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Ernest Hemingway. Three Stories & Ten Poems....
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Description
Ernest Hemingway. Three Stories & Ten Poems. [Paris: Contact Publishing Company, 1923].8vo. Publisher's printed grayish-blue wrappers printed in black, uncut; chemise and clamshell.
FIRST EDITION of Hemingway's first book, one of 300 copies printed. Contains the stories "Up in Michigan," "Out of Season," and "My Old Man," in addition to ten poems. Six of the poems had previously appeared in the magazine Poetry in January 1923; the remaining four poems and all three stories appear here for the first time. Published by Robert McAlmon at his Contact Publishing Co., the book was printed in Dijon by Maurice Darantiere, the same printer Sylvia Beach used for Ulysses the previous year.
It was intended that Three Stories & Ten Poems would precede in our time as Hemingway's first published book. According to Hemingway's inscription to Dr. Guffey, his family doctor, in a copy of in our time, William Bird had that manuscript "long before" Robert McAlmon had Three Stories & Ten Poems set up. Because in our time was sixth in a series, it did not appear until 1924 (Hanneman).
The front blank contains the handwritten address in ink of "9 rue Falguière, Studio 33," and below, in another hand, a name possibly beginning with "Florence" followed by the address, "35 rue de Fleurus / c/o Madame Hutchins." Hemingway's first wife, Hadley, the book's dedicatee, lived at 35 rue de Fleurus following the couple's separation in 1926.
With interesting literary provenance, including the ownership inscription of Michael Meyer, noted translator specializing in Scandinavian literature; also in Meyer's hand are notes of ex libris for both Sidney Keyes and Powys Mathers. Keyes was a noted poet, killed in WWII while serving in North Africa. Mathers, like Meyer, was a translator and, like Keyes, was also a poet. Mathers was also renowned for his complex literary crosswords in The Observer, published under the pseudonym Torquemada.
Condition: Front wrapper split completely along joint; spine and edges lightly toned with a few chips; title written on spine in ink and with a small ink mark on front wrapper; lacking blank leaf following colophon (remnants remain); light marginal toning to text pages.
References: Grissom A.1.1.a; Hanneman A1a.
Provenance: Powys Mathers; Sidney Keynes; Michael Meyer (inked ex-libris for all three previous owners written in Meyer's hand: "Michael Meyer, 1945 / ex libris Sidney Keyes / ex libris Powys Mathers"); Christie's 13 November 2008, lot 196.
Auction Info
2025 December 15 Rare Books Signature® Auction #6323 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
December, 2025
15th
Monday
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