Hemingway Ernest




Ernest Hemingway's Personal Photographs taken aboard Pilar, Ca. World War II

Two black and white photographs from the personal collection of American writer Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961). Hemingway snapped the photos aboard his fishing boat Pilar, ca. 1941-1943, when the seasoned war correspondent was operating a spy ring and U-boat patrol off the northern coast of Cuba. Printed on glossy photo paper with deckled edges. One pencil-inscribed verso. In very good to near fine condition, with expected light surface scratches and a few wrinkles. The larger of the two photos measures 5" x 3.75".

The first photograph depicts the "American Museum of Natural History" sign that Hemingway used to disguise his fishing boat, then on active U-boat patrol, as a scientific vessel. The sign is shown perched on the deck of the Pilar. The second photograph depicts an unidentified two-masted sailboat floating off the coast of Havana's El Morro lighthouse and fortress.

Ernest Hemingway was no stranger to warfare; he volunteered as an ambulance driver in Italy during World War I, and served as an American war correspondent during the Spanish Civil War. Thus when World War II broke out, Hemingway was eager to participate. Under the auspices of the U.S. Ambassador to Cuba and later the Office of Naval Intelligence, Hemingway commanded an anti-Fascist cell from the headquarters of his Cuban residence Finca Vigia. The group was tasked to discover the whereabouts of Cuban Fascists, or Falangists, as well as to patrol Cuban waters for German U-boats.

Hemingway, who styled himself "Agent 08," supervised a ragtag network of Cuban locals, Spanish expatriates, and American millionaire adventurers, members of a network they dubbed the "Crime Shop" and the "Crook Factory." At one point, Hemingway's spy ring comprised six full-time agents and 20 part-time informants. Hemingway and his partisans scavenged local bars and wharves for information, and plied the waters off the northwestern Cuban coast, reporting suspicious activity.

Pilar, Hemingway's 85' feet long modified Wheeler Playmate fishing boat, posed as a scientific vessel by posting its spurious museum placard. Such a deception was not at all unreasonable; Hemingway had hosted multiple legitimate Smithsonian and Philadelphia Academy of Natural History scientific expeditions in the Caribbean since he had purchased Pilar in 1934. For 2-month-long stretches, and up to 18 hours a day, Hemingway and his crew trolled the Cuban shore, practicing shooting, throwing grenades, and disabling enemy ships. On December 9, 1942, the Pilar sighted its first and only submarine. It was unable to pursue it because Hemingway's crew got distracted when an oversized barracuda caught one of their fishing lines.

Two incredible mementoes from Hemingway's days as an anti-Fascist Caribbean spymaster!

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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