Ernest & Pauline Hemingway Signed Trust Agreement, Ca. 1930

TDS, 10pp, measuring 8.75" x 11.25", dated February 18, 1930, New York. A Trust Agreement created by Ernest Hemingway and then-wife Pauline while the couple was living in Florida. Signed on individual lines located on lower right corner of page 7 "Ernest Hemingway" and "Pauline Pfeiffer Hemingway". Booklet is bound by two staples along left side edge, with cover and contents exhibiting light toning, markings, and flattened folds throughout. Very good condition with fantastic connections to the Hemingway family.

In the agreement, they name Ernest's mother Grace Hall Hemingway and sister Carol as beneficiaries to a portion of his estate. In the event of Hall Hemingway's death, they split the trust into fifths, with 1/5th each going to siblings Leicester, Carol, Ursula, and Madelaine, while 2/5ths would go to Pauline. An excerpt from section 1, page 2 reads in part: "… to pay or apply the balance, hereinafter sometimes called 'Net Income', at least quarterly during the lifetime of Grace Hall Hemingway, now or formerly residing at #600 North Kenilworth Avenue, Oak Park, Illinois…" 

Ernest Hemingway met Pauline Pfeiffer in Paris while still married to his first wife, Hadley Richardson. The two began a complicated extramarital affair, which resulted in Hemingway separating from Richardson in 1927, after which he married Pauline in May of that year. The two mainly created this Trust in order to fund his sister Carol's education, who enrolled in Rollins College in 1929, awarding the balances of the net income to his mother as a way to support her and his siblings still living at home (i.e. fifteen-year-old Leicester).

Grace Hall Hemingway (1872-1951) was an American opera singer, music teacher, and painter, and was the mother of Marcelline, Ernest, Ursula, Madelaine, Carol, and Leicester Hemingway. Ernest had a notably complicated relationship with his mother, often feeling pressured by her overbearing presence. Indeed, Ernest often blamed his mother for his father's death after he committed suicide in 1928. While Hall Hemingway was included in the Trust, it can be inferred that Ernest did so unwillingly if only for the sake of his younger siblings.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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