Bastard Note

(New York: House of Books, 1931).

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Unbound. Single quarto sheet. A couple of very tiny nicks at the bottom corners, slightest toning, near fine. Copy number 57 of 93 numbered copies. A broadside of the proof of the legal disclaimer from *A Farewell to Arms*. The leaf was referred to in printing terms as a Bastard Sheet and the broadside reproduces Hemingway's facetious handwritten remark where he has circled the word "Bastard" in the text: "how did they happen to use this word rather than illegitimate child?" The sheet was produced and sold by the New York booksellers Henry and Margie Cohn of The House of Books, who were friends of Hemingway. A Hemingway rarity. A later facsimile of this item exists, this genuine vintage original is very uncommon.

Item #535876

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Item #535876 Bastard Note. Ernest HEMINGWAY.

Ernest Hemingway
birth name: Ernest Miller Hemingway
born: 7/21/1899
died: 7/2/1961
nationality: USA

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Biography

American novelist and short-story writer, awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1954. His adventuresome life and four marriages were widely publicized. - Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literaturemore

Collecting tips:

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.

Email us to request a printed copy of our catalog of Ernest Hemingway Rare Books and First Editions (or download it via the link as a 3.14 MB pdf file).

We also offer a comprehensive Ernest Hemingway Bibliography and Price Guide.more