LOT Old Heritage Auctions  /  2007 Apr Books, Manuscripts & Autographs #658  / 

25354

Original Signed Sketch of Ernest Hemingway

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:750.00 USD Estimated At:3,000.00 - 5,000.00 USD
Original Signed Sketch of Ernest Hemingway
<B>Original Signed Sketch of Ernest Hemingway for the Dust Jacket of the First Edition of <I>The Sun Also Rises</B></I>.</B></I> This is the original pencil sketch that appeared on the back panel of the dust jacket of Hemingway's wildly successful first novel. The pencil sketch is signed by the artist just underneath the portrait, "<I>John Blomshield Paris 1925</B></I>".<BR><BR>Below the artist's signature is what appears to be Hemingway's full signature, though we are unable to offer a consensus authentication. In a letter from the great niece of John Blomshield that accompanies this lot, she states that "We know that John left his native Michigan in his early twenties, to seek fortune in the 'City of Light' and that he spent several years in Paris, but can find no written record of how his path crossed that of Ernest Hemingway. How did this rising young author become the object of a sketch by this struggling young artist? Perhaps it was in one of those smoky Paris cafés where Hemingway liked to eat, drink and write. We have no way of knowing. It does seem probable, however, that John was acquainted with Hemingway in Paris, at least on a casual basis. They had several things in common. They were both about the same age, both were born and raised in the same part of Michigan (it's even been said that the two might have known each other there), both had ventured abroad, and both had been drawn to Paris in pursuit of their art. They probably traveled in the same circles with other expatriate writers and artists dwelling in Paris at the time, including ones that later became famous, such as Ezra Pound, Gertrude Stein, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Picasso…Family oral history has it that, after sitting for the sketch, Hemingway was so impressed with it that he insisted it was going to be on the cover of his upcoming novel and that he then autographed it at John's request."<BR><BR>Whether or not Hemingway actually signed this beautiful sketch does not detract from its allure. The fact remains that it is an important piece of Hemingway memorabilia signed by the artist. It is the original sketch of a young Hemingway in the thick of The Lost Generation, when some of the most important art and literature of the twentieth century was being created in Paris. The sketch visible through the mat measures 9" x 11.25" and is framed to an overall size of 14.5" x 19.5". The sketch itself is in near mint condition, though there is a small tear to the mat inside the frame, not affecting the sketch, and only mentioned for complete accuracy. A slipcased reprint of the first edition of <I>The Sun Also Rises</B></I> accompanies this lot, showing how the sketch was represented on the book that made Hemingway a household name.<BR><BR><b>Shipping:</b> Framed - with Glass, Medium (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.heritageauctions.com/common/shipping.php">view shipping information</a>)
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