"IF YOU EVER BECOME DISSATISFIED WITH YOUR LIFE WITH BENCHLEY AND THAT WHOLE GIN CRAZED SATURNALIA AND WANT TO LEAD A CLEANER LIFE BRING YOUR SHORTWAVE SET DOWN TO KEY WEST AND WE COULD TRY TO TURN AN HONEST PENNY": 1931 AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED BY HEMINGWAY

HEMINGWAY, Ernest. Autograph letter signed. St. Louis, circa October 1931. One leaf of Hotel Statler stationery, measuring 6 by 9-1/2 inches, writing on recto and verso. $9500.

Fine autograph letter signed from Hemingway to Charles MacGregor, secretary to Robert Benchley, one of the members of the famed Algonquin Round Table in the 1920s.

The recipient of this letter, Charles MacGregor, was the secretary for writer and actor Robert Benchley, a friend of Hemingway's who was one of the central figures of the famed Algonquin Round Table writers of the 1920s. The letter reads, in full: "Dear Mac: -If you have not received the camera it is because it was packed in the trunk Monday morning in my absence and shipped direct for Kansas City by Gabrielle (Gaby) Jacquot Patrick's new nurse. She also packed and shipped all my clean shirts my slippers etc. If they can't fix it in Kansas City maybe I'll send it to you. Owning to the depression the only size 17 plain white shirts with attached collars on sale here are those that have been on sale in the windows. It has not been considered smart business to stock clean shirts until these slightly soiled shirts have been sold at reduced prices. You can get a pretty nice soiled shirt now for around $1.79. If you ever become dissatisfied with your life with [Robert] Benchley and that whole gin crazed Saturnalia and want to lead a cleaner life bring your shortwave set down to Key West and we could try to turn an honest penny running Chinamen. The goddamned Chinamen are still crazy to get into this country and we could bring them in and then have a hearty laugh at their expense. Ernie."

Writing bold and clear. Fine condition.