I wonder how much of an issue it would be to have the standard single Superposed trigger exchanged for two? I just don't like single trigger double barreled shotguns and I've got a few.

BTW: A few mushroom tops from the proper shrume just might do the trick. Hard to do to a friend tho, unless of course it is a very, very nice shotgun.

Grantham, I found this forum because I saw your knowledgeable posts about Hemmingway. I have been doing some research on him as well as Pauline Pfeiffer, who was my great aunt. Virginia Pfeiffer was my grandmother.

Since you seemed to know some fairly random facts about my family I am very interested in learning more from you. For instance, do you know anything about a possible acquaintance/friendship between Ernest, Pauline or Ginny and Alexander Calder, the sculptor? I have been doing research on Calder as well and have come across some possible ties, but nothing concrete. That possible connection gave me some excitement. :-)

I know joining a gun forum is a very strange way to initiate such a conversation, but you peaked my interest with you clearly educated interest in Ernest.

You can continue a conversation with me via email directly, if that is allowed? dragonpriestess32@yahoo.com.

I look forward to possibly learning more about my family through you.

Thanks!

This may be the gun that surfaced at an obscure auction house outside of Elmira NY years ago. Shown in the catalog lot description was also the leg-o-mutton case for the gun with Hemingway's name on it, and a framed black & white photograph of Hemingway seated on a metal folding chair, surrounded by bird boys and his favorite guide, with a pile of doves just after a shoot in Cuba. As the story was related to me, Ugo Beretta sent the USA rep to the auction specifically to buy the gun so it could be returned for exhibition by Beretta. As I recall the gun sold in the low $20-thousands. The photograph may be worth as much or more than the gun.

Hemingway's Beretta O/U is a famous gun. I saw a detailed article on it not too long ago....a few years. I do not know where the gun is now. Hem bought it himself. I believe it had two triggers. Fully engraved. He left an O/U in Cuba and Castro used to go to the home there, borrow it and shoot it. I think he returned it.

He also used a Browning Superposed. (Maybe that was the gun with two triggers?) I bought both an old model 12 and well used Superposed so I could shoot birds like Hemingway used to. Now I need a boat to fish in the Caribbean and a few best sellers.

I was able to see and handle Hemingway's Beretta at the Vintage Cup in Millbrook. I was thrilled. Of course I also have a Mannlicher 6.5 carbine for deer hunting. And an old wooden boat...

I can recommend "With Hemingway-A year in Key West and Cuba" by Arnold Samuelson for a glimpse into the life of Hemingway and Pauline. He was there.

Concerning Hemingway and Calder. In the past year I have read three Hemingway related books. One is the novel of he and Hadley in Paris, another is the bio written by Valery Hemingway, Gregory's widow. She was Ernest's final literary secretary and was with him for, as I recall, his final three years. She married Gigi, Hem's strange, troubled son who became an MD and then turned himself into a female. The other is a newly edited "A Moveable Feast". Mary edited the one most of us read years ago. This new one IMHO is much better.

In one of those books a story is related about Hemingway knowing Calder during the Paris days with Hadley. As the story goes he purchased a painting from Calder and he kept it for the rest of his life. It might be in the Finca Vegia (probably misspelled).

In short, Ernest did know Calder when both were young men in Paris.

This is as close as I have been able to come to owning a Mannlicher Schoenauer like Hem's. He did buy one of these for Mary, I believe. Pauline's were 1903 models. This is a 1952 carbine in 30-06. A good woods gun for elk.

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/a.../rifles021.jpg

In his final years Hem said that he should have stayed married to Hadley, who was 9 years his senior. He said she was his most true and loving and dedicated to his welfare, of his wives. Valerie Hemingway, said that Ernie would not allow Martha Gillhorn's name mention in his presence. I guess she broke his heart. She was also a better war correspondent than he was. She became bitter in her later life, because all she was remember for was being one of Ernie's many wives, which urked her.

A bit off the topic but a good friend of mine has a Browning double/single trigger O/U. Use it as a double trigger or pull the same trigger twice to fire the second barrel. I would imagine that if a trigger problem happened it would be a nightmare to repair.

Daryl, It was a nightmare just reading that.....:rotf:

Thank you, Steve! This has been quite helpful. I will look into those books. :-)