. Fold creases, minor soiling.
WITH: a photographic copy of a press photo of Hemingway with his wife, Mary, and pilot Ray Marsh.

Hemingway writes to Kit Figgis regarding his airplane crash and the sale of a story to Look magazine: "Things are OK here. Miss Mary better but her nerves took a beating. But she is one unusually brave girl and has good nerves...." Of the Look magazine article he writes "... Look will pay 20,000 (not Pounds; miserable dollars) for the piece if it is up to my 'usual standard.' Maybe it won't be." He goes on to say of his crash injuries "... I must be careful to let the kidney settle good, also had lousy clot on the leg ... Probably lose the left eye but it was never worth a damn...." Hemingway did not often mention his injuries in the plane crash, so his candor with his close friend Kit offers a rare glimpse into this experience, which seemed to mark the beginning of his decline into ill health in his later years.

Saleroom notices

Reserve changed to $2,000 for post-auction sale per agreement from the consignor by email.

Additional information

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