Hemingway's Guns- great read indeed

[Kevin McCormack]

Originally Posted by Rodney Sayre

I was just in NY City at the Beretta store and was amazed to find one of Hemingway's O/U Beretta displayed in the store. I was very pleased apparently he must have owned it while living in Key West for they said he bird hunted in Cuba with it. A must see if you are in NY City.

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.

[Stepmac]

Originally Posted by Kevin McCormack

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.