Photos and Postcards

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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 269MPH 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 269MPH 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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Collection of 5 sequential photo albums belonging to Benvenuto Gioda. He participated in the Italo-Turkish war from 17 October 1911 to 18 October 1912, and in the subsequent operations in Tripolitania from October 1911 to June 1913, as an orderly officer of Major General Clemente Lequio.

The photographs collected here start from March 1912, as he was previously without a camera. Thus the initial documentation relating to the landing and the operations around Tripoli in November-December 1911 which culminated in the battle of Ain Zara on 4 December is missing. Instead, the subsequent operations, which took place west of Tripoli, the landing at Macabez and the following operations up to the occupation of Zuara in April-May 1912, are well documented.

MPH 268MPH 268General Lequio commands during this period the Mixed Brigade which is employed with various tasks. Lequio from September 1912, promoted to lieutenant general, commands the 1st Special Division which will participate in the battle of Assaba in March 1913 and in the subsequent operations in the Garian and in the Gebel. He will return home in June.

As for the most relevant characters present in the photos, I would like to point out:

- General Clemente Lequio

MPH 268MPH 268- Generals Ragni and Garioni, commanders of the Expeditionary Corps and Governors of Tripolitania

- Colonel A. Cantore, commander of the 8th Special Alpini Regiment

- Lt. Colonel Emilio De Bono, Chief of Staff of the 1st Special Division, and future Marshal of Italy

- Major Guido Caffaro, who arrived in Tripolitania in September 1912 following the Special Army Corps

- Lieutenant Aldo Slaviero, officer of the Alpini, discharged in 1921 with the rank of major

- various Arab leaders

A rare find.

Price: $4000.00

MPH 267

Two large photos of Libyan civilians and Maharistes in Tripoli during the Senussi rebellion. Captions on back. B

Price: $80.00

MPH 266

4 photos by a photographer with LUCE (Italian film corporation created in 1924 for propaganda dissemination) named V. Ungaro. Interesting photo of LUCE vehicle with Italian air force personnel. B

Price: $110.00

MPH 265MPH 265MPH 265A postcard album converted into a photo album, holding 263 photos and mostly photographic postcards from an officer that fought in Libya, 1911-1913 and was based throughout much of the war in Zuara. A rich source depicting both military and Arab life as well as the effect of the war in Zuara, which was the last coastal city to be conquered by the Italians, in August 1912. Many photos are captioned and show a number of generals by name. B

Price: $1500.00

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MPH 263

6 photo postcards from the collection of Paolo Cresci, showing military and (Italian and Arab) civilian scenes. Captioned on reverse with named individuals. B

Price: $150.00

MPH 262

Set of 10 postcards of an Italian artillery unit fighting in Libya.B

Price: $300.00