|
|
|
|
|
|
Italian Fascist
Page 2
 Avanti! |
|
||||||||||
|
Mussolini Table Knife (Item I-FAS 2-1; AH 15-2) |
||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION: This is a grand piece of Wellner table service—a dinner knife in the traditional German style with the fasces of Rome raised in high relief on the handle. It has the crown moon and ‘800’ along with the Imperial-style eagle stamped at the top of the grip on the blade (Nicht Rostend), “stainless.” This is a very historic piece made by the same silversmiths that made the silverware for Adolf Hitler. The purpose of this was to honor the guests among the high dignitaries who visited Germany and the NS leaders. The set of Italian service was kept in the Führerbau in the Königsplatz in Munich. This is where the most important guests to the Führer and party had their diplomatic meetings. Here is where Hitler met with Britain’s Neville Chamberlain and Italy’s Benito Mussolini for the famous Munich conference of September 29, 1938. This was actually a four-power conference with Edouard Daladie of France having a little bit of a say, also. Many Italian dignitaries, including Count Ciano Mussolini’s son-in-law and chief of the Italian press corps and Undersecretary of State for Press and Propaganda (1934) also met there. He was also a highly placed member of the Fascist Grand Council. Many other Italian leaders of military and political fame visited the Führerbau and it was for this reason that the Italienischer Abendessensatz was created. This set of Besteck, or dinnerware, was brought out only when some of these honored guests and allies were present for dinner, and this is the one and only piece of this exceedingly rare set that we have ever seen or been able to acquire. It is much rarer by far than the Hitler silverware for the fact that the Führer’s sets numbered many groupings at the Reichs’ Chancery, the Berghof, the Prinzregentplatz apartment, the Brown house, and dozens of hotels that he frequented during the era of the Reich, but this set was to be found in only one place and that was in Munich’s Führerbau and there only. So in comparison with the prices brought for AH silverware today, the price we set on this very rare relic cannot seem too bad at all.
PRICE: SOLD |
|
||
|
Period Picture of Il Duce (Item I-FAS 2-2) |
||
| DESCRIPTION: Here is a very nice picture of Benito Mussolini from 1938. It is a period picture on a card stock, heavy paper. There is a printed facsimile statement that I can’t read and his facsimile signature. The piece would be even greater if someone had not set something on it many years ago that stained it on the right side. This stain would be removable with the methods of today, but I certainly can’t remove them or cover them. This would be a great item to frame for a WWII collection. Remember, it is not a modern copy. It is an actual period picture of the great man. It measures 8 x 11 1/2 inches.
PRICE: $120.00 |
|
|||||||||||
|
Rome-Berlin Axis Stickpin (Item I-FAS 2-3; PINS 4-18) |
|||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION: This is very neat little silver stickpin designed and produced in silver by a jeweler extraordinaire, who designed for and produced silver jewelry for several of the companies which provided insignia, jewelry, and souvenirs for the military and the public, at large. Several years ago we were fortunate enough to be able to buy a very vast grouping of articles from him at a show in Germany. These were articles that he preserved at the end of the war and they remained hidden for around 60 years. To see the story of how these stickpins came into our possession see the section title “About Our Rings.” The stickpin we proudly offer here, we think, is one of his best as far as design. He made these to commemorate the Rome-Berlin Axis of 1936. It depicts the two heads of state: Adolf Hitler of Germany, and Benito Mussolini of Italy, with the words: “Roma-Berlino” on a column emanating from a swastika. The resemblances are great! The Rome-Berlin Axis originated in October 1936, with an accord reached by Hitler and Mussolini. The axis was solidified by an Italian-German Alliance in May 1939. Later, this was known as “The Pact of Steel.” The stickpin crafted in silver bears the silver designation mark of “800” on the back. For a stickpin it is unusually large (about 1 inch high). It was originally made for distribution in Italy, thus the Italian spelling of the names of the cities (Roma, Berlino), but the old gentleman said it caught on with the German public as well and thousands were ordered by the retail companies in the German homeland. They were made in brass, copper, and silver; the latter in rather limited issue. This is one of the greatest stickpins that we have ever come across, and you will appreciate it, as well.
PRICE: $450.00 |
|
||||||||
|
Box-Länderkampf (Boxing Matches) between Italy and Germany (Item I-FAS 2-4; OLY 6-11) |
||||||||
| DESCRIPTION: This is a beautiful enameled medallion that must have been a prize for the winning team or individual participation. There were many such matches between these two axis countries prior to WWII. The great Max Schmelling was often a participant. It is also noted that in the post-1939 years when Germans and Italians were incarcerated in American, British, and Canadian P.W. camps, many matches between them were staged. The medallion is large measuring 3 inches in diameter. It’s made of bronze with fine engraving along its edges with the words “Box-Länderkampf Deutschland-Italien.” The traditional German eagle peculiar to sports is in the center seen in high relief.
PRICE: SOLD |
|
|||||||
|
Grouping of Early Italian Aviation Pictures (Item I-FAS 2-5) |
|||||||
| DESCRIPTION: Here is an original grouping of pictures that all came together from a source in Italy. Featured here are six absolutely original pictures that were once in an album. They depict various aviators, who pose near a single-engine, double-winged combat airplane of what type, we do not know. Except for an Italian mountain trooper and a lady in a flight uniform, the rest of the personal shown seem to be of the Italian Air Force. The pictures certainly can be considered quite rare and would be probably from the earliest days of Italian aviation and the beginnings of Italian Fascism. The pictures range in size form 6 1/2 to 4 1/2 inches down to 4 x 3 inches.
PRICE: $395.00; the group |
|
||||||||
|
Benito Mussolini Silver Stickpin (Item I-FAS 2-6) |
||||||||
| DESCRIPTION: This is a stickpin that was popular, especially during Il Duce’s visit to Germany in September 1937. More than a million people jammed Berlin’s Olympic Stadium and adjoining Mayfield to hear the leaders speak and witness a spectacular military tattoo. Then Adolf Hitler visited Rome and Il Duce Benito Mussolini in May 1939, and after the “Pact of Steel” on May 22, the popularity of the Italian leader was at a high and everything Italian was sought after as souvenirs. After the Italian armies attempted to invade Greece in 1941, and were soundly trounced by the Greeks, and Germany had to pull the Fascist chestnuts out of the fire Il Duce lost all popularity among the Germans. At this point jewelers were pretty much stuck with boxes of these silver Duce stickpins. This does not, however, take away in the slightest the importance of these gems of WWII history. Mussolini was a great man, but he often said he wished he had Praetorian Roman guards or Centurions, rather than gondola oarsmen and pasta cooks fighting. For what he wanted to be the Imperial Roman rebirth, it was most unfortunate that the Italian misadventures were practically the main reason that the Wehrmacht missed its chance to defeat Russia by being too late in its assault on the red capital by crucial weeks caused by its having to supplement Mussolini’s troops with real fighting men of the German nation. We believe WWII would have had a far different ending had the Italians stayed home. The pin is nonetheless important and beautifully fabricated in ‘800’ silver and is so marked.
PRICE: $165.00 |
|
|||||||||
|
Walkürie Statue in Bronze (Item I-FAS 2-8, FRAN 2-3, ART 10-13, BRONZE 1-3) |
|||||||||
| DESCRIPTION: Here is a really fine depiction in genuine bronze art-deco sculpture of a Walkürie or, as some would call her, an Amazon. In any case, she fits either description. At the same time such art was employed in Germany, it stood out in Mussolini’s Fascist Italy, as well. The theme of the warrior woman of legend is replete in the sagas of three culture groups: German, Italian, and French. The sculpture is signed ‘Pierre le Faguays.’ This artist, Le Faguays, was a prolific and versatile avant-garde French sculptor whose works greatly influenced the styles of the 1920s and early 1930s. The piece measures about 20 inches high from the bottom of the base to the top of the head. The distance from the tip of the shield to the point of the sword is also 20 inches. The base is 3 inches high at its tallest point. We lean toward Walkürie rather than Amazon because of the structure of the sword. It is definitely Teutonic. The patina is wonderful and the action of the bronze is both dramatic and anatomically correct. This is one great sculpture that would certainly grace a collection that is inclusive of cultural items. We don't know the age of this bronze, but it certainly has the feel of the mythos of the "heroic age" (Enormenzeif), a time when heroism ruled and there was no time for Belanglosen: Inconsequentials.
PRICE: SOLD |
|
||
|
Scarf with Swastikas and Italian Symbols (Item I-FAS 2-9; WEHR 20-9) |
||
| DESCRIPTION: This is a charming little wartime scarf that was a souvenir sold to German soldiers stationed in Italy during the war. It depicts the alliance between Fascist Italy and N.S. Germany. Many years back (about 1980) we bought two of these from a veteran and there is an interesting story there. One of the pieces was exactly as you see this one, but the other had the American Air Force star alternating with the Italian symbols instead of the swastikas. When you would hold the scarf up to the sunlight you could plainly see that the star was superimposed (stamped) over the swastika. In other words, the sellers at the marketplace had made a “quick commercial change” hoping that the alteration would not be noticed. The world of commercials marches on! It measures 12 x 12 inches in silk. It’s a very handsome display piece.
PRICE: SOLD |
|
|||||||||||||
|
Bronze Bust of Benito Mussolini (Item I-FAS 2-10) |
|||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION: Here is the finest bust ever produced of the Italian leader. It was made in Germany during the Third Reich and was produced by the same bronze foundry that produced much of the statuary for Kurt Schmid Ehmen. See Item ART 9-1. Also see the statue of Adolf Hitler at Item ART 10-5. These sculptures were produced by the Bergwerk in the German hamlet of Gleiwitz. It was known for the very best of sculptured items depicting the personalities and grandeur of the N.S. state and its allies. The bust of Il Dulce is unusual in that instead of just his Roman physiognomy, as was usual, he is depicted in his great resplendent uniform. Practically every other sculptured effigy that has ever shown up of the great man shows only the head or in civilian clothing. Here he wears a fez, and tunic with the orders and decorations. He looks so real in expression you think he is about to pronounce his favorite expression: “Believe, obey, fight.” At his neck it looks like he wears the Italian Order of Merit, while around his tunic is the chain-link order of St. Lazarus commander. This is truly a fantastic find. We have had occasion to only have one of these before finding this one in Germany. The bust is 12 inches high not counting the black quartz base. From shoulder to shoulder he measures about 7 1/2 inches. The base is 1 3/4 inches deep and 5 inches in diameter. This is genuine fine patinated bronze (solid) and is a fine addition to any Fascist or WWII collection. Another Mussolini quote is: “It is better to live one day as a lion, than a hundred years as a sheep.”
PRICE: SOLD |
Page Two |
Please refer to item designator in parentheses in all correspondence.
Please E-mail for any additional information you may need.
