Ernest Hemingway is an author whose appeal is remarkably democratic, his work highly valued both by academics and readers alike. This shared appreciation for Ernest Hemingway books is perhaps due to his famously straightforward style of writing, his exploration of universal themes, and his vivid public image as ‘more than an author’. Indeed, as a cultural figure, he has become iconic in all his various personas, from the young hedonist carousing with the literati of Paris’ Left Bank, to the mellowed-out ‘Papa’ passing his days fishing off the coast of Cuba. Even his more unsavoury characteristics – the enthusiasm for blood-sports and the casualties of his personal life – have added something to his legend (if only to confirm him as a villain in the eyes of some).
Hemingway is perhaps slightly unusual as a literary figure in that he is read almost as much as he is talked about, and enjoyed great popularity and success within his own lifetime. For collectors, this creates a distinct problem: it can be tricky to get hold of a Hemingway first edition that has not been well-used. Here, we introduce the core titles that should form the basis of a Ernest Hemingway books collection, touching on their rarity and issue points.
Three Stories & Ten Poems – Hemingway’s first published work impressed critics with his initial experimentation, Edmund Wilson of the Dial stating that the ‘prose is of the first distinction’. The work was published privately in Paris and had a run of just 300, making it a scarce item, and difficult to acquire. At the time of writing, copies start at about five figures.
In Our Time – In this collection of short stories, first published in 1924, we start to see familiar Hemingway tropes come to the fore, with bullfighting, war, and contemporary historical events featuring. Like Three Stories, In Our Time was published in Paris and had an even more limited run of 170. Most of the remaining copies are in extremely fragile condition, but any condition available is extremely valuable. The most sought-after version is that with the publisher’s glassine cover. Copies are currently valued within five figures.
The Sun Also Rises – One of the works for which Hemingway is best-known, embodying the post-war expatriate generation. The first editions of this book can be identified by the misprint ‘stoppped’ on page 181, and the jacket incorrectly cites Hemingway’s earlier title as ‘In Our Times’. The freshest copies tend to be sold around the high five-figure mark, and are remarkably rare in the dust jacket. Copies without jackets are still desirable but more affordable.
A Farewell to Arms – Set during the First World War, A Farewell to Arms is regarded as Hemingway’s most moving and resonant work. The trade issue tends to hold value if it comes with the dust jacket. A unique feature of this first run is that there is no legal disclaimer on page x, which was introduced into subsequent printings. There also exists a limited edition run of 520, signed by Hemingway, representing the only limited-edition series that Hemingway did. These are valued in the five figures.
Death in the Afternoon – Hemingway’s first non-fiction work, which explores the subject matter for which he would derive a portion of his fame: bullfighting. The book explores the history and traditions of the sport, as well as themes of death and courage. There were 10,300 copies published, with the distinctive jacket. A first edition tends to fetch four figures.
For Whom the Bell Tolls – Hemingway returns to the topic of war in this work, with a focus on the Spanish Civil War. The book was published in two issues, trade and signed, and – when accompanied by the original jacket – in the low thousands. Concurrently, an inscribed edition was published. Depending on the recipient, these works have a market value of roughly £15,000. However, there also exists an extremely rare advance issue of 15 copies. Hemingway was given seven copies to present to friends and the rest were given to the publisher to distribute. These are roughly valued in the six figures.
The Old Man and the Sea – This is a sparse and metaphorical novella for which Hemingway won the Nobel Prize in 1954, and is possibly his most enduring of all the Ernest Hemingway books. Owing to his much larger popularity by this point in his life, 50,000 were published. However, it is rare to find an edition with the beautiful original dust jacket and in good condition. This edition ranges within in the low four figure mark.
If you are interested in building a collection, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us for a consultation. You can also check out more of our Ernest Hemingway books on his author page on the Peter Harrington site.
