MPH 283
Two photos of Italian troops in Libya, April 1940.
Price: $60.00
Photos and Postcards
MPH 282
Two photos of Captain D’Isperzione addressing his troops upon their departure from Rome for Libya, August 1940.
Price: $100.00
MPH 281
6 photos dated 1913 from an Italian soldier based in Libya.
Price: $100.00
MPH 278
Italian press photo of the visit of Giovanni Amendola to Tripoli in 1922. Also a 1935 French press photo of an Italian military camp on the Egyptian border which was scheduled to be withdrawn.
Price: $90.00
Note: Giovanni Amendola (1882-1926) was Minister of Colonies from February 26 – October 30, 1922. A newspaper journalist and fierce critic of fascism, he was beaten severely by 15 blackshirts, which ultimately caused his death in 1926.
MPH 277
7 snaps taken by an Italian soldier based in Tripoli in 1933. Shown are indigenous military, city/port panorama, mosques, local street life, an Arab bar, rare photo of a Mahariste. All captioned and dated.
Price: $100.00
MPH 276
7 colonial period postcards of scenes and types of Libya.
Price: $210.00
MPH 275
MPH 275
18 colonial postcards of Libyan architectural interest.
Price: $550.00
MPH 274
5 1912 patriotic fantasy postcards supporting the invasion of Libya.
Price: $200.00
IEAPC 184
Satirical postcard, seven years before Italy invaded Libya. It shows Turkey holding club behind its back as it welcomes Italy. Menelick, who crushed the Italians eight years earlier is shouting out to Italy saying “Attention, Miss, this is the greatest beauty for me”.
Price: $90.00
MPH 269
MPH 269Three powerful photo albums belonging to a Lieutenant Vallerini with the 52nd Fantaria fighing in Libya, 1911-1912. Beautiful hand painted covers on each album. Shown in album #1 are defensive preparation for an imminent attack at Sciara-Sciat on October 23, 1911 (see note below); tending to the wounded during the battle; the subsequent repression in Tripoli in October following the massacre at Sciara-Sciat showing dead insurgents; transporting wounded; fascinating photo of disarming the public; army mascot digging graves; defensive line in an oasis; the battle of Mezzu on November 26 (which I cannot find a reference to in any of the literature); rare image of Italian lancers; transporting artillery by camel; rare photo of Maharists; rare photo of a patrol of local police and Somali troops; rare photos of zaptie and carabinieri; great clear photos of life in a military camp; Italian batteries in the field; Somali ascaris; trench systems; Bersaglieri; heavy artillery at Bu Melian; trench fortifications and observation towers at a number of oasis and towns; fascinating photo of a mosque minaret converted into an observation post; rare photo of an Italian heavy mortar; Italian battery Hamidia after bombardment by the local insurgents; very rare photo of a squadron of maharists from the Eritrean 5th Battalion; landing of Italian sailors at Tripoli on February 9, 1912; all different Italian, Somali and Eritrean troops on parade on February 9, 1912; ascari barracks; never before seen photos of ascari camp life. 88 photos, all legibly captioned. Album #2 begins in 1912 in Tripoli. It shows Italians repairing a damaged rail line; unusual photo of a rail car designed for transporting water; rail station for the cavalry barracks; offloading a train to camel transports; improvised winch for transporting goods arriving by sea directly onto a rail line; rare photo of a funeral for a senior ascari officer; rare large photos of two ascari Sciumbasci (sergeant); a broken tomb of a Libyan noble; posing with Roman ruins; captured Turkish cannons at Ain-Zara; arab life at an oasis; arriving at Bu Melian; 
MPH 269
MPH 269Menscia and other towns; squadron of maharists; Eritrean ascari 5th battalion, aftermath of the battle of Ain Zara December 1911; Bu Hamez in 1912; inauguration of a radio-telegraph station. 72 photos, all legibly captioned. Album #3 begins with a number of monument to the Italian dead (including the bersagliari tortured and killed at Sciara Sciat); a number of photos relating to dirigibles and balloons; Turkish cemetery; the battle of Zanzur, June 8, 1912; the 50th fanteria regiment on the eve of battle; Italian mountain battery during the battle; occupied Turkish trenches; the 40th Fanteria regiment making a bayonet charge; battle casualties, rare photo of a hospital train; ascari regiment; Tripoli panoramic and street views; Supreme Italian commander General Carlo Caneva as well as Generals Di Chamant, Giardina, Rainalvi and Farer; an olive garden belonging to Gamail bey; rare photo of an ostrich feather factory; insurgents surrendering their weapons; Italian warship “Canopo”; Italian fort Santa Barbara; destroyed Turkish cannons following the battle of Ain Zara; a squadron of Eritrean Maharists. 107 photos, most captioned.
An extraordinary collection mainly showing field operations AFTER the war officially ended but battles continued to be fought. A great source for images of Eritreans and Somalis (?) fighting in Libya. Well captioned. 267 photos in all.
Price: $2990.00
MPH 269Note from Wikipedia: The Battle and massacre at Shar al-Shatt (Sciara Sciat in Italian) occurred on 23 October 1911 in the village of Shar al-Shatt on the outskirts of Tripoli, Libya during the Italo-Turkish War. 378 Italian officers and men were killed in the fighting and the massacre of soldiers who had surrendered. The incident became known as the "Massacre of Italians at Sciara Sciat. The IV Battalion of the 11th Bersaglieri Regiment of Colonel Gustavo Fara had been positioned at the small oasis village as part of the defenses of Tripoli. On 23 October, the force of about 500 Italian soldiers came under attack from the Turks and Arabs and was quickly overrun and decimated. Approximately 290 'bersaglieri' who survived the initial assault surrendered to the jihadists in the local cemetery, but all were tortured and killed.
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