Ernest Hemingway Signed Photograph. [with] Mary Hemingway Typed Letter Signed.

Rare original black and white photograph of legendary American writer Ernest Hemingway. Black and white matte photograph of Hemingway with his wife Mary and fishing guide Taylor Williams in the trophy room of a club or private home after a day on the water. Inscribed by Ernest Hemingway in black ballpoint at the bottom right corner, "To Taylor Best always 2nd Prize Marlin 1st Prize Dolphin Papa E. Hemingway." Additionally inscribed by Mary Hemingway in black ballpoint above Ernest Hemingway's inscription, "Love to Taylor Mary." This photograph was probably taken in Cuba in the spring of 1953, when Taylor Williams visited Ernest Hemingway to participate in fishing tournaments. A related letter included here documents Hemingway’s invitation to Williams to join him in Cuba and refers to his success in those competitions, including a first-place finish for dolphin and second place for marlin. Hemingway’s friendship with Taylor “Beartracks” Williams, the well-known Sun Valley hunting and fishing guide, dated back to their meeting in Idaho in the late 1930s, after which Hemingway frequently returned to Ketchum before eventually settling there. The spring of 1953 also marked a peak moment in Hemingway’s career and personal life: he had recently written The Old Man and the Sea and received the Pulitzer Prize, and this period preceded the airplane accidents of 1954 and his later forced departure from Cuba during the Castro regime—events that would profoundly affect his final years and contribute to his death in 1961. In near fine condition. The piece measures 8 inches by 10 inches.   Together with two additional glossy photographs of Taylor Williams. The first of Williams holding a fishing rod and fish. The second of Williams and Mary Hemingway standing on a boat proudly holding up a prize swordfish. In near fine to very good condition. The pieces measure 8 inches by 10 inches. Also with a page from a Cuban newspaper, El Avance Criollo, with an image of Hemingway, Mary, Williams, and a prize fish. In near fine condition with toning and mail folds.   Accompanied by a typed letter signed by Mary Hemingway regarding fishing and Papa. One page, on Finca Vigia stationery from San Francisco de Paula, Cuba, dated 27 May 1957, addressed to Williams (as "Colonel"). The letter reads in full, "Dearest Colonel: We finally picked up the photographs at the Floridita, two prints of this same picture, and I must say it does full justice to your distinguished nose. None of us looks as bad as we might have, and that's about all we can expect from photographs these days, I guess. You haven't missed anything super in the fishing here. Papa and I have been out four times, I think, since you left, and one day when there was only very patchy current, we spotted one in the morning, put the bait over him two or three times, he fooling around, teasing us, and Papa finally hooked him and brought him in. That afternoon a little one - 35-40 lbs. took a bait and I got him in with no suffering or nonsense such as I was displaying while you were here. I think the swimming helps ton up the muscles - have done my full half-mile in the pool every day now for a long time. Recently the weather has improved slightly - it waits until afternoon to rain. Otherwise no news - very quiet here, and we miss you every single day, and the Little House, empty, looks forlorn and missing you too. Not having your precise address on the Keys, I'm sending this to S.V., where you'll have it when you arrive. Dearest Taylor - very much love and affections and good wishes from both of us - Mary. Papa reading in his chair says me too." In fine condition with mail folds. The piece measures 5.75 inches by 7.75 inches.