FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS

FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS First edition, first printing, in first issue dust jacket, Scribner’s, 1940, “A” on copyright page, and no photographer’s name listed under Hemingway photograph. Very good plus condition in a very good plus dust jacket. BENETTA M. SCIUTTO – Benetta D. Merner, before marrying Charles William Sciutto in 1940 Benetta D. Merner was the daughter of GARFIELD D. MERNER and DELIGHT MERNER. Born August 9, 1907 – Died February 9, 1990 Benetta Merner Sciutto was a graduate of Berkeley University with a degree in Education. GARFIELD D. MERNER, 1882 – 1972, was a prominent industrialist and cousin of MARTHA GELLHORN. [Gellhorn is the connection to Ernest Hemingway, having been one of Hemingway’s wives.] GARFIELD MERNER was vice president and general manager of Willia, R. Warner & Co., St. Louis Laboratories, 1908 – 1920. Garfield Merner was the founder and vice president of the Merner Lumber Company, 1923 – 1928. Merner was also a director of the American Red Cross Supply Service during World War II, Pacific Area. Garfield & Delight Merner had a Merner House built in 1924 at Carmel 2 SW of 7th Avenue, a 1-1/2 story Tudor Revival style residence. Designed by William Polk & Co., and built by Ernest Bixler, Carmel, California. House was nicknamed, “Villa Delizia.” This house now on Register of Carmel Historic Buildings. The Merners were involved in the arts community of Carmel, California. Founded Allied Arts Guild in Menlo Park, California. Members of the Sierra Club, where they met Ansel Adams. Adams photographed their house, Villa Delizia, in 1927. Garfield Merner also helped fund The Negro Book by Ansel Adams and Nancy Newhall. Garfield Merner served on the board for the American Foundation for the Blind and was caretaker of the Helen Keller archives. Arts events at Villa Delizia often included Ansel Adams, Kenneth Forbes and other photographers, as well as Eleanor Roosevelt and Ernest Hemingway. Ernest Hemingway’s wife, Martha Gellhorn, was a cousin of Garfield Merner. Hemingway and Gellhorn (married in November 1940) were invited to the wedding of Benetta Merner to William Sciutto in 1941, among many other guests. The wedding party was held at Villa Delizia. This copy of FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS was signed by Hemingway as a wedding gift and presented to Benetta M. Sciutto either at Villa Delizia or sent from Sun Valley, where Hemingway and Martha Gellhorn were staying before leaving for the Far East. Benetta M. Sciutto worked with Bess Adams Garner on the book, MEXICO: Notes in the Margins, with photographs by Garfield Merner and Kenneth Forbes. After their marriage, Benetta and William Sciutto moved to McKevett Heights, across from the Teague Mansion (Charles Collins Teague), Santa Paula, California. This book, FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS, was in their library there and remained after Benetta died in 1990, and after her husband, Bill, died in 2005. The contents of their home were sold by Don & Dee Shorts and the John Nichols Gallery in 2006-2007. COLORADO ARTIFACTUAL.…