Collecting Ernest Hemingway

Tom Congalton

Where to start with Hemingway? Ernest Hemingway has been avidly collected pretty much from the start of his career. His first book, Three Stories and Ten Poems (1923) issued in wrappers in an edition of 300 copies, originally came in an unprinted glassine sleeve, the presence of which can dramatically increase the cost of the book. His second book, in our time (1924), like the first published in Paris, was issued in an even smaller edition of only 170 copies. Just to make things difficult, his first book published in America was a substantially different but similarly titled In Our Time (1925 - note the capitalization).

This and his next two, The Torrents of Spring (1926) and The Sun Also Rises (1926), are all hard to find in nice jackets, and in superior condition might have a chilling price tag. The latter, in particular, has become something of an ultra-highspot. The first English edition of The Sun Also Rises, renamed Fiesta might be even scarcer than the American edition. No problem though, there is plenty of other Hemingway to collect.

One note of caution is to be skeptical of signed copies -

Hemingway signed a lot of books, but Hemingway forgers have signed even more. Call your local ABAA dealer, and make sure the autograph is guaranteed in perpetuity by the dealer.

The article is published by permission of Between the Covers Rare Books, Inc. Thank you very much.