Saturday, Oct 11, 2014

An extraordinary and unique piece! This telegram, sent to General Franco during the Spanish Civil War, translates as "The Spanish Nationalist Committee sends ten thousand dollars as mediation for those reconquering Spanish soil." Sent by the head of the main Cuban cell of Franco's cause, Elicio Arguelles, whose son (same name) is the fisherman and close friend of Hemingway -- the man who caught the 900-pound marlin in that now historic photo of him with Hemingway and the fish while the movie of OLD MAN AND THE SEA was being filmed in 1956. The wire was ultimately given to Hemingway who (as you can see) signed and dated it for his files.