Portland, OR [email protected] 503-319-6358
Pyle, Ernie. Extensive Archive of Ernie Pyle's
Personally Owned Photographs and Ephemera;
Also Included Is More Than 80 Books,
Pamphlets, Photographic Groupings, and
Multiple Signed Items. $22,500
Ernest Taylor Pyle (Aug 3, 1900 – Apr 18, 1945) – Born in small town Dana, Indiana, Pyle rose to the heights of American journalism, earning the Pulitzer Prize for Correspondence in 1944.
Ernie became interested in journalism while attending Indiana University where he worked on the Indiana Daily Student. He left school one semester short of graduating. (Both of his IU yearbook annual s are included in this collection). As a Cub Reporter he earned his journalist chops working on leading newspapers in New York City and Washington D. C. It was there in D. C. that he met his wife, Geraldine Siebolds (Core items in this collection were found in the basement of her family’s home).
Ernie, who was at his best when on the road rather than reporting from behind a desk, was given rein by his employer, Scripps-Howard Newspapers, to travel the country. He quickly became known as a leading journalist of the burgeoning aviation industry. He criss-crossed the country, including Alaska and Hawaii, writing human interest stories which endeared him to his readers. In Dec. 1940 he traveled to England and was one of the first Americans to report on the German bombing of London (Items from that assignment included).
From 1942-44 Ernie reported on the travails and heroism of America’s dog-face soldiers on the front lines of Europe. He often stayed in foxholes and ate field rations with the troops he respected and who loved him in return. He was also known to dine with Generals. Ernie’s by-line was carried by more than 400 Newspapers back home. As the war in the west began to wind down, Ernie packed up and moved to the Pacific. Ernie was killed by a Japanese enemy machine gunner on the island of Ie Shima only a few days into the battle of Okinawa. His wife Geraldine died only six months later.
Provenance: In 1968 these items were discovered at a house sale in Hastings, MN.1 There was a box In the
basement with a large amount of sheet music on top.2 Underneath the music was discovered the Ernie Pyle
ephemera which are the core items in this archive. The purchaser, became infatuated with the charismatic Pyle and then spent the next 50 years developing this unprecedented private collection of Ernie Pyle material. Ernie’s distinct, intentional handwriting on the back of the photographs, 1930’s road maps from Ernie and Jerry’s criss-crossing the country for his fieldwork, Dec ’40 / Jan ’41 British Newspapers from his assignment in London reporting and a book signed by a 15-year old Geraldine, all give propriety to the origin of these items.
1 Geraldine Pyle’s sister and husband Roy D. Johnson lived at 520 River Street according to the 1967-68
Hastings City Phone Book. Geraldine died six months after Ernie and pieces of her estate were dispersed among the family. She is buried in the Afton, MN cemetery, less than 10 miles from where the material was found.
2 It is likely that the sheet music belonged to Pyle’s wife, Jerry. “She played the piano and sang in the church
choir and as soloist at functions.” Miller, Lee, “The Story of Ernie Pyle”, The Viking Press, 1950
"No man in this war has so well told the story of the American fighting man as American fighting men wanted it told. He deserves the gratitude of all his countrymen.” – President Harry Truman
ERNIE PYLE - PERSONAL ARCHIVE
A1a. Eighteen Photos (18) with Ernie’s writing on the rear, documenting his trip to Alaska in 1937, 5.5” x 3.25”,
A1b. Thirteen (13) Photographs (2 with Ernie’s handwriting on the rear), 8” x 10” of Ernie with early aviators, Troops in both theaters and receiving an honorary degree. Nine (9) Photos (3 with Ernie’s notes on the rear) A1c. Five (BW Photos) of Ernie in El Paso (Stamped; Nov 15,
1939 / Schumann’s Panel Art) and Colorado (July 2, 1941 – James S. Holme, Yale Camera Exchange) 5.5” x 4”.
A1d. Twelve (12) Photographs of Ernie with the troops, Most stamped “SECRET” or CLASSIFIED until re-classified”. A1e. Eight (8) Photos of Ernie with soldiers, and airmen, and a little girl sitting on a Great Dane and a few early photos of his wife.
A1f. 28 State Maps and 10 pieces of Assorted ephemera from the San Francisco World’s Fair of 1939. Commercial Travel Maps, Conoco, etc.
A2. Six (6) copies of “The War”, #’s 59, 66-70, Dec 6, 1940, Jan 24 – Feb 21 1941.
A3. Fifteen (15) copies of “The War Illustrated”, Nos. 66 -#80 (Dec 6, 1940 – Mar 14 1941), 11.5” x 8.75”, 32 pp. with red highlights on the cover, two staple spines. Dozens of B&W Photos highlighting soldiers, battles, geography, the enemy and other aspects of the early days of the War. VG with light edge wear.
A4. Nine (9) Copies of “The Illustrated London News”, Dec 21, 1940 – March 15, 1941, 14” x 10”, 32 pp. of photographs, articles and personalities shaping the progress of the
War. Two staples on spine, A5. Roche, Regina Maria. The Children Of The Abbey. Chicago: M. A. Donohue & Company, nd. Complete Edition. SIGNED TWICE "Geraldine Siebolds, April 5, 1915" 7.5" x 4.75", pp. 4-585 with pp. of advertisements. Cracked spine. Poor. This book was found in the box of Ernie Pyle photographs. Geraldine (Jerry) was his wife.
A6. Other Ephemera from his travels including: Brochures from Panama Canal Zone, Glacier National Park, Great Smokey’s National Park, The San Francisco World’s Fair and The Great Northern Railway. Also, there are a dozen postcards Ernie collected across American from Washington D. C. to Hotel Californian
COLLECTION HIGHLIGHTS
C1. SIGNED B&W Photograph of Ernie Pyle relaxing in a wingback chair. “To Jimmy Mars / from Ernie Pyle” Three old adhesive spots on rear, crease line on front left, signed with steel tip blue ink fountain pen.
C2. Original Typed Manuscript, “The Invasion of Sicily, July 10 – August 18” 35 pp. single spaced typed in manila folder, stapled in top left corner.
C3. Pyle, Ernie. Brave Men. New York: Henry Holt, 1944. Stated First Printing. SIGNED "Ernie Pyle" on ffe. 8.25' x 5.25", pp. 1-474, ex-libris bookplate of Julia Woods and small New Mexico Bookstore label on rep. Very nice copy of this book with a chipped DJ and wear along the extremities. Near fine in good dust jacket. Beige cloth over boards with titling in brown on the spine.
C4. Pyle, Ernie. Here Is Your War. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1943. First Edition. INSCRIBED "For Gaffer and Gammer Perkins - from Ernie Pyle" on ffe. 8.25" x 5.5", pp 1-304 with a periodic illustrations throughout by Carol Johnson. Good + in Good dust jacket. Brown cloth over boards with titling in silver.
C5. Pyle, Ernie Here Is Your War. Overseas Gift Edition. SIGNED
C6. Three Checks from the Union Trust Company SIGNED by Ernie Pyle, Nov. 5, 1930; $13.35, Nov 12, 1942; $100 Dec 11, 1944; $300.00 Dec 19, 1944.
PHOTOGRAPHS OF ERNIE PYLE
A File of 120 Photographs of Ernie Pyle, his career and events of WW II. Most are 8” x 10”, stamped Press photo on the rear or annotated on the front. Some of these photos have never before been published.
Photographs of Ernie prior to 1940 are relatively rare, especially those from his early days covering aviation and during his coverage of the London Blitz. (More available on request)
With Geraldine
Reporting from London
Schmoozing with Bob Hope
Cropped AP Photo
Burgess Meredith on the set Autograph for the troops
BOOKS BY ERNIE PYLE
Yearbooks from Ernie’s two years at Indiana University
B1. The Arbutus of Indiana University; A Review of Student Life and the Growth of Indiana. Bloomington, IN: The Senior Class, 1922. 10.5" x 7.5". pp. 2-368, with a color photo of the Student Building tipped in on p. 2. Sections are separated by a blue page of non-coated paper and gold illustration and border. Ernie appears in this year book three times, p. 197 on the Daily Student (School Newspaper) page, listed as City Editor, First Semester; p. 200 on the Arbutus Staff page, listed as Activities editor; page 226 with his Sigm[a] Alpha Epsilon fraternity along with his cousin Dale Pyle. Binding a little loose as this is a heavy weight paper, binding is lightly scuffed along the edges and head and tail of spine. No signatures noted in the book. Very good.
B2. The Arbutus of Indiana University; A Review of Student Life and the Growth of Indiana.
Bloomington, IN: The Senior Class, 1922. 10.5" x 7.5". pp. 8-384, Sections are separated by a tan subject page of non-coated paper and tan illustrations and border. Ernie appears in this year book three times, p. 50 along with other members of the Class of 1923, listing all of his school activities; p. 244 with his Sigma Alpha Epsilon brothers; p. 290 amongst the other Arbutus Staff. Front endpaper cracked, cover being attached with mull, cover scuffed and wear at head of spine. No signatures noted in the book. Very good in not issued dust jacket.
B3. Pyle, Ernie. Ernie Pyle in England. New York: Robert M. McBride, 1945. Stated First Edition. 7.25" x 5", pp. xii, 1-228, uncut fore edge. Bumping at the extremities, but no wear through. PC dust jacket has light wear at head and tail of spine and corners. Fine in good dust jacket. Written in diary / dispatch style, Pyle tells the story of England's courage and spirit to withstand the hardships of war. Grey cloth over boards with the title and a profile of bombed out building on cover and spine in red.
B4. Pyle, Ernie. Here Is Your War. Cleveland, OH: The World Publishing Company, June 1945. First Motion Picture Edition. 8.25" x 5.5", pp 1-246, with a periodic illustrations throughout by Carol Johnson and 7 pp. of stills from the movie starring Burgess Meredith. Bookplate of "Floss and George" on
dedication page. Red top edge and uncut fore edge, very light fade to the top right corners on some pages. Pictorial endpapers with scenes from the war.. DJ has light
wear at corners and top of spine with one small closed tear. Very good in very good dust jacket. Green cloth over board with titling in silver and Forum's logo on the front cover.
B5. Pyle, Ernie. Home Country. New York: William Sloane Associates, 1947. BOMC. 8.25" x 5.5", pp. vii, 3-472. Top edge blued, bumped at the corners, wear at head and foot of spine. DJ is chipped, especially at the spine and edges with a tear at base of spine. Good + in less than good dust jacket. Maroon faux leather with labeling on the spine blocked in blue.
B6. Pyle, Ernie. Last Chapter. New York: Henry Holt, 1946. Stated First Printing. 8.25" x 5.25", pp. 1-150 with 16 pp. of B&W photos of Pyle in the Pacific during the final days of the war and of his life. A label for the Charles P. McClelland Prize awarded to an 8th grade student who has shown great promise is affixed to the fe. DJ has a few tiny, closed tears along the edges and wear at the corners. Very good in near VG dust jacket. Bright green cloth over boards with gilt titling blocked in grown on the spine and a brown soldiers helmet on the cover.
"Written in pink icing on top of the white cake were the words" "Welcome aboard, Mr. Pyle." I was so taken aback at being called "Mr. Pyle" that I didn't recognize the name at first. I was pleased and embarrassed by this first official cake of my lifetime..." (p 60)
B7. Pyle, Ernie, Edited with an introduction by Owen V. Johnson. At Home with Ernie Pyle.
Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 2016. First Edition. 9" x 6", pp. x, 2-408, with 10 pp. of B&W photos. Written by one of the foremost Ernie Pyle scholars, Mr. Johnson is Professor Emeritus of IU journalism. As new in as new dust jacket. Deep maroon cloth over boards with titling in gilt on spine and cover.
"Pyle reveled in the environment. Less than a year out of college, he was writing about life in the nation's capital." (p 13)
B8. Pyle Ernie, With an Introduction by Paul Tibbets. On A Wing And A Prayer; The Aviation Columns of Ernie Pyle. The Friends of Ernie Pyle, 1995. First Printing. 9" x 6", pp. xii, 2-126, Near as new in not issued dust jacket. Card wrappers in blue with white titling.
PAMPHLETS, MAGAZINES, NEWSPAPERS
D1. Army Ordnance Supplement, Vol. XXVII, No. 147, Nov-Dec 1944, pp. 1-13, “Ernie Pyle Reports on Ordnance” in Normandy, July 25, 1944.
D2. From the Journal of Ernie Pyle, 1900-1945, Comments on Glass, Aug 30-Sept 4, 1941. Privately Printed by Libby Glass, Toledo Ohio, 1945.
D3. The Record of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, May 1944, Vol. LXIC, Number 2. Ernie Pyle on the Cover. Rare.
D4. “The Hiway Traveler”, Oct-Nov, 1940, Vol. XII, No. 5. “Ernie Pyle Crosses the Continent”, Pyle travels from NY to SF by Greyhound bus and from this experience wrote a series articles for Scripps.
D5. The Reader’s Digest, September 1944, pp. 1-128, “Ernie Pyle’s War”, Condensed from Time, July 17, 1944. Good.
D6. The Reader’s Digest, March 1944, p. 1 – 128, “Captain Waskow’s Men Say Good-Bye”, by Ernie Pyle, Condensed from New York World-Telegram, January 16, 1944. Good.
D7. Omnibook Magazine, March 1945, Abridged printing of “Brave Men” by Ernie Pyle. Fine
D8. Omnibook Magazine, September 1947, Abridged printing of “Home Country” by Ernie Pyle, Fine.
D10. Images of Brown County, Ernie Pyle, 1980, The Museum Shop, Indianapolis, IN, pp. 3-38. This booklet contains the unedited
newspaper columns and the images of Brown County 1940, as seen through the eyes of native Hoosier Ernie Pyle.
D11. Reprinting of the “Fifteen Previously Unpublished Articles of World War II by Ernie Pyle. 1987, USS Cabot CVL 28 Association Reunion.
D12. “Buddy” Ernie Pyle World War II’s Most Beloved Typewriter Soldier, Rudy Faircloth, 1982, Souvenir Edition, Atlantic Publishing Company.
D13. Ernie Pyle In The American Southwest, Richard Melzer Sunstone Press, 1996 Santa FE, NM. Pp. 5-176 with protective mylar applied, ex-libris Shawano City Library.
D14. Gatlinburg And The Great Smokies, Ernie Pyle, Printed by Marion Mangrum, 1952, Gaitlinburg, TN.Reprint of 11 columns by Pyle written in the Fall of 1940.
D15. Newsweek, April 30, 1945, Vol XXV, No. 18, Dayton, OH, Weekly Publications, Ernie Pyle’s Obituary. D16. The New York Times Book Review, Section 7, October 31, 1943, pp. 1-48, “Here Is Your War”, Henry Holt.
D17. The New York Times Book Review, Nov. 26, 1944, complete Section 7, With Ernie Pyle on front page and a glowing review of h9s book “Brave Men” D18. Yank – The Army Weekly, Oct 6, 1944 and May 18, 1945, includes articles about Erne Pyle.
D19. Time, The Weekly Magazine, April 30, 1945 – Pyle’s Obituary.
D20. Time – The Weekly Magazine, July 17, 1944, Vo. XLIV, Number 3, Ernie Pyle on the cover.
D21. Time – The Weekly Magazine, Pacific Edition, July 17, 1944, Vol XLIV, Pyle on the Cover, Fine.
D22. Time, Number 3, Vol. XLIV, July 17, 1944, Pacific Pony Edition printed in Hawaii, with Ernie Pyle on the Cover. Very Good.
D23. Theater Arts, September 1945, “The Story of G. I. Joe”, with Burgess Meredith as Ernie Pyle on the cover.
D24. The Saturday Review of Literature, Nov. 25, 1944, Vol XXVII, No. 48, Review of “Brave Men”, p. 7.
D25. Five (5) Newspapers reporting on the death of Ernie Pyle, “Stars and Stripes”, “The Fort Worth Telegram”, ‘The Cinncinati Post”, “L. A. Daily News”, “Indianapolis Time”.
D26. McCalls Magazine, June 1950, “The Untold Story of Ernie Pyle”.
D27. Three (3) Life Magazines, October 2, 1944, November 15, 1943, April 2, 1945.
EPHEMERA
E2. IE Shima Diary. Mimeograph copy of the day-by-day events from January 24 – Sept 2, 1945 of the events which occurred on IE Shima, including the death of Ernie Pyle. Includes pictures of Commanding BG Charles E. Thomas of the 77th
Infantry Division as well as the soldiers and events of subduing the island. This copy belonged to the Jewish Chaplain Perlay. Fine.
E3. Dedication Program of the Ernie Pyle Plaque at Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, Oct 5, 1953, 4 pp. 9” x 6’, Address delivered by GEN Omar Bradley and remarks by Dwight Eisenhower. Fine.
E4. Twenty-eight (28) of 1945 Postal History Covers, Forty (40) of the 1971 First Day Covers with Pyle caches., and Twenty-three (23) and 1 folder of 6 Postcards, Autograph card and matchbook from the Ohio Match Co. Los Angeles. Four of the 1945 covers are postmarked April 18, 1945, the day Ernie Pyle was killed.
E5. Five (5) Vintage advertisements, excised from the magazine.
E6. “Story of GI Joe”, promotional fold-out, 12” x 17”, red toned inside, blue toned outside, minor dog-ear, otherwise Fine.
E7. U. S. Camera, October 1945, with a full-page advertisement for Graflax, featuring Ernie’s favorite Photo of himself.
E8. Peace – Christmas 1945, Photo poster of Dean Cornwell’s original oil painting as a tribute to the men who made that Peace. 16” x 11”, 2 staple holes at the top, crease at the bottom, taken out of True Magazine.
E9. Pyle, Ernie, “Here Is Your War”, July 1944, Pocket Books Edition, 1st
Printing July, New York, PB with pictorial wraps, VG. E10. Pyle, Ernie, “Here is Your War”, Lancer Books, New York, pp. 5-272, PB with pictorial wraps. VG.
E11. Pyle, Ernie, “Here is Your War”, Armed Services Edition, Inc. A non-profit organization sponsored by The Council on Books in Wartime, New York. pp. 1-345, crinkled cover, previous owner last name on title page, 1-staple binding, G+ E12. Pyle, Ernie, “Brave Men, Armed Services Edition, Inc. A non-profit
organization sponsored by The Council on Books in Wartime, New York. pp. 1-345, crinkled cover, previous owner last name stamped on title page, 1-staple binding, G+
E13. “Let’s Visit Lancashire” – 16 mm Newsreel in can. Includes multiple shorts including several minute profile of Ernie Pyle.
E14. “G. I. Joe, The Ernie Pyle Story”, DVD, Special Edition Director’s Cut, Copyright 2013, MyMar Entertainment Inc. www.maymarfilms.com. The History Channel, Unsung Heroes: Ernie Pyle – The Voice of G. I. Joe, “G. I. Joe Ernie Pyle: A Front Line Portrait of a True American Hero”, White Star
NEWSPAPER SCRAPBOOKS
SB1. 84 pp. of original Newspaper clippings from the Des Moines Register of Pyle’s dispatches. More than 200 age faded clippings from January 1943 to April of 1945. 14” x 12”, tooled cover scrapbook with pages tied by string
SB2. 20 pp. scrap book of 40+ original newspaper clippings from Pyle by-line from March 21 – April 18 1945 all focusing on Pyle’s time in Okinawa. 12” x 14”, Naugahyde cover with double sided mylar encased pages
SB3. 26 pp. of original Newspaper clippings from the Knoxville News-Sentinel and San Francisco News, mostly focused on the death and legacy of Ernie Pyle. 12” x 12”, faux leather cover with two metal stud binders, plastic enveloped pages with articles inserted on both sides.
SB4. 48 pp. Scrapbook of reproduction photographs, advertisements, pamphlet covers, and movie scenes representing a pictorial history of the life of Ernie Pyle. 12” x 13”, Green album cover with double sided plastic sleeves and items affixed with corner tabs.
SB5. 60 pp. Scrapbook of Pyle’s byline articles, “Touring with Ernie Pyle”, written while he was in Italy and England. 11” x 8.5”, Black tooled cover bound with string. Half of the pages have deteriorated from the binding holes.
SB6. 60 pp. Scrapbook of original Pyle bylines titled, “Roving Reporter”, excised from the newspapers and tipped onto the pages. 12” x 12” bright red scrapbook bound with matching color string n two holes.
SB7. 70 pp. of Pyle dispatches with the title, “Ernie Pyle” from the Minneapolis Morning Tribune dated from July 13, 1944 to March 26, 1945. Articles taped in at the corners. 14” x 12” Brown tooled scrapbook cover with two-hole string binding.
SB8. 28 pp. scrap book with clipped newspaper articles, all featuring a photo of Pyle beneath the headline. Black cloth scrapbook with metal stud binding and plastic encased pages with articles on both sides.
LIBRARY OF ERNIE PYLE BIOGRAPHERS
This is an extensive library of mostly first edition biographies of Ernie Pyle. Condition is mostly VG – F. Descriptive bibliography and photographs available upon request.
Bales, Bob. Ernie Pyle; A Hoosier Childhood. The Rivendale Book Factory, 2002. Limited Edition. Bales, Bob and Trail Notes by Ed Ainsworth. Ernie Pyle's Southwest. Palm Desert, CA: Desert-Southwest, Inc., 1965. First Edition.
Boomhower, Ray E. The Soldier's Friend; A Life of Ernie Pyle. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Society Press, 2011.
Brady, Tim. A Death In San Pietro; The Untold Story of Ernie Pyle, John Huston and the Fight for Purple Heart Valley. Boston, MA: De Capo Press, 2013. First Edition.
Martin, Ralph G. The GI War 1941-1945. Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1967. Stated First Edition. Miller, Lee G. An Ernie Pyle Album; Indiana to Ie Shima. New York: William Sloane, 1946. Stated First Printing.
Miller, Lee G. The Story of Ernie Pyle. New York: Viking Press, 1950. First Edition.
Nichols, Dave, Forward by Charles Kuralt. Ernie's America; The Best of Ernie Pyle's1930's Travel Dispatches. New York: Random House, 1989. Stated First Edition
Nichols, Dave, Forward by Studs Terkel. Ernie's War; The Best of Ernie Pyle's World War II Dispatches. New York: Random House, 1986. First Edition
Randle, Edwin H. Ernie Pyle Comes Ashore And Other Stories. Clearwater, FL: The Eldnar Press, 1972. Limited Edition to 750 copies.
Tobin, James. Ernie Pyle's War; America's Eyewitness to World War II. New York: The Free Press, 1997. First Edition.
Wilson, Ellen, Illustrated by Paul Laune. Ernie Pyle; Boy from Back Home. Indianapolis: The Boobs-Merrill Company, Inc., 1955. Stated First Edition
